After he was bandaged, I got off him and started to clean the mess up. The white sheet on his bed would need to be burned. His blood was all over it, and there was no way we’d be able to get it out.
“Do you have extra sheets?” I asked when he got up from the bed.
“Yeah, in the closet.” He notched his chin toward the door, and I moved to it while he stripped off the sheets.
Together we made the bed back up. When we were done, Six got back in bed and held the blanket up, inviting me to crawl in. I did, and he wrapped his arms around me. His body curled around mine, spooning me, offering comfort and heat.
“The beginning, Twistie.”
I was going to lay everything out there for him. It was terrifying, but I did what I had to do.
“I was eleven when my dad was murdered. We suspect by Malcolm, but we have no proof.” I filled him in on everything, how Malcolm found out about my ability and how he exploited it. Which is why I didn’t talk about what I was able to do.
When the story got to the hard parts, Malcolm hurting my mother to control me—it was Six, silently listening and slowly stroking my skin that helped me get through it. He kept me calm and took just enough of my attention away from what I was talking about to distract me from the pain.
“About a month ago,” I swallowed hard knowing what I was about to tell him was going to piss him off but also could change everything. “Malcolm had a closed-door meeting with someone I didn’t recognize. Later I found out it was a coyote shifter that goes by the name of Rex.”
I felt him stiffen behind me. “I used my ability to get into the meeting because I wanted to know what was going on.
“Rex and Malcolm talked about two groups of shifters. The Demon Pride Lions and--”
“The Dark Leopards MC,” he filled in for me when I hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Why is he targeting us?”
“You have something he wants, territory. He wants your territory and drug connections.”
“What does that have to do with the lions? They aren’t in the drug business.”
“No, but they’re big cats, and a war between two big cat groups would be bloody and deadly. Malcolm could clean up while you were distracted.”
“How was he going to spark a war?”
“I stole the Demon Pride’s pride. I stole King’s signet ring.”
His arms tightened around me. “The game room… that’s what you were doing there?”
“Yes.” I said softly. “I’m so sorry, Six.” I turned over to look at him. “He’s holding my mom. It wasn’t against you. I didn’t even know you were mine.”
He pulled me closer and rested his chin on my head, offering me comfort. “Shhhhh, Twistie. You’re breaking my heart, Baby.”
I sobbed into his chest, but he stayed calm. He wasn’t yelling at me, cursing me, or pushing me away from him. Instead, he was pulling me closer and offering me comfort, a comfort I didn’t deserve.
“I think my dad would have liked you,” I whispered, after I’d finally gotten my emotions under control.
A sound of approval rolled through his chest. “Yeah? What do you remember about your dad?”
I smiled, thinking back. “He was kind, strong, and firm, but he loved my mom. He was wrapped around her finger, but she was wrapped around his, too. They loved spending time together. When Dad was in charge, our skulk wasn’t as wealthy. Malcolm was the one that took us down the drug route. Maybe that’s why the group followed him rather than my dad. Very few left when Malcolm took over.”
“Anyway, Malcolm’s had my mom and me under his thumb since, and nobody would fight for or with us. The few that would’ve left when the skulk got involved with drugs.”
“I need the name of Malcolm’s second, Twistie. Before you fall asleep, I need his name.” He squeezed me tighter, holding me close. His voice was stern and full of barely controlled anger, but he wasn’t mad at me.
“Eduardo,” I yawned. “He’s Malcolm’s second and his son.” I closed my eyes and let the warmth of his body and presence seep into me. “Don’t let me lose you, too,” I whispered as I drifted off to sleep.
92
Six
I heard her whispered words as she let her exhaustion take over. She’d been fighting to survive for so long that she was tired of carrying the burden and worry for her mom’s safety.
After I was sure she was out, I quietly left the room, grabbing a pair of shorts from the dresser before moving into the hall. My anger when Twistie was gone was nothing compared to the blind rage I had churning through me now. The Dark Leopards were now at war, and I needed to make sure we were ready.
“Church,” I called out in the great room while looking around for Kitty. He was at the bar nursing a beer, his cut displayed his bottom rocker. I had no doubt the young cub would be a full patch one day.
“Kitty!” I got the prospect’s attention. He wasn’t a full patch yet, so he didn’t attend church, but there was no doubt in my mind that one day he’d get that top rocker.
“Yeah, Prez.”
“Twistie’s asleep, guard the door. If she wakes up and tries to leave the room, let her, but don’t let her leave the clubhouse.”
“Sure thing, Six.”
I headed for the conference room, knowing that the men would follow behind me. It was a formality because I had no doubt where
