Page 26 of The Echo of Violence

I roll back over and manage to sit up without falling over and throwing up, so I’m calling it a win even if the room won’t stop spinning. Tiny stirs behind me, so I climb to my feet before she starts rubbing against me. When I get up, I realize I still have my jeans on, and though my top button is open, my dick is tucked inside.

So, maybe I didn’t fuck her then?

I look around the floor, taking a deep breath when the action makes me want to puke. I don’t see any condom wrappers, and I’ve never been too drunk to forget to wrap it. Wearing protection is more instinctual to me than breathing.

If we didn’t fuck, it begs the question: what the hell is Tiny doing in my room?

I lean over and yank the blanket off her, revealing her naked body. She doesn’t flinch. Not in the mood to deal with this bullshit, I grab my cut from the back of the door and slide it on, not bothering with a T-shirt. I head out to find someone who can fill in the blanks.

The main room is quiet when I enter, but not empty. A couple of club girls are passed out on one of the pool tables. Another is out cold on one of the sofas, sprawled on top of one of the brothers. Since I can only see his legs, I have no clue which one.

I head to the bar, where Spoons and Peep are on cleanup. I frown and grab the bar for support before settling myself on one of the stools. “Grab me a water and some painkillers.”

Peep nods and does my bidding.

“Where are the other two prospects?”

“Ryker is on the gate. Scooter is a no-show.”

“Little prick. Go find him and tell him I want him.”

“No idea where he is, Knight. I’ve checked the bunk room and asked the club girls that are awake. Even found Mercy in the kitchen and asked her if she’d seen him, but nobody has. He’s probably still with that chick from last night. He sure as fuck never came back to finish his shift.”

“Here, Knight.” I turn at the sound of Peep’s voice and swipe the pills he offers me before taking the water, cracking the lid, swallowing the pills, and drinking until the water is gone.

“What chick? The redhead?”

“The one that turned you down. Yeah.” Peep grins, making me scowl at him. The grin soon slips from his face.

“Tiny is passed out in my room. Get rid of her and make sure my room is clean when you’re done.”

He opens his mouth before snapping it shut and hurrying away.

I turn back to Spoons, who is watching me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. If you have something to say, just fucking say it, prospect.”

He blows out a breath. I know he’s not trying to make waves. He is well aware that keeping his mouth shut is his best option here. Too bad, because I want to know what he’s thinking.

“Tiny followed you around half the night, and every time I saw you, you were shrugging her off or telling her to fuck off. At one point, I thought you were going to lose your shit with her.”

I shake my head, regretting the move as soon as I do it. “That’s because she won’t take fucking no for an answer. Trust me, nobody is more surprised than me to wake up and find her in my bed. I must have had more to drink than I remember.”

He frowns harder, looking from me to the back, where the bedrooms are located. “That’s just it, Knight. You didn’t drink much. A few beers and a couple of shots of tequila. I’ve seen you put three times that much away.”

I stare at him, trying to figure out what he’s saying. “You were behind the bar all night?” My sluggish brain is beginning to catch up.

He nods. “I was supposed to finish at one, but Scooter never returned, so I stayed until three. Most of the brothers had bailed by then, you included. Honestly, I thought I saw Tiny here long after you had gone.”

I tap the bar before pulling out my phone. “Go tell Peep there’s been a change of plan. Bring Tiny to interrogation room 3. I’m going to call Wizz and see if the cameras picked up anything.”

“On it.” He heads around the bar to the back, as I call Wizz.

His sleep-filled voice answers the phone. “This better be good, motherfucker.”

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