Page 91 of Outlaws of Tulsa

Inside her is a future.

Rather than dwell on shitty things like hope and family when monsters like Genworth and Putnam roam the world, I decide to focus on the past. At least for now.

“Have you eaten?” I ask, patting Hadley’s thigh, indicating she should stand.

She obeys and shakes her head. It’s dark, but the moonlight pours in through the window, allowing me to see her pretty, somber features.

“Find Bermuda and eat.” I stand and grab my sheathed knife from the table so I can clip it to my belt. “Put shoes on while you’re at it. Without heat, it’s going to get cold real quick.”

I start to walk away and she grabs my wrist. Turning, I regard her half shadowed face. Tentatively, she steps toward me and traces her fingertips down along my scruffy jaw.

“All I ever wanted in life was to do things that make me happy,” she murmurs. “I wasn’t sure what it would be. Now that Mom is gone and I’m clearly pregnant, I’ve found some direction.” She smiles the prettiest smile in the goddamn world. “I want to be a good mother to this little one. I want to protect him or her from the horrible people in the world.” She swallows and drops her gaze to the floor. “I don’t want to do it alone.”

Lifting my hand to her chin, I nudge her head back up so I can see her face. My thumb rubs across her dry bottom lip. “You flirt with danger, little girl. You don’t know what you ask for.”

Her gaze hardens. “I know exactly what I ask for. I know what I want.”

“Princesses don’t always get what they want.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be a princess,” she says hotly.

“Yeah, Pageant Girl? Were you thinking queen instead?”

She stands on her toes and presses a chaste kiss to my lips. “I was thinking old lady has a nicer ring to it.”

Damned if my dick doesn’t get hard.

“Go eat,” I growl.

She smirks, her playful spirit finally finding its way back inside her. “Yes, Daddy.”

This fucking girl.

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

I’m freezing my balls off outside, but I don’t move a muscle. They’re coming. Walking right into our trap. I thought maybe they’d roll in on their Harleys like a mob of mean motherfuckers. And if Putnam was taking lead, he’d probably do just that, despite the snow. But since Genworth is in charge, they’ll be sneakier about it.

Crunch.

My eyes dart to my left to where Bizzy’s dumb ass shoots me a guilty look. Fucker can’t sit still to save his life. I drag my gaze back up the road, squinting against the darkness and the flurries of snow falling.

I catch Katana’s dark eyes and give him a nod. He disappears into the night to search farther up the road. Payne prowls after him. We have the house completely surrounded and protected from all angles.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Pulling my phone from my coat pocket, I swipe it and press it to my ear but don’t breathe a word.

“I have access to everything, Koynakov.” Genworth’s words are spoken with cool confidence, but I don’t miss the slight strain in his words.

He’s in the lion’s den now.

“You already took the only things near and dear to me,” I remind him. “You think my electricity going out hurts?” I pause. “Nothing you could ever do could hurt me again. As far as you’re concerned, I’m unfuckingtouchable.” I let out a cold laugh. “But you? I have your tiny beating heart in the palm of my hand.”

“Do it.”

His barked words are my only warning before I hear therat-a-tat-tatcoming from the tree line. Windows shatter as bullets spray through my house. Irritating as fuck but expected. I step behind a stone column off the porch, waiting out the assault.

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