Page 21 of Dread’s Beloved

Nightshade isn’t a fan of cell phones or technology in general, but he does have cameras.

I spotted a trail cam as we roll through the gate.

Dread parks next to Knives. There’s a couple more guys outside working on a truck. They stare at us but make no move to chitchat. I can tell they are prospects by the lack of patches on their cuts.

We find Nightshade sitting at the bar, waiting for us. “Yous twos will have to bunk together. Only got one spare room.” I glance around the room, noting no one else is around other than a guy passed out on a worn-down couch with two women.

“We appreciate it, man,” Dread says.

“Kitty can stay in my room. Be like old times when we’d have sleepovers,” Knives says, and Dread pins him with a glare. “Or not.” He holds his hands up.

“Quit dickin’ around and show them to their room,” Nightshade growls. “Once you’re settled, come back down and you can fill me in on this Raven Fork Reapers business.”

I know he means Dread, not me.

Knives licks his lips and winks at me. “This way, Kit Kat.”

Dread presses his hand to the small of my back, ushering me forward.

He leads us past the bar up a set of wooden steps that creak with every step that goes up to the second floor.

“You guys are next to me.” Knives grins, opening a door, and Dread rolls his eyes. “There’s two bathrooms. One with a dick painted on the door and the other has a naked lady.”

“Perfect. I’m about to piss my pants.” I hand Dread my backpack and rush down the hallway looking for the door with tits on it.

He wasn’t lying. There’s a door with a torso of a man with a giant penis and hairy balls painted on the front. On the other is a naked lady with her legs spread open, fingering herself.

I give whoever painted these an A for creativity and talent.

“Dorothy, you aren’t in Kansas anymore,” I mutter to myself. This place is definitely not like home. I push the door open, surprised to find it clean—ish. These West Virginia guys are a different breed. Mostly feral.

Chapter Nine

Dread

We’ve not been here for five minutes, and this guy is already on my damn nerves. I saw the way he was looking at Kitty. Winking at her and shit. Her ex isn’t even cold yet. Last thing she needs is anyone trying to jump her bones.

I drop her bag on the bed, noting how fucking small it is. I forgot how off the grid these crazy fucks are. No electronics are allowed past the gate. They grow most of their own food and keep shit stocked like it’s the end of damn times.

Kitty returns from the bathroom and blanches at the size of the room.

“I’ll make a pallet on the floor later. Don’t worry.”

“We can take turns.”

“I put Dark’s sister on the floor, he’d kick my ass.”

“Who is going to tell him?”

“Babe, you’re not roughing it on the floor. It’s bad enough being banished to BFE.”

She smiles. And, fuck me, Kitty has a gorgeous one. Her pink lips are perfectly kissable. I shouldn’t have pulled that shit the other night at Tonky’s. I got caught up in the moment of having a pretty woman in my arms pressed up against me looking and smelling like a fucking dream.

“You gonna be all right if I leave you to go have that chat with Nightshade?”

“Yeah. I’ll take a nap or pester Knives.”

“He’s Sukie’s brother, right?”