Page 18 of Property of Chux

Riot–Tail Gunner.

He’s a necessary evil in this club. A man who handles the back end always, no questions asked. He is also always on watch, on guard. Usually, his input, presence, and overall companionship give me a sense of peace. But right now, all I see is a mistake waiting to happen.

"You sure you wanna go in there alone?" he asks, watching me carefully.

I don’t answer. Just stare him down until he exhales through his nose and unlocks the door.

The steel groans as he pulls it open just enough for me to step inside.

And then—the door slams behind me.

The lock clicks.

I barely hear it.

Because the only thing I’m focused on is her.

She’s curled up on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them like she’s trying to make herself smaller. Her blonde hair is a wild mess, strands falling loose around her face, her eyes wild.

She’s been crying.

I feel that anger again—sharp, visceral, clawing at my insides.

She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be anywhere near the likes of me and my kind.

She shouldn’t be scared.

And yet, when her eyes lock onto mine, something flickers in them—something just as dangerous as my own rage.

Attraction.

Heat.

Passion.

Desire.

I take a slow step forward.

She doesn’t move.

She doesn’t speak.

She just breathes, ragged and uneven, her chest rising and falling too fast as I get closer.

The space is small—too small—and she knows it just as well as I do.

Her voice finally breaks the silence, quiet but sharp. "What the hell is going on?”

I take my time crossing the room, my boots heavy on the wooden floor, my gaze never leaving her.

She doesn’t shrink away, but she doesn’t move toward me either.

She’s on edge—breathing too fast, fingers digging into her bare arms, her whole body coiled tight like a rabbit caught in a snare.

And fuck me—I shouldn’t enjoy this.

Shouldn’t enjoy the way her chest rises and falls, the way her lips part slightly when she pushes down her fear, the way her skin is flushed, her pulse visible at the very base of her throat.

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