Page 12 of Devil's Own: Roughneck

Seriously, who the hell is this man? Rather than argue with me or double down on his macho bullshit, he nods once. His eyes never leave me and this time, the heat behind them does everything to me, all the way down to my naughty bits.

Sighing, I press my forehead to his, close my eyes, press my hand to his bearded cheek, and kiss him. It’s slow. It’s soft. And I hope it conveys the fact that I like what we did last night. That I want more of it. That I hope he really gets me and where I’m coming from because I’m not messing around. I will end this. Right now. Right here. No man will ever treat me the way my mom let men run all over her.

One man in my life did that. One man took what wasn’t his to take. One. Even my husband, despite being a massive liar and a creep for going after a girl my age, got what he got because I gave it to him or allowed him to take it.

Unfortunately, this is the exact moment I hear, “The fuck?” and I squeeze my eyes tighter. “In my goddamn club?”

Daniel.

How could I forget?

5

“Just the man we came to talk to,” I say. I get it. He’s feeling a lot of shit, especially right now after Gruff’s murder. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let him ruin whatever this is that’s sparked between Gee and me. She’s amazing. Beautiful. Smart. Feisty. And shit, I’ve never had a woman so genuinely responsive to me in bed. The way her pussy gripped my dick—damn. Best sex of my life. Hands down.

“You got a very different definition of talking than I do,” he answers.

“Stop.” Gee pushes up off my lap to walk over to her brother.

“Gia, you do not come into my club making trouble,” Vlad says and I shoot up off my stool to take her back.

“I didn’t show up to cause trouble. I showed up because I wanted to see my son. He said he’d found his way to the Horde. He also said he’s been in contact with you. What he neglected to put together for me was that you’re are the Horde. That youleadthe Horde. But again, none of that explains why you care who I do or don’t sleep with.”

“You happy turning into Mom?” he snaps and her body strings tight.

“What?” she asks and her hurt fills the whole room.

“I should’ve expected it. Fifteen and pregnant.” His ugly words are a low blow.

“Uncle Vlad,” Waite snaps.

“The fuck?” I bark.

But Gee doesn’t slap him. She surprises all of us by balling her fist like an experienced brawler and swinging her arm with all the force of her body behind her punch to connect with his jaw. I’ve never seen a bitch punch that hard before and I’ve really never seen anyone go after Vlad.

Wetness fills her eyes. “Fuck you, Daniel.Fuck you.” She steps from around him and stomps outside.

“This isn’t over,” I warn. I don’t give a damn if he’s my president. But I don’t have time to deal with him right now. I have to get to Gee with Waite on my heels.

She’s walking toward the gate when I reach her and tug on her sleeve to stop her. “Where you going?”

“I’llwalk backto Middlesboro if I have to.”

“Mom?” Waite says. She looks at him through watery eyes. I know soul deep how much she loves her boy. She radiates it. But it’s not the time. He can talk to her later. Right now, she needs me and me alone.

“Go on,” I order him. “I got her. Don’t need to be on Vlad’s shitlist too.”

“Right now, I don’t give a fuck about my uncle or his feelings.”

Respect for Waite. I look him dead in the eye to make sure there’s not misunderstanding. “Waite,I gother.” He hardens his jaw but nods, then turns to jog back inside.Shit.Gia’s got full-on tears. I pull her into my arms. “It was uncool of him to use your son against you.”

“I was raped,” she whispers and my whole body constricts like a damn python around her needing to protect her from the world.

“Shit, seriously?”

Gee nods her head against my chest. “My fifteenth birthday. He was dating my very underage friend, as in she was fifteen, too. He was, like, twenty-one.”

“You don’t mean statutory, do you?”

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