Page 70 of Hostile Saint

“No!” snapped Dagger. He pointed at our Prez. “I know you have mad love for this kid. Trust me, I do, too. But I also have mad love for you, ya dumb shit.” Now, he pointed to me while telling him, “He’s joining an illegal club. Not some fuckin’ rump-a-room playground. What? You and Elle gonna stick him in a crib when he gets home?”

Lynx was on his feet so fast I barely registered movement. “I will fucking punch you—”

Vice jumped to his feet.

Stunned, I stood. “Wait—”

“Good!” replied VP, who didn’t appear scared in the slightest. “Maybe then the kid will learn somethin’ to protect himself with. Either how to throw a punch or take one and not fall to the ground—”

Clueless to Dagger’s meaning, I grabbed the coffee. “I’ll drink it. I’ll drink it.”

“Because that’s where he’s gonna end up if you don’t get to training him.”

I took a sip of the hot beverage—then gagged, coffee dripping from my mouth, joining the slobber already on the table. “Damn, you guys drink some horrid shit.”

Three men stared at me…

Then they burst into laughter.

Relieved I had done something to break the tension that felt like colliding dump trucks, I grinned and rubbed my long sleeve across the table to clean my mess. “So, we good?”

Dagger’s smile fell as his shoulders softened. “Lynx, ya gotta at least stop the coddling if you ain’t gonna teach the pup some skills.”

“He’s exhausted,” Lynx protested. “And I’m not the only guilty party here.”

Dagger raised his hands. “I am guilty as charged.” He chuckled. “I can’t say I ain’t gonna make him more waffles, but…” He peered over his shoulder and did a chin lift to Vice.

As if totally knowing what was coming, Vice pulled his large knife from its holder and laid it on the table in front of me. Instantly, cold sweats broke out over my whole body as I leaned back. I even felt lightheaded, my vision changing.

When Lynx took a step toward me, Dagger reverted to a slam on the table. “No, Lynx!” I jolted. “Kid, look at me!” My blurry eyes found him. He pointed to the blade. “This metal has never cut you and never will. Repeat.”

Lynx rubbed a palm down his face as I stood there, staring.

The last time I had touched a knife was when I almost used it to cut Lacey’s throat. Knives had been nothing but a symbol of horrid times for me.

That is why Dagger needed me to now see them differently.

Standing there, I suddenly remembered seeing this very same knife on the rental’s kitchen counter and turning away from it. I had also seen it on the coffee table and walked away from it. The guns were fine, but every time I saw a knife lying about, I avoided it at all costs.

Had Dagger noticed?

“Repeat!” demanded my VP.

I stuttered, “T-This metal has never cut you—m-me and never will.”

He angrily insisted, “It wasn’t the blade that betrayed you. It was the wielder. It’s not the weapon that is deadly. It’s who is holding it. A gun don’t fire unless someone pulls the trigger.” He gestured to the knife that I wanted to run from. “How about it, kid? You willin’?”

My heart was pounding, so many memories flooding me. “I…” I couldn’t seem to force my hand to move and pick it up.

Dagger challenged, “What if they come for her?”

No names were needed. I understood Dagger’s meaning.

My hand twitched. My fingers contracted.

“What if they are headed to her right now?”

The blade was in my hand.