Heartless (Steel Demons MC #6) - Crystal Ash Page 0,1

heart-to-hearts with our prized tequila, did things seem normal. It was the real reason why I asked for this, for some semblance of normality.

Dad polished off his shot and reached for mine to put in the sink. I cupped my hand around the small glass and brought it closer to my chest.

“One more?”

“Nah, mija,” he said sadly. “I gotta pack my shit and get ready to leave in the morning.”

“Aw, come on, viejito. One more shot won’t kill you.”

“I am old,” he laughed. “Can’t keep drinking with my college-aged daughter no more.”

“Dad…” I rolled the shot glass between my hands. “What if you just didn’t go?”

His face hardened. “They’ll come looking for me and I’ll get thrown in jail. You know that, sweetheart.”

I slid my glass angrily across the counter to him. “At least then you wouldn’t be forced to fight in some bullshit war that doesn’t even matter.”

“That may be true.” He turned and placed the glasses in the sink. “But who’s to say I’ll survive prison too? And I’d never get to come home and see my girls.”

I had nothing to answer that. Of course I didn’t want my dad in jail. But I didn’t want him out there either, fighting for no cause while doing irreparable damage to his mind and body.

He rounded the counter and pulled me into a tight hug, one that made me feel tiny and protected. The type of hug that a little girl burrowed into so the monsters under her bed wouldn’t get her.

The monsters were out in the streets now, looting and pillaging. It didn’t matter if they were in riot gear or in rags. If they were strangers or familiar faces. The Collapse had changed people. It brought out the worst in them.

“I’m so sorry, mijita,” he sighed over the top of my head, though I wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. “Your mom and I never wanted you to live in this kind of world. But we’re all in this stupid bullshit war, whether we like it or not.”

I just let him hug me, let him be my dad. He couldn’t save me from anything, but for right now, they couldn’t take this away from us.

I didn’t know it would be the last time I saw him.

One

MARIPOSA

Present Day

Arms, legs, chests, and backs provided solidness and warmth on all sides. I didn’t even need to open my eyes to know who was who anymore.

My forehead nuzzled the burn scars on Jandro’s back. I kissed them in my half-asleep state, a smile coming to my face at the memory of kissing another man’s scars last night.

Jandro didn’t stir, still fully in dreamland, but Reaper’s arm tightened around my waist. His lips found my ear, pressing a soft kiss there before murmuring, “You awake?”

“Mmm.” I flipped over to face him, taking care not to disturb Jandro. Eyes still closed, I nuzzled my head under his chin, kissing his chest while curling up and burrowing into him. “You?”

He was silent for a moment, stroking my back.

“I talked to Daren.”

“Hm?” That forced my eyelids open, hands lifting up to rub the sleep and fatigue from my eyes. “When?”

“Just now, before I woke up.”

I tried to listen carefully to his tone, to piece together his feelings from his voice, but it was impossible with him speaking so softly. “What did he say?”

“Shit that wasn’t good.” He pushed himself up from the mattress with a groan, blinking at the pre-dawn light coming in from the window. “Take a walk with me, sugar?”

“Yeah, coming.”

We climbed out of bed carefully, crawling over the splayed arms and legs of Jandro and Gunner to get dressed. I pulled on my thickest jeans, wool socks, and a gray flannel shirt. Every day grew colder, and the air before the sun came out was downright chilly.

Reaper got ready in his leather jacket, jeans, boots, and cigarettes, and together we headed out the front door of the Four Corners B&B. Right after stepping off the front porch, we heard the door open slowly again and turned to see who was following.

Hades had pushed the door open with his front paw, and he and Freyja followed us out to the quiet street.

“Can’t go anywhere alone,” I chuckled as Reaper lit up. “So did he come to you in a dream like,” I tilted my head toward the animals, “they said?”

“Yeah.” He grabbed my hand and started walking, sucking on his clove with the opposite hand. “I was riding and it was too perfect