Warlord (Anathema Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

goods—might have let the
corset dip low to expose the swell of her tits—but looking was free. Besides, she
didn’t deal in money. Lyn came at a far more expensive price. Also learned that
lesson long ago.
    “Sit,” she said.
“You’re a hard man to pin down, Thorne.”
    “Maybe I have the
common sense to avoid you.”
    “Avoiding me
isn’t fun.” She stretched her arms over her head. Her chest arched up. “You
haven’t been to the club in a while.”
    Flirting was
free. I took a seat across from her. “You miss me?”
    “Parts of you.”
    “Which part?”
    She didn’t break
my gaze. “The muscle.”
    “So this isn’t a
friendly visit.”
    “All my visits
are friendly.” Lyn frowned, though even a scowl looked good on her lips. “You’re
about the one friend I still trust.”
    The club joked
Lyn’s eyes got greener the more cash she made. Wrong. They brightened when she
needed something. When she knew something.
    “Likewise.”
    “You’re still
bleeding.”
    Lyn stood,
snapping the chair upright. She rooted through a drawer until she found a
first-aid kit.
    I touched the
cut on my cheek. “I’ve been through worse.”
    “Yeah. I
remember. But something tells me you aren’t keeping out of trouble.”
    I clenched my
jaw as she came at me with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. She scoured my face
like she meant to clean the scratch with steel wool. I knocked her hand away.
    “Christ, Lyn. I
didn’t get shot. Leave me the fuck alone.”
    “Yet. You didn’t
get shot yet .”
    “Your optimism
is appreciated.”
    “The girls at
the club have an over/under on you. Odds are three to one you’ll get a bullet
in the head within a month.”
    “Great.”
    “I gave you six
months.” She slapped a piece of gauze over my cheek. “How’s that for optimism?”
    “We better be
getting part of that Vig.”
    “What happened?”
    “Found out what
our buddy Priest has been up to since shacking up with Exorcist.”
    Lyn raised her
eyebrow, as much a threat as cocking a gun. “You mean he does something besides
molest my dancers?”
    “Well, he was up
my ass today. Maybe he’s not into your girls anymore.”
    “I’m not that
lucky.” She crossed her arms. “Was he making a move?”
    “Gotta talk to
my guys about it. He won’t shed any tears if I dump my bike on the 9.”
    “This can’t keep
happening. More people are going to get killed.”
    “Oh, a stripper
and a prophet now?”
    Lyn hopped onto
the desk. She crossed her legs and nearly took out my chin with a high heel. Probably
her intent. At least it’d be a good view before I got knocked unconscious.
    “Fine. I’ll take
my five grand and find someone else to stick their elderly, decrepit brothers
at our door.” Lyn snorted. “The last bouncer couldn’t even get it up with a
girl straddling his face. Did nothing for her self-esteem.”
    “What’s your
point?”
    “I want my money
back if you won’t hold up your end of the bargain.”
    “You wanted a
presence there. I gave you a presence.”
    “Viper?  He’s
one chili dog from a quadruple bypass. I need someone else.”
    I held my arms
out. “Who?  I’m stretched fucking thin as it is.”
    “Find someone.”
    “There is no one
else, and you don’t need another guard. No one will cause any trouble with your
girls. They know you’re in my territory.”
    “Am I?”
    “Are you what?”
    “In your territory?”
    I exhaled. “Your
mouth is more useful when it isn’t being smart.”
    “And if you ever
want to put it to use again, you’ll listen.”
    Lyn tapped her
nails on the desk. The rat-a-tat-tat drumming wasn’t a stall. She tensed. Nervous.
Ready to snap. I didn’t need her wrath going nuclear in my MC. She was hard
enough to keep alive as it was. Lyn had a tendency to forget she only had a
dick when she jerked someone off. I didn’t need her pissing off the wrong guys.
Again.
    “What the hell
is going on?” I said. “No bullshit.”
    “What’s going
on?