Page 77 of Property of Rattler

Breathing in air, he lets it out on a sigh. “I read it wrong. Sounds like you’re not going to claim her. Rat, got to say thatgirl’s hung up on you. My advice? Don’t lead her on. Perhaps Stone did you a favour drawing up the annulment papers. I showed them to her earlier, you know the ones with your signature on…”

“You fuckin’ what?” I interrupt with a growl.

Prez sighs. “How many times did you say you didn’t want to be tied down? You mocked Saint, Short, and Freak when they found their other halves. I know you, you’re never going to take an ol’ lady.”

“People change,” I snarl. “Ames is fuckin’ amazing. She’s brave, intelligent, loyal…” I realise I can’t find enough adjectives to describe her. “So no, I don’t want the fuckin’ marriage annulled. I want to see where this might take us.”

“You had me going there for a moment,” Ames states softly. “I want a chance to see where things go as well.”

Both of us swing around. Prez stomps over to where Ames is standing in the doorway. “How long have you been standing there?” he growls menacingly.

Watching with pride, I see Ames stand her ground, where I’ve seen that very expression Bullseye’s wearing now have grown men shaking in their shoes. She’s either even braver than I thought, or fucking stupid. And I’ve reason to know, it’s not the latter.

“Long enough to know that Malachi’s death needs to be an accident.”

“And you’re okay with that?” Bullseye sounds suspicious.

“It’s either him or me,” she challenges. “And I don’t want to die.”

While he’s considering her response, I cast my mind back over the conversation I’d just had. She’s been listening long enough to hear what I told Bullseye about our relationship. Running back through it, I’m pretty certain I’ve said nothing she could object to.

But you never know with bitches.I silence the voice in my head, telling it,I do, with her.

“I want you downstairs with Pippa,” Bullseye tells her.

“I’m staying here with Flynn.” She speaks with such determination, that again, I’m impressed with her. She gives me a wink. “After all, he’s got a concussion, he could pass out any time. I’ll take over his gun.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s an automatic rifle,” I tell her. “Not like the handgun I taught you to fire. And if you got hold of it, you might end up killing Stone yourself.”

She shrugs. “I’m sure it’s just point and shoot.”

Bullseye snorts a laugh, then points two fingers toward me. “I’ll leave you to keep your woman under control. And you?” He points to Ames, “You behave yourself. We need your brother breathing for a little while longer.”

Prez leaves us alone but doesn’t shut the door behind him. I chuckle softly, it’s like he thinks we’re two teenagers who can’t be trusted. Then I sober. Ames is still in her teens. Should I really be doing some thinking? In the cabin we were great together, back here, in the real world, could it all be different?

She comes closer to me. “You shouldn’t really be out of bed. Surely someone else can be doing this.” She waves at the rifle set up on the bipod.

I realised when Bullseye explained what he wanted me to do, that it was his way of ensuring I had a part to play in Stone’s capture. Sure, there are actual snipers in our ranks, but he’d shown, after everything, he trusted me. I don’t like Ames questioning me.

“I’m fine,” I growl, then counter. “Well enough to do this at least.”

It must have been the unintended sharp tone that I used. Gone is the bravado she summoned to face Prez, and now her voice quavers with uncertainty. “Are we good, Flynn?”

I stare out of the window, well that’s where my focus should be. But I risk a moment to look behind at her. “I wonder whether you may be too young to tie yourself to me.” When she goes to protest, I add quickly, “At the cabin, we were equals. Back here? In reality you’re a millionaire, or at least one day you will be. You can go anywhere, be anything you want to. Me? I’m just an outlaw biker, and that’s all I’ll ever be. Ain’t changing for anyone, Ames.”

She flinches. “I know how important your brothers are to you. I wouldn’t ask you to change.” Then she reminds me, “You’ll be a millionaire too.”

“I don’t want the money.” In that moment, I know I speak the truth. “It stopped being about the money as soon as I got to know you.” I snort a laugh. “And what the fuck would I do with a million bucks?” The thought makes me shake my head. “I’ve got my bike, a steady enough income, and my family is my club.” I turn my attention back to the window. There’s no sign of Stone yet. I tell myself I’m peering out forward as I’ve got a job to do, and it’s not to avoid seeing tears in her eyes.

I can’t see her reaction. I can only guess. But that I’m wrong is proven, when she says, “I don’t know what to do with the money either. Sure, it will be great to pay off my student loans. But I’d rather work, then have money land in my lap. If there was any way I could have just given it to Malachi to get him off my back, I would have.”

Maybe I believe her. Maybe I don’t. But it doesn’t matter anyway. She’s got a pedigree, comes from a good lineage. And what am I? I don’t even fucking know who my parents were. No one ever wanted me, why should she be different? She’s probably got some God complex about me. She’s only nineteen, how could she know her own mind?

She’s gone quiet. The silence is making me feel awkward, yet I don’t know what to say to her. Then, when she speaks,her tone lacks any emotion. “Seems I’ve been wrong about you reciprocating my feelings. I’ll sign the annulment document. Then you’ll be free of me.”

And fuck it. Now she’s put it out there, I realise that’s the last thing I want. Again, I take my eyes off the window, and the job I’m supposed to be doing. “I don’t fuckin’ want that.”

“What do you want, Flynn?” she cries out, throwing her hands up.