Page 29 of Chains
“Nope.Sure wasn’t.”I grinned as I spoke.“For your safety.”
His lips curved in what might have been amusement.“I see.Well, I appreciate your… hospitality.”He turned to Ellie, his expression softening.“Perhaps we could have dinner together later?Just the two of us?There’s so much I want to hear about your life.”
Before Ellie could answer, I cut in.“She cannot.And you’ll be brought your dinner.I’m sure you want to get on with making calls to find a place to stay.You’re limited on time here, so every second counts.”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Blackheart’s face before smoothing away.“Am I a prisoner?”
“Nope.You’re an outsider in our compound.”I moved closer to him, using my height as an intimidation tactic.“Outsiders aren’t welcome.”
“I need to help with dinner preparations, Chains.”Ellie looked up at me and smiled as she took my hand and tugged.I watched surprise register on Blackheart’s face.Clearly he hadn’t expected his manipulation to fail so easily.
Blackheart nodded, but his gaze remained on Ellie.“It’s good to see you, my little witch.We have so much to catch up on.”
I felt Ellie stiffen beside me at the nickname, and I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm tightly around her waist.“Let’s go,” I murmured, guiding her toward the door.
As we stepped outside, I heard Blackheart say to Noose, “You know, I can’t help but feel we’ve met before.Were you ever in the Terre Haute facility?”
I didn’t wait for Noose’s answer, already knowing it would be a noncommittal grunt that revealed nothing.But the question confirmed my suspicions.Blackheart was fishing, trying to piece together who we were, what we knew about him.
Once we were far enough away, Ellie sagged against me, all the strength seeming to drain from her body.“He hasn’t changed,” she whispered.“Not one bit.If anything, he’s worse.”
“Men like him don’t change because they don’t want to.”What I didn’t say but secretly hoped, was that if Tate Blackheart gave me even the slightest reason, he wouldn’t be leaving our compound under his own power.Some men didn’t deserve second chances.Some men had used up every chance they’d ever get and then some.The Butcher of Bellevue was definitely one of them.
Chapter Nine
Chains
The buzzing of my phone woke me.A glance at the clock told me it was just past three in the morning.Ellie was still sound asleep, curled against me with her head pillowed on my shoulder.I smiled down at her.Fuck me, this woman.How was it possible to feel so much for someone you just fucking met?Not only would I die for Ellie, I knew I’d kill any motherfucker I had to long before I died.
My phone buzzed again.This time, I carefully extracted myself from Ellie and sat up on the bed.When I was sure she wasn’t going to wake, I took my phone and headed out of the bedroom.I opened the door and was brought up short by three cats sitting in front of the door in the hallway.Identical expressions of displeasure looked up at me.They even whipped their tails in unison!Creepy.As.Fuck.
“I’m tryin’ to help your mommy, little assholes,” I grumbled.Lucifer hissed and the other two darted into the bedroom.Lucifer hissed again and growled as he sauntered into the room.Then the little shit rubbed against the door until it shut in my face.“Fucker.”
It took everything I had in me not to stomp down the hall, but the whole point in leaving the bedroom was to not wake up Ellie.Why?Why me?
My phone buzzed again.This time, I glanced at the screen and winced.Fuck.Knuckles.The president of the fuckin’ club had been the one blowing up my phone.And I’d basically ghosted him.Oops?I answered this time.“Yeah.”
“Chains!What the actual fuck?Answer the Goddamned phone the first time!Now, get your fuckin’ ass up and meet me outside your fuckin’ door!”Knuckles ended the call before I could ask what the fuck was going on.I winced.Probably in retaliation for me not answering the first two calls.Knuckles could be a bear if he didn’t have enough sleep.Or if he woke up.Or in general, really.
I slipped back inside the bedroom and snagged a pair of jeans, slinging the denim around my hips and zipping them.
I yanked open the door.“What is it?”Knight stood there, his tattooed face amused but irritated.Even in the dim hallway light, I could see the focused intensity in his eyes.Knuckles was beside him and turned the second I opened the door.
“You’re gonna want to see this, Chains.”Knight glanced at Knuckles who nodded sharply.“Come on.”
Knight led us outside to the ground floor to his apartment.The small studio was freakishly neat.The only thing that made the place seem lived in was the rumpled twin bed shoved into the farthest corner of the room, and the wall-to-wall bank of security monitors displaying every inch of the compound grounds.Inside and out.Only places where there weren’t cameras were in our private rooms.Which didn’t count guest rooms.Like Tate Blackheart’s room.The women had put Ellie in a room meant for club members or family, so she hadn’t been videoed.
“You better not have Ellie’s apartment surveilled.”
“Relax.I’m not an asshole.Blackheart’s room, however, has been under constant watch.”Knight moved his mouse around clicking icons and buttons on the screens, then he punched buttons on his keyboard.Most of that shit made my eyes glaze over.“He didn’t do much in his room.Probably guessed we’d be watching.Managed to sneak out of his room.You know.After I gave Tiny the okay for him and Griffin to hang back and let him think he gave them the slip.”He zoomed in on one display.
On the screen, Tate Blackheart moved through Knuckles’ office with practiced precision, searching the place carefully.He wasn’t rummaging.He knew what he was looking for and had at least some idea of where it would be.His movements were calm and practiced.I watched as he approached the wall safe in the corner of the room.Knuckles didn’t make a real effort to hide it because it was more for show in case we got raided.
“He think that’s the big score?”I glanced at Knuckles.
“Dunno.He’s been in there a bit and is only now workin’ on the safe.”
Knight shook his head.“He knew there would be some kind of safe and knew he could get into it if he could find it.”
