Page 10 of Jett

“You don’t have a TV,” I blurt out. I’d do anything to stop him talking about what happened on my street.

“Nope. Don’t need one.”

“I like to fall asleep to mine; it makes the nights less lonely. Hearing other voices in the apartment makes me feel less alone.”

“Why are you alone?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how is a woman like you alone? You got no man, no friends, no family?”

“Nope, it’s just me.”

“Not even a fuckin’ cat?”

“Not even a fucking cat,” I confirm.

“Why? No one lives like that unless they’re running from something.”

“I can’t afford a cat, Grim. Why do you think I took the job at the clubhouse?”

“Because we saved you from that Korean arsehole down the street and you felt obligated?”

“No. I did it because the pay was better, and I figured if I was going to be surrounded by men who took, then at least it would be nice to have the kind of protection the club can offer a single woman like me.”

“Men who took? What the fuck are you talkin’ about, Raine? Has Jett touched you?”

“No. Jett has been sweet to me.”

“And Kick? No one else at the club has fucked with you?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Tung Lin. He ... he did more than just get physical with my face.”

“The fuck!” The roar from his throat wakes Lolita. Her head pops up and, despite being completely blind, she stares directly at us.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not fucking fine.” He slams his bowl on the table. Soup spills out of it and he gets to his feet and storms to the front door.

“Where are you going?”

“To kill that motherfucker.”

“Grim, no. You can’t.”

“Stay here.”

He grabs his cut from off the coat stand and I get to my feet. “Please, don’t leave me here. Please, Grim? Please?”

He turns, and though the fury is still burning bright behind his eyes, it melts into something deeper—longing, maybe? I’m not sure, but he removes his cut and stalks instead toward the kitchen where he grabs a bottle of whiskey and sips it straight from the lip. After two long pulls, he slams it on the counter and grunts, rubbing a huge palm against his chest. “The only reason I'm not leaving right now is because of the threat with the Russians, but when lockdown is done, I’m gonna tear that motherfucker limb from limb.”

“I just. I want to put it behind me, you know?”

“He rape you?”

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