Page 131 of The Innocent

And she reached her arms farther, inches from the dog, but Cue tightened his hold. He lifted his chin toward the clubhouse. “Then go pack your shit.”

Jesus fucking Christ!

“Cue,” Ghost warned, but the brother ignored him, keeping his eyes locked on Eden.

Jekyll couldn’t predict the future, but this wasn’t going to end well. Taking in the tension rising through the yard, it was clear the Satan’s weren’t happy with Cue making demands and essentially taking a woman they considered their own.

Eden’s eyes darted around the group, clearly just as confused as everyone else.

“What?”

“You want him?” Cue lifted the dog a few inches. “Then go get your shit and meet me at my bike.”

She looked like a deer caught in headlights. From everything he’d heard, Cue had vocally turned down every and all advances this woman made. And now he was declaring an order to leave with him? He couldn’t blame Eden for not understanding the situation. Hell, I don’t even fucking know what’s going on. But one thing was obvious, they were at a stalemate.

Cue wasn’t going to back down, and Eden was going to stand silent in confusion.

“Fuck, I don’t have time for this,” Jekyll muttered and rounded Cue’s back, stopping next to Eden. Her eyes widened, but she still said nothing. Her heart was pounding so hard, her chest was rising and falling at a rapid rate. Usually, it wouldn’t bother him. Feeling anything for a woman he didn’t know had never been an issue for him. But he felt pity for Eden. She was stuck in a bad situation to begin with, and it was only getting worse.

Jekyll held up two fingers. “Two choices. Stay here, and we take the dog.” I can’t believe I just fucking said that. “Or you go with Cue, and you get your dog.”

Eden bit her lip, glancing over at Cue.

“What’s it gonna be? ’Cause you got ten seconds before we leave, with or without you,” Jekyll said.

Her throat bobbed, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice. “I just want my dog.”

Jekyll clenched his jaw and scowled at Cue, who didn’t seem the least bit fazed.

“Then I guess you made your decision,” Cue said without an ounce of emotion.

She slowly nodded and ducked her head, turning toward the back door. When Cue stepped forward to follow her, Jekyll rested his hand on his chest. Cue’s order had already raised tensions. They needed to diffuse the situation, not escalate it.

“I’ll go. You stay the fuck out here.”

Jekyll walked toward the back door following Eden. Just as he reached it, Spinner stepped in front of his path.

“She doesn’t need help.”

The corner of his mouth curled. “No? That your way of telling me I’m not welcome in your house?” He shifted his gaze to Griggs, who was openly glaring at him. “That’s what you’re saying? ’Cause if that’s the case, then maybe you’re not welcome to our deal.”

The vein in Griggs forehead thickened, and his temple pulsed.

“If she wants your help, she can ask.” Spinner folded his arms.

Eden cleared her throat. “I could use the help.”

Jekyll smirked, and Spinner stepped aside. He walked behind her into the house. She turned into the second room on the left. Jekyll stood in the doorway but never turned his back to the hallway. There was a queen-size bed in the center of the room, an array of empty bottles scattered throughout, and some condoms on the nightstand.

“Whose room is this?” he asked.

Eden grabbed a duffle bag from the closet floor and shrugged. “Nobody’s and everybody’s.” She leaned into the closet again and stuffed a plastic bag of dog food, a bowl, and leash into the bag. She zipped it up, stood, and hooked it over her shoulder. The light caught the angle of her face, and Jekyll balled his fist. She’d tried to mask it, but he could see the outline of a handprint on her cheek.

She clasped her hands in front of her, stared, but didn’t say anything else. He glanced around the room.

“Where’s the rest of your stuff?”

She swung her bag forward. “This is it.”