“Who? Delaney?”
“No. Not fucking Delaney. Jono. Do you hate him that much, that you used me?”
“No.” My laugh is mocking as I stroll over to her. My fingers clench. I want to reach out. To pull her into my arms. To tell her everything is going to be fine. “I just didn’t realize how much Jono hated me. That he’s never forgiven me for choosing Day over him.”
Mia steps away, only stopping when a chair blocks her, then she turns to face me. “You sound like a little boy, Alex. It’s my life you’ve put in danger. Not yours.”
I step towards her. Trapping her between the chair and my body. “Trust me. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
Chapter 20
Mia –Demon’s Lair Noir Valley
My heart triple beats as I stare at Alex, and my stomach twitches so badly, I can taste the bile at the back of my throat. His gaze searches me as though I have the answers. A part of me wants to run. Another part wants me to stay. To offer him comfort. Yet, all I can think about is that he asked me to move on to Demon’s Lair to bait Jono. Life was better for me in my fantasy world. Away from what is happening here.
“How are you going to keep me safe? By keeping me locked in your cabin?”
Alex steps closer. His fingers brushing against the bare flesh of my arm and as warmth spreads through me, I step out of his reach. “That’s not a bad idea,” he said.
“Alex.”
“Don’t you fancy being locked away with me.”
“Alex. Is this a fucking a game to you?”
He shakes his head. “I’ll think of something.”
He links his fingers with mine, and his thumb strokes the flesh on the back of my hand. “It’s life, Mia. I miscalculated.” Alex grunts. “Fuck, I didn’t realize he hates me as much as he does.”
“Do you think he’s in touch with this Delaney person.”
Alex nods as he releases my hand. “Delaney has a price on my head. He’s dirty, Mia. Shit. I heard the rumors and thought I was safe here.” Alex strolls to the window. Then turns to me. His smile lopsided and my stomach twists. “I could run. We could run. Keep the club out of trouble.”
“But you wouldn’t have the safety of the club to help you fight if Delaney caught up with us.”
“No.”
“This is a fine mess you’ve got us in.”
Alex raises an eyebrow. “Thinking with your dick, does that to you.”
“I should hate you, Alex. For what you’ve done. But I don’t.”
Alex steps closer and I step back. “So, I’m forgiven then.”
“Are you crazy. Of course, you’re not forgiven. My life is in jeopardy because of this feud between you and Jono.” I run my hand through my hair. “Shit, I was stupid enough to think you and I being together might make you friends with Jono again.”
“We’re past friendship, Mia. I’m never going to give up the River Demons and Jono will never be a River Demon again.”
My head aches. “Did you take it away from him?”
“No. Jono did. When he didn’t get what he wanted.”
I stare at Alex, searching for answers hidden from me. “Do you fancy me Alex?”
“What kind of question is that?”
I shrug. “An honest one.”
“If I didn’t fancy you. I wouldn’t have asked you to share my cabin or move to on Demon’s Lair.”
“No. Not even if it meant enticing Jono to come out of the woodwork.”
“I want you, Mia. You do crazy things to me. Make me think of doing stupid shit which puts you in trouble.”
“You can always go to Hank.”
Alex’s eyebrow rises, “now who’s the crazy one.”
I shrug, “I can always go back to Poppy’s.”
“And what will that accomplish? Apart from making me hornier than I am already.”
“It might get Delaney off your back.”
Alex shakes his head. “He knows where I am.” Alex is up against me. The lingering odor of alcohol surrounds him. His eyes bore into me, “we take them on Mia. You and me.”
My mouth is dry, and I lick my lips, “me.”
“Sure. Why not. You know how to protect yourself.” I take a deep breath. If I knew how to protect myself, I wouldn’t be here. I would have put Alex behind me when I had the chance. “You know how to use a gun.” The touch of his fingers as he strokes my hair has me leaning my head into his hand. “And unlike Jo-Leigh. You’re aware of the danger and of Delaney.”
“And Jono.”
Alex’s thumb rubs over my bottom lip, tempting me to run the tip of my tongue over the flesh. “Jono revealed what he thinks of you.” His forehead rests against mine. “He doesn’t care about you, Mia. If he did. He wouldn’t have told Delaney about you.”
His breath is a cool breeze against the flesh of my cheek, and I close my eyes. He’s lulling me into a false sense of security. My brain tells me I shouldn’t trust him. That I only have his word about Jono. Then my heart reminds me what Jono had said. The threat had come direct from him. Not from one of his sidekicks.
“I don’t want to believe you, Alex. He was there. Helped me with my homework. Picked me up from school.” Alex continues to stroke my back and I sidle in closer to the warmth of his body. “He was the one who taught me how to use a gun. How to protect myself if I needed to before I went away to college.”
“He’s changed, Mia. He’s not the boy you remember.”
My arms
