“I’d have to be not just stupid, but an idiot to steal from the club. I’d have to be out of my mind, freaking crazy.”
“Well you bitches all got a little crazy in you.”
Skylar shook her head trying to think how she could convince him.
“Or maybe you were just desperate,” Reno added.
“I wasn’t desperate. I had a good job that I loved. I made decent money. I had no reason to steal from the DKs. And I would never have done that to Rusty. He was good to me.”
“Yeah, he was. Always good to the broads. Always believing every motherfucking word that comes out of their mouths. His flaw, not mine.”
He leaned forward and grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. He got right in he
r face and said, “So don’t go makin’ the mistake of thinkin’ I give a shit about you. I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.”
Skylar’s breath was coming rapidly now. “Please, Reno. I know you don’t give a shit about me. I know that, but that doesn’t mean that what I’m telling you isn’t the truth. Someone else knew about the money. They had to have, because someone else did this. You have to stop focusing on me and think of who else it could have been, because right now, they’re getting away with it and probably laughing about how easy it was to get away with. Laughing their asses off at the whole lot of you.” She snarled the last part, trying to shake some sense into him. It got to him, but not the way she intended.
He moved so abruptly, it took Skylar by surprise. He straightened, pulled his arm back and backhanded her across the cheek. Her face exploded in pain. God, if that was him going gentle, she was in real trouble.
“Watch the way you fuckin’ talk to me, woman.”
She knew she’d pushed too far, but she had to get through to him. “As long as you keep focusing on me and not the real killers, they’ll keep laughing... all the way to the bank.”
Crack. He backhanded her again.
“You want, I can keep this up all day. You’re nothing to me but a murderous, thieving bitch who turned on one of my brothers, you understand?” he roared.
The door opened, banging against the wall.
“Where is she?” someone thundered.
Skylar’s head was bowed, her hair hanging in her face, blood running down her chin from her busted lip.
“Didn’t know you were back,” she heard Reno growl. She peered up as Reno stepped aside, revealing her to the man that had just burst into the room.
Her eyes blinked.
It couldn’t be. Perhaps that blow had knocked her brains loose, because she swore the man looked like Rusty. But that couldn’t be. Rusty was dead.
Wasn’t he?
The man grabbed a fistful of Reno’s cut and shoved him back against the wall. “You don’t fucking touch her.”
Reno’s hands lifted. “She’s all yours, Brother.”
The man released him with a shove, and then dropped to his knees in front of her.
Her mouth fell open in shock, but she managed to whisper in a confused voice, “Rusty?”
“Surprised to see me, babe?” He pulled a bandana from around his neck and wiped the blood gently from her mouth and chin.
“Y-you’re alive. Oh, m-my God, you’re alive. Thank God. Thank God.” She stared at him, stunned, and then her eyes filled as she broke down in tears, her shoulders shaking.
He rose to his feet to stare down at her. He just stood there, his expression cold.
Skylar tried to pull herself together. She studied his expression. He thought she did it. He may not want Reno to beat her, but that didn’t mean he thought she was innocent. She could see it in his face. Oh, God, no.
“Rusty, I didn’t stab you. I swear I didn’t. I went out for coffee, and when I came back I found you like that. I felt for a pulse. I couldn’t find one. You were so cold, and there was so much blood.”