Hot as Hades (7 page)

She had misgivings, but the benefits outweighed the risks in her assessment. “Fine, we’ll partner up.” It’s not like she had any other options.

“Tell us about your sister,” Cowboy prompted.

She stiffened.

 “Please,” he said softly.

She expelled a breath. “Fine. I’ll brief you.” She focused on their boots as she spoke. It made it easier to talk if she didn’t have to see their faces. “She had a wild period, according to her adopted mom, Stephanie. When Rose went to college this past fall, she started partying, cutting classes. She even got busted last semester with weed at a party and ended up with a misdemeanor possession charge and probation. A few months ago, she met this douchebag named Rock and she disappeared right around then. No one has seen her since.”

A familiar flood of guilt hit her. She never should have left Rose alone.

“You said
her
adopted mother. You weren’t adopted as well?” Cowboy pressed.

She forced herself to choke out the words. “Rose and I had to go into foster care after my mom died. No one wanted
both
of us.” She shook her head. “But lots of families wanted to adopt Rose until they realized I came as a free gift with purchase. I got tired of being the reason she couldn't have a real home, so I told the judge I wanted to be on my own."

Cowboy winced. “That’s rough.”

“Yeah, well, it’s said and done,” she said quickly. “Anyway, Rose has a record and the police were less than helpful when Stephanie approached them. That’s why I have to look for her myself. The cops aren’t going to do a damn thing to help a junkie. It’s all on me.”

“Did Stephanie try to look for her?” Shep asked.

“Hell, no. I think deep down she felt relieved when her “problem child” took off. A couple years after they adopted Rose,” Daisy explained, “Stephanie got pregnant with her own kid and suddenly my sister became a second class citizen. She didn’t even tell me Rose had gone missing until I shipped stateside and showed up on her doorstep. When I hadn’t heard from Rose in a while, I figured she’d gotten busy with school. I had no idea what happened.”

“What a bitch,” Captain said.

She should never have left her flesh and blood with strangers. They should have stayed together in foster care, and she could have gotten a job after she completed her GED, then supported herself and Rose.

She didn’t intend to make the same mistake twice. Once she found her sister, they’d stay together. She’d make sure Rose got some counseling to deal with this shit, send her to rehab to get her head straight, and then she’d head back to college and get her life back on track.

“When is your next shift?” Shepherd asked after a moment.

 “Tonight. I go in at ten. I’m only waiting tables though. They schedule dancers by seniority and as the new girl, I get the crap shifts no one else wants.” Not that she particularly looked forward to dancing on stage, delivering drinks suited her just fine. It would give her a chance to listen in on conversations as she wandered around.

“I’ll go with her,” Cowboy offered.

Captain glanced at him. “You are vouching for her then?”

He nodded solemnly. “I will.”

“Consider her your responsibility,” Shepherd said solemenly.

She had the sense she’d witnessed some sort of biker ceremony. She scanned their faces. “Care to share?”

Cowboy spoke up. “You are being thrown some trust because you’re helping us. It is a bit like becoming a prospect for the club.”

She frowned.

“When a man prospects for an MC, he’s basically interning, getting a tryout to be a real member,” Cowboy explained. “But he’s got to have a sponsor, a club member who will swear an oath for him. Like Shep did for me. You will be conducting club business and you’re under my authority.”

She gaped at them. “Slow your roll. I’ll work with you, but I’m not joining up or anything.”

“No, darlin’,” Captain said quickly. “We ain’t got no chick members and we’re keepin’ it that way.”

As if she wanted to join the Neanderthal brigade. “Yeah, not a problem.” Working her way through one male-dominated institution was quite enough.

“Fine. You will keep us briefed on what they’re up to and we’ll help you retrieve your sister once you get a lead.” Captain stood up, evidently deciding the meeting had come to a close. “Good.” He fixed her with a look. “From what Cowboy said, you had an easy go of it the first time, but I guarantee you it’s going to be worse tonight.”

Seriously? Could she handle worse without punching someone? “Why?”

“According to our sources the Raptors went to Dallas, my guess is for a protection run. That’s why we sent Cowboy over. We figured the girls would be more talkative without them around,” Captain explained.

