Page 23 of Devil's Due

“Well, if you’re sure. Thanks Beef.” She turns and starts to walk to her door, then takes the same number of steps back. “Beef, look. I’ve had enough pity, strangers thinking I need help. If that’s all you’re doing it for, thank you, but I don’t need it. I’d rather you said it now, then string me along.”

“Stevie,” I trap her hand, partly because I want to feel her skin against mine and partly to stop her from moving away. “Apart from my brothers you’re the only person I know in Pueblo. You said you were new here too. Seems like two newcomers could do worse than spend a bit of time finding out about the place together. I’m not pitying you. Fuck, you know what? It’s the total opposite. I have immense respect and admiration for you. And fuck strangers, you know what? They don’t look beneath the surface. They see me, big fella with tattoos and wearing a cut? They walk the other way. Youseeme, babe. They think as you’re blind you need help? That’s because their eyes might work, but they don’tseeyou.”

She’s quiet for a moment. Then she rises on tiptoe. Whether she was going to place a kiss against my cheek or whether her intention was for us to touch lip to lip I don’t know, but our mouths meet. Briefly. My cock jerks. One fucking kiss, no tongues, and I swear it felt like an electric shock.

I’m doubting the wisdom of seeing her again when she touches her hand to her lip, smiles and says, “See you tonight, Beef. About six?”

With no hesitation, I agree, “Six it is, babe.”

Finally, after something like a sixteen-hour delay, I arrive at the clubhouse. Demon’s leaning on the bar, a cup by his side, deep in discussion with Cad. I go straight across to pay my respects. After the back slapping and handshaking is done, he steps back and I await the expected interrogation as Cad nods and wanders off.

“How’s the blind bitch and her dog?”

“Girl’s fine, Prez, dog seems to be coming along okay. Took her to see him this morning.”

“There’s our Beef. Brief and concise.”

I swing around. “Morning, Pyro. Thanks for your help yesterday.”

“Bet that vet went into all sorts of details you can’t even remember.” He grins.

“Fuckin’ can. He’s on dexmedetomidine for the pain and the antibiotic Convenia given subcutaneously.” I raise my eyebrow, expecting a further comment. He doesn’t disappoint.

“Well, look at you. Spouting that shit. Bet you made all that up.” The laughter in his eyes belies his mocking tone.

Demon clips him around the head. “Just because you don’t know shit, don’t mock those who do.”

I could be back in the Tucson clubhouse.I grin.

“Bit of a strange welcome to the town. You know who drove into her?” Demon takes a sip of his coffee while staring at me.

“Not a clue. According to the cops, no one thought to get the license plate.” I shake my head.

“Someone fall asleep at the wheel?” Pyro’s stopped laughing and looks serious now.

“Hard to tell. But you’d expect that on a freeway, not in the middle of town.” I’m kicking myself as I didn’t check the plate out myself. But Max’s scream of pain had been distracting, and I hadn’t known at the time whether Stevie had been hit or not.

Demon whistles and shouts, “Cad.”

A head pops up from the other side of the bar. “Can you see what you can pick up on any security cameras out where the hit and run happened?”

“Where was it?”

I glance at Pyro, who nods and goes over to where Cad is sitting to explain exactly where it was. I have no fucking idea.

“Thing I don’t like about it, is that the fucker drove off. If it was an accident, why didn’t he stop?”

Shrugging, I respond, “Could be any number of reasons. He could have been shocked. Worried about getting a ticket. Embarrassed as fuck.”

“Or, it could have been a hit.”

I round on the man who’s spoken. “Thunder. Good to see you.” Another exchange of back slaps.

“Good to see you too, Brother.”

“I can’t see how it could be a hit,” I respond to his first statement. “She hasn’t been in Pueblo long, not long enough to make friends let alone enemies. That was the reason I stayed last night. She had no one to call or to help her. She works from home, so couldn’t rely on any co-workers. Don’t see why anyone would want to hurt her.” Or, if Max hadn’t pushed her out of the way, worse, killed her.

Cad’s head reappears again. “Want me to check up on her? Got her name?”

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