“Life’s biggest lie,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ll deal with your mistake later.” His hot breath caressed the side of my neck sending a shiver racing down my spine.
“It’s weird not sitting at our table.” Greyson laughed. “I should have brought my gavel for you, Keely.”
“Oh right. You can sit here,” I offered, making a move to stand.
“Sit. This meeting is all yours.” Parker pulled up a chair beside me, keeping my fingers linked in his.
“My meeting?” My eyes widened. “What? Why?”
He winked and turned to the group of guys spread around the large cherry oak table. “Before Keely starts, I just want you to know that there is enough room here for all of you to sleep. Thanks to Colin and Jones.”
The men grunted in response, stating their appreciation to Colin and Jones who stood behind Parker and I.
“I’m gonna rent a motel,” one of the bikers, known as Rip, said. “I need to find me some pussy.”
“Watch your mouth. There’s a lady in the house.” A younger man with a snake tattoo coiling up the side of his neck said, slapping him across the back of the head.
“What’s your name?” I asked snake tattoo guy. He must have been new because I didn’t recognize him.
“Snake.” His dark eyes met mine.
Of course it was. Duh. I made a point of glancing at each of the men sitting before me. All different ages and sizes. But each and every one of them had something in common. They were downright scary. The power that oozed from their pores was frightening.
I took a breath, bracing my nerves to tell these men that were mostly strangers, my story. Why we were here. Why they were protecting people they knew nothing about. What was in it for them? Was Parker paying them? Were they getting immunity if they were good little boys and helped us?
“Have you met Devin Tate?” I asked finally.
“No. But I know that you were his Old Lady.”
My eyes snapped up, bile rising in my throat. “I was not and will never be Devin’s Old Lady,” I bit out. “Old Ladies are generally treated with respect and not abused and tortured for the sadistic pleasure of a sick and twisted man.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Snake said quickly.
“How could you? You only know what you were told.” I pointed at him. “So I may be a lady, but I bet that I’ve seen things that would make you blush. And I’m going to tell you the truth. Devin Tate is a bastard. He will go through anyone and everyone to get higher in life. He craves power. Always has. He doesn’t care who he has to bring down either to gain that control.”
“Who the fuck is this guy?” Snake asked, his eyes wide.
“An asshole.”
“A fucking bastard.”
“Evil incarnate.”
The answers flew around the table, leaving me with my memories. Devin was sadistic but I remembered a time where he was gentle. The time I fell in love with him and as soon as his fist landed against my face the very first time, that fantasy bubble popped. But I couldn’t get away. After that? It was like something had switched in him. I no longer felt his gentle caress or heard his sweet words. He was a cobra that lured me in and struck as soon as he had me wrapped up in his coiled body like that of a snake.
A part of me wanted to stay with him to help him. To let him know that he didn’t need to be such a domineering dick. He only had to ask. But the other part of me stayed out of fear.
“How could one man do so much damage when the cops, FBI, CIA, and us are after him?” Snake asked, interrupting my trip down memory lane.
“It’s because of the people that he has working for him,” Parker explained. “He doesn’t just have people in America. They’re all over. He also has underground dealings going on as well.”
“Sick bastard needs to be knocked the fuck out,” Ex mumbled, cracking his knuckles.
“How are we going to stop him?” Snake asked me.
An evil grin spread on Parker’s face. “That’s where I come in.”
EFORE I died,” Parker shifted beside me, the subject of him faking his death still an uncomfortable topic between us. “I had convinced Devin that I would do anything he