Page 70 of Demon
Ronnie looked around the room, looking for something, anything, she needed a reason to change the subject.She had a hard time talking about herself and talking about a relationship that she didn’t know what was happening in or where it was going wasn’t something she loved.
“This place isn’t what I expected.”She continued to scan the room.She had no doubt she looked like some tourist trying to find something wild or crazy to see while she was here.
London chuckled.“Let me guess.You’ve been watching Sons of Anarchy.”
It wasn’t a question, and Ronnie didn’t say anything but knew she hadn’t been able to keep a straight face, and that her expression was giving away her guilt.
Beth leaned forward.“Who’s your favorite?I’m partial to Jax, but he is nothing like Sadist.That’s okay.I love my guy just the way he is.”
“Um.”She didn’t want to say.Her huge crush on Opie was a little embarrassing under normal circumstances, but here?It was almost horrifying.
“I have a thing for Chibs.I know he’s older, and not the best looking, but there’s just something about him I can’t explain,” Beth put in.
Well, if they were all going to admit who they liked, how could she not share too?Wasn’t that part of making friends?You told them embarrassing secrets, especially if those secrets weren’t all that secret and wouldn’t hurt anyone?
“Opie,” Ronnie said softly.It wasn’t as if she had ever kept her crush on the big man a secret.
London tilted her head to one side.“I think you might have managed to get the perfect Soul to fall for you.”
Ronnie’s face heated.She was either going to have to get over her tendency to get embarrassed so easily, or learn to live with blushing all the time.That was if she ended up spending much time around these ladies, and from what she’d known of them so far, she wanted to know them better.Even if things didn’t work out with her and Demon.She liked them.She could see herself becoming good friends with them, and she didn’t have many friends.
Maybe her confusing Demon for Jim Bob hadn’t been that much of a mistake.Maybe it had been fate.She’d never believed much in fate, but it seemed like there was something guiding what had been happening to her over the last little while.Not the bullshit with her father, but she had to admit, at least to herself, that if he hadn’t given her the file, she never would have met Demon.
37
“We’vegotprogress,”Tucksaid as soon as the doors were locked, and Demon sat at the table.“It’s not done yet but we’re on the way to making sure the woman is safe.”
“My woman,” Demon clarified.
Tuck raised one brow as one corner of his mouth lifted.The glint of light reflecting off the fifty cent piece that flipped back and forth over the back of Tuck’s hand where it rested on the table in front of the president.Demon didn’t want to look too closely at what that expression meant.
“Switchblade is in the process of calling off the retrieval order for Ronnie,” Krissi spoke up.“I spoke with him earlier and we came to an agreement.”
“Thank you.”Demon met her gaze.“I know you haven’t spoken to him in quite a while, and that you want to keep your distance.I know what it took to make the offer to let him know Amber.”
Oh, I didn’t do that.I learned how to negotiate and make promises without giving up things I wasn’t willing to do.I never agreed to let him see her.All I did was threaten to never let him see her if he didn’t do this.”She shot Ruger a conspiratory smile then looked back to Demon.“He’ll be in a position soon that he’ll never get a chance to come see her.The closest he’ll ever get is a photograph and even that won’t be current, of that you can be sure.”
“Still, I appreciate it.”
“That’s not the only news,” Gizmo spoke up.He tapped a few keys on the computer in front of him.“They picked up Randall Darq a few hours ago.He is singing like a canary.”Gizmo shook his head.“I don’t know how a woman as strong willed as Ronnie came from a man like that.Anyway, he’s in the process of making a deal to give up everything he knows, and from what he’s giving up, the Devils, as well as the Diablos, are not the only criminals he’s in bed with.And the fucking idiot has stockpiled evidence against nearly everyone he’s in bed with.It looks like he’s been blackmailing some with the information, but not all.He’s not entirely stupid.His information, along with the evidence he’s stashed on everyone should clean up more than a few cold cases as well as put at least two dozen men in prison across four states.”
Demon blinked and stared at the tech sergeant for several seconds.Arizona and New Mexico he’d expected, but what were the others?If he had to guess, he would say probably California, and probably Nevada, but maybe Utah or Colorado, not that it mattered that much as long as Switchblade, and everyone else who meant her harm, stayed far away from Ronnie.
“So what do I need to do?”Demon asked once the news sank in.
“Stay close to her for a couple more days, at least.We need to give it long enough for Switchblade’s order to stand down to make it around the underground network he uses to communicate with his associates.I’ll keep looking for anything that might be a danger to her.A threat or possibly revenge from any of the others that piece of shit has been working with or blackmailing.Then she should be safe.”Gizmo dropped his gaze back to the laptop screen.
“Once this is all over, you can walk away.Your cousin will be behind bars, Ronnie will be safe, and your conscience will be clear,” Tuck said, watching Demon.
Demon didn’t bother to fight the growl that tore itself from his throat.“Never.”
Sadist lifted one brow and stared at him.Demon wasn’t sure if it was because Demon’s reaction had surprised him or if he didn’t approve of the growl.Demon wasn’t sure he cared.
“You claiming her?”Ruger asked.
“He fucking better,” Krissi put in.“I spoke with my sperm doner for you, and her.I hope she’s more than just a fling.”
“She’s mine.”
