Page 42 of Jezebel's Liberation

“Demon didn’t know shit,” Jez says, a little calmer.

I nod in agreement. “He had no idea what was going on until I broke in looking for her.”

“You broke into her house?” Soul asks incredulously.

Demon puffs out his chest. “He also got the shit knocked out of him.”

“It was a lucky shot, and if I’d known you were there, things would’ve ended up differently,” I reply nonchalantly.

“Idiots,” Jez mutters. “Soul, let it go. You know now. The club was never in any danger from my team. I have everything locked down securely. Besides, I’ve wiped everything from my computers and transferred it all to Fort and Lock since I’ll no longer be working for you.”

Grim lifts his hands and starts signing, and Jez translates for my benefit. “How many hackers are on your team?”

“Five,” I respond for her. “Six, including Jez.”

Jez starts to sway on her feet. She’s too damn stubborn to admit that she needs to rest. Demon catches her movement as well and lifts her up and sits on the couch with her in his lap.

Lucky bastard!

She squirms to get up, but he holds her tightly until she realizes she’s not going anywhere.

“Demon, my sister is off fucking limits,” Soul scowls.

Demon shrugs. “Sorry, Prez. Jez has been mine since we were kids. Not you or anyone else will keep me from her anymore. So, if that means I lose my patch, then I fucking lose my patch.”

Malice grins. “You’re the little shit who kissed Jez after school, and she wouldn’t tell Soul who it was,” he accuses playfully.

“Guilty,” he admits.

“Motherfucker,” Soul complains without any heat behind his words. “You’re not going to lose your patch. I’m actually pretty impressed you didn’t cave, and I’ll deny that all the way to my grave if anyone asks.” His face slowly hardens, and his voiceturns deadly. “But if I find out you or Phantom hurt my sister in any way, no one will ever find your bodies, I guarantee you that.”

I put my hand out for him to shake, and surprisingly, he accepts. “You don’t have to worry about that, I’d kill myself before I hurt her.”

“Me, too,” Demon agrees.

“I’m surrounded by Neanderthals,” Jez quips. “I never said I agree to any of this.”

“But you will,” I sing-song.

Grim’s laugh reverberates off the walls. “I think you’ve finally met your match, Jezebel.”

Jez flips him off but snuggles back into Demon’s embrace.

“Invite your hackers to the clubhouse,” Soul insists. “I want to meet the people who work with you and see them for myself.”

I glance over at Jez. A crease has formed in the middle of her forehead as she thinks about his proposal.

“We’ll ask them to come,” I offer. “We can’t make them, though. You have to remember you’re dealing with hackers, and they normally don’t leave their caves.”

“You did,” Soul points out.

“Yeah, but Jez and I are obviously built differently.”

“Obviously,” Soul agrees. “Try to get it done. A week from Friday.”

We’ll see if we still have a team after we confess what’s happened.

“Who wants a shot?”

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