Page 84 of Paladin's Hell

A thoughtful look, much older than her years. A quick nod, then, thank fuck, at last, she moves off me. First back to her three-quarters of the bed, and then out that side. Then, grabbing some clothes, she disappears into the bathroom.

I want to call her back. I don’t. But I touch my hand to my lips, remembering the feeling of her there. Something I want to repeat. And soon.

I’m asleep before she comes back out. It’s mid-afternoon when I finally wake and go downstairs. Jay’s deep in conversation with Mo, so waving my hand to show I won’t interrupt her, I go straight to the kitchen and make myself a sandwich. I’m just finishing my last mouthful when Lizard puts his head around the door.

“There you are. Prez wants everyone in church.”

Putting my plate in the dishwasher, I follow Lizard. This time when Jay catches my eye, I grimace slightly and indicate I’m following the rest of my brothers who are heading into the meeting room. She nods to show she understands.

The first thing I notice is Cad. He’s always struck me as very laid back. When I worked with him selecting the security cameras, he’d not get frustrated when we couldn’t find the ones we were after, trying store after store until we found them in stock. Today, for the first time I’ve noticed, there’s some colour in his face, spots of red in his cheeks.

Prez takes his seat at the end of the table. With trouble surrounding us, everyone shuts up as soon as he sits down.

Instead of immediately speaking, his head shakes side to side. He catches Cad’s eye and raises his chin. It’s only then he opens his mouth. “Okay. Except for Paladin who was catching up on his beauty sleep, I’ve spoken to everyone now.”

“Pal won’t have any info to give you. He’s a v-i-r-g-i-n. He won’t have been fucking around.” Ink looks like he’s made a big joke.

I just sit fuming.

“Be that as it may, I still need to talk to him.” Hellfire glares around, stopping any other comments dead. Luckily.

“Hope he fuckin’ hasn’t,” mild-mannered Cad actually growls. “Got more than enough work as it is.”

“Yeah, well. Can understand that, Brother. It’s a shame none of you other fuckers have the willpower our new brother has.”

“Hey, don’t include me in that!” Buzzard glares at him. “I’m faithful to my wife.”

I wait for Bomber to confirm he is too. He doesn’t. Oh fuck. I’d never have guessed that, seeing him and Jeannie together. But I do notice him scowling at Hellfire and wonder why.

Prez looks around, his gaze settling on each of us one by one, ending up with Cad. “I’ve just fuckin’ given Cad two hundred and twenty names. Two fuckin’ hundred and fuckin’ twenty names of people you assholes have fucked in the last six months. And that’s only those whose names you can remember.”

“Fifteen were mine.” Pyro’s fist bumps Taser’s proudly.

“Hey, the odd twenty were mine,” Ink puts in.

“I couldn’t remember most of their names,” Sparky is frowning. “Or their faces. I could probably recognise their cunts though.”

“Not much help,” Demon says, drily. “Not unless we have a naked line up of all the bitches in Pueblo.”

“A lie down, not a line up,” suggests Ink helpfully.

Cad thumps the table. “It’s going to take me some time to narrow down the possibilities.”

“Yeah,” Hellfire nods at him, then raises his chin at the rest of the brothers. “Need you to think on those you might have forgotten to wrap it up with.”

Demon jerks his chin at the prez, then looks down the table. “Any you might have left with a reminder. A kid or a fuckin’ STD? Or any that might have an angry husband or partner.”

Most don’t look bothered. Pyro and Taser look a bit worried to me.

“Do we need to have the convo with everyone about keeping their shit covered?” Demon asks, quite seriously.

The expression on Hellfire’s face is comical. His fist comes down hard on the table. “I run a fucking MC,” he shouts. “Not a fuckin’ sex-ed class.”

That Demon mentioned it to lighten things up becomes obvious when his hand goes over his mouth to smother his laugh. Chuckles come from around the table.

Hellfire stands. “Just wanted to let you know Cad’s got his work cut out to get answers. And that’s if we’re even on the right track. If he finds anything he wants investigated, we’ll have to speak to any and all the women he identifies.”

“They’re all women?” Thunder asks.

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