Lucky stepped forward with a stormy face. "That'll happen in no universe," he declared firmly.

She scowled at him. "It'll happen in the universe where I have to pay rent and feed myself, which happens to be this one," she shot back.

I whipped my gaze between the two of them in confusion. We didn't need that right now.

"We'll figure it out," I reassured her. I'd pick up extra shifts, cover both of our rents if I had to. She was the only family I had left. Though I didn't accept handouts from anyone, I would give Bex my last dollar if I had to. She was all I had left. "What happened?" I asked softly.

Bex sighed. "Turns out Dylan doesn't handle rejection well," she stated. "I don't handle being pimped out too well either, hence the rejection," she explained.

All of the air seemed to be sucked from the room with her words.

"Pimped out?" I repeated with a shaky voice.

Bex nodded. "You know Dylan's connected with Carlos somehow, and they've been trying to diversify their whores," she explained with a scowl. "Dylan thought I'd be perfect for his little scheme. I disagreed."

There was a loaded silence that followed her words. I could feel the male fury in the room. I wasn't exactly feeling calm either.

At that moment, Dylan decided to emit a moan and wake up.

With reflexes that stunned even me, I pushed off the sofa and shoved Asher's hand away from his shoulder. I pressed my finger into the hole, and Dylan screamed in pain.

"You lay a hand on her again, try to pimp her out again, I'll shoot you myself," I hissed into his pain-drenched eyes.

I was gently pulled back from his twitching body and evil glare.

"He won't breathe your air again," Asher whispered in my ear.

I sank back into Asher's body, squeezing my eyes shut. I decided to believe him. To trust him. To let him take care of this. Whatever that meant.

"You come near either of those women again, we won't be dropping you home, you piece of shit. We'll be digging your grave," Asher hissed at the fucker they'd thrown on the side of the road.

He clutched his shoulder and chuckled. "The big, bad Sons of Templar," he sneered. "Do you have any idea who my family is?"

Lucky stepped forward. "I don't care if you're the President of the United States' long lost son, you come near them again, I'll rip your cock off and make you eat it," he promised. He then reared back and kicked the fucker savagely in the head, knocking him out cold.

He looked around. "Let's bounce, this isn't a place we want to be stopping for ice cream," he stated casually, climbing back into the van.

Asher gave the body one more look. His hand touched on the gun in his cut, thinking of the blood on Lily's face. Of her beautiful skin bruised. Of the haunted look in her eyes when she had been pressed against that wall clutching a gun.

"Bro, as much as I want to say otherwise, your Old Lady was right," Lucky called from the van. "Killing him would not be smart. It'd most likely start a war."

Asher realized the truth behind his friend's words and nodded, turning his back and climbing into the van.

There was silence as they pulled away. "Still might start a war," Bull muttered finally.

"Good," Gage cut in. "I've been itching to try out my new piece." He smiled, rubbing his gun thoughtfully, the sick fuck.

Bull's body tightened. "War with the Tuckers means bloody. They do not fight fair, and they'll target anyone connected to us. That's not fuckin' happening," he growled.

Asher raised a brow at his normally silent brother. He was usually on Gage's wavelength about a fight. He relished it. Shit he'd been through, sometimes Asher thought killing was the only thing that kept the fucker breathing. But he was different. Human, now that Mia had chased away the demons that used to define him. Fucker damned near cheerful ever since he married her.

"Bull's right," he agreed. "The Tuckers are crazy fucks, arguably crazier than you," he told Gage. "But that shit, shooting that stupid fuck, I'm doubtful it'll start anything. They may be crazy, but they're not stupid. Word's gotten around about Dylan Tucker. He's a pain in even that crazy family's ass. They won't start anything with us over a flesh wound...." he paused, his fists tightening, "especially when they find out it's a result of the bashing of two our woman."

Bull leaned forward. "How will they find that out? That fuck's not likely to tell the truth."

Lucky grinned. "I'll set about educating the right people so word gets back to them," he volunteered.

Asher nodded. "Good. We'll be on alert, just in case. Let Cade know. But I'm doubtful it'll turn into anything more..." he paused, "and if it does, we'll burn their entire fucked up empire to the ground."

"You're quiet," Asher observed, stroking the hair from my face.

"I'm always quiet," I returned from my position against his chest.

