Page 8 of Rogue’s Vow

My road captain is a pretty good judge of character and I’d usually put high stake on what he says but he scared her. I saw that fear as she was kneeling on the floor, and if Angel were in on some sort of a plan, she wouldn’t be that scared, she’d be prepared for exactly what happened when she walked in the door. “Did any of you ever see her with a Scorpion unless she was being brought in or out of those clubs?”

Drifter and Baldz both shake their heads. “Can’t say that I did, Prez,” Drifter says.

Baldz takes a sip of his beer. “It would help if we had a man over at the Scorpions who could tell us what the fuck is going on. It’s proving harder than fuck to get any information about her from anyone in the bars or on the street. Everyone says the same thing.”

“Yeah, I’m getting the same story from everyone I ask. The Scorpions brought her in, waited while she danced, collected the money themselves and then put her and the other girls in a white van and left at the end of the night. They all say the same thing about the timeline too. Her story’s checking out but there’s something in her eyes that tells me she’s holding back.”

Hayze nods. “Yeah, I went asking around farther out and every bar owner and ally we have who’s seen her says pretty much the same thing. One of the Scorpions brings her into dance, sits in the corner watching her until she’s done and then takes her out the back door. No one person with her at a given time. So it’s not like she belonged to anyone of them or they sure as shit wouldn’t allow that. She doesn’t talk to anyone, smile at all, just dances and makes every man in the club go wild.”

My jaw tightens at the thought of her in the strip clubs and full nude bars in and around the city. If one of the men responsible for making her dance walked in right now, I swear I’d strangle him with my bare fucking hands.

Hayze looks hesitant. “The bar owners all say the same thing. If you know or have Angel, bring her over, we’ll pay top dollar. They apparently make three times as much when she’s in the club.”

I glare at my VP, and I’m glad they said it to him instead of me.

He turns the bottle of beer in his hand. “They say bikers drive in from all over the desert to see her shake her ass. And our own men have already confirmed that. It makes sense that the Scorpions were keeping her on a leash if they’re planning to sell her, and the Scorpions are fiercely protective of their women. Probably the only fucking thing we have in common besides our love for bikes and the road.”

“Yeah, protective of our fucking women. Angel wasn’t theirs to share, pass around, or force to dance. She was being forced and I’d lay down a shit ton of cash on that bet.”

Hayze nods. “But unlike us, they are notorious for using a captive up, passing her around for fun every night of the week. The money the bars are putting out for her to dance, it’s chump change to a group running drugs, guns, women, and more. They’re not going to give up nights of what they consider fun with a woman who looks like Angel unless they’re being forced to by someone. Right?”

Maybe my VP can just see things more clearly because I seem to have a blind spot where this woman is concerned. Taking her food three times a day, keeping her safe even from my own men all while she looks at me with those bedroom eyes that say she wants me to stay at the same time she pushes me away. Damn that woman and whatever kind of hold she has on me.

I take a sip and think for a minute. “The question is who is calling the shots and why. What makes her different than the others, and keeps them from taking her for their own?”

Hayze is thoughtful but doesn’t answer. He’s been with me long enough to know when I just need to think. That’s what my crew doesn’t understand and if I’m being honest, it doesn’t make a bit of sense to me either. So I fucking keep asking the one person who could tell us the truth so we can get to the bottom of this and every single time she shuts me down with the same old, I’m not the enemy.

I take a long draw from my beer and rake a hand through my hair contemplating what to do because while we’ve had our eyes on the Scorpions and they’re not in any shape to come after us again yet, but the time will come that we’ll have to enter another fight. They’re not going to lie down for this without retribution after that night.

So many dead, and many of them locked up courtesy of our alliance with the Tucson, PD, so it’s going to take them time. But they’ll pull in from other chapters across the country, rebuild, gain strength again or pull in the other chapters to come after us.

Depending on just how valuable the green-eyed redhead lying in my sister’s bed is to them. And that’s what I need to know. How valuable is she and why? Do they have a buyer who doesn’t like the word no? It’s gotta run deeper than this but fuck if I can figure it out and after what just happened upstairs, she’s sure as shit not telling me today.

Maybe she needs more time out of that bedroom. I just don’t want my men grilling her because I swear to god if one of them looks at her the wrong way, they’re going to have a very bad fucking day. But they have a right not to trust her and I fucking know it, and I have an obligation to make sure she’s not a larger threat to this crew than she’s already been. But still, it’s a hard call when all I want to do is take her in my arms and protect the hell out of her.

I toss back the rest of my beer with one thing on my mind. This silent treatment, not knowing what we’re up against while protecting her, it’s going to come to an end. If she were a man, I’d fucking beat it out of them, but all I want to do with her is get lost in those eyes and taste that sweet little pussy that keeps my hand wrapped around my dick at night.

Night’s just settling in and the guys haven’t gotten rowdy yet, just drinking a few beers but still I have the need to warn them that I’m bringing Angel down. “Angel’s been in that room too long. I’m going to bring her down. Keep your fucking mouths shut if you know what’s good for you. I want her comfortable. Then maybe she’ll tell me something we need to know. Got it?”

A couple of my guys exchange looks. I close the distance, standing toe to toe with my cleaner. “I know it’s your job to clean up the messes but I’m trying to prevent another one. You don’t have to like it, but you do have to do what I ask. You gotta problem with that, Sear?”

Sear exhales a deep breath. “No, I’ll do what you ask, but I can’t trust her yet.” I look around. “No one has to trust her or be friendly, but you do need to treat her with respect while she’s a guest in our club. I won’t fucking ask twice.”

I’m not waiting to see the reactions. They’ll fucking do it, even though half of them won’t like it. I decide there’s no time like the present to go get Angel, who’s wreaking havoc in our already chaotic lives.

The key slides in and I give the door a rap just to let her know I’m coming in. Angel’s still lying in bed reading one of those romance books my sister keeps in the closet, but puts the book down when I walk into the room. The thought of her pussy getting wet reading those smutty books and what her fingers may be doing under those bed sheets makes my dick hard.

Her eyes narrow at me like she doesn’t trust me walking into her room anymore which pisses me right the fuck off. I’ve never done anything but protect her and that kiss, she can’t say she didn’t want it, I was on the fucking receiving end as she moaned in my arms. “Get up and get dressed. I’m taking you downstairs. You can eat downstairs in the club with everyone else tonight.”

Angel shakes her pretty little head. “That’s okay, I’ll stay here thanks.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Did it sound like I was giving you a choice? If it did, it wasn’t intended to. Get up.”

Her eyes flash. “I’ve been here for days, technically the Royal Bastards’ captive, and now I have to go downstairs on a Saturday night?” She narrows those green eyes at me. “The very day I say no to you? I’m not stupid, Rogue.” Her voice shakes. “What are you planning?”

Guilt floods my chest as I realize she’s probably thinking of all the reasons for me to suddenly decide to bring her downstairs tonight. Handing her back to the Scorpions, selling her ourselves, or having a little fun on a Saturday night by passing her around after she said no. All things the fucking Scorpions would do.

Bile fills the back of my throat as tears spill from Angel’s eyes. “I don’t wanna go. Please just let me stay here. I won’t cause any trouble.”