Page 61 of Their Property
“You’re safest with us,” T-Bone growled out. “So here is where you’ll stay.”
That wasn’t entirely true. Objectively speaking, she’d be safest within her father’s borders, under the watchful eye of the best military in any territory. But she would be miserable, the joy in her eyes snuffed out for good. And none of us could bear to see her so deeply unhappy.
Kyrie blew out a breath, folding her hands together. “I can keep paying your personal protection fee—”
“Forget that.” T-Bone cut a hand through the air. “That fucking contract is dust in a million fuckin’ places now. We’re not protecting you for a paycheck.”
“Well then, give me a role in the club. I don’t want to sit around being useless.”
A smirk pulled at T-Bone’s mouth. “We’ll find something for you, little lady.”
“While I agree it’s best for Kyrie to stay with us,” I said. “We should still let her father know she’s alive and well.”
T-Bone rubbed his jaw. “I agree, but should we say where? And with who?”
“My father trusts you all,” Kyrie pointed out.
“He would want us to deliver you straight back to him,” I told her. “And if we don’t, he might not think so highly of us anymore.”
“It’smychoice,” Kyrie huffed. “It’s not like you’re keeping me here against my will.”
Oh, but how we’d like to.An image of her flashed through my head, naked and bound by the soft rope I kept stashed in our drawer. It would make a gorgeous contrast against her skin.
“Hm.” Grudge snapped his fingers to get our attention, then made the sign for the letter S.
“S?” Kyrie repeated. “What’s S?”
“You talking about Shadow?” I asked.
Grudge nodded and mimed writing out a letter.
“That’s perfect, let’s do that,” T-Bone said. Then, for everyone else to understand, “Grudge will write a coded message to Shadow, in case it gets intercepted. Shadow will let the governor know that Kyrie is safe and well, without revealing too many details.”
“Are you talking about Mari’s husband?” Kyrie asked. “Big and scarred, but a total sweetheart? That Shadow?”
“That’s the one.” I elbowed her. “Did you know he and Grudge are brothers?”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “No! I can see the resemblance though.” She leaned back in her chair, smiling at the man to her right. “Grudge is obviously the cuter one.”
He barked out a laugh of surprise, shaking his head as his cheeks flamed red. “Nahhh.” His grin was hidden under his beard, but I saw how it lit up his eyes.
“No flirting in church,” T-Bone teased with a slap of his palm on the table.
“So Kyrie stays with us,” I said, counting off the business items on my fingers. “We lay low and keep an eye out on the activity in Sevier. We have Shadow deliver a message to her father for us. Anything else we need to discuss?”
“There is one thing, yeah.” T-Bone went solemn, an odd look for him. “It’s in three days.”
“What is?”
“Youknowwhat, Dyno,” he growled.
It took me a second but hit me quickly. “Oh, right. The anniversary.”
“Yeah, the fuckin’ anniversary of our whole club getting fuckin’ massacred.”
“Easy, T.” I raised a calming hand toward him, but I wasn’t surprised in the least. He was always in a cantankerous mood when the date came around.
“I’m going to the memorial,” he said. “No one else has to come, but I’m leaving tomorrow.”
