Page 76 of Sweet Rule
I nod. The anger that I’d felt confronting my mother is gone. I feel shaky at best and when he offers me his hand to help me out of the SUV once we arrive I’m grateful for it. Without his arm around my waist I might trip and eat shit, which really would fit with how my day has gone. Marco moves like he’s going to follow us but Law shakes his head.
“You’ll stay here with Taylor. Follow his lead.”
Marco’s eyes go from me to Law before he nods. “Understood.”
Taylor comes up to us and smiles at me. “It’ll be alright, you’ll see. First sign of trouble and we’re coming in there.” I nod but I’m not looking at him. I’m looking at the man in front of the door. He’s big and burly. I’ve seen him before while I was at the club and I know he’s security. There’s a lot of security for the club that I never really noticed until I was living there.
“Okay,” I say but I’m walking with Law. He and Taylor didn’t talk much beforehand. Their plan was in play long before tonight and that calms my nerves somewhat, knowing Law has gone over this probably a thousand times before in his head and with Taylor. If it isn’t just dinner, if Zeus asks more from us than we’re willing to give, I know I can trust him to get us out of it.
The man at the door greets us with a smile but it feels wrong. Cold and…wrong. It’s sharp rather than welcoming but I follow Law into the club all the same. I’m not surprised when I see Connie. She’s standing in the lobby with a frown on her face.
“You shouldn’t have come,” she says those four words so quickly that I’m not even sure I hear them but when Law sighs I know she said them.
“Your master didn’t give us much of a choice.”
Her face pinches and she motions for us to follow her. She glances in the corner and I see the glint of a camera lens. She’s wary of the cameras and hustles us into the hallway. “Listen, he’s fucking- I don’t know. He’s not making sense.”
“Talk fast,” Law orders.
“I know he sent Rosario off at Honey half-cocked this morning and that woman is out of her mind.”
“She’s also in jail,” I say. “I put her there.”
Connie gives me an impressed look. “Good girl.”
“Focus on Zeus,” Law growls at us when I warm at her praise.
“He’s making his move tonight and I don’t know what it is. Just be ready. Are you armed?”
That makes me nearly swallow my tongue. What the fuck does she meanarmed? I think of the gun Law’s got strapped to him, but I didn’t think she would ask us like that.
Law’s silent for a beat before he sighs. “You know I am.”
“Good, I just. Look…I like the both of you and I’ve worked for Zeus for a very long time. The man isn’t who he was before. This whole shit with Honey has just pushed him right over the edge and I’m not helping him.”
“But you’re helping us? Why is that?” Law asks her.
Connie’s eyes dart down the hallway and she takes in a deep breath. “I’ve got a lot of sins to make up for. Why not start now?”
* * *
LAW
“You really think helping us now is going to fix whatever he’s made you do?” Honey asks. Her question surprises me. It’s not something I thought she might ask Connie. I can tell by the slight widening of Connie’s eyes that she didn’t think Honey would ask it either.
Connie schools her face into a calm and collected visage but I see the way she swallows hard and her eyes drop for just a second. She’s searching for the words. What the fuck did Zeus make her do?
“I have to try,” she says quietly. “I’ve been trying with you, you know? You never should have gotten mixed up in all of this. If you’d never come here then-”
“Then I wouldn’t have met Law,” Honey says smoothly and takes my hand. “Whatever happens, I’m glad I ended up here with my fucked up little family drama playing out, because at least I have him.”
She meets my eyes and gives me a bright smile despite the worry I see in her eyes, hear in her voice. She’s scared but she’s still smiling. Pride courses through me at seeing her try to be brave and strong even though we’re up against who knows what. My wife is the strongest woman I’ve ever met. I knew it before and I’m reminded of it when she squeezes my hand and lifts her chin.
“I’m glad I met you.”
Her words have a sense of finality to them. I don’t fucking like that.
“We’re walking out of here together. I’m going to keep you safe,” I promise her. When Zeus’ invitation for tonight hit my phone, I knew something was up. It was well-timed given the drama with Honey’s mother, so I knew we’d be walking right into something beyond dinner or petty demands from Zeus. Connie didn’t need to tip me off the way she did for me to know tonight is dangerous. I’m going to handle it. Taylor and Marco are ready to force their way in at the first sign of trouble, but even without them I’m going to make sure Honey is safe.