"Not with me." He jostled me so my face tilted to meet his.

"We haven't been together long enough for you to make generalizations about how am I am not with you," I replied with a slight bite to my voice.

His eyebrows rose. "We've been together long enough for me to know when shit is swirling in that head."

We were in bed. We hadn't made love, we had barely spoken. The afternoon had been taken up with dealing with the bleeding man in our living room, with the battered Bex, and with some very angry bikers.

"Why do you guys have all the fun without us?" Gage whined when Asher had opened the door to him, a man I didn't recognize with a 'Prospect' patch and Bull.

The joking atmosphere had quickly dissipated when three sets of eyes focused on me. On the patched up cut on my forehead, which I'd done myself after convincing Asher we didn't need his doc. My nursing training had me able to patch up Bex and myself. Manly rage saturated the air when their eyes moved to Bex, on the sofa beside me, her bruises worsening with every hour.

"Please tell me we're dumping a body," Gage spit out, his eyes moving to the prone Dylan.

A groan emitting from his body answered the question.

He grinned. "So you did save some for me," he rubbed his hands together, "much obliged." His face had turned cold, and the glint in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine. He was not the man who'd been joking with me at the club days earlier, the man who'd been playing with Belle. This was a killer.

"This one's catch and release brother," Lucky informed him, putting a hand on his chest when he tried to advance further.

Gage scowled at him. "Come again?"

Lucky sighed. "It's not my first choice either, but the women in the building voted against us."

Gage's scowl deepened. "Since when do women get to dictate how we dole out justice?"

"Since women got the vote, I'm sure even alpha bikers have noticed a little thing called feminism," Bex interrupted from her perch on the sofa.

His hard gaze settled in on her face, I watched him visibly flinch at the state of it. His scowl deepened.

"Men who do that," he nodded to her face, "need to meet the reaper. Preferably slowly," he gritted out.

Bull stepped forward, surprising me by speaking, "Can't say I don't agree with you, brother, but be mindful of our audience." His eyes touched mine. "These women have been through enough shit. They don't want to become accessories to murder, I say we oblige them. Cade will also appreciate us not risking the club with this fucker," he continued in a rational voice.

Gage glowered at him. "What the fuck ever," he ground out finally, stepping back.

The men moved away from him, giving him the opening he needed to advance on Dylan's body. His motorcycle boots connected with Dylan's crotch savagely, and he cried out, curling into himself.

No one said anything, Lucky raised a brow.

Gage shrugged. "We can't kill him. No one said anything about making him a eunuch."

Lucky chuckled slightly, and even Bull grinned.

You'd think at that moment I would have been focused on the fact I had multiple bikers and a man bleeding from a gunshot wound in my small living room. Instead, my attention was on Bull. On the way his attractive mouth was turned up. How his eyes seemed clearer, not haunted by those demons I recognized years ago. This amazed me and gave me hope.

"Flower, how about you take Bex, both of you pack a bag." Asher's voice tickled my ear and his hands tightened on my hips.

"Pack a bag?" I repeated, confused.

Asher turned me so I faced him. "Yeah, you're coming to the clubhouse until we can ensure it's safe to come back here." He frowned at my front door. "We'll get you a decent security system," he added.

I really wanted to argue with this. With him commanding me to leave my apartment, however shabby it was, it was where I felt comfortable. The mere prospect of leaving what little sanctuary my apartment offered me had my chest feeling heavy. But there was a man bleeding in my living room. A man that had attacked Bex. So my anxiety would take a backseat for safety, for her safety.

"Okay," I replied quietly.

Asher jerked in surprised, as did Bex, they were both obviously expecting an argument.

"Okay?" Bex repeated shrilly before anyone else could speak.

"Bex...." I tried to calm her before she got on a full rant. That failed.

She pushed off the sofa, grimacing slightly in pain. She pointed at Lucky, who advanced as if to steady her.

"Don't even think about doing the whole protective alpha shit. I'm fine," she ground out.

"Your face and ribs speak a different story, sweetheart," Lucky clipped.

She glared at him. "Does this biker clubhouse have mystical healing powers? Can it make all of my injuries disappear along with all of my problems?" She didn't wait for a response from anyone. "I know you all like to gather up the poor helpless females to help ascertain your position as bad ass bikers, but I'm not going for that shit," she declared.

