Page 42 of Fury

“I always did love a bad boy,” I huff.

“So, what’s this Donnie guy done that’s so crazy?” asks Lexi.

I chew on my lower lip. Fury never said I couldn’t tell anyone, but doing so might get him into trouble. After all, I have no idea who these women really are, or if the club shares this sort of stuff with their other halves. But right now, I need to talk about it, and Fury isn’t willing to.

“I met him a few weeks ago. He was really nice, and I liked him instantly. But then Fury warned me off him, said he was a bad guy. I didn’t really take much notice, but when I tried to take a step back, Donnie seemed really clingy. And now, because I want to break things off, he’s forcing me to do stuff for him.”

“Like?” Luna presses, concern on her face.

“He arranges fights,” I say.

“Underground fights?” asks Lexi. “Illegal ones?”

I nod. “And he wants me to fix the fighters up after.”

“You could lose your nursing licence,” Lexi says.

“Exactly. There’s something else.” They both wait for me to continue. “He brought a fighter to my house. He was really hurt. Donnie killed him in my spare room.” I slap my hand over my mouth as a sob escapes me. I thought I’d done all my crying, but being here in the safety of this club makes me want to offload. Lexi immediately pulls me into her arms.

“Shit. Does Fury know?”

“Yes,” I say, taking a deep, shaky breath. “Fury cleans up the bodies.” I sit back, and the women exchange a look that isn’t shocked. “You know?”

Lexi shrugs. “Not really. Not details. But we’re not stupid. We know the club isn’t legit.”

“And you’re okay with it?” I ask, my throat tightening with more tears.

“We trust our men,” declares Luna.

I scoff. “You sound like Stepford wives.”

“I was a police officer,” says Lexi, and I gasp. “I tried to take down the club.”

“Newsflash, you failed,” I state, and she laughs.

“I realised Axel wasn’t a bad man,” she says. “None of them are.” I know she’s right. Fury isn’t bad either, but he’s involved in things I want to walk away from. “It’s the life they lead,” she adds, “and it takes an understanding woman to love a man who wants to make a difference using unethical means.”

“It’s not the life for me,” I say firmly. “I can’t sleep next to a man who hours earlier had chopped up a dead body and helped dispose of it like it meant nothing.”

“What if that body belonged to a bad person?” asks Luna. “Like Donnie?”

“He’s got a screw loose, for sure,” I say, “but murder is a little extreme.” I shake my head in disbelief. I thought speaking to these women would ease my worries, but they’re essentially telling me to accept it. I give an unamused laugh. “What am I saying?” I ask. “It’s not like Fury even wants me. I just wanted a better life for him, yah know?”

“That’s your first mistake,” says Lexi, pushing to her feet. “Thinking this life isn’t perfect for him. Ask him if he’s happy, Xanthe. Just because it’s not the life we know doesn’t make it wrong.” She heads for the door. “Get some rest.”

CHAPTER TEN

Fury

It’s been a long-arse night, and right now, all I want is to fall into bed and sleep. But when I open my door, I find Xanthe sleeping in my bed. She’s curled up in a ball on her side, her back to me, her breathing steady. I sigh heavily. I’d spent years wanting this exact thing. Having her in my bed was a fantasy I never thought would happen again, yet here she is, and it would be easy to slip in beside her and wrap her in my arms. But making her mine would just trap her. I saw it written all over her face earlier—she’s disappointed in me, in what I’ve become. But this club is the only family I’ve known, and there’s no way I can turn my back.

I go into my bathroom, pushing the door to before flicking the light on. I stare at my reflection in the mirror above the sink, taking in my white T-shirt which is now stained red. It doesn’t faze me. I like it. But it’s another reminder of how different Xanthe and I are.

I shrug from my kutte and place it on the hook behind the door. Next, I pull off my T-shirt and dump it on the floor.Slipping from my jeans, I turn the shower on and wait for the steam to billow out before stepping under the spray. I close my eyes as the water washes away my latest sins.

It’s her hands that startle me as they wrap around my waist. They’re cold against the heat of my body. “I was worried about you,” she whispers against my back.

I wait a second to reply, enjoying the way she feels against me. “You don’t need to worry about me,” I tell her, scared to turn around, knowing my body will betray me. “I can look after myself.”

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