time, or to anyone else.” Still seated, Jasper patted Anarchy's head. “Close your ears, little girl.”
Anarchy’s eyes were fierce when she gazed up at him. “Let me help.”
“See? Now we’re dragging innocents into unscrupulous activities!” Connie threw her hands in the air. “I love you guys, but you’re not white knights galloping across a barren wasteland to avenge the damsel in distress. You may think your cocks are swords, but they’re not. All you’ll end up doing is rotting in an unmarked grave somewhere!”
Loki rose from his chair, Liam right beside him. “Five against one ought to even the odds.”
Braun shook his head. Liam wasn’t in the right frame of mind to tie his own goddamn shoelaces. The boy was wrecked, shaken down to the soul, and Braun appreciated that. His best friend, a woman he’d known and loved for years, had almost died—loving her for weeks and nearly losing her had fucked with Braun’s head, so he dreaded to think what it had done to Liam.
“Liam’s staying here. He’s too well known to the family, and if there’s any backlash off this shit, it’s not coming down on him or his family. No arguments, boy,” he snapped when Liam tried to object. “You’re in no fit state for this. I want you here in case Bodie wakes up.”
Incensed, Connie puffed herself up to her full height. “If Liam’s staying, I’m going. No, don’t you argue, mister,” she snarled, jabbing Braun in the chest. “Someone who isn’t jacked up on testosterone and revenge needs to make sure you don’t pull some insane shit and end up spending the next twenty-five years of your life in a prison cell with a hardass named Bruce.”
Braun laughed. “And what exactly do you intend to do? Glare him into surrendering to the cops?”
She bared her teeth. “Ways and means, Braun. I can have any one of you on your knees, crying like a bitch and begging for your mother, in thirty seconds.”
Dominance rammed headfirst against dominance as they went nose to nose. An impressive standoff by anyone’s standards, Braun mused, but one Connie wouldn’t win. He had righteous fury at his back, a need for blood he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Stay. Here.” He ordered, thickening the words.
“No. You want to leave me and drive off on your macho boys' adventure, go right ahead. I came here in my own car and you can bet your last cent I’m fucking capable of tailing you. I go where you go—think of me as the angel on your shoulder, whaling on the devil telling you to act like selfish, irresponsible fuckwits.”
Time was wasting, and Braun wasn’t going to let Abraham live a moment longer than he had to. The man couldn’t be allowed to breathe the same air as his Bodie. “Fine, you want to come, keep up.”
Jasper stood, tracing a line around Anarchy’s jaw. “Go home, kitten. Forget this ever happened.” His fingers brushed her lips and she patted them for him. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know how you knew, but I appreciate it.”
She blushed brilliant red. “I was waiting for you at the club when Mistress Connie got the call. I know it’s closed on Mondays but I was hoping you’d be there so we could talk. When she said your name, I followed her, thinking maybe you wouldn’t mind me being here.” Her fingers twisted nervously. “I know it was wrong, but I hung around in the hall for a while before I got the courage up to see if you were in here.”
“Stalking and eavesdropping,” he said sternly. “We’ll definitely be having words about that. Later. Now, make sure you get home safe.”
She looked insanely happy at the prospect of having words. “Would you mind if I stay for a while and keep Master Liam company? It doesn’t feel right, leaving him on his own.”
Jasper frowned. “Liam? Would you like some company?”
Exhausted and resigned to the fact he’d effectively been sidelined, Liam sank into a chair. “Yeah, sure I guess. Company might be nice. I’ll look after your subbie for you, J.”
Braun noted with interest that Jasper didn’t refute the your subbie. “Well then, now that everyone’s taken care of, let’s move. I want to be back here before Bodie wakes up. Atticus, can you use your friends, get an address?”
“Already taken care of. Twenty minutes from here.”
“Oh, that’s not going to look suspicious to the cops,” Connie muttered in exasperation. “The asshole ends up dead, and the prime