Page 33 of Calypso's Shield
Pain explodes through my face, sending me staggering back. The bags drop, glass shattering against the pavement.
“Son of a bitch.” Another hit to my ribs is hard enough to steal my breath. I catch a glimpse of my attacker. He’s tall and wiry but strong, with wild eyes and a sneer on his thin lips.
Dave fucking Train.
I recognize him from a photo Calypso shared with me on the same night she told me about him.
I swing, catching him on the side of the head. He grunts but doesn’t go down.
“You took what’s mine,” Dave snarls, grabbing my cut and yanking me forward. “She ismine!”
Rage floods my veins. I shove him off, fists raised, every nerve in my body on fire. “She was never yours, you sick fuck.”
Dave charges again, but this time, I’m ready for him. I block his punch and drive my fist into his gut, making him double over.
Footsteps pound against the pavement. Another guy rushes me, slamming a knee into my ribs. Pain explodes through my side, but I stay on my feet, swinging wildly.
The second blast catches me in the side of the head, and my vision blurs. I stumble long enough for the two to drag me into the darkness. A knife flashes under the dim street light. I barely dodge the blade as it slices through my shirt, nicking the skin underneath.
Where the fuck are Knight and Seth? They should’ve heard this shit by now. I need to end this fast.
I feign left, then drive my knee into Dave’s groin. He releases a strangled curse, doubling over. I grab his collar and smash my forehead against his nose.
The sound of bones crunching is satisfying as hell. The second guy hesitates long enough for me to whip out my gun tucked at my back.
“Try me,” I growl. My breathing is ragged, my chest is heaving. He backs off, hauling Dave to his feet. Blood streams down his face, but he’s still smiling.
“This isn’t over,” Dave spits out. “She’ll never be free of me.”
I take a step forward. “Next time I see you, you won’t be walking away. That’s a promise.”
Dave’s sneer falters, and approaching footsteps come pounding behind me. I don’t even have to turn around to see who it is. Dave disappears into the shadows, his friend dragging him along.
I stand there for a moment, adrenaline still roaring through me. My fists ache, and my ribs hurt like hell.
“What the fuck, bro?” Seth asks as he takes me in and sees the blood on the pavement.
I don’t answer. Instead, I pull my phone out of my cut and dial the only number that matters.
Calypso answers on the first ring. Her voice is tired and weak. “Farris?”
I exhale, a mix of anger and relief crashing over me. “What the fuck is going on with you?”
Calypso hesitates and then answers softly. “I didn’t want you to worry.”
It’s too late for that. I clench my jaw, staring at the bloody pavement beneath me. “Meet me.” My voice is low, deadly. “Now.”
Whatever the hell is going on, her medical issues, her ex, all of it, I’m not letting her deal with it alone. Not anymore.
13
CALYPSO
Ihear the tires squealing of the SUV as it pulls into the parking lot of the Royal Bastards Clubhouse. Farris slamming on the brakes sets my nerves on edge. My hands tighten around the whiskey glass in front of me, but I don’t take a sip. I’m sitting on a bench by the fire pit out back, waiting.
Farris storms around the side of the Clubhouse where I’m waiting with my back to him. I don’t have to turn around to know he’s standing behind me. The scent of gunpowder and leather invades my senses.
I slowly turn around, and the sight before me takes my breath away. Farris is towering above me, looking wrecked. He has blood on his shirt, a bruise already forming along his jaw, and his knuckles are raw and swollen. His eyes stare into mine, burning with an intensity that makes my stomach clench.
