Page 23 of Cruel Debts
And now, they were all looking at us.
Liam plowed through the middle of them, his attitude serving him well as they made a path out of respect. Being the oldest, most senior crew in the joint gave us operating freedom that the others didn’t have. And when you had a reputation like the Gunners did, people tended not to fuck with you.
Even the crazies in this place.
Asher shook his head at the scene and skirted outside the circle, the bag still slung over his shoulder, leaving me with the girl. And everyone in the room, of course.
Just my fucking luck.
Jackal was the first to speak up, his eyes landing on the girl. The predatory way he sized her up left me with a sour taste in my mouth.
“A normie?” He turned to St. Clair, who also eyed the girl carefully. “Thought we were all subject to the rules around here?”
Lilly stared at him like he’d lost his damn mind. “Not that long ago, you brought a normie in yourself, lied about it, and then made her your leader, Jackal.” Her eyes narrowed again, and she turned to the Blackwood crew, jerking her thumb at Harper, who still held the scarred fucker back with all her strength. “And they’re guilty of hiding one right under our noses, too.” She turned to me with a smile, and I realized she was waiting for me to play along. “I suppose it’s time to revisit the rules, since everyone around here breaks them regardless of the consequences.”
I raised my left hand, sliding my right one onto the girl’s shoulder to guide her through the fray. “I just work here,” I said sarcastically as I marched her right through the center of this little pissing contest. “Please, don’t stop on my account. I was just leaving.”
I could hear the argument pick back up the second we started up the stairs, thankful the attention had turned elsewhere.
But it was only a matter of time before the assholes in this place started sniffing around. And when that happened, the girl wouldn’t be safe anymore.
I wasn’t looking forward to that day.
“So,this is, uh, this is the place,” I deadpanned, spreading my arms like fucking Vana White on Wheel of Fortune to showoff the damn apartment. “Looks like the other two are already clearing out the room you’ll be using.”
I turned in her direction, ready to give her a tour against my better judgment, but she was miles away, already making a beeline for the kitchen. She paid me no mind as she ran her hands along the concrete countertop, eyeing the spartan design of the place with curiosity.
Maybe she thought it didn’t fit our vibes. Who knew what was going on in her empty head? But I marched over, grabbing her by the arm before she could start opening cabinets and making herself at home.
“Hey, girl—I was talking to you.” My grip was firm but loose, and she could have shaken it if she wanted to. Instead, she let me hold onto her, staring me down like she fully intended to intimidate me into submission.
Joke was on her—I’d been practicing intimidation resistance since I was fuckingborn.She couldn’t scare me if she had a damned gun to my head and a wicked chill grin on her lips. I was unshakeable.
“I know,” she said nonchalantly, shrugging absently as her eyes returned to roaming the open rooms. “So you have your own kitchen and living room. Why ever leave this place and use the common areas?”
“They’ve got a nicer kitchen,” I pointed out, as if it needed explaining. “Why not?”
“Those other two girls—are there more women here?”
Liam sauntered into the kitchen, mask still on his face, to retrieve a water bottle from the fridge. “I wouldn’t call themwomen,per se,” he pointed out. “The one is borderline feral. And the other one is dating her stepbrothers. So maybe not the best of role models to live by.”
“Are they the only two here?” Her head tilted to the side like some cute fucking cocker spaniel. Almost made me wanna pet her head.
Almost.
“Unless you count the head honcho, St. Clair, then yes, that’s it.”
I watched Liam tip the bottle and his head back, draining it in one go. A few drops followed the line of his throat and disappeared into the collar of his shirt. The irritation on his face when it soaked the fabric was priceless.
“Hawke, you finally joined the rest of us, I see,” Asher said from the other room, his voice getting louder as he popped out of the bedroom. At the same time, Liam gave up on his shirt and yanked it over his head, dislodging his mask in the process.
Liam faced the sink, staring out the window at the slowly rising sun. “You got a name, girl? Or should we just keep referring to you asbitch?”
“Try it and I’ll rock your shit, buddy,” she snapped, her eyes glued to Asher, who had apparently decided to ditch his mask in the process of cleaning. I knew we hadn’t discussed wearing them while this chick was around, but realistically, I couldn’t imagine we could live for an undetermined amount of time with masks on 24/7.
“Yo, bitch, you still with us?” Liam waved his hand in front of her eyes, still covered by sunglasses, but she made no indication she even noticed. Her jaw hung slightly open, her eyes still glued to Asher as he moved into the room. “Asher, I think you broke her with your ugly ass face.”
“Funny,” Asher growled, bending down to look the girl in the face. “Can you even see with those things on?”
