The apartment is quiet as we enter, and Mia switches on the lamp as I fetch a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge. When I return to the lounge, she is sitting on the couch and I sit beside her, and she turns her gaze to me. “How was justice served, Alex?”
“Cole.”
“What do you mean Cole? He was with me while you dealt with Delaney.”
I pass Mia her beer and took a large swallow of my own. “Cole’s gone, Mia. He was from another MC. The Alchemy Druids. They live in the deserts.”
“Why did he come to Noir Valley?”
“He was Jo-Leigh’s cousin. He heard Delaney was coming and wanted to make sure Delaney got what he deserved.”
“What about the other man?”
“Mark Gates. Cole dealt with him.” I take another drink. “I never asked what he did.” I look at Mia, taking her hand in mine. “And I never will.” Her skin is warm, and I pull her closer. “He didn’t want me to have any more blood on my hands.” I lick me lips. “I know Delaney’s end is sweet and I still have his blood on me. But I can live with that.” I watch Mia. “Can you? Knowing what you think you know about Cole.”
Mia nods. “He would have killed me, Alex. It wasn’t me he hated. But to get at you, he would have killed me.” Mia smiles then takes a drink of her own beer. Her lips soft as they brush against my throat. “Do you love me?”
I nod. “You’re a pain, Mia Girl. Shit, when I found out about your blog and what you were up to, I could have killed you. Then you started dating Cole. Riding his bike. That wasn’t good for my soul.”
“I love you, Alex.” She brushes the hair away from my face and I tremble beneath her touch. “I loved you as a teenager and never thought we would have a chance.” She licks her lips. “I should hate Jono for what he did to me. To us. But I don’t.” She chuckles. “Okay maybe I do a bit. But I was about to give up on you and move on when he made his play.”
“Jono and I will never be friends. You understand don’t you.”
Mia nods. “You’ve still got Hank to deal with. I’m not sure how he’ll behave when he finds out you love me.”
I push Mia on to her back, placing our beers on the floor. “I can handle Hank.”
“Yeah. But can you handle me?”
My lips touching Mia’s keeps her quiet for a long time.
Epilogue
Mallory Hanover
Calm. That is how I like life. When Mississippi informed me, he had arranged for me to work for Day at Demon’s Lair, I nearly refused to go. But he promised me that all was quiet. That there would be no excitement. That I would be left for most of the time, on my own. Mississippi owes me. He lied to me. He has thrown me into a viper’s nest where women are kidnapped and the men. As for the men, they have a strut which would put a peacock to shame and between Theo-James ‘TJ’ Smythe and Joshua ‘Oyster’ Keys, I’m not sure which one would be voted slut of the year. Shit, it was bad enough TJ flaunted his women. The whores from Demon’s Lair at the office when we are supposed to be working. Shit, if Oyster hasn’t got it into his own head to play dirty on Demon’s liar on the two days I work there, going through the accounts with Firebird. I glance over Firebird’s shoulder, and yes, there he is. All smiles and pearly whites with his hand up some whore’s skirt. Shit, if his tongue was any further down her throat, the tip would pop out her ass.
“Mal.”
I blink as I switch my gaze to Firebird. Her amber eyes gleam as she arches an eyebrow at me. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“That it’s hot in here.”
I scowl at my boss. Actually, Firebird is one of my bosses. The other is TJ, and I know which one I prefer. “Hot.” I glance over her shoulder once more. “Yeah, it is. Maybe we should switch the air conditioning on. Or switch the hose on.”
Firebird’s gaze flicks over her shoulder, then returns to me. “I don’t think Day would be happy if we flooded the casino.”
“He might not. But I would. Shit, Firebird. He could take her to his cabin.”
“Don’t spoil my fun, Mal.”
I glance at Firebird. With her flaming red hair and ready smile, she is a beautiful woman. “How come you ended up with Leon?”
“Because I got in first and got the pick of the litter.”
“I think you did.” I glance over to Oyster and when I find his gaze on me, I turn my gaze back to Firebird. “Yeah. And it looks as though Eve and Mia left the rats behind.”
Firebird giggles. “Oyster’s not bad. And TJ just needs to grow up.”
“What about Day and Kit?”
“Kit’s a loner. I don’t think he’ll settle down.”
“And Day.”
Firebird frowns, “Day’s fighting his own demons.”
I reach up and touch the puckered flesh of my skin. A cold reminder of the life I left behind in Baton Rouge “You ever have any trouble with the whores and your man?”
Firebird’s gaze is on my fingers. After three years I’m used to people looking at me, then swiftly glancing away. No one asks how I got the scars. Shit, no one even mentions them. If it was a tattoo, they would be fawning over it. But the
