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Millions? Bullshit. They’re goddamn people. Now I can understand more why it’s important to my woman to save these people. They’re not looked at as breathing humans but as possessions to be sold.
“How about you die, and the world can breathe some fresh air without you stinking it up.”
If the situation weren’t dire, I’d laugh at Athena’s comment. The bastard’s death is something I wouldn’t mind one bit.
The bastard chuckles and steps even closer, far too close to my liking. I want nothing more than to push him away and put Athena behind me. His eyes come to me, and I stare him down.
“You want to keep breathing, I suggest you walk around right now.” I sneer, more than ready to fire my weapon.
He seems actually to take in my statement and opens his mouth to say something when another man rushes to join him. He whispers in his ear, and the bastard’s features change the slightest bit before he nods, straightens, and starts backing away.
“It seems I’ll be doing just that,” he mutters, eyes going to Athena. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you again. Next time I see you, just know I’ll make sure you don’t get away.”
“The next time I see you, I’ll make sure just to put a bullet in your head,” Athena snaps.
“We’ll just see, won’t we,” the bastard says and turns. His men watching us as he walks away.
Reaching for Athena, I wrap my fingers around her wrist and back her out of the building. I don’t know what the fuck just happened, but luck was on our side in making sure we got out of there. That’s all it can be.
“We’re going to the clubhouse,” I tell her the minute we’re in the clear and get to one of the cages.
“Okay” is all she says. Something in her voice is off.
Once we get to the clubhouse, I’ll talk to her and find out what’s going on. Until then, I’ll leave her to it. Otherwise, I might end up doing something I’ll regret.
CHAPTER20
ATHENA
I never realized there would be a time in my life when I felt fear again. Sure, I’ve felt some sort of it in the past, but nothing like this. Not like seeing one of the men who has haunted my dreams ever since I was a little girl. He might not have done what Mario did, but that doesn’t mean he hadn’t done his own damage.
I don’t even know his actual name, just what they call him—‘Marionette’—and some call him ‘Firj’. Why? I don’t know. I just know I’d heard him referred to as both, and seeing him again creeps me out.
I don’t know why I even thought I could do this. Go after those people and take the chance. Then again, I didn’t fully know what I was going into. I guess if I’m honest with myself, I knew I was being irrational about this, and I should have done my recon work before going in there. I put those around me in danger and now have put a target on my back.
Not what I want to do. It’s also not what I was trained to do. I knew better, and I didn’t listen. Guess now I’ll face the consequences of what’s to come of what we did tonight.
Brass hasn’t spoken a word since we first got in the vehicle. I thought he’d flip on me, but instead, he’s stayed silent. I haven’t forgotten what he said to me earlier outside my apartment building. It wasn’t cool, but now I can somewhat see his point in it, though I refuse to let him talk to me that way. No one tells me how I’m supposed to be or who I’m supposed to be. It’s not about to happen.
What stung, though, was how he brought up Jesse. My little boy has always been supportive, and yes, I do want to be there more for my son.
Inwardly, I sigh when the clubhouse comes into view, and Brass passes through the gate that surrounds the land it sits on. Brass parks and gets out without a word.
It’s nearly more than I can take having him so silent and not speaking. From the moment he reentered my life, he’s been non-stop in trying to get me to talk to him and open up. Now it’s almost like he’s given up on me.
Getting out of the passenger seat, I follow him. I glance around, figuring all the people we saved would have been brought here, but it’s just us and some of the other members.
“Where is everyone?” I ask cautiously, looking at Brass’s back.
“They were taken to the clinic for help,” he answers without looking over his shoulder. He just keeps moving straight for the door.
Several of his brothers, including Twister, Horse, and Stoney, follow suit, but my attention is on Brass and his actions. He makes a beeline for the bar, rounds it, grabs shot glasses, and sets them up on the bar-top before looking at his brothers and raising a bottle of Jack.
“Fuck yeah,” Twister grumbles, moving in his direction. Horse and Stoney both follow, along with a few others. No one says a word, and I start to feel worse because I can feel the tension in them. They’re pissed, and the person they’re pissed at is me.
I drop my head and start to make my way to the hall, figuring I’d hide out in Brass’s room.
“Where the fuck you think you’re going?” Brass demands, speaking up for the first time, looking in my direction.