Shepherd grinned. “And it sort of worked. You should get some rest and bring you’re A game tonight, sweetheart. You’ll need it.”

She felt like she’d been given some orders by her commanding officer. They swaggered out the door, leaving her with Duke and Cowboy.

 “The Raptors traffic in women,” Duke said.

 “Yeah, I’m aware, brother.” Cowboy frowned.

The biker sighed tiredly. “Which means the Raptors would consider her to be a hot commodity, so she needs to be protected.”

“Yeah, she’s got protection,” Cowboy said, puffing out his chest slightly.

She rolled her eyes. “
She
can protect herself,” Daisy ground out.

Duke ignored her, instead focusing on the other man. “We should chip her, the GPS will always tell us where she is, might come in handy if they try to take off with her.”

She snapped her fingers. “Hey,
she
is over here and
she
has an opinion of her own. I don’t want a chip.”

“It won’t be a big deal,” Duke explained. “It’s only a little injection and if there are any complications, I got it covered. I did a stint in med school, and spent some time as a medic in the military.”

He’d gone to medical school?! And then became a biker? How does that work?
“Yeah, my objection had nothing to do with the procedure,” she said slowly, because he obviously didn’t get it. “You aren’t going to chip me like a dog. I’m not your prize poodle.”

Cowboy stared at her and she could almost see the gears working in his head as he weighed the option. Finally, he turned to his brother. “I get your point, brother, but the lady doesn’t want a chip.”

“Yeah, well, the lady is stupid,” Duke said succinctly.

She flipped him off.

 “Let it go, brother,” Cowboy said in a warning tone. She had no doubt Duke was the maverick type, going it alone, no matter what other people thought.

Duke shook his head. “Suit yourself, it’s your funeral.” He walked out the door without a backwards glance.

“He’s disturbing,” she said succinctly.

 “You’re not wrong.”

She followed Cowboy to the exit. Despite the sexual release, she still felt on edge. Especially since she knew what kind of shit storm currently headed her way. Her body thrummed with unspent energy.

“Is there a gym here?” she asked.

“Yeah, near the lobby. Nothing fancy, but we got a stationary bike and a punching bag. Why do you ask?”

She brought one arm across her chest, stretching it, and then the other. “I gotta feeling I’m going to need to work off some of my aggression while I’m here.”

From the doorway, she watched the bikers. Shepherd put on a pair of aviator glasses, probably to conceal the fact that he observed them both.  Captain also observed them, his face pensive. She stood next to Cowboy awkwardly; being this close and not touching set her teeth on edge.

He started to walk out when she held out her palm expectantly. “Forgetting something?”

“Like what?” he asked.

“Gun,” she waggled her fingers at him.

He shook his head. “I’m going to hold on to your piece.”

She scowled at him. “Why?”

“Because I said so,” he answered.

Saying crap like that made her want to slap him. He just expected her to fall in line?
Good luck with that, buddy.
“Give it.”

“You are welcome to try and take it back.” He opened his arms, as though expecting her to tussle with him.

Oh, she’d get her gun back if it was the last thing she did. Luckily, she had a couple more stashed away, but the .38 special was a favorite. It had been crafted to be ultra-lightweight with a beautiful turquoise coating.

She glanced at the bikers in the lot. “I’ll rain check you on that one.”

He raised a brow. “Do I smell chicken?”

She put her hands on her hips. “I’ll make you eat those words later.”

“Tough talk, Wildcat, but I wonder if you can back it up.”

“Trust me. I’ll rough you up.” Daisy advanced on him, getting closer and trying to back him down, make him step away from her. But he didn’t.

His eyes flared and the tension curled between them. Cowboy raised a brow. “Oh yeah? You gonna sink those claws in me, scratch me up, Wildcat?” What started out as a pissing contest, somehow veered into sexual innuendo.

She had to clear her throat to speak. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I’m going to kick your ass.”

He grinned, shaking his head. “Damn, you’d shoot craps with the devil himself. He walked out the door, and turned to her. “Tonight, we’ll talk more about what to expect and make a game plan before you go in.”

