Page 47 of Running on Empty

“We had nothing to trace Rush back to them, no matter how much digging we did, because we were focused on the wrong pack,” Ash said. “We looked into the Spencers senior, but from what Stevie went through, we know now it's the sons who are disseminating it. They’re everything their fathers aren’t, sloppy, poorly disciplined and not at all concerned about their files being hacked.”

He clicked to the next screen and that’s when I saw them again, all those video files that recorded their sordid exploits. Bodies bleached pale by artificial lights; teeth bared in feral smiles as they stared into the camera while they did shitty things.

“They are lazy, spoiled and not used to being told no, so when we extracted Stevie, they took that as a personal affront, determined to get her back simply because she’d been taken away.” I shifted restlessly in my seat, the men’s grip on my hands tightening. “They contacted Stevie several times, harassing her via phone, and a dating app.”

It felt like everyone’s focus shifted to me now, making me feel irrationally ashamed. I forced myself to sit tall in my seat.

“And when that didn’t work, they went to her workplace and paid off her manager to get access to her.”

“And where the fuck were you lot in all of this?” Blue snapped, scowling at all three of his sons. “You kept us out of it and you didn’t even step in.”

“Because I wouldn’t have let them.” I felt something ease as I spoke, but my eyes remained on the table top, tracing the faux wood grain of the laminate with my eyes. “I was angry, hurt—”

“You should’ve come to us, love,” Gun said, much more gently.

“I shouldn’t have gone out with those alphas that night,” I replied, meeting his gaze now. “I shouldn’t have smoked their weed or drank their whiskey. I should’ve stayed home and watchedThe Great British Bake Offas Ash instructed.”

“I like that show too,” Jax mumbled.

“I should’ve known who my alphas were so I wouldn’t go looking for them in all the wrong places. I should’ve had better parents, ones Ronan wouldn’t have felt impelled to execute. I should’ve. We should’ve.” I shrugged. “Who gives a fuck about what should’ve happened, because it didn’t. Are we going to sit here and point fingers or are we going to work out a way forward?”

Gun nodded then, a look of fierce pride on his face and damn me if I didn’t suck that right up.

“You’re right, Stevie. Of course, you are. But going forward—”

“I won’t be putting myself anywhere near any other alphas,” I finished for him. Ronan’s grip on my hand tightened until my bones began to creak, the skin bleaching pale, but I just ran my spare one over his until he eased off.

“Good.” This came from Jax, not Ronan and his growl was something I felt like I’d never really heard. “You don’t have to choose me” —he was interrupted by a rumbling sound around the table— “but I’ll be fucked if I can watch you walk out your door and into another bloke’s car again. Stick with Ronan, stay celibate, I don’t fucking care, but if any other bloke fucking looks at you, I can’t be held accountable for what I do.”

I shouldn’t like this and part of the old Stevie bristled, not willing to let any of the Kelly boys tell me what to do, but as I stared into Jax’s eyes I saw something I never expected to. A raging need, the twin of my own, one he was just as sick of tamping down as I was. But I jerked my hands free of both their clutches, rubbing them along my jeans to dry off the suddenly clammy palms.

“Same goes for you,” I said, tilting my chin up. “I’m sick to fucking death of seeing hot babes cluster around you lot like bees to honey. You’re my mates, so if I catch another cute girl teetering over to catch your attention, I’ll hit her so hard her kids will be born bruised.”

“Yeah?” As Jax’s grin spread across his face it seemed to lighten. “Well, alright—”

“Enough of the foreplay,” Rusty groaned, then winked at me. “Get a fucking room and fuck this shit out while we sort out your little problem.” He turned back to the screen. “These cunts have gotta go down…”

His eyes rolled sideways to where Lois sat, waiting for a protest that didn’t come.

“Those are clips they’ve taken of all the people they’ve done this too?” she asked Ash in a thin voice. “What they did to our Stevie?” Her son nodded slowly. “Then hit them with whatever you’ve got. These men are animals and need to be put down.”

“Atta girl…” Donk said, nestling in closer to his mate.

Chapter28

“Looks like these boys like to maintain their own places,” Gun said, looking up at the map Ash displayed on the screen. “Arrogant, that is.”

“Fucking stupid, but if they don’t want their brothers at their backs, well…” Rusty grinned toothily. “All the better for us.”

“You’ll need to send a shot over their dads’ bow,” Blue told Ash and the rest of his sons. “The MCs are… interested in this situation. They’ve already been approached about the possibility of handing Stevie over.”

I stiffened then.

“They won’t.” Donk winked at me. “We’ve got enough on those fuckers to ensure their loyalty, but rich men talking down to one percenters? Treating them like they are dogs to retrieve their prey for them? Doesn’t fly like they think it will, no matter how much money is being waved around.”

“The MCs will want to swoop in and take over the space these fuckers leave behind,” Gun observed which sent a wave of purest cold through me. Rush in anyone’s hands was a dangerous thing. “So we’ll be able to count on their support, but…”

“But rules of engagement dictate that we give Spencers senior the opportunity to hand over their boys first though,” Blue said.

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