Page 16 of Diablo

Why was I rattled? LeBlanc hadn’t threatened me—not outright, at least. All he did was mention Diablo. But it was the implication that was unnerving. LeBlanc had hinted that he knew more about me and my relationship with Diablo—things that were supposed to stay a secret, things a total stranger wasn’t supposed to know.

Diablo didn’t answer the phone on the first or second ring. He still wasn’t picking up by the fourth ring.

“Come on, come on.”

Just as I was about to hang up and ride over to the Alpha Riders clubhouse myself, Diablo’s gravel-rough voice spoke.

“Hey, princess. I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.”

“Your friend is some freak,” I said.

A heartbeat of silence echoed over the phone.

“What are you talking about?” Diablo demanded, a frown hardening his tone.

“He called himself LeBlanc.”

“Fuck,” Diablo spat so viciously that I flinched. “Stay the hell away from him, Stevie.”

“He came to my house. I didn’t have a choice. He just…showed up.”

Diablo growled low with frustration. His reaction wasn’t helping my uneasiness, confirming that LeBlanc’s appearance didn’t mean anything good.

“Who is this guy and what kind of dirt is he holding over your head?”

I had no right to ask those questions. They had the potential to open all kinds of personal doors that needed to remain shut if Diablo and I were going to maintain a no-strings-attached sexual relationship.

I scrubbed a hand over my face. My plan to delete Diablo’s number and never go near him again wasn’t working. Instead, I was getting more entangled in his life.

“I’ll deal with it,” Diablo replied. “What did he say? Did he do anything to you?” He paused and his voice took on a dangerous tone when he added, “Did he touch you?”

“No,” I said, quickly. “He mentioned your name. And…”

I faltered.

Would…paramours be a more generous term?

It didn’t matter, I told myself. So I had sex with a dude. I was a grown woman. I could do that. And I was getting really tired of people sticking their nose into my business and passing judgment about it. Would it threaten my position in the Desert Howlers?

Maybe. Probably. I didn’t know.

But I would fight bloody to keep my patch if it came to that.

“And he knows…about us,” I said.

“Goddamn it,” Diablo hissed. “I’m gonna wring that fucker’s neck.”

“Diablo—” I started.

He hung up before I could say anything more. I stared at the phone, feeling confused and lost.

What the hell was going on?

Chapter Five

Diablo

I was in the middle of a game of pool with Mack when Stevie called. But my head wasn’t in the game anymore. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I headed for the door.

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