Page 40 of Piper's Pyro

“We’re staying here with Destiny. We’ll watch over the women,” Easton told Cobra as if he was in charge.

“Good. My brothers and I have it covered. I need to call Hustler and Spectre.” He kissed Karma again. “I love you.”

Jesus, I needed to leave. But first I helped Lady M stand. “Go inside and try to calm down. We will bring Piper home to you.” Then we’d lock her in her room until she was eighty-one.

“Thank you, baby.” She patted my cheek. “Be safe. All of you.”

“Come on, Lady M. Let’s get you some tea,” Karma said.

“Whiskey, honey. Times like these call for whiskey.” Lady M glanced over her shoulder at me. The love and remorse in her eyes hit me square in the chest.

“Micah?” Destiny came beside me.

“I need to go.”

“I know, but.” She bit her teeth and looked at her newfound brothers, then me. “Are you okay?” She lightly caressed my arm.

“Mhm. Fine. I need to go.” I couldn’t bring myself to take her into my arms and kiss her. Not with Easton and Mason standing three feet away like a couple of Roman soldiers.

“Please be careful.” The wanting in her baby blues undid me.

“You too. Listen to your brothers and don’t leave the house. You hear me?” I turned on the bossy president’s attitude to hide my real feelings.

“I will.”

I took a step to leave.

“Stop!” Destiny grabbed my hand, threw herself against my body, and smashed her lips to mine. The kiss was everything I needed but shouldn’t desire more than my next breath. Her tongue demanded entrance. I obliged like a weak-ass man. She forcefully had her way with me, and I relished every second because it could be our last kiss.

A throat cleared, and I reared back. “Gotta go.”

“Be careful.”

I replied with a grunt.

“I mean it, Micah.”

Cobra slammed on the horn.

I ran toward his pickup and didn’t look back at Destiny. “Let’s go!”

“It’s gotta be that fucking Forrest,” Cobra hissed, speeding off the property.

“I was thinking the same thing. Swear to God, brother. I will kill him.”

“Not if I get him first.”

In the side view mirror, I noticed Destiny watching us… And it hurt, hurt like a bitch after the pathetic, heartless goodbye I’d given her. I’d regret it for the rest of my life.

12

Pyro

I violently bounced my knee for no good reason. My nerves were out of control. Something had me on edge, and I wasn’t sure why. We were close to leaving the casino and heading to the airport to fly home to California. Singe and Flint were finalizing the band’s next two performances… Which wouldn’t include me on the drums.

Vapor would take his position back, and I’d be directionless again, hammering nails at the construction site during the day. At night, I’d be in my garage perfecting my skills on the drums for no one but myself. Shit, my life was boring and depressing.

“Sorry, I gotta take this.” Hustler’s voice drew me back to the present. “What did you say?” The concern in his voice made the hairs on my arms raise. “I’m on my way.”