“Is drunk?” Raze called from my back. “We know all about your father.” The disgust in his voice couldn't be denied.
“The house is a mess since Briella…” Karl tried again. He really didn't want us inside and it took me several long seconds to work out why.
He was ashamed.
“You don't have to be embarrassed.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Briella told us everything. All I want to do is find her and bring her home safe, Karl.”
“My dad, he won’t like…”
I cut him off. “We can handle your dad, Karl. Trust me on that.”
His grey-blue eyes studied me for a second and then he nodded. “If you say so.” Swinging open the door, he ducked his head. “Just don't let him put you off my sister, she's a good woman.” He swung open the door fully, stepping back so I could step inside.
“I know she is.”
* * *
“So?”Raze was exactly where I had left him an hour earlier. His bulk made the fence sag where he was leaning on it. A cigarette dangled from his lips. “Learn anything new?”
Glancing behind me at the closed door, I frowned. Had I learnt anything new?
“Her ol’ man is a piece of shit,” I mumbled as I made my way towards him, my hands thrust deep into my pockets.
“We already knew that.” Raze straightened, his face unreadable. “You look ready to murder someone, what did you learn?”
I sighed. “Not a lot. The brother pretty much just told me what Blade had already found out. She's a good girl. Too good to be living in that hell hole,” I added.
Raze’s eyebrow quirked upwards into his hairline. “The order is to take her home.”
Throwing a glance his way I scowled. “Yeah, but home can be anywhere. It doesn't have to be here. You want to know what I learnt from an hour with her father?” I didn’t wait for him to answer me. “I learnt she ‘aint going back there.”
I swept past him without another word, heading towards the bikes at the curb. I needed to think, and the open road would give me that.
“What is it about this mission that has you acting like this, Tommy?”
Raze’s words made me pause. I stood there. “I don’t know,” I finally admitted. And I didn’t. I didn't know why I found myself looking at her picture when I was balls deep in a warm wet pussy or when I closed my eyes to sleep.
I didn't know.
Everyone loved her and they took advantage of her anyway. She didn't tell anyone no. She just kept giving. But there was only so much she would be able to give before she ran dry. I didn’t want to see her lose herself because the people around her were total assholes.
Maybe it was because she was so innately good. The darkness of my own soul was attracted to her like a moth to a flame. I didn't want that flame extinguished.
“The job is to get her back home safely,” Raze repeated.
I could feel his eyes on my back. His gaze was intense.
“I know but that home isn't here.” Swinging my leg over the bike, I finally let my face lift so I could look my vice president and number two in the face, and when I spoke my voice was steely. “We need to go and speak to the bogget Blue.”
I wanted to get back to business. And that meant speaking to my own kind. I had found out all I could from the humans in Briella’s life.
“Tommy, you can't keep her.”
I blinked at him in shock. Keep her? What was he on about? I didn’t want to keep her. I didn’t even know her.
“What the fuck are you on about Raze? I don't plan on keeping her. I just want to do the job that Levi gave me. Keep her...” I huffed.
The very idea was ridiculous.
