Joey cusses at me and tries to get up but I give him a front-kick that lands where it’s supposed to, right in his gut. Clutching his stomach he doubles over, wind knocked out, but he tries to get at me a second later. I spin and kick him in his head with my heel—it’s no problem for me to reach that high and land a solid hit.
He falls to the side and I punch him a few times until he crumbles. I stand over the piece of shit. “What the fuck is wrong with people like you? At what point did you turn evil, huh?”
Bloodied and pissed off, he tries to go for my legs. Evasive tactics are my specialty, so he doesn’t have a chance. Put any of us Ciphers in a normal bar brawl with a thug like this, and it’s something to see. I kick the shit out of him until he doesn’t move.
“Is he dead?”
“Nah,” I tell her, watching his chest rise with unconscious breaths “Just thinking twice about doing that again. You go home now.”
Hugging herself, she’s shaking. “You have somewhere to go?” she flirtatiously smiles, with fear hovering in her eyes.
I bend down and wipe his blood off my knuckles with the shirt he’s wearing, telling her, “Lor, you don’t have to thank a man that way. Just know that we aren’t all bad, and clean yourself up. He have your number?”
“We went to school together.”
“Call the cops, file a report so you can save the next girl.” I stand up. “Tell your mother, your sister, your friends, any woman you know who you can trust, that you need them to watch over you for a few days. Stay inside and rest up. Get a restraining order, anything that makes you feel safe.” I pull her strap up, but it’s useless since he tore it up this bad. She gazes up at me as I lift her chin, remembering what Tonk Jr. said. “Do some work on yourself. You deserve everything you’ve been dreaming about.”
My eyes drop to Joey to make sure he’s out, and I motion for the side door. She and I walk in, come around the bar to Magi. “Lor needs a ride after she uses your phone to call the cops. And I left a mess you’ll enjoy cleaning up out there. Might want to do that soon before it walks away.”
His eyes darken with comprehension. “I hear what you’re throwing down.”
Six pairs of civilian eyes watch me from the booths as I head outside again, same way as I just did. No need to hide my face. They won’t tell the cops who I am, I know that from experience. All anyone has to do is look at Lor to know what almost happened. Nothing to say except, thank you.
CHAPTER 21
SOFIA
“I ’ve never been so bored in my life,” I mutter, pacing the back porch. “I can’t believe they didn’t take me with them! And here we are twirling our thumbs like civilians! Why aren’t there more jobs coming in? Are the bad guys on their best behavior all across America, or what? Because I doubt it!”
Celia asks, “Luke still not answering his phone?”
“That’s not what I’m upset about!”
She tilts her head like she doesn’t believe me, but I ignore her and go to stand against a pole, dried out paint chips flattening under my skin. “They left on a job and I’m not allowed to go this time? What the fuck?! I’m crawling out of my skin here! Can’t they see that?”
“Do you want to go on a road trip? We could ask Sage and Atlas to go.”
How many times have I avoided being alone with Atlas and Celia since she shared her secret and I didn’t share mine? Every fucking day at least thirty times. And Sage isn’t a buffer, especially since she’s barely talking to her brother. I’m avoiding her almost as much as him. Hell, I spent more time with Tonk Jr. in the past twenty-two days than I have since I turned twenty-two!
Under my breath I keep my voice as level as I can. “I need to beat someone up, not lay on a beach.”
The screen door clatters, drawing my focus. “Hey Tyler, what brings you back here so quick?”
“Don’t fall over yourself with excitement over little ol’ me, Soph.”
Smiling, I shrug, “Sorry. I’m in a mood.”
Tyler’s a burly looking dude, dirty blonde since Melodi’s blonde, and kinda ugly since Fuse isn’t exactly easy on the eyes. But he’s got appeal because of his confidence, and he knows when to talk and when to shut up. That’s an appreciated personality trait, living a communal life among heathens. He pulls out a cigarette pack and lights one up, “Don’t tell my mom I’m smoking,” he smirks, casting a glance behind him to the kitchen.
Melodi shouts from inside it, “Put that thing out or I’ll put it out on you!”
We grin as he chuckles, takes a couple hefty drags off it, and stamps the embers into dead ash. “Love to rile her up. Makes me feel like a kid again.” Eyeing me from the side he says, “Sofia, I’ve got a job, you want in?”
I push off the pole and plant my boots. “Are you serious? Yes!”
“What about me?” Celia asks.
“Next time,” he nods to her. “Just need one. Heard Sofia was hurting for some road work.”
I ask, “Who told you that?”
Jerking his head toward the kitchen, he gives me a wink. “Mom sees all in this house. And she knows how to take care of her men. You’re more man than girl to her.”
“I’m a woman, but who’s arguing.”
“Girl, woman, you know what I mean. You’ve got bigger balls than most of the guys I come across out there. Let’s go.”
Surprised but thrilled, I grab my glass to bring it inside. “Now?”
Celia gets up, too, picking up her lemonade and following us. Since we
