Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“You got a soft spot for the ladies?” Dutch tilted his head, studying me.
“Makes no difference to me what you do. But no. I don’t enjoy seeing men hurt women just to see ’em hurting. You want to beat up on someone? Pick on someone your own size. Only a pussy beats on someone smaller than him.”
Bozz growled and took a step forward. I continued to feed Rose the hot dog. She seemed to ignore everything around her other than me, but judging by the glimpses I got of her face, I could tell she was taking it all in like I’d told her to.
“Easy, Bozz.” Dutch moved between me and Bozz, keeping us separated.
“I’ll do whatever I want to the bitches,” Bozz snapped. “He don’t get to tell me what I can do or who I can fuck in my own fuckin’ club!”
“Back off, Bozz. Go find a club girl and fuck some of that aggression away. But lay off the merchandise. I want as much money out of those bitches as he can get me.” Money was the only thing I could think of to get Dutch to make the guys lay off the women. Seemed it worked for the time being. I knew it wouldn’t last, though.
Dutch had wisely only let a close circle of his men in on this scheme, but even that lot wasn’t as disciplined as they should be. Not for something like this. They let their impulses rule them. Dutch did too, but his greed helped keep him in check. For now.
As Bozz stomped off, Dutch’s gaze moved to Rose. If the man figured out who she was, we’d be in big trouble. I was mindful of the time for a couple of reasons. I didn’t want my team jumping in yet, but I also wanted to know exactly how much time I had if things went bad and I wasn’t able to signal them to stand down.
“Your woman settling in?” Dutch’s smile was greedy, leaving no doubt he wanted Rose. When I gave him a steady glare, he continued. “Because I’ll be happy to help if she isn’t.”
“Ain’t tellin’ you again, Dutch. I don’t share.”
“All right, all right. But I want her when you’re done.” He leered at Rose. She shivered slightly but didn’t look up or acknowledge the man in any other way.
“I’ll be gone from this shit-hole long before then. I’m here to help with this deal. Then I’m gone.”
Dutch shrugged. “Unless I need you further.” The intent was clear. Dutch wanted his taste of Rose, no matter how long it took. Which was trouble. The longer he waited, the more impatient he’d become until he challenged me outright. And he had no intention of letting me leave here without getting what he wanted. “Eat up, little girl,” Dutch said, boisterously. “You’re gonna need your strength.” Then he barked out a laugh, like it was his own little private joke.
Rose didn’t say a word, her expression blank. Only the slight tremor of her body gave away the effect Dutch had on her.
“Good girl,” I murmured. “Finish your hot dog, and we’ll go back to the cabin.” She looked up at me with solemn eyes and gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, not wanting the food. In that moment, I could cheerfully have throttled Dutch. I didn’t need this. Any of this. “Go on,” I encouraged her. “I swear I won’t let him touch you, but you have to eat.”
She nibbled on the rest of the hot dog, finishing all but the last bite. I popped it into my mouth, then stood, helping her to her feet as well. We had thirty minutes to get back and contact my team or they’d come in, guns blazing. I thought I could manage this but Sting had to know the complication I now had so he could inform Alexi. Or Azriel. ’Cause even I didn’t have enough balls to tell Alexi I had his daughter inside this fucking compound. He’d put a bullet in my Goddamned head, and I wouldn’t blame him. I thought back to everything I’d already done. Just kissing the girl was grounds for castration. Not only would he probably kill me, but it would put Iron Tzars in a bad light with Shadow Demons.
The really bad part -- as far as I was concerned -- was that I cared less about the effect on my club than I did about the effect on the tiny woman in my possession. Since I’d been a part of Iron Tzars, I’d never put anything above the club, but I was reevaluating that stance with this girl.
I led her back to the cabin and shut the door, locking us in. Not for the first time, I regretted not putting a better lock on the door. Hell, the cabin needed a new fucking door to be stronger. Or a whole new fucking cabin. Still, it would give me a few seconds if Bozz or Dutch decided to push the issue. A few seconds would be all I needed, but I still put a chair under the doorknob as one more thing. Fucking Christ, I didn’t fucking need this!