Page 50 of Inflame Me
“I saw him push a woman on her ass in the main room. Is he violent with women?” I twist my fingers, not wanting the answer, but needing it.
“You’re talking about Sandra.” She shakes her head. “I wanted to go out and beat her fucking ass myself, but Cruz wouldn’t let me.” I stare at her with wide eyes. “That bitch fucked this whole club, and the only reason no one touched her out there is because she’s Rhys’s shit to clean up. He brought that bitch into Ravage, and he needs to get her out.”
“Get her out?” I ask. God, I sound so pathetic.
“Sweetheart, I know you’re new to this shit, but you need to be a fast learner, especially if you want to be on Rhys’s arm, and from the look on your face, you do. That’s a whole other issue for another time. This right here—Sandra—she fucked with the club; therefore, she is dealt with. Most of the time, that means she will disappear and never be heard from again.” Princess quirks her brow, and I read between the lines. Holy shit, they are going to kill her? “Now, to be in this club, that shit needs to roll off you.”
“But …” Princess holds her hand up, and I stop.
“It’s something that is learned over time. The best thing you can do is forget it. It doesn’t exist. You are no part of it.”
My mind whirls with everything she just said. They kill people. Is that what they did to Griff and Officer Miller? Did they just make them disappear?
A hand comes to my arm, and I look to Princess.
“I get that you’re freaked out. This isn’t the life you were a part of before. This is our life. This is how we settle scores. If someone comes after us or ours, then we take them out.”
Princess proceeds to tell me several stories. One is of her fighting for her son Cooper when he was kidnapped by his biological mom, which shocked me. It ended with several dead. One is where the old president of the club was gunned down and the retaliation that took place. Then there were the things that happened to Blaze that are beyond terrible. However, the thing that sticks out to me most is that each of those men had each other’s backs. They may put the club first, but they never hesitated to take care of the women and families.
“I don’t know what to say.” I sit there, speechless, playing all the new information in my head over and over again.
“You are part of this life now. Dagger is your father, and we have enemies. Don’t be surprised if you have protection of some sort.”
“What?” I breathe.
“There seems to always be shit going down or coming up. Protection happens, and with you not knowing this world, I’m sure Dagger will be extra cautious with you and your mother.” She raises her brows. “What’s going on there?”
I shrug. “No clue. I’ve got enough going on.” I’m not sure how I feel with Dagger getting close to my mom again. I don’t know where that would leave any of us in the long run. “We’ll be leaving as soon as we get the okay and Mom is better.”
“You’re really going to go home?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t we?”
She eyes me, and I feel a bit freaked by the inspection. “Because you’re sitting ducks up there.”
“We’ll have to go back for the funeral.” That reminds me. “I don’t even know when that is, but surely my mother would need to go.” I make a mental note to do a Google search.
“You need to talk to Dagger about whatever you choose to do.” She eyes me skeptically.
“What?”
“Why do you want to leave? Guy at home or something?”
My mouth gapes. “No. I wouldn’t be with Rhys if I did.” Princess laughs. “Seriously. I’m a hair stylist, and I need to get back to work for cash. I’m not hurting, but being off too long isn’t going to do me any good.”
“Really?”
I nod.
“I could use you at the club,” she says.
“What club?”
“X. It’s a strip club. Gotta have someone to keep the girls looking good. The better they look, the more money we make.”
“You own a strip club?”
“The club does, but it’s my baby. I built it from the ground up. Blaze helps me run the place. I’ll take you there sometime soon so you can see for yourself.”
