Dirty Desires (Devil Kings MC #3) - Nicole James Page 0,54
gate. A girl climbs out of the driver’s seat, slams the door, and marches to the fence, her hands balled into fists.
“Hey, you! Gypsy!” she yells at me. “Come here.”
I stand and stare at her, lighting a cigarette.
She grabs the ten-foot high chain link fence and rattles it. “Got something to tell you, you fucking jerk.”
The prospect looks to me for guidance on how to handle this. Irate girlfriends and tossed aside pussy have been known to show up at the gate looking for a fight. I blow out an exasperated sigh and amble over. “I’ve got this, Prospect.” My eyes sweep over her. “You Tess’s friend?”
“Damn straight, and you’re gonna listen to what I have to say.” She barely takes a breath before she starts in on me. “Where the hell do you get off treating her like yesterday’s garbage? Do you know what she risked to get that information for you?”
It’s the first time I’ve even thought about how she got it. I frown, pulling the cigarette from my mouth. “What’d she do?”
“She met with that psycho nut job, Reload, in the dark of night in a fucking cemetery. She had to feed him a line of bullshit to get him to give up that plan. She was brave as hell, standing up to him alone. If it wasn’t for her smarts and quick thinking, hell I couldn’t have saved her—”
“Saved her?” That’s got my attention. I’ve tried like hell to put Tess from my mind, not that any of it’s worked.
“He tried to assault her. She fought him off, kneed him in the balls but not before he bruised up her arm and she took a fist to the face.”
My blood surges through my veins, and I feel the heat climb my face. Right then and there I swear I’ll deal with Reload if it’s the last thing I do. “She was a damn fool to meet with a guy like him.”
“She did it for you, moron. She’s in love with you. Yes, she screwed up, royally. But she knew immediately she’d made a mistake. You have to understand that she felt backed in a corner. She’s maxed out her credit cards, and she’s got to come up with the money to pay for her mother’s treatment. Growler dangled that prize in front of her, and she was desperate enough to take him up on it. She didn’t think what little information she gave him could have much use. She didn’t know their wicked plan.”
“She could have come to me for help with the bill.”
“She has her pride. She learned a long time ago not to count on anyone but herself.”
“Look, I’m glad she told us the information, but that doesn’t excuse the betrayal.”
“You’re a fool.”
“Am I?” I huff out a laugh and fling the cigarette away. “Why’s that?”
“She’s not going to tell you, because she doesn’t want it to be the reason you give her another chance, but I have no problem telling you, because you have a right to know.”
“Right to know what?”
“She’s pregnant, and before you dare insult her, yes, it’s yours.” She shuts up after that, giving me a minute to digest those words.
I feel my stomach drop. A baby? Shit, could it be true? “Is that why you showed up here today?”
“Yes, it’s why I sat out on the street for hours in this heat, hoping you’d show up. She won’t tell you herself; she’s too proud to beg for your help or your love.”
“She was just going to keep it a secret? Another damn thing she lies to me about?”
The girl shakes her head. “I told her you’d say that. You don’t deserve her.” She walks away, flipping me off over her shoulder. I stand and watch her peel out, throwing gravel up.
The prospect looks over my shoulder, and I turn.
Jammer is standing there, his arms folded, and I wonder how long he’s been there. “You hear all of that?”
“That Growler’s daughter is knocked up? Yeah. Is it yours?”
“It’s mine.”
“You sure?”
“You want a punch in the mouth?”
“Just sayin’.” He lights a joint, takes a deep hit and passes it to me. “Look, I’m gonna say something, and if you ever tell anyone I said it, I’ll deny it.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re an idiot if you don’t think she deserves a second chance. Took guts for her to come here like she did last night. Took more guts to get that information out of Reload. She did that to try to right a wrong,