“You know you can always stop in, what can I do for you, Tomcat?”
She grins and rolls her eyes at him. “You all know I hate that nickname?”
Cade smirks, and reaches out for my hand, pulling me close. “It’s the eyes,” he says.
“Damn eyes, I’ll never live them down.”
Cade chuckles. “Did you meet my girl?”
Ciara nods. “I did. She’s lovely.”
I grin at her, and she returns it. Then she turns back to Cade. “I’m here about Spike.”
Cade flinches, and I rub my hand up and down his back, soothing him.
“What about him?”
“I know he’s in town.”
“He won’t bother you. We’ve made sure of that.”
“I kind of wanted to talk to him.”
Cade raises his brows. “You can’t be serious? Every time you two are in the same room, you end up ripping each other’s fuckin’ heads off.”
Ciara rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic; we only half tear them off.”
Cade laughs and I find myself laughing too. Ciara has a bubbly personality. She’s the kind of girl I could get along with quite easily. She’s not much older than me either by the looks of it. Maybe twenty-three.
“Why would you wanna see him anyway?”
“I wanted to talk to him. Look, I know I was harsh on him. What happened wasn’t anyone’s fault. My sister made her choice; it wasn’t Spike’s fault it ended the way it did. I’ve had some time to understand that.”
“Spike ain’t gonna hear of it, you know that?”
She nods. “I have to try though. Maybe it will bring him some sort of peace. I know he loved Cheyenne.”
“Your parents know you’re here, Tomcat?”
Ciara visibly stiffens. “No, and it wouldn’t go down well.”
“You hated him for years after her death. You forgave me when it was my fault. He ain’t goin’ to take your apology well.”
“It was no one’s fault. Not yours or his. You were both trying to save her. It went wrong. It’s the end of it.”
“Ain’t never that simple, and you know it.”
She shrugs. “Sometimes it has to be.”
“I don’t talk to Spike, so you’re gonna have to find him on your own.”
“You know where he’s staying through, right?”
Cade shakes his head. “You ain’t goin’ over there alone, Ciara.”
“Don’t get over protective with me, Cade. I’m not going to get hurt. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Spike’s bitter.”
“He’s okay,” I blurt and Cade turns, eyes widening. Shit, I have to fix that outburst. “I mean, he’s not a monster, Cade. I’ve seen him a few times, and he’s never tried to hurt me.”
“He tried to hand you over to a pimp willing to kill you,” Cade grunts.
“He didn’t know.”
“Still think it’s a bad idea sendin’ her over.”
“Then we’ll go with her.”
Cade shakes his head. “A Hell’s Knight can’t go into a Heaven’s Sinner’s compound; it’s far against the rules. We might have a truce to get along, but even that’s out of bounds.”
“Then I’ll go with her.”
“Like fuck,” Cade grunts.
“No, look,” Ciara says, putting her hands up, “I’ll figure it out. Don’t you two tangle yourselves up in it.”
“You ain’t goin’ alone, Ciara.”
She gives Cade a look. “I’m a big girl.”
“No.”
“Let me go with her. Spike won’t hurt me, Cade, and you know he won’t.”
“I said, fuckin’, no,” he grates out.
Ciara puts up her hands. “Stop arguing you two, it’s fine. I’ll leave it for now, okay?”
Cade gives her a look, and I cross my arms.
“Spike won’t hurt me Cade, what’s the problem?” I protest.
“The problem,” he grinds out. “Is not that I think Spike will hurt you, ‘coz I know he won’t. The problem is that it’s Heaven’s Sinner’s territory now, and we don’t fuckin’ go on their territory. That includes you, Addison. I won’t fuckin’ tell you again. You’re not fuckin’ goin’.”
God, I hate bossy Cade. I give him a glare, which he returns with full force.
“Whatever, I’ve got to go to work,” I snap.
“I’ll make a few calls,” Cade says, though his voice is still hard. “Then I’ll take you.”
“I’m heading over to the compound,” Ciara says. “I can take her.”
I turn to her. “That would be great, I’d prefer your company right now. I’ll just go and get changed.”
Cade snorts, but I brush past him and head up the stairs. I walk into his room, and begin changing for work. A moment later he comes in behind me.
“The fuck was that about?”
I spin around, buttoning up my pants. “That was because you think you can control everything I do.”
“It’s not about control, it’s about respect for another club.”
“We only wanted to talk to him,” I snap.
“Don’t fuckin’ care. You won’t be goin’ there, Addison. You got it?”