“He’s saving your ass right now, isn’t he?” Tracker says, not in a mean way, but matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t ask him to,” I say quietly, not wanting them to think this was my idea. “A lot has happened in such a short period of time. I don’t even know how to process everything to be honest. I guess all I can say is that my intentions are pure.”
Both of their phones go off at the same time. “That was quick,” Rake murmurs.
“Decision time,” Tracker says, standing up. “Do you want to wait in Vinnie’s room, Shay? I don’t think this will take too long.”
“Okay,” I say, standing and walking out of the kitchen. They stop at Vinnie’s room and wait to leave until I’m inside. Tracker gives me a comforting touch on my shoulder, which I actually appreciate. I lie down on Vinnie’s bed, just waiting.
I only hope he comes back with good news, or we might have to leave here straightaway. I don’t know if my staying or going is better for Vinnie, but I have a feeling it is probably the latter.
I close my eyes and pray that, for once, things turn out well for the both of us, especially for him.
SIXTEEN
Vinnie
“OKAY,” Sin starts, glancing around the table at the men. “As we all know, Vinnie owes Talon a marker, and he left to pay it. As he’s just told me, he’s brought the marker back with him to the clubhouse.”
She is more than a marker, and I think that is the real issue here.
All eyes are suddenly on me, and I return each of them.
“Vinnie,” he says, waiting for me to speak.
“They think her father gave her information that she can use to implicate them in various illegal activities. They either want her to get that information or they want her to blackmail her father to give it to them. She hasn’t done anything wrong, and says she doesn’t have anything. Talon’s protection plan for her is fucked, and her location keeps getting leaked. I can’t just leave her, knowing I could help her better than he is. The problem is I don’t know exactly who is after her. We thought it was the Mafia, but now we think the Kings are involved as well.”
“I told him it wasn’t his problem,” Arrow rumbles, studying me.
“I want her to stay here with me,” I declare to the table.
“She yours?” Sin asks, his words short but heavy. This is the question that the brothers will want to know the answer to more than anything.
“Yeah,” I say, swallowing hard. “She’s mine.”
“Is Talon going to be an issue?” Rake asks me, a muscle working in his jaw. “He always seems to be a fuckin’ issue.”
“I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “And I don’t really give a fuck what he has to say, to be honest.”
Mumbles of agreement.
I lean back in my seat and study the men. “I don’t know how to fix this for her, but I’m going to try. If shit goes down though, it will be me handling it. If I have to kill someone to protect her, I will, but the blood will be on my hands, not yours. I don’t want this touching the club if possible.” I pause. “Although it probably will.”
Who am I kidding? It definitely will.
“I think we should wait until they know we’re protecting her before we set up a meet to find out exactly what these fucks want,” Arrow says, running his hand down his beard. “The last thing they’ll want is a war with us. Whether it’s the Kings or whoever else. The two men I killed were Kings, so I know those bastards are involved.”
I love how he says it like it’s already a sure thing, when they haven’t even voted yet.
“I’ll destroy any of these fuckers who step into my path. None of them are innocent,” I say, my hands clenching into fists at the thought of them with their corrupt hands on Shay.
“Anyone else ever hear Vinnie be so cold?” Tracker asks the room, as always lightening the tense mood.
I didn’t think I was being cold, I was being realistic. And any of the men in this room would do the same to protect their women, or each other’s women. I’ve seen it time and time again.
Shay just came into my life. I don’t know where it will lead, if anywhere, but I know that my gut is telling me to protect her, that she’s mine.
And I always go with my gut instinct.
She’s worth taking a chance on.
I don’t give a fuck how whipped that makes me sound, and I know that most of the men at this table right now, powerful men you don’t want to fuck with, know exactly how I’m feeling. When you find something good, you fight to keep it. Even if it means fighting dirty. You look after it. You cherish it. And you don’t let anyone fuck with it. Could Shay do better than me? Probably. Will she get the chance to find out? Fuck no. She became mine the second I decided to bring her into my clubhouse.
“All right, men. Yes or no to keeping Vinnie’s woman under our roof, protecting her like she’s our own?”
I glance at each man as they vote.
When it’s Sin’s turn, he says, “I just want to say that I’m voting yes because at one time or another, Vinnie, you’ve always been there to look after the women. You’ve saved Faye’s ass more times than I can count, and now I’ll be here to save Shay’s.”
“Thank you,” I tell him.
The voting continues.
And it’s unanimous.
Shay is staying.