Skirt (Ruthless Kings MC #5) - K.L. Savage Page 0,85

is there?”

“A bad one. I’m tired of bad ones,” she mumbles through a yawn and lays down, keeping a tight hold on my hand.

I lean my head against the cage separating us, keeping Aidan tucked against my chest. I try to think of something happy this little girl’s imagination can get lost in while she sleeps. “Once upon a time, on the tallest cliff near the sea, with the cloud-high trees soaring in the sky, was a pink castle.”

“Pink!” she gasps, blinking up at me in shock.

“Pink,” I say. “It’s the Princess’ favorite color. Since she lives all alone, it’s the only thing left that keeps her truly happy.”

“She’s alone? That’s so sad.”

I look around to see a few other children at the front of there cages, watching me, listening, needing to hear something magical and happy. I’m their source, and I can’t disappoint them.

“It is sad, but things for the Princess are about to change.” I try to think of anything, something children will find even the least bit interesting. “She’s sitting near the window, and the ocean’s breeze caresses her face when she sees something in the distance. The Princess is brushing her long, purple hair—”

“Purple! Cool. I want purple hair!” Maizey says.

“While she’s brushing her hair, she stares at the dot in the sky that’s coming closer and closer. The Princess gasps when she sees…” I look around to see the kids have wide eyes as big as the moon staring at me. “A dragon!”

“Wow,” Maizey blinks at me in awe.

“And on the dragon is a man, but not just any man—a knight! He has a sword in his hand, ready to fight whoever to free her from the tower. No man has ever been able to get inside the castle because there is a spell that doesn’t allow anyone inside. Only love stronger than the spell can break it, freeing the Princess once and for all.”

Maizey’s eyes droop shut as she listens to the made-up fairy tale.

“But the knight on the dragon isn’t any knight; he’s her knight. He jumps off his dragon and lays his hand on the door like, so many others before him, hoping on all hope that he'll free his true love. With a twist of the knob the spell breaks, unlocking the castle. He runs inside to save the Princess. They share their first kiss, and true love wins once and for all. The knight helps her onto the dragon, and they fly into the sunset, living happily ever after together, with no more chains, no more spells, and no more evil.”

If only real life was as good as a fairy tale.

Chapter Twenty-Two

SKIRT

“Well, it’s good to see you again, Reaper. Hate the circumstance,” Pocus greets us, clasping Reaper’s hand in a friendly shake.

“Maybe when all this is said and done, you guys can show us how NOLA really is, Pocus.”

“Don’t think you city boys can keep up, Reaper.”

Pocus and Reaper share a few laughs, and I try not to get annoyed by sharing pleasantries. Dawn is out there. We only have about five hours before the feds roll in, and we need to get going. The sooner this is over with, the better. For everyone’s safety.

“Long time no see, Tool. Well, I guess I can’t really say that. I saw ya’ll were comin’ round yesterday,” Seer taps his temple, and Tool gives the guy a wide berth, not greeting him.

I stand outside as the rest of the guys walk into the old plantation house. I never thought a badass group of bikers would own something like this for a compound, but whatever works, I guess. The lot is big too, filled with trees, and the swamp is a few miles back. The clubhouse seems to be on its last leg, needing some big repairs.

Seer stands out there with me and leans against the towering column that holds up the second floor. “I’m sorry I couldn’t warn ya ahead of time.” His Cajun accent thick and hardly understandable.

“I know that’s not how yer … gift works,” I say, sitting on the broken porch step. “I know you would have called if you saw something.”

“I have to say, when it comes to ya situation, I haven’t seen anything, Skirt. The future is undecided still.”

“The fuck ye mean undecided? We’re here. We’re about to leave to go get her! There’s nothing undecided about that. I’m going to get her back.”

“My gift isn’t set in stone. The future changes. Nothing is certain, okay? Everyone tinks