Page 107 of That Girl is Trouble

Casually, he drains his water bottle and drops it to the floor. Then he tugs on his T-shirt, which is always good. Fewer distractions when I’m trying to argue with him. “He’s not like us, Kat. One of us ends up floating in a river, the cops label it as drug related or a turf war or some bullshit, and we’re forgotten. Can’t just kill a man like Vic Rossi and expect no one to notice. And I didn’t tell you,” he says, cocking an eyebrow, “because it’s club business, which means it wasn’t your concern.”

He takes a step closer. “And. Because the only time you seem to fucking listen to me is when I’ve got you bent over. Figured I’d keep the facts to myself so you didn’t go gallivanting off trying to take some sort of Danforth revenge on the fucker and end up alone with him. Which is exactly what fucking happened anyway.”

I fold my arms across my chest and scowl. “Maybe you should just tell me next time.”

“And maybe you should stop acting like a little brat and do what I say.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I goad.

Axe throws me a warning look, but I do what I do best and ignore it.

“What does he want, then? Rossi?”

He shrugs. “Real estate, mostly. Wants to turn South Bay into the next Eden Hills. Luxury resorts, skyrocketing property values, waterfront tourism. A lot of money to be made in a town like this. Only problem is—”

“You.”

“Yeah. Me. The Sinners own this town, and he’s been trying to push us out. Failing, so far. But making our lives… difficult. I don’t like lookin’ over my shoulder in my own damn town.”

“So he just gets to live? After what he did to my sister? And Jess? And what he tried to do to me tonight?”

Axe lets out another exasperated sigh. “No, Kat. He doesn’t just get to live. I’ve had tabs on him for the better part of a year, and this is the first time he’s been back in the province since he had someone cut your big brother up in the parking lot. I have a plan. Or rather, had one. And thanks to the surveillance we’ve been running on him, I was about ready to put things into motion. Tonight sort of eliminated the element of surprise I had going for us.”

Oh. Oops.

“What’s the new plan, then?”

He rubs his hand over his mouth and regards me. “What is this to you, Kat? What do you want from me?”

I scoff out a laugh. “You’re asking me that?”

“Yeah. I’m asking,” he says seriously. “You in this or what?”

“I… I didn’t think that was up to me.”

“Kitty,” he rasps as he steps into me. His hand goes to my throat, lightly squeezing, his lips nearly touching mine. “We’ve both said some shit. And I pushed you out.”

“Twice,” I whisper.

“Yeah. Twice. I’m not apologizing for that. You were fucking seventeen and you needed to get away from this shit. I’d figured out how to deal with you being gone. But when I saw you that night at the Garden, when I felt…” He clears his throat. “I’d forgotten what this was like—you being in my life. Not sure I’ll survive going without that again. So yeah, it’s up to you. I already decided.”

“But you don’t date.”

He snorts. “What you and I do could never be dating. It’s fucking living. Breathing. A fast ride with three fucking cruisers in my rear-view. You’re what makes my heart beat. You understand? So I’m in this. All of me. Are you?”

I grin, warmth spreading across my chest. “Can I… think about it?”

His hands find my ass, and he jerks me against him, pulling all the air from my lungs. “I will spank that pretty ass until you’re raw, Kitty Kat. There’s no thinking. Words. Now.”

“You ever get tired of telling everyone what to do?” I laugh, and he slaps his hand on my ass, making me squeal. “Yes! God. Obviously.”

He sighs. “Yeah, I was afraid you’d say that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“We need a new plan to take down Rossi. I’m gonna need to explain why.”

Realization hits me, and my stomach sinks. “Oh.”

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