10
I am just finishing up at the store after gathering supplies for Chief’s tonight. It’s his birthday, and I’m determined to celebrate with him and the club. Travis is going to meet me there after work, and Reagan will follow along later with Harley. I’m standing on the sidewalk, just opening my trunk to put everything away when a dark sedan glides up beside me. I look up, expecting a cab, and find a familiar face in the driver’s seat.
Demon.
It has been a while, but I know that face.
“Well, hello, Mischief.”
He opens the door, getting out of the car and causing me to take a hesitant step back. The last time this man had his hands on me, he choked me nearly to death. Then he tried to kill my mother. There isn’t a single thing I trust about him, especially in a mostly empty parking lot. I try to move backward, but he’s suddenly at my side. His fingers curl around my wrist, digging in. I wince.
“Let go,” I say, forcing my voice steady.
He pushes me against my car, pressing something cold to my side that I know right away is a gun. “I only want to talk,” he says, grinning. “Tell me, Mischief—how’s daddy?”
I swallow. “Let me go.”
He laughs under his breath. “You know, Jasmine told me you’d be here today.” His words hit like a punch. “My darling Jasmine.” He is still grinning, like he knows he has already won. “I thought when you left, it was the best thing that could ever happen to him, cut his damned heart right out. Maybe, he wouldknow how it felt. But no, that motherfucker keeps on rolling, now with my daughter by his side, too.”
“She isn’t your daughter. Maybe if you were more of a man, you could have produced one.”
My words are fire and before I know it, he has his hand curled around my throat, squeezing just enough to make my pulse pound in my skull. I let my eyes frantically move around the parking lot, but there is nobody to be seen.
“Daughter or not, she gives me what I need. Did your daddy tell you I nearly killed him a year ago? Oh, wait, you ran off and left him, so I guess not.”
I want to scream, kick, punch, but instead I can do nothing but glare at him while trying to catch my breath.
He releases me, stepping back and dusting off his hands like I am the filthy one. Then, casually, he tells me, “Say hi to him for me, won’t you?”
Then, just like that, he walks away.
Fucking psychopath.
Shaken, I manage to get myself into my car and get the hell out of there, knowing I need to tell Chief what I just found out. By the time I arrive, music and laughter spill into the street. I get out of the car, scanning the crowd—only to see Jasmine perched at the table beside Chief, laughing like nothing’s wrong.
Fucking bitch.
I stride up and slam my hands on the table, leaning in close and growling. “Why did you tell him where I’d be?”
She startles, eyes wide.
Chief looks between the two of us, confused. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Ask her,” I seethe. “Tell him, Jasmine. Tell him what just happened to me.”
Chief’s eyes move to Jasmine, and hers dart down to her hands.
“Demon found me,” I say. “And he told me that she was the one who gave him my location.”
Chief turns slowly, calm but firm. “Violet, take a step back.” Then he addresses Jasmine. “Is that true?”
Her voice trembles. “Daddy, I—I didn’t know what else to do. He had men everywhere. He scares me. He won’t take no for an answer, I had no other choice.”
"Liar," I say. Simple. Flat. Her eyes flick up, flashing. “Don’t sit here and act innocent, because we both know you’re not. You haven’t wanted me back in since the second I returned, and I would just bet you’re willing to do what it takes to make sure I leave and you stay.”
Jasmine's face breaks and she snorts, loudly. Gone are the emotional trembles in her voice. “Can you blame me for not wanting you back?" she says. "Even when you vanish for years, the second you walk in the room everyone starts acting like the queen has fucking returned. We were good without you, we were finally creating a relationship...”
“Jasmine,” Chief says, but I cut him off.
