A Monster's Beauty (In the Arms of Monsters #3) - Sam Crescent Page 0,59
each other.”
“Can I change the dynamic of our friendship?”
“You could be my bitch.” Preacher laughed. “Fuck, what have we become?”
“I’ve worn you down. So, you’ve never felt fear?” Dog lit a new cigarette.
“No, not until recently, have you?”
“Yes, all the fucking time,” Dog said. He pointed at his face. “Let’s face it, I didn’t have an easy childhood. Where other kids were asking Santa for toys and shit, I was begging to be found, to find someone who would care about me and not hurt me. If you ever tell another living soul, I will fucking gut you, got it?”
“I’d like to see you try, but if you think I’d admit to anyone I got all touchy-feely for you, I’d deny it.”
“So we’re both good on denying everything. Good to know. I’ve known fear as a boy. I can’t walk away from who I was or what I’ve become. I used to think fear made me weak, but it doesn’t. Fear pushes us. It drives us. It makes us the men we are and it makes us strong.”
Dog pointed down at his men. “All of them can tell you a story. Some worse than mine, some better. All of them are monsters and have been created because of circumstances. It’s never going to change who they are. They are what we’ve been made. Fear makes us. It forces us to make decisions we didn’t know we were even capable of making.”
“I’m scared I’m not going to be able to protect her,” he said.
“Do you have another enemy lurking in the shadows?”
“No. I have plenty of enemies. Most of them are dead.” Preacher ran a hand down his face. “She’s afraid.”
“Then be there for her. Don’t be talking to me about shit when the true person you should be talking to is your woman. Robin, she wants you right now, I’m guessing.”
“I feel my life is really fucked up when I’m taking advice from you.”
“I give great advice. You should take it. I do know what I’m talking about.”
“It’s counted,” one of the men down below said, yelling up to be heard.
“Good.”
“It’s time for us to split.”
“If you ever need backup, or to deal with your boys, let me know.”
“Will do, but one thing I can promise you, fear or not, I know how to take care of myself.” They made their way downstairs. Preacher took their cut and made their way outside to find Bear staring up at the sun.
“What do you think about women staying with cheating assholes?” Bear asked as he moved closer.
“Are we talking about Rebecca?” Preacher asked.
“No. Why the fuck would you think that?”
“You were a cheating asshole.”
“No, I’m talking about Anne.”
“Anne? Robin’s Anne?”
“Who else would I be talking about?”
“I don’t know. I figured you’d expanded your friendship base? For all I know, you could have been reading about an Anne in a book.”
“Cut the shit, Preach. What do you think about it?”
“One, I don’t think about it. Two, she’s Robin’s friend. Three, I’m guessing it’s because of the kids.”
“Do you think she’ll care if I kill him?”
“Do you think a woman would care if you killed the man who fathered their kids?” Preacher didn’t like the bitterness. “Well, I killed Reaper, and me and Robin are doing well. I’m sure Anne would feel the same.”
“You think I don’t know when I can detect sarcasm?”
“I don’t know what you think you can detect half of the time. If you try to kill Elijah—that’s the husband’s name—you’re heading to fail. Now, I’ve got to go and see my woman.” He straddled his bike and paused. “Are you and Anne … together?”
“No, we’re not together. I’m just curious.”
“Do you like her?”
“I … no, we’re just friends. I have to make sure my daughter is being cared for.”
“But I’m the one doing that, so tell me again, what exactly is it you’re doing.”
“None of your business.”
“Oh, but it is my business if you’re going to hurt my woman.”
“Look, I like Anne. Nothing has happened and she won’t leave Elijah. Let’s just leave it alone. I’m not getting into this all again.” Bear straddled his own bike. “How is Robin?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” He was getting tired of being Bear’s confidant when it came to his daughter. If he wanted to know what Robin was going through, he should go and see her.
Like him, he should go tell her the truth.
“I’ll see her when I’m ready.”
He was bored with the conversation and so he gunned the engine and