“You do a lot of talking,”Gabriel said. He grabbed a chair and pulled it close to the man in question.
He was crying andsniffled. Snot ran down into his mouth. It sickened him, but he was used to menbeing so weak, begging for their lives. It was amazing what people would offerand plead with to save their own skin.
“I don’t know whoyou are, man.”
“And you’re notgoing to know. We have a mutual friend,” he said.
“I don’t know nofriends of yours,” Tony said.
He snapped hisfingers and one of his men produced a picture. It was a snapshot of Claire withher black eye.
“I don’t know whatthat bitch has done but I swear I’m done with her.She’s in this on her own.”
“You gave her theblack eye.”
“She was yellingat me and I was done with hearing her shit. She’s a fucking waste of space. Fat bitchand she’s crap in bed as well. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. She clings. Igot rid of her.”
“I know her. She’sa friend of the family, Tony.”
“Whatever she toldyou, it’s a lie.”
Gabriel stared atthe man, watching, waiting. As if on cue, he pissedhimself.
He sighed. Thiswas the kind of man Claire went for?
“Please, don’thurt me. I didn’t do anything. If you want her, she’s all yours.”
He wrapped hisfingers around the man’s neck and squeezed. “I suggest you be very careful what you say to me. I’m finding it all a littleinsulting right now, hearing you say shit about her.”He kept on squeezing, not really sure why he cared, just that it bothered him.
So far, from whathe could tell, Claire was hard-working with a bad taste in men. He didn’t knowof any other boyfriends.
“Where’s hermoney?” he asked.
“That was my moneyfor putting up with her. She can get money any time.”
Gabriel pulled outhis knife and slid it into the muscle of Tony’s thigh. The high-pitched scream echoedaround the basement. No one other than himself and his men could hear himscream.
There were partiesgoing on upstairs, people who were living their lives and wouldn’t have a cluewhat he was doing.
He pulled theblade out and for good measure, stabbed him again.
“My name isGabriel Locke.”
The moment he saidhis name, Tony whimpered.
“I see you knowme. Well, Claire is like family and I don’t take kindly to someone hurtingthem. You’re going to bring back all of Claire’s belongings, and her money. You’regoing to have my men go with you so I know you won’t try anything stupid. Am Iunderstood?”
Tony nodded and Gabrielslammed his fist against the bastard’s face for goodmeasure. Removing his blade, he cleaned the blood off and left the basement, headingback into the casino.
This time, hedidn’t linger but headed back into his car, to go take care of some otherbusiness. A local MC wanted to do a drug run through his streets. It was politeto ask permission, but seeing as he had his ownproduct to deal with, he was going to decline. When it came to bikers, he kepta wide berth and always tried to come up with a reasonable outcome.
Tony was a pieceof shit.
What had Claireseen in him?
Why the fuck did he care?
Running a handover his face, he tried to clear the fog from his mind. He wondered what Clairewould say when Tony arrived with all of her things. He hadn’t done this forClaire, but for his sister.
When it came toRhianna, he didn’t want her to ever go without. All his life, he’d made sureshe never suffered. Their parents had been poor excuses for human beings, theirdeaths a blessing, and he’d gotten full guardianship of his sister.
He would protecther. Even as he thought about his sister, he couldn’t help but think aboutClaire. The two came together, but soon he’d have her out of his life for good.
****
The bar wasclosed.
Claire stood inthe doorway, watching one of the women. She was the final dancer to work hermagic on three men. It didn’t come as a shock when one man opened his pants andpulled his cock out, and started to work the length.She’d gotten used to such a blatant display.
Tammy, the dancer,not her real name, loved the attention. Claire had talked to most of thestrippers and learned that each one was addicted to the power their body gavethem.
She tensed up asshe became aware of him. Gabriel stood right behind her, watching.
He didn’t touchher but his heat surrounded her. She waited for him to speak first.
Neither of themsaid a word.
His hand on herhip startled her.
“Is it time toleave?” she asked, whispering.
“I don’t mind youenjoying the show.” His lips brushed her ear. Her nipples tightened and shewanted to squeeze her thighs closed. She didn’t dare move.
“Is this somethingyou’d want to do? Strip, spread yourself open, show every single part ofyourself for men to admire, to crave? They all want to touch her, but in thisroom, they can look, never touch.”
Tammy had alreadyremoved her clothes and spread her legs wide. The lighting was low, giving onlya hint of her pussy.
Gabriel’s handtightened on her hip.
“I’m ready toleave.” She pulled away, not wanting to see any more. Casey always dealt withthe last customers. Pulling out of his hold, she tried not to mourn the loss ofhis touch. She walked toward the car. The men were smoking as she neared butshe ignored them, climbing into the backseat.
She removed hershoes and sat back.
Heat filled herbody. She wanted to touch herself, to think of someone touching her, not beingable to control himself.
Gabriel joinedher, and neither of them spoke. The scent of cigarette smoke filled the car asthe men climbed into the front. They sprayed some lavender to cover the odor.She rolled her eyes and looked out the window, heading back to his apartment.
She’d beenapartment hunting as well. She’d gotten some good tips, and her first paycheckwas due in two weeks.
So far, Gabrielhadn’t asked for rent or to help with the food bill. She cooked for all threeof them and cleaned. She tried to do her part so she didn’t feel like she wassome kind of pest.
Arriving back inthe private parking zone, she didn’t follow Gabriel out, but
