Fight Dirty (Black Rose Kisses 1)

They don’t grab me, at least, I guess trusting that now that Dad is cooperating, I’ll have to do the same. And they’re right. If I run, there’s no guarantee they won’t just kill him anyway, so I let them lead me back outside to the car.

I keep my head up and my back straight, not letting any of it show on my face, but I’m fucking pissed and scared.

Fairview Heights is ruled by two gangs, the Black Roses and the Jackals, and they both have reputations for being brutal as hell. Probably well-earned. I know there’s a pretty damn good chance my dad won’t survive this, and thinking about that makes me want to punch out all three of these assholes, run back in there, and try to drag my dad to safety.

But we’d both end up getting shot if I did that. Bringing down the wrath of the rest of their gang would be a stupid idea, so I just clench my jaw and keep walking. What else can I do at this point? I agreed to go with these guys to keep my dad safe, and no matter how much I hate it—and I really fucking hate it—I have to go through with it.

“You know,” Rory drawls as we get to the car and he opens the door for me, this time letting me slide in on my own. “She’s pretty impressive. Not just anyone could dive into a fight like that and come out of it in one piece. She didn’t even hesitate. Pretty fucking badass, if you ask me.”

I glare at him harder, irrationally annoyed by the compliment and by the fact that he’s talking about me as if I can’t even hear him.

Levi snorts under his breath as he reads my expression. “Maybe you should be careful before she takes out all her badassness on you. You wanna drive, Sloan?”

The third one shrugs but goes around to the driver’s side, leaving Levi to take shotgun.

Sloan is quiet for the entire drive, fingers tight on the steering wheel, looking like he’s glaring out at the road and the other drivers. There’s a surly air about him, like one wrong move will have him lashing out, ready to bite like a rabid dog.

Levi is more easy going, but harder to get a read on. He’s still as gorgeous as he was the night we hooked up, still laid back, and other than responding to Rory or getting grunts from Sloan, he seems happy to fuck around on his phone and look out the window.

Rory, on the other hand, won’t shut up.

“So,” he asks, leaning into my personal space in the back seat. The gold highlights in his brown hair glint under the light of the passing streetlamps. “How’d you learn to fight like that?”

“None of your business,” I snap back, folding my arms and shoving myself as far into the corner as I can to stay away from him. They’re all acting so fucking casual, like they didn’t just basically abduct me and threaten to kill my fucking father.

Anger burns under my skin, and I want to scream at them, but I keep it inside.

None of that seems to phase Rory a bit, and he laughs, his moss-green eyes somehow bright even in the darkness of the car. “Prefer to stay mysterious, huh? That’s okay. I like a mystery, and I bet I can figure you out.” He slides his gaze over my body, not even trying to hide the fact that he’s checking me out.

Usually, some hot guy looking me over like he wants to eat me alive would get my blood rushing a bit, giving me a little thrill. I’ve been living with my dad while I go to school, but that doesn’t mean I’m some sheltered virgin or a saint.

I know I’m attractive, and I don’t exactly dress like someone who doesn’t want to stand out. My hair is thick and a little wavy, tumbling over my shoulders, and the rich dark chocolate color only makes my eyes stand out more, highlighting the deep shades of jade in them. I’m usually in jeans and a t-shirt for comfort, showing off part of the tattoo on my arm, and years of training and working out have added lean muscle to my soft curves.

I probably look like a bit of a mess from thrashing around and fighting, but Rory doesn’t seem to have any problems with that as he eyes me up.

I look out the window and ignore him until we get to where we’re going.

Somehow, I’m surprised when I recognize my neighborhood. We pull up in front of Dad’s house a few minutes later, and we all get out.

I don’t even bother to ask how these assholes know where I live. I also don’t spare a second to worry about what the neighbors might think if any of them happen to be up and looking out their windows at this time of night to see me being escorted into my house by three men. It’s none of their damn business anyway.

> My burly keepers stand by the door, waiting for me to let us all in, and then follow me to my room.

“Pack up,” Sloan says shortly. “Clothes, whatever else you need. You’re not coming back here until it’s all said and done.”

I grit my teeth, this close to telling him to go fuck himself, and then grab a ratty suitcase from the closet. It’s unnerving to have the three of them standing around while I go through my dresser and pick out shirts and shorts and leggings. Rory is definitely watching when I grab a handful of underwear from one drawer, and I shove it into the bag before he can make some flirtatious comment that will make me want to punch him in the face even more.

Levi stands against the wall, not paying much attention to either the room or me, but Sloan and Rory seem perfectly happy to make themselves at home, looking around, sitting on my bed, poking at the pile of textbooks on my nightstand.

“Do you mind?” I ask acidly, snatching the books up and shoving them into my backpack.

“Not at all,” Rory replies, grinning. Sloan just rolls his eyes, and I make myself pack faster. I don’t want them here, looking at my shit, poking at the life I’ve built for myself in this little house with my dad. It may not be much, but it’s mine, and I don’t want their damn fingers all over it.

Leaving them alone in my room for a second, I go to the bathroom to throw some things in my smaller bag. Shampoo, conditioner, face wash. Just the basics. Anything else, I can just buy if I need it, and I’m already more than ready to get out of here.

Or to get them out of here, really.

On the way out of the house and back to the car, I pause by the garage. Parked inside is the small motorcycle that I bought and fixed up a year ago. The idea of riding that to wherever we’re going is way more appealing than being shoved back into the car with Rory’s teasing and the silence of the other two.