"Only to you, baby."

"Well, you could let me take some photos of you?"

A twitch of amusement flickers over his face. "Seriously?"

"Well"

"Anything else?"

"You can not give me a hard time when I run over to the art center tomorrow for a class."

"Trin-"

"It's a day class. I promise I'll be careful."

"I'll come with you."

"No way. The classes are too small for visitors. Besides, you're more likely to draw attention than I am."

I can see him considering my words. "You asked how you could help me out," I remind him. I consider skipping out of the house tomorrow before he wakes up. But that's not how things work between us.

"What if-"

Using the best weapon at my disposal, I press my body against him and throw my arms around his neck. "If I take you to class with me, none of the women will be able to pay attention," I say in a low, teasing voice. "I'll slap the shit out of any woman eyeing my man. Is that what you want?"

He blinks, his blue eyes deep as the sea. "I love how that sounds coming out of your mouth."

Then he takes my mouth in an almost worshipful kiss, leaving me willing to do anything he asks.

I'm irritated Trin's in Ironworks without me to protect her. One text to Birch asking him to keep a low-profile watch over her only makes me feel a tiny fraction better.

Having her out of the house, though, gives me a chance to make some phone calls without worrying about Trin overhearing me. There are also some items I need to order. Z helps me find a few of the things on my long list. Fucker's surprised and amused when I tell him what I'm after.

Once that's done, I gotta figure out how to get her out of the house again tomorrow.

Like a grumpy bump on a log, I'm hanging out on the couch downstairs, flippin' through channels when Hope joins me.

"Hey," she greets. "How's the leg?"

"Okay."

"You eat breakfast yet?"

It's sweet she wants to take care of me. "I'm fine, thanks."

She heads to the kitchen and I continue flicking the television remote. Why are there so many fuckin' channels but nothing on?

"Where's Trin?" Hope asks when she returns.

In enemy territory. "Out."

Surprisingly, Hope isn't put off by my grumpiness. She tucks herself into the other couch. I glance over at her. She's bundled up more than usual.

"You cold?"

She hugs her knees to her chest. "I'm okay."

After a minute, she blurts out, "Is that Thor's hammer?"

I turn and realize she's been admiring my ink. Like the cocky asshole I am, I hold my arm out so she can take a good look. "Yeah." Running my gaze over her, I ask, "You got any ink, Hope?"

She shakes her head, and I'm not surprised. I take another look at her. Besides being dressed for a nap on an iceberg, she seems stiff.

"Are you still in pain?"

Her lip trembles and she hugs her knees tighter. "A bit. I stopped taking the pain pills because they made me loopy."

Christ, she just had surgery and she's not taking anything at all for the pain. I guess she's tougher than I give her credit for. I haven't spent all this time being part of one of the largest grow operations on the East Coast without knowing some things about pain management. Sparky keeps all of us well-informed on the various medical uses of his marijuana. I lean forward and pull a stash of weed from the coffee table drawer.

I hold up the box to her. "You smoke?"

"No."

Somehow I don't believe she's never even tried it. "Never?"

"You mean weed?"

God damn she's funny. "Yeah."

"I tried it in high school a few times."

"Well, well, you do have a little bit of bad girl in you after all." I nod at the screen. "Come on, