Shit. The girl is smart. I forgot that. The smile I flash her has Mia wiggling in her chair. “I thought we’d chat.” I lean forward, lift her hand, turning it palm upwards and glide my thumb over the delicate flesh. The throb in my dick pulses faster at the slight quiver palpitating through Mia.
“I don’t want to be accused of wanting you for your body only.” I wriggle my eyebrows. “No matter how gorgeous your body is. I’m letting you know; I want more than your body or a quick fuck.”
Mia chuckles as she slips her hand out of my grasp. As she leans back in her chair, her eyes gleam with unsuppressed laughter. “Okay. Talk.”
“Jono’s threat about Delaney. It’s the real deal. I’ve seen him.”
Mia’s smile slips and the gleam in her eyes disappears. “You’re not going to do anything stupid?”
“What I’m going to do doesn’t matter.” I lick my lips. “Mia–You don’t go anywhere without taking someone with you. You don’t leave the riverboat without telling me.”
“Alex.”
I shake my head. “This isn’t up for negotiation. In this, you’ll do as I ask. If you do need to leave the riverboat. You’ll tell me where you’re going. If I can’t come with you. You’ll take whoever I assign.”
I make a note to call Neat. He’s on the road somewhere, but one call from me, and he’ll return to Noir Valley. After the coup, Sink and Neat, the last officers of the old regime, stepped down as officers, turning nomad when the club changed direction.
Chapter 24
Mia: Demon’s Lair Noir Valley
The silence in the empty cabin is stifling, and as I stare at the ceiling, all I think about is running away. For two days Alex has kept me confined to Demon’s Lair and there was no fun in looking at the same walls constantly. Each time I asked to leave, Alex or Day listened to my reasons, then decided between themselves my arguments were unreasonable. Shit, Alex mentioned he was waiting on some guy called Neat to come back to Noir Valley due to the shortage of bodies now TJ and Tick are working and living in Noir Valley while Data and Pond continue to stay with Poppy. The ball I was throwing for the last half hour bounces against the far wall once more. Alex is off at one of his meeting. He and the rest of the River Demons locked away in one of the rooms, talking and whispering amongst themselves about Jono, Delaney and me. With one last hard throw of the ball, I let it drop onto the bed and swing my legs over the side and stand. I’m stir crazy. About to pick up my purse, I drop it back on to the bed, take my credit card from my wallet and slip it into my back-jean pocket. Instead of collecting my jacket, I pull out a hoodie from one of the drawers. When I step out of the cabin, the corridor is empty, and I turn towards the casino. This, too, is sparse of people and a smirk twists at my lips as I stroll towards the gangplank.
“Mia.” Copper’s eyes glint as he watches me. His arm reaching over the gangplank as his body blocks the exit, stopping my progress. I smile at the biker. He’s the same age as me and as tall as I am, he, however, outweighs me by several pounds. His body bulkier than mine. If we had met in the street, I might have taken him physically on, but not on the boat. Not here, where anyone can rush out to see what the noise is.
“It’s a beautiful day, Copper. I only plan to take a stroll along the riverbank.” I gaze over the compound and at the perimeter fence, I spot Dusty covering the gate. There are cameras all over the boat, but Day still insists on having someone at the main gates. “I can’t go far. Not with Dusty watching.”
Copper glances over to Dusty. Then nods, “behave Mia.”
I smile as I stroll down the gangplank. “I always do.” When my feet touch terra firma, a deep sigh escapes me, and I wander over to the river. The sun is warm, and I lift my gaze to the sky and watch the birds fly overhead. They know freedom. I glance at my watch. Two days of confinement and several earlier visits to the boat has given me the low down on the club’s routine. Although voices from the gangplank filter down to me, I don’t glance in the direction of the riverboat. Instead, I move slightly closer to the far fence. I’ve steadily been working my way towards it for the last twenty minutes. I give the compound a last sweeping glance. The coast is clear, Copper and Dusty are talking, their gaze on the bike. and with no gators in the river, I slip my jeans and boots off. With them in hand, I tread into the water, wading the river until the water reaches mid-thigh. Because the fence finishes short of the riverbank, there is a boundary maker and I slip past it. I could have snuck past the end fence post, but hanging too close to the fence is bound to draw unwanted attention. My sigh is deep as I paddle out of the water, and once on dry land, I slip back into my jeans and text Poppy. As I lean against one of the thick trunks, I listen for Alex. For the raising of the alarm warning I am missing. After holding my breath for what appears an eternity and as the silence continues, I jog to another tree and lean against it, listing for any clues that someone is looking
