Cruz (Dark and Dirty Sinners' MC #5) - Serena Akeroyd Page 0,89

was hurting. And who the fuck could blame him?

“I don’t think I can wait that long, Dad.”

“Eight years is a long time to wait,” I agreed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of my nose. “There’s a kind of organization within an organization. They work like specters, because they dump their crimes on people who look like they fit the bill.”

“They stitch ex-cons up?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’d do that?”

“Law Enforcement,” I said gruffly. “But, look, I don’t want to talk about this anymore on the phone. Safe to say, I got us into this shit and I’m working hard to get us out of it.”

“You’d have gotten further if you’d just cut me and the rest of the Sinners in on this, Dad. For fuck’s sake, what Mav can do—”

“I don’t want to argue with you,” I said firmly. “I’ve done what I had to in order to keep you safe. Wasn't about to lose you as well as your mother. I’ll be there in a few days,” I repeated.

He grunted under his breath, the noise one of exasperation. I was used to that though. ”Stay safe," was all he said, before he cut the call, and prevented himself from saying anything else.

My lips curved a little at his bullheadedness which was definitely my fault, and I put down my binoculars, rested them on the handlebars as I tried to process what had just happened.

Rex learning the truth hadn't changed anything, not in the grand scheme of things. I needed to be here, keeping my finger on the pulse, but Rex was the only thing I had left that mattered to me.

If he needed me, that was more important than a vendetta that was years in the making, and years away from even a hope of coming to fruition.

I turned away from the shady deal going down, touched the kickstand with the toe of my boot, then rolled down the hill where I'd set up my position to watch the deal unfold.

Letting myself freewheel in neutral, I didn't kick the engine into touch until I was a few minutes away from the scene, and then, and only then, did I let my hog ride free.

But without Rene at my back, freedom didn't taste as good as I'd once dreamed of.

Fifteen

Cruz

A few days later

"Since when did you tap Indy's ass?"

For a second, I thought he meant literally, so I froze when Link posed the question, before I realized he just meant fucking.

The last thing I needed was Nyx to think I was beating his sister up, for Christ's sake. And having seen how vicious the bastard could be with a goddamn hacksaw as he helped me chop up David's corpse, I didn't need that level of rage anywhere near my face.

That depth of insanity deserved respect, and I was more than willing to respect a man who'd kill me to protect his sister.

After what that sister had been through, I was fucking glad for it too.

"You gonna answer or just gonna stare at me? You look like I could land a golf ball in that open trap of yours."

I narrowed my eyes at his joke before I poured him some tequila. "I'm sure you'd like it if someone asked you the same fucking question about Lily."

Link smirked at me. "That's the difference between you and me, Cruz, I want the fucking world to know she's mine."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Since you put a ring on her goddamn finger, do you know how much of a prick you've been?"

"He's sharing it around verbally because she's got his dick in knots," Rex grumbled, and while I understood that this wasn't as big of a celebration as it usually would be, because patch-in parties were no joke, he made a beggar at a feast look cheerful.

Link guffawed. "You know what, Rex? You're right. Absolutely right on the fucking money. She's got my dick in knots, but..." he whistled under his breath. "What she can do with those knots beats that handiwork of yours, Cruz."

That had me frowning. "What handiwork?"

Rex eyed me, and apparently reading between the lines, murmured, "The way you tie up the trash. How you wrap stuff up. He ain't talking about anything dirty."

"I wasn't, but I sure as fuck am now." Link leaned into me. "You for real? Indy seriously lets you tie her up?"

Steel perked up at that. "What's your poison? Cuffs or rope?"

This was not how I'd imagined my shift going down behind the bar tonight when, after waking up