Page 24 of Piper's Pyro

He swung first, cracking his fist against my jaw.

I lobbed a right hook and connected with his eye. From there, we battled for dominance. Spectre might be more muscular and a badass biker, but I didn’t back down. Hell to the no. When he punched me, I hit him back, and it felt fucking fantastic.

He threw me against a table and a lamp crashed onto the floor. The fucker was strong and fierce and not going easy on me. I bet he was taking his frustrations out on me after his call with Cobra. This was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“You’re pathetic. A filthy druggie who’s a waste of air and better off six feet under. I’m happy to do the honors,” Spectre grunted as he pounded my face.

He wasn’t wrong. I should be dead. My hands dropped to my sides as I accepted defeat and prayed he put me out of my misery. He’d be doing me a favor, quite honestly. Most addicts wished for death. Even though I’d been clean for the longest stint since I had started using drugs to numb my agony, I didn’t see the point in living. I’d only hurt the people around me. The ones I cared about.

“Oh my God! Spectre, stop!” He was shoved off me by… Piper. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” She dropped onto her knees beside me and examined my face. “Christ, you fucked him up badly.”

Spectre didn’t say a word, but I felt his presence and smelled his derisive odor.

“Russell, tell me what happened. Why was he hitting you?”

“Hey, it wasn’t all him.” I winced when I tried to get up. “I’m fine.” I pushed her hands away.

Her eyes widened as if I had insulted her. “You’re bleeding. Let me make sure you don’t need stitches.”

“What are you, a doctor?” I snorted. “I’ll take my chances.”

“No, but I’m an ER nurse, and I’ve dealt with many assholes.”

“I’m sure none quite like me.” I sat on the sofa.

“No, I’m sure not.” She noticed the cocaine. “Is this yours?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what we were fighting about,” Spectre said. “He wouldn’t get rid of it.”

Her gray depths pinned me in place. No words left her lush lips, but I felt her emotions as if they were my own. She wasn’t pissed. She was worried.

I leaned forward and swiped my hand across the three lines of coke. White powder littered the air around us. “There. Ya, happy?” I raised my hand in front of my face.

“Don’t even think about it.” Piper grabbed me by the wrist and squeezed the shit out of it. She reached for a bottle of water and doused my hand.

Bye-bye cocaine.

“Good. Let’s escort you out of the building.” Spectre came toward us.

Piper turned to face him. “Don’t touch him. He’s staying and will leave with the band tomorrow.”

“Get out of my way, sis.”

“Make me.”

Fuck she was a badass. I lowered my gaze to her fine ass. What I wouldn’t do for a piece of her right the fuck now. Adrenaline pumped into my heart, making me horny as fuck.

“What the fuck are you doing, Piper? You’re crossing the line.” He grabbed her by the bicep and shook her.

She leaned to the side and swiped a beer bottle. “Let me go, or I’ll bash your head.”

And just like that, he released her. “You’re on your own. Cobra will hear about this, and when he does… Well, you know what your punishment will be.”

“Do I look afraid?”

Not one bit.

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