Page 12 of Rogue

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, since no one’s in a hurry to speak again.

But before anyone can answer running footsteps in the hall turn into the War Room door slamming open.

“It’s Lotus,” Trinity says breathlessly. “She’s been attacked.”

I barely manage to ignore the sharp pain in my side as I turn too sharply to face her. “What? How bad?”

“I’m not sure,” Trinity says as she stands aside for me so I can go check for myself.

The others are right behind me as I reach the bar.

Minx is standing over Lotus, who is sitting at one of the tables. Blood is covering half her face and she’s shaking so hard the chair she’s sitting in is rattling against the floor. Other members are looking on with worried expressions on their faces. They part to let me through.

“What happened?” I ask Lotus.

“I was just going grocery shopping, we’re low on milk and stuff…” she says then pauses for a long shuddering breath that sounds like it’s hurting her. “They ran me off the road… pulled me out of the car… and just started kicking and punching me… there were four of them… dressed like the bad guys from some James Bond movie… all in black… with white earpieces…”

That sounds exactly like the guys we sent running only a week ago at that warehouse.

Lotus is one of our club girls, been with us for seven years, and I hate that this happened to her. The life she fled when she came to us for protection was exactly what she just described, but on pretty much a daily basis.

“Who was it?” I ask.

She shudders again and hands me a white calling card embossed with a golden logo of a hydra-type monster, but with cobra snake heads, and the words Hydra Unlimited printed across it. The calling card is soaked in Lotus’ blood.

“They said to tell you that you messed with the wrong people this time,” she says in a shaky voice. “That this was just a warning. Back off or people will die.”

The word sticks in her throat and she starts shaking worse.

I scoff. “Some threat, coming from men who go at an unarmed woman four to one.”

I’m expecting at least some outraged agreement from the others gathered around us, but all I see are stony faces painted with different shades of fear.

“We should never have helped the Devils,” Tito pipes up from somewhere behind my back. “Now they’ve fucked off going back home and these guys are hunting us. Hunting our women.”

If he has a point beyond stating this, he fails to make it. But more than a few around us grumble in what could be taken as agreement.

I glance at Blade. He’s got a very clear,I told you so, look painted across his face.

“How bad are you hurt?” I ask Lotus, ignoring both Tito and Blade completely.

“I think my wrist might be broken,” she says. “Maybe a couple of ribs too.”

I hand the Hydra calling card to Alice. “Have Skye dig up what she can on these people. And make sure everyone’s in or accounted for. No one leaves the clubhouse alone until we know more about this threat.”

She takes the card and nods.

“I’m taking Lotus to the ER,” I add.

“No, you don’t have to, I’ll be fine,” she says. “I just need to lie down?—”

I grin at her and shake my head. “Nonsense. You need x-rays and shit. Maybe a couple of stitches.”

And I need to make sure she gets taken care of.

I take her arm to help her stand. The pain in my side is bearable again. Welcome, even.

Tito’s not entirely wrong in his accusations. My hasty decisions definitely led to Lotus being hurt. Not that I expected anyone to go after one of my club girls.

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