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“I said, no. I’m not going.”
Colt huffed out a breath. “Sweetheart, when he’s drunk, I can’t take responsibility for him, I can’t guarantee your safety-”
Penny thought of the night when Lyle had those terrors, when he destroyed most of the things in his bedroom. When he could have been violent with her. She gulped. But then, Ash had been right there. And Nix would be, too. She took a leap of faith, rolled the dice, and played all in. “I don’t need you to guarantee my safety, it’s… a risk I take, being with him, I know that… but Ash and Nix are there, too…”
Colt blinked at her, pausing a moment, before saying, “I don’t want any drama, I don’t want him taking advantage of you-”
“He isn’t, he doesn’t,” Penny said hurriedly.
“I don’t want you coming between brothers-”
Penny choked back an ironic laugh. Did Colt realize the irony of what he had just said?
At that moment there was a clamor at the door and in busted Nix and Ash. Nix looked murderous, not the sweet natured, eager lover she was used to. He looked terrifying. And Ash was cold, calm and focused.
“I’ve heard a fucking rumor that better not be fucking true!” Nix ranted.
Ash’s voice was calm but firm. “Penny isn’t a sweetbutt, she’s not banned, Colt.”
Colt sat back a moment, taking them all in, surprised. “Your pussy must be fucking gold, Penny, darlin',” he said to her.
“Twenty-four karat,” Nix bit out.
Colt blew out a massive breath. “Guys, it has to be a blanket decision, I can’t let you keep Penny ‘cause Jared will want to keep Jessie and Sully will kick off ‘cause he only just joined up, and don’t get me started on Rafe, cutting off the sweetbutts will be like cutting off the water to him-”
“Penny is not just a sweetbutt, fucking us all and freeloading off us. She’s… important to us,” Nix said.
Colt hesitated for a second, but shook his head. “I’ve made up my mind, I’m doing this, as your Prez, this is one of those shitty times when you just have to fall in line behind me… Penny goes.”
There was stony silence amongst them all.
Penny felt her world ripping apart at the seams. She couldn’t bear to look at the boys. At Lyle. She’d just found out she was pregnant, everything she had wanted, and now… Colt was trying to rip her family apart. She stood. She wouldn’t stand for this.
“Sit the fuck down, Penny, you aren’t going anywhere,” Ash came forward, putting both fists on the table and towering over Colt.
Penny did not sit down, she stood behind Ash instead and glared daggers at the handsome MC Prez.
Colt frowned. “I didn’t expect trouble from you, Ash.”
Ash shook his head, just once. “Not causing trouble, Prez, and I know you gotta do what you gotta do, but not with this. Lyle’s drinking is getting better, we’re keeping a closer watch on him-”
“Tried that, didn’t work,” Colt shut Ash down.
“We’re sleeping in the same room as him, he has night terrors, you know, Colt-”
Lyle blinked, and Penny could tell he was surprised. But he kept his chin held high. Lyle tried to fight his corner. “I don’t go near the sweetbutts now, I don’t remember the last time I had-”
“Not the point, the damage is done, the trust is gone, Lyle-” Colt returned. “No sweetbutts. Penny goes.”
Lyle had recovered himself now. Penny could see, the fire was back in his eyes. His backbone was strong and stiff, he stood beside Ash and Penny. “Penny isn’t going.”
Colt stood up with such force that the chair slammed out from behind him. Penny trembled as he raised his voice.
“I fucking said-”
Nix jumped over the desk at Colt, barging into him. Ash vaulted it, too, grabbing Colt’s other arms and Lyle stood and loomed over the desk.
The escalation was sudden and swift. And she knew she had to act immediately before permanent damage was done. She rifled through her handbag and pulled out the little white plastic stick she’d made use of earlier.
