Page 50

When we pull apart, she whispers, “You’re bleeding,” as she wipes at the blood on my forehead with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “You need medical attention, babe.”

Grinning like a damn fool, I tell her, “It’s just a scratch. I’ll be fine.” I pull her to her feet and tuck her against my side. Again, I put her between me and the wall because it’s been a rough day and I can’t take another chance of losing her. I stay between her and the room again out of an abundance of caution.

“Everything’s gonna be all right. Roderick ain’t gonna be a problem for you or any damn body else from now on. It’s almost over, darlin’.”

That’s when we hear a voice from the catwalk above that can only be one man. “I have what you’re looking for up here, Rager.”

We all look up at the same time and see Delaney holding a knife to Queenie’s neck.

I quickly shove Beth behind me. I almost lost her before, and I won’t take a chance on anything happening to her ever again. I grab my gun and keep my eyes on our founder’s old lady, because this just turned into a hostage situation.

Rock’s voice rings out, “Get your hands off my old lady if you know what’s good for you.”

“I might let her go once I’m clear of this place. Then again, I might not. Hell, she might not even want to go back to you. She deserves a better life than you’ve given her.”

I can’t be sure, but this sounds like some kind of rage-bait or psyop. I immediately start looking for the catch.

“You think my woman’s gonna give up what she has for an asshole like you?”

“What do you say, Queenie? Want to give a life of wealth and privilege a try?” Delaney asks.

Instead of answering Delaney, she looks straight at Rock. “We planned for this. Do it, Rock, just like we talked about.”

Before any of us can get our heads around what in the fuck they’re even talking about, Rock draws down on Delaney while he still has his arm around Queenie and that knife at her throat. One single shot rings out and everyone freezes.

For one brief, horrifying second, I think their deal was to kill her before letting another man take her. But then I realize Delaney has a hole right through the center of his forehead. Queenie immediately elbows him out of the way and jumps the railing. Rock catches her smaller form and sets her down on her feet.

When Delaney falls, he twists and we all catch a glimpse of the huge exit wound on the back of his head. I almost can’t believe what I just saw. Everyone knows Rock is a good shot, but this beats everything I’ve ever seen.

Beth edges out from behind me. “What… what happened?”

“The guy who started all this is dead. I guess you can rest easy, at least.”

“I heard what he said. It sounded like he had a death wish,” Beth says quietly.

She gazes around at Rock and Queenie locked in a tight embrace, brothers helping the injured and the ten or so men on their knees, and looks a bit overwhelmed with it all. My mild-mannered accountant has never imagined a sight like this, much less been exposed to anything like this before. I hug her tighter to my side, wishing she hadn’t seen the worst life has to offer.

“I feel like this is all my fault,” she murmurs. “None of this would have happened if I hadn’t dragged everyone into my messed-up life.”

Her softly spoken words make my chest ache with a special kind of pain. This isn’t the first time she’s expressed guilt and regret about me and my club being involved in her problems. She said the very same thing the day I came home with Jinx’s blood on my clothes.

There is something about a sweet, innocent woman like Beth takin’ the blame for the filthy fuckers intent on manipulating her testimony that really rubs me the wrong way. She’s tried to do the right thing her whole life. She stepped up when the feds came to her and did her best to help them put a money launderer behind bars. She did her civic duty three years ago and it’s done nothing but rain trouble down on her. She should never have been targeted by Delaney. Instead, she should be living her life, working her online jobs and enjoying the life we’re building together.

I turn her by the shoulders until she’s looking at me instead of the dead man on the floor. I explain it all to her again, real gentle like, because I can tell this whole situation has been one gigantic mind fuck for her.

“I’ve told you before, darlin’, that none of this is your fault. You got roped into somebody else’s fucked up situation. Don’t do this to yourself. The men here tonight chose the path that led them here and now they’re payin’ for all their greedy, selfish decisions. Everything that happened is on them, not you or even me.”

I don’t raise my voice because that’s not my way. I learned my lesson about that and I’m not going to repeat past mistakes, particularly when she’s vulnerable.

“Look, darlin’, rich men treat the rest of us as pieces on a chessboard. That old man had a whole agenda the rest of us didn’t know about and probably never will. He’s the one who started what me and my club brothers finished here tonight. He’s been up to no good for decades before you entered the picture. Put the blame where it belongs, sweetness.”

She nods. I feel like part of her understands what I’m saying but the other part will go right on believing this is all her fault forever. All I can do as her man is keep reminding her that it’s not.

I reach down and pull her close to my chest. When she melts against me, I cradle the back of her head, wishing for all the world that I could take away all the guilt and pain she’s feeling right now.

Around us the brothers have already started the ugly work of putting this night to bed. None of that is mine to worry about because now I have a woman to tend to. Right now, Beth is the most important consideration. She needs my support now more than ever.

“Let’s get you home, sweetness,” I tell her.