Page 28 of Reckless Pawn

Houston froze. Did he hear him correctly?

Tel spoke up. "That goes for all of us. We've got your back here."

"Then for fuck's sake make sure no one slips Izzy any more date rape drugs. I can't focus on this shitandher."

"Done, brother." Again Axel spoke, shocking the shit out of him. "I'll make it my personal mission to make sure no one fucks with her again."

Houston nodded, unsure how he felt about Axel's sudden agreeability. Either way, he had to leave soon and that meant taking whatever assurances he could get.

"We done here?" Houston asked.

"Yeah. Just be cautious out there. Trust no one and keep the fuck in touch."

Houston looked at his Prez. "Will do, boss."

Everyone got up from the table and exited the room. Houston scrubbed his face. He was so fucking tired. The adrenaline fueling him for the last twenty or so hours was long gone.

A hand touched his shoulder and he turned back to see JD stopping him. "You gotta let us in eventually. We don't need it all, but we do need your trust to make this work."

JD was right of course. Not that Houston wanted to admit that out loud. "I think deep down I do. It's just a matter of getting my head wrapped around it. It's hard to let go of the past."

"Good. I know your woman's got you twisted up pretty good. But you gotta find a way to put that shit aside. It may not seem like it right now, but this club is your family. And family is what sees you through thick and thin." JD fished a cigarette out of his pack and walked toward the door. "Family doesn't have to be blood, Houston. You and I, we're it. This club? It's both our legacy. From here on out it becomes whateveryouwant it to be."

On those cryptic words, JD exited the clubhouse leaving him to stand here feeling unsure what to do with that oddball nugget of information. He barely remembered the last time he referred to anyone as family. The good memories of the past were tainted by his mother's violent death, the present was mired with new emotions he didn't have time to deal with, and the future loomed even more uncertain.

Fuck. He scrubbed his face again. He was too damn tired for this shit.

He stepped outside and looked up the hill where Izzy slept, probably now blissfully unaware that he'd been in her bed again. Maybe a different man would have marched up that fucking hill and taken her the hell out of here. But whatever the reasons that had made him a good soldier made him the perfect candidate for this assignment. And not unlike her before, there was a woman about her age still being held and used against her will.

She too deserved someone on her side.

So he'd do whatever it took to rescue her and hope like hell Izzy would forgive him one day. Even if she couldn't wait for him…

Chapter Eleven

Izzy

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

I jolted awake, unaware of my surroundings. Scrambling from the bed, I bolted into the opposite corner of the room away from the unfamiliar voice.

"Damn, Izzy, relax. It's just me, Sasha from the casino."

I raised my head to the doorway and heaved a sigh of relief. "You shouldn't come barging into someone's room without some warning." I glanced around the room to see exactly where I was and sagged against the wall when I realized I was indeed in my own bedroom.

"I've been knocking on your door for ten minutes. When I got worried, your hot young security guard let me in to check on you. What’s a girl gotta do to get one of him all to herself?" she purred.

"My what?" With the fear subsiding, the throbbing in my head intensified. My mouth was so dry I was croaking out the words.

"Uhh, the hot biker out on your porch making sure no one gets in here who isn't allowed." She approached and I automatically flinched away from her. Fortunately, this time she only gave me a strange look instead of questioning me, before plopping down on the end of my bed.

"He's a lot younger than my usual type, but maybe that's what I need for a change. I'd bet a young stud like him in my bed would make my papa bear think a little harder about what he really wants from me."

Again, I breathed deep, shaking off the residual sleep and fear her sudden appearance caused. I dropped my back against the wall and let my shoulders sag. My reaction was kind of pathetic at this point and one I really didn't want to explain.

"I don't know anything about a hot biker. In fact I don't know anything about anything. What happened last night? How did I get home?"

Sasha hesitated, fiddling with her fingernails. "You don't remember?" she finally asked.

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