AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We ain’t found him yet, Rocket. He might not be in your territory when we do.”
“Crush and Byte have been driving them this way for the past couple of weeks.”
“And your guys didn’t think to say anything to Wylde?” Irritation colored Deacon’s voice as he pulled out his phone,shooting off a text. Probably to Wylde.
“Can’t answer to that. Obviously my tech guys didn’t share it with me either until they briefed me just before this meeting.” Rocket shook his head, obviously not happy to have been kept in the dark, but not complaining more.
“Probably,” Lemon drawled, “because it didn’t matter if you both knew until the fucker was found. Now, can we move on?”
Rocket shot her an irritated look. “You know, sometimes, I wish you were less of a smartass, Lemon.”
She raised an eyebrow at her man. “Better a smartass than a dumbass.”
“Christ,” Brick chuckled. “Keep going, Rocket. Me and the brothers’ll grab some popcorn and beer. Be one helluva time.”
“You’re an asshole, Brick.”
Brick just grinned.
“Go get some rest, Deacon. We’ll work together on this. If you prefer to work with Falcon, since it seems you two already have an understanding, I can arrange for him to be the one with you. That way someone has your back to call in reinforcements if you run into something you can’t handle. I’ll also have someone there to look after Grim Road’s interests.”
Deacon shook his head, but I could tell he saw merit in the idea. “I don’t know. If I have a target on my back, do you really want to risk being collateral damage?”
I sucked in a breath, unable to suppress the surge of fear. For Deacon. Which pissed me all the way off, but I was too busy trying to process the first to worry about the second. “No one’s gonna be collateral damage, and no one’s gonna get to you, Deacon.” I stomped over to him. “You will take as many people as Rocket says you need, and you won’t fucking argue about it.”
He tilted his head at me, narrowing his gaze. “You don’t tell me how to do a job, Apple.” His voice was hard andthe look in his eye held a warning I knew better than to go against. Deacon had never spoken to me in that tone of voice before. He’d also never treated me with anything but kindness and tenderness. Right up until the day he’d broken my heart. Remembering that day fueled my anger, stoking it to a fever pitch.
“You’re a complete fucking asshole, Deacon. I fucking hate you!”
“Yeah, figured,” he muttered, not meeting my gaze. He scrubbed a hand over his face and then the back of his neck. “Christ. I don’t have fuckin’ time for this shit, Apple. I need to get some rest so I’m ready to go hunting once Wylde gives me a direction.”
Without thinking about it too much, I stepped close to him and slapped his handsome face. If I was hurting, he was gonna fucking hurt too.
Chapter Five
Deacon
Yeah. I deserved that slap in the face. I deserved that and way the fuck more than Apple was likely to dish out even if she did want to pretend to be a badass. I knew I’d treated her badly but leaving her alone was the best way to protect her. If it hadn’t been for her being shot, I’d have stayed away completely. I wouldn’t have caused her more pain, and I wouldn’t have lost another piece of my heart to her.
It was easy to tell how difficult this was for her. I’d done my best to act like she didn’t matter to me, like I had so many more important things to do than hang out with a girl who was several years my junior, but my entire being was focused completely on Apple.
“You’re out of line, Apple.”
“And you’re an insufferable bastard.” She bared her teeth. In that moment, she reminded me more of her sister than ever. It made me wince. Not because I didn’t like Lemon or anything, but because I loved my sweet Apple. I was sorely afraid Apple would never be that same soft, caring woman again. Which was completely one hundred percent my fault. “So I guess we both have our fucking issues.”
She was right up in my face, giving me a piece of her mind -- well, her face was actually level with my chest, but that was beside the point. She was fire and passion, things I’d never associated with Apple before. She was the peacekeeper, the voice of reason. Not so this version of her. This woman was a force of fucking nature. Just like her sister.
And it turned me the fuckon.
“I think it’s time you and I came to an understanding.” Igrabbed her upper arm and dragged her out of Rocket’s office. I wasn’t sure where I was going or what I was gonna do with her when I got there, but it took me all of five seconds to realize I’d hit my limit with Apple.
“Let me go, you ape!”
“Not until we settle this between us.”
“You’re being an asshole!”
“And you’re being a fuckin’ brat!” I growled the insult at her as I dragged her down the hall. I thought I heard Lemon call out, but all I could really process was the roaring in my ears, the need to get Apple alone and in my arms paramount when I should be pushing her away. Not trying to hold her closer.