“Okay. Just in case, how do I get in touch with you if I need to cancel?” she inquired sweetly.

He leaned against the doorjamb. “You won’t be cancelling, but if you need to get in touch with me, all you gotta do is knock.” He reached over and tapped the wall of the hotel room.

Sweet baby Jesus!
“You are staying next door?”

He leaned down, whispering words in her ear, “Yep, right next to you. Only a thin wall between us. Should be nice and cozy, don’t you think?”

I am so screwed.

Chapter Six

After Daisy slammed the door shut, Cowboy glanced uneasily at Shepherd and Captain as he closed the distance between them. Thankfully, Duke had already taken off on his ride.

As the Vice President, Shepherd served as the gateway person for the club. He evaluated prospects and potential old ladies. He had an almost a sixth sense when it came to people. Shep had probably picked up on the sexual tension between himself and Daisy and told Captain.

Captain crossed his arms over his chest and didn’t bother with any small talk. “Don’t bone her.”

 “Got it,” he ground out, mindful to keep his voice down. He didn’t need their conversation to be carried to Daisy’s ears.

“I mean it. Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Cowboy. She’s strictly a no bone. She’s smack dab in the middle of important club business,” Captain said. “There is a truckload of free range pussy runnin’ around Perdition. Stick your dick in any hellion you like. Hell, fuck them all, brother, but leave this girl alone. We need her right now and this situation is fucked up enough without you puttin’ your dick in it.”

“I heard ya the first time,” he growled. He’d learned it paid to never rile the wagon master. And as much Cowboy’s cock protested the decision, he knew Captain had a point.

 After she’d agreed to work with the Horsemen in the meeting, he knew he couldn’t have Daisy anymore. Fucking the pretty Marine could get them both killed. He needed to keep his shit together if he wanted to keep her safe, and boning her would add an extra layer of difficult to a bad situation.

Shepherd cleared his throat. “Is this going to be a problem? If it is, I can put Voodoo on it or Ace.”

 Club business
always
came first. “No. I got it covered.”

Shepherd nodded and clapped him on the shoulder in a friendly
buck up
sort of gesture. “It’s probably for the best, brother. It’s not like it would go anywhere, she’s got a heroic streak about a mile wide.”

“Not all ex-military can be as enlightened as Duke or Steele,” Captain said. “I imagine some of the shit we do wouldn’t sit well with her.”

 “I know that.”

Considering the matter settled, Shepherd started up his bike and roared off.

Captain straddled his motorcycle. “I’m no stranger to dealing with a strong-willed woman. Take my advice and keep it strictly professional. That one’s got trouble written all over her.”  
Did he mean Eddie?
With that, the president started her up and headed out of the parking lot.

Cowboy went back to his room to get some shut eye, and tried really hard not to think of Daisy next door, so close at hand.

His brothers had been right. He’d keep a professional distance, but he’d watch Daisy every minute, make sure she stayed safe.

Cowboy vowed he wouldn’t make the same mistakes with Daisy he’d made with Melissa.

***

A few hours later, Daisy’s eyes snapped open. She heard a car engine turn over in the parking lot and listened as the vehicle pulled out.

She hadn’t slept more than three or four hours at a time since she’d arrived in Afghanistan and the insomnia continued stateside. Sometimes, she had trouble even getting to sleep.

So, she spent a lot of time pacing the floor, watching late night infomercials, doing laundry, or playing solitaire on the computer. Basically, she’d do anything to occupy her time. She laid back down and willed herself to sleep again, tried it for twenty minutes, but it didn’t work. Her body decided she needed to get up for the day.

She grabbed the remote and flipped the television on, desperate for a distraction.
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
was on. She smiled faintly. She and Rose both loved the Potter books. Whenever a new one came out, they would dress up and go to the local bookstore together, get arm-banded, and wait excitedly until midnight struck.

At their first foster home, they had bunk beds, so they read by flashlight together, stopping to talk excitedly about what they’d just read, before digging into the book again. She quickly flipped the channel, picking out a cooking show instead. She couldn’t afford to get sentimental, not now.