Page 6 of North’s Claim

His gaze slides past me. “The fuck’d he do now?”

“Nothing, Prez.”

But my eyes are on Nyxa. She’s folding into herself, small, like she’s trying to disappear. Like if she closes her eyes hard enough, she just might.

I don’t blink. Don’t breathe. “She claimed?”

“What?” Bullet snaps his head to me.

“Is she taken? Can anyone from your club say she’s theirs?”

Bullet looks to Myka.

Nothing.

Coward.

“No,” Bullet says. “Not that I know.”

“She was drugged. Paraded around. Fucked in front of everyone like some party favor, and he wanted others to have a turn. At Rock’s goddamn wedding.” I pause, letting it sink in. “She’s a candy, fine. But your guy broke every rule in the book. Made you look like a joke in front of every single prospect out there.”

“Fuck,” Bullet exhales. Fury simmering just under the surface. I’ve seen him snap over less. Kill for less. Then his eyes meet mine. “You want her?”

The fucking flutter hits again. I look at Nyxa. “You want to come with me?”

Nyxa lifts her head and then it happens.

She speaks.

“Yes.”

One word. Fragile. Defiant. Everything.

“Do you allow her to come?”

Bullet nods, as does his brothers. Majority decides, which means it’s done.

I take off my cut. Drape it over her shoulders. She flinches again. It gets on my nerves but if I lose my shit, I will have more than a problem.

Myka lunges. Desperate. Foolish. “You ain’t going anywhere.”

My hand’s already on my weapon but no one moves.

Because no one fucking cares if the fucker dies.

Bullet steps in and slams a punch square into his jaw. “Shut the fuck up.” The room stills. The tension is thick. “We’ll handle this at church, and you’ll be wishin’ he’d ended you when he had the chance. You so much as blink wrong today… and Rock’ll be the one puttin’ you in the ground.”

Myka stares, shaking, raging.

“She’s mine now,” I say to make sure he gets it. Not soft. Not tender.

Final.

And every man in this room knows, I don’t lose what I claim.

Chapter 2

Nyxa