“And don’t ever let yourself forget that. Our brains are funny things. They play tricks on us, make us doubt what we believe and know to be truth. You did this world a favor and solved part of our problems. Mayhem won’t forget that. Shit, you might just get patched in your own right.” She snorted over the phone and he smiled, knowing she’d be fine eventually.
A prospect pulled up with a car and Ajax sat inside. There was nothing the man couldn’t cover up and he knew people. People who scared the shit out of even Rocky. There were rumors that Ajax was born into the mob life, but he wasn’t the type of man you would to let catch you gossiping about him, so the speculation didn’t happen often.
“I’m getting in a car headed toward you now, mama. I want you to leave the room, move away from the body.”
Hawk opened the passenger door. “Meet you there, brother.”
Rocky slipped inside. “Thanks, man,”
“I can’t—part of me is afraid this is like the horror movies and he’s going to come back for one last scare.”
“I’ll make sure he ain’t ever coming back in this life. None of this will touch you. I swear that on my name.”
“Rocco.”
“You doubt me?”
“No, just my ability to ever forget this. God, he was so fucked up. He killed a woman. And he liked hurting me.”
Rocky clenched the phone. “What did he do?” He forced the words out. His body tensed and his chest grew tight.
“Dug his fingers and his nails in, bit me until I bled,” she said. Her voice shook.
“Son of a bitch.” He punched the door. “I wish I could reanimate the fucker’s corpse and kill him all over again.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
“Stay with me, Firecracker, I’m about ten minutes out from you.”
“You’re mad,” she whimpered.
“As fuck, but that ain’t important right now. I can save that for later,” Rocky said, trying his best to reassure her.
She huffed. “Even now I can’t get a pass?”
“Fuck no. You ditch me and run off halfcocked like that? You knew that shit wouldn’t fly. I’m going to tear that ass up literally, mama. It’s going to be red and impossible to sit on while I’m gone. I like your fire, but unchecked that shit’s a raging forest fire decimating the land. I’m just the man to take on that task.”
“You sure you still want it? I don’t even know who I am anymore,” she said. Her voice was heavy with the weight of her first kill.
“The same woman that got under my skin. Just a little more badass.”
Evonne chuckled. “You would put it that way.”
“Hey, we all got a dark side, baby. You don’t get into Mayhem with a college exam, aptitude tests and volunteer work. We’ve all got our back stories,” Rocky said.
“And now I have one too,” she said.
“That’s right. Now we match even more,” he said, fighting to keep her from receding back into herself.
“Only you could turn this into a positive,” she said.
“I’m just used to fighting for what’s important to me. And very few things are more important than you. Think I need to put a damn ball and chain around your ankle after this. Every time I try to make you mine officially, shit comes up.”
“You still want that?” she asked.
“Fuck! Haven’t I made myself clear? I don’t renege.”
“I’m not—I’m…”