Chained Hands (Chained Hearts Duet 1)

“Soon,” I reply.

“Why?” She shakes her head in frustration.

“Because I want to speak with you. Am I not allowed to do even that?”

“Most people would call, be a normal human being, but not you. You make threats and drag me out when you knew I didn’t want to come.”

“It got you where I want you.”

“Who the fuck is this?” We both turn to Paige who’s standing there. Her hands are on her hips as she eyes Sailor with a viciousness I’ve never seen emanate from her before.

“I’m just leaving.” Sailor stands and Paige steps in front of her.

“Sure. Right … you are. But I asked you a question. Who are you?”

Sailor glances down at Paige’s shoes, then back to her face. “You need to move so I can leave.”

Paige pushes on Sailor’s shoulder, and I watch in fascination as Sailor goes from calm to crazy in two point five seconds. I’ve never seen her mad at anyone but me. Not even at her useless ex-husband, but in one swift movement, Sailor grabs Paige’s ponytail, twists her around, and pulls. Hard. So hard even I flinch, sure some of her hair is going to be in Sailor’s hand when she releases Paige.

“Don’t you fucking touch me again. Now, as I said … I. Am. Leaving.” Sailor pushes her away, letting go of her hair, and I was right there is a large chunk of hair in Sailor’s hand.

Paige glares at me, anger and humiliation written on her face. “What are you doing? Kill her! She could have hurt me. You have to protect me, Keir. I’m having your baby.”

Sailor looks at me with bunched brows, and Paige starts yelling at me again.

And all I can do is just stand there as Sailor shakes her head and then slips away.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sailor

A baby. And he’s coming to my apartment in the middle of the night. Who the fuck does he think he is?

“Sailor.” Ellie grips my arm, and I pull it free as I continue my way to the exit. Her heels click, and she huffs as she follows behind me. “Sailor, wait up.”

“I’m tired, and I want to go home,” I say.

“Why? You just got here?” Joey then steps out into the cool night as I try to wave down a cab to go home. I look at him, then back to the street and keep waving. I need to get home, back to my bed where that asshole pulled me from.

“Leaving so soon, Sailor?” he asks, lighting a cigarette.

“Yes.” Where the fuck are all the damn taxis?

“But you just got here. Come back in and have a drink.” Just as he finishes speaking, the club door opens, and she steps out. Her black hair is tied high on her head, and she’s wearing a little black dress with lots of makeup. As soon as she spots me, she heads my way.

Again?

Really?

But this time, she stays back a distance.

“You have no idea who the fuck you just laid hands on, do you?” I turn away from her, not giving her my attention and not caring for her words.

“You little ratty-ass brunette, are you deaf?”

I’ve decided in the last month that I will not be taking anybody’s bullshit anymore. I did that enough throughout my marriage. So, when this—whatever she is—gets in my face yet again, it takes everything in me not to smash her nose through the back of her head.

“Wooow,” Joey says, stepping up to us. “You need to calm down, Paige. Sailor is leaving.” Joey stands between us.

“That little whore put her hands on me.” Joey swings his head around, surprise in his eyes as he looks down at me.

“Little girl got some moves.”

“Joey!” Paige screams at him.

“Calm down, Paige, I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”

“Oh, I fucking did. Next time you get in my face, I won’t hesitate to do it again.”

Joey bites his lip at my words as Keir walks out of the club. We all turn to him, and the look on his face is one I haven’t seen before. I hear a car pull up next to me, and I take one last look at him before I slide in, then Ellie jumps in beside me. Keir’s long strides bring him closer to the cab, so I yell out, “Drive.”

The driver puts his foot down before Keir can reach us, and I look back to see Paige stepping in front of him, screaming.

Not. My. Problem.

“Can I stay at yours?”

“No, I have to work tomorrow. I’ll get the driver to drop you off now.”

“Joey is complicated,” I hear her say.

“They’re the mafia. They are most definitely not someone you should choose to get involved with, Ellie. You know this. Look how it turned out for Dillan.”

She winces when I say his name. “But he’s different.”

“What does your boyfriend think of all this?”