little giggle bursts outta her, one with a hysterical edge to it. “They’re dead. They’re already dead and I’m probably never going to sleep again without hearing them… die.”
Well then.
Maybe the drug dealer ain’t so fucking bad.
Except now we have a whole new set of fucking nightmares to contend with. “Here’s my shirt, sweetness, let’s get you comfortable.”
I tug a clean shirt over her head gently and try not to look at the mess her ribs are in. There’s gotta be some breaks in there, it must be fucking killing her to breathe.
I’m back to wanting to kill the drug dealer, I needed those deaths myself because where the fuck am I gonna put this rage now that’s pumping through my fucking veins?
My phone buzzes as I help her between my sheets, the little gasps coming out of her make me wanna fucking die. There’s a text from King, church is starting and my ass has to be there.
Non-negotiable.
I take a deep breath and I try to force some fucking gentle tones out of myself. “I’ve gotta get to church and deal with some club shit. I’m gonna grab Cole to be on the door to keep an eye out for you, we’ll keep it locked but I trust him. Just lay down and rest until I get back. Then we can… talk about what the hell happened.”
She bites her lip, looking like she’s gonna fucking cry again.
I can’t handle that shit. “Angel, what the hell is wrong? What do you need?”
She swallows and when she speaks her voice is thready. “I need my bag. It’s in my locker back at The Boulevard. I just realized it’s still there and… I really need it.”
My eyes narrow at her. “Why? What’s in there that’s so fucking important?”
She swallows again. “My money.”
Jesus fucking Christ. “Angel, it’ll be fine there overnight. If anything fucking happens to it, I’ll sort it out. Just lay down and rest.”
She wraps her arms around herself and whispers, “There’s almost two hundred thousand in the bag. I need it here, with me.”
She very suddenly has my full fucking attention. She’s a fucking pro at getting it. “What the fuck did you just say? You have two hundred g’s in that busted ass fucking bag?”
She nods.
Well fuck me.
I stare down at her and try to find my fucking brain but… why the fuck does she have all that fucking money on her?
There’s a thump at the door. “Church! King said hurry your ass up!”
I stand up and try to sound calm and not at all threatening when I say, “I’ll get one of the boys to go get it for you now. I’ll be back as soon as I can, Angel, and then we’re talking about it. We’re talking about everything, you hear?”
She nods again, the tears still brimming in her eyes and I duck down to kiss her before I go. It’s barely a kiss thanks to her busted lip but she manages a smile when I straighten up.
Two. Hundred. Fucking. Grand.
Sitting in a shitty bag inside a locker at The Boulevard, fuck me. Fuck me, this girl just keeps throwing me fucking curve balls and I have no fucking clue what to make of it.
I text Cole to get him moving for the money and then when I get outside of my room I find Axe already waiting.
He looks even fucking worse than Angel.
“Man, is she okay?”
I nod and gently clap him on the shoulder. “She’s alive. I’m gonna need to hear exactly what went down but it can wait. Has Keely got a look at you yet?”
He shakes his head. “I’ll live, I’m more fucking worried about her. She’s a fucking good woman, Tomi, you need to hold onto her. She just—she saw what the hell was happening and she just stood the hell up. I’ve seen grown fucking men with less backbone.”
Fuck.
I clap him on the shoulder again and leave him there to watch the door until Cole gets back with the fucking bag.
Two hundred grand.
When I get to the chapel I’m the last Callaghan there, but it’s only my blood and, fuck, Thorn waiting for me to arrive. Speck’s sitting with Rue looking like death warmed up but he’s alive so I’ll count it as a fucking win.
King is looking fucking thunderous but he jerks his head at the door, signalling me to shut it as I walk in. “What do you need to tell us?”