I chewed my lip. Bex was serious and stubborn. Someone would have to drag her bodily from this place and by looking at Lucky's tight face that could be a possibility. If she wasn't going anywhere, neither was I. I felt a slight relief at this fact. Bex threw the hissy fit I couldn't.

"Fuck," Asher muttered under his breath, obviously recognizing the look on Bex's face.

"You are going," Lucky gritted out.

Bex glared. "Care to make me?" she asked sweetly.

"Oh, I care to make you, sweetheart," he replied with menace in his tone. Menace that didn't belong there.

"Shit, if they want to stay, let them fuckin' stay," Gage cut in, playing peacemaker, as if he hadn't just argued murder moments ago. "No fucker is stupid enough to cause trouble with our bikes outside."

Lucky's murderous gaze settled on him. I didn't have the opportunity to watch the stare off.

Asher's hand moved to my neck, directing my gaze to his. "I guess I can't convince you to come to the club?" he asked sounding defeated.

I shook my head slowly. "If Bex is staying, I'm staying," I replied quietly.

Asher shut his eyes for a split second and then nodded. "How about you go and hang out in your room, we'll sort this." He nodded to Dylan's body.

I gave Bex a look, one that told her to listen to Asher. She rolled her eyes and walked gently toward my room. She paused and turned. Her face had lost its bravado, its fury. She looked small and vulnerable.

"Thanks..." she half whispered to the room, her eyes dancing over the men and settling on Lucky, "for arriving when you did. I don't doubt Lily's ability to pull the trigger if she had to..." she paused, "but I'm glad she didn't have to." Without waiting for a response, she turned to disappear into my room. Lucky's eyes focused on the closed door, his brows furrowed.

Asher's hand touched my forehead lightly. "You sure you're okay, Lily?" he asked with concern.

I nodded quickly, not liking the fact all of the men were standing, looking at me.

He kissed me lightly on the mouth. "Go see to your friend. She may like to think she's tough as nails, but I doubt she's as okay as she's acting," he murmured, surprising me with his perception.

I stared at him for a long moment before I stepped out of his embrace.

"Can I get anyone a drink? Beer? Before you commence...." I trailed off, my gaze darting to where Dylan was situated.

There was a short course of clipped nos.

"I'll take that beer," Lucky replied, his eyes now focused on the situation at hand.

All the men gave him a look.

He held out his hands. "What? She offered."

Asher shook his head at him. "We're fine, babe," he reassured me.

"Okay, well, just let me know," I replied quietly. "Thank you," I said a bit louder, echoing Bex's sentiment. "I know this hasn't got anything to do with you, and I appreciate you doing it anyway," I blurted quickly.

Asher frowned at me.

"You're family, Lily. Someone hurts you, they hurt us. We don't stand for that. Appreciate the sentiment, sweetheart, but it's unnecessary," Gage said softly. "Plus, it was gearing up to being another boring Wednesday, I do love a good body disposal." He winked at me.

Despite the situation, I smiled shyly. "Thanks all the same," I repeated firmly.

I turned to go to my room, Asher still frowning at me.

I didn't focus on what the reason for that could be, nor ponder how he could still look hot as anything with furrowed brows. I had a friend to look after.

"I'm thinking," I said finally.

"About today," Asher clarified.

"Yes. About your friend shooting someone, and both of you being prepared to kill that someone. No talk of calling the proper authorities was even entertained," I answered.

Asher sighed and sat up, taking me with him. "You may not have been an Old Lady for three years, but you've been connected to the club. You know the way we live our life, our distaste for law enforcement," he said slowly.

I looked into his clear eyes. "Yeah, I guess it's different being on the sidelines and having to argue with your boyfriend over not killing someone." I never thought I'd utter a sentence like that in my life. "It's a lot to deal with. I'm already trying to pick myself up, this is something that has me in danger of falling down," I whispered, the truth of my words slicing through my soul. I was still trying to figure out who I was after my mom's death. Trying to understand whether being a nurse was what I wanted, if being who I used to be was what I wanted. If I did decide being a nurse was what I wanted, I had to study. Hard. I had to work harder to be able to survive. One of my scholarships had been dropped which meant I would need to pick up more shifts. My life would already be crazy. I didn't need shootings in my living room. I didn't need Asher consuming me.