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protect you the right way, then start talking. If
not, then I ’ ll just be here
until I ’ m not. ”
    “ And
what does that mean? ”
    Tripp finished his coffee. He stood
from the table. “ It ’ s simple. You have to have some
idea why Rocky was killed. And if the MC thinks you ’ re next, there ’ s
a connection. You ’ re important
enough to protect but not important enough to save. That means you have
something they want. ”
    “ Who
is they ? ”
    “ I
don ’ t know yet. ”
    “ Isn ’ t that a great feeling, ” I muttered.
    Tripp walked his plate and mug to
the counter. He then turned and looked at me. “ For
the record, I ’ d like to
believe you ’ re important
enough to protect and save. So prove it to me. ”
    Tripp then went into the bathroom
and shut the door.
    He didn ’ t lock it.
    I heard the water turn on.
    I frowned and thought about
everything that could have been coming back to bite me in the ass. There was a
lot. My life didn ’ t have a
skeleton or two in a closet. It had a house.
    I waited at the bathroom door.
    Tripp opened it and jumped back a
step.
    “ Start
at the beginning, ” I
whispered. “ Let ’ s go visit the MC. ”
     
    ~ ~ ~
     
    I waved and the gates to the
compound were opened. I glanced casually at Tripp, wondering if he ’ d be intimidated by the sight of
all the motorcycles and the rough and tough bikers as they wandered around.
    His face was like stone.
    His eyes the same.
    It was like nothing bothered the
guy.
    Well, except whatever made him
punch the wall last night.
    Did I cause that?
    Heat rushed to my face as he
stopped the car and climbed out.
    I got out of my side and rushed
around, but not before a group of the guys were already on their way to greet
the stranger.
    “ This
is Tripp, ” I called out. “ He ’ s
protecting me. ”
    “ Protecting, ” one of the guys - Crusher - said. “ Like nothing we
can ’ t fucking do ourselves. ”
    “ Ease
up, ” a voice growled.
    It was Stoney working through the
crowd.
    He stopped and stared at Tripp. He
eyed him up and down. “ You
carrying? ”
    “ Of
course I am, ” Tripp said.
    “ Give
me your weapon. ”
    “ Fuck
yourself. ”
    I gasped. I grabbed for Tripp ’ s hand.
    Nobody could talk to Stoney like
that without getting a beating.
    It was a little weird to see Stoney
standing alone without Rocky next to him. The empty space actually bothered me
a little. And it seemed to bother Stoney since he didn ’ t make a move at Tripp.
    “ Tough
guy, ” Stoney said. “ I can respect that. ” He stepped forward and grabbed
for Tripp ’ s right hand. He
lifted it. “ Looks like your
hand took a beating. ”
    “ Yeah.
You should have seen the other guy. ”
    That must have been Tripp ’ s standard  line to tell
everyone who asked about him fighting.
    “ Actually,
I did, ” Stoney said. “ You took care of Harlan pretty
good, didn ’ t you? ”
    Tripp looked right to left, taking
note of the guys surrounding him. He took his hand away from Stoney and made
fists.
    “ When
you ’ re sitting on someone ’ s couch with a gun on your lap,
what do you think is going to happen? ” Tripp asked.
    “ You
like to fight, huh? ” Stoney
asked.
    “ I ’ m good at it. It ’ s how I survive. ”
    “ And
now you ’ re protecting sweet
innocent Winter here. ”
    “ Just
doing my job. ”
    Stoney inched forward. “ Under other circumstances you ’ d be beaten to a pulp right now.
I want to make that clear. But since my club is mourning and out for blood, I ’ m going to play a different card
with you,Tripp. Why don ’ t
we go sit at the table and have a talk about some things. ”
    “ Was
that an actual question or an order? ” Tripp asked.
    Stoney grinned. “ You don ’ t give a fuck about anything, do you? ”
    “ I ’ ve got nothing to lose, ” Tripp said. “ So what do I have to care about?
I ’ m on borrowed time
already, so, no, I don ’ t
give a fuck about anything. ”
    There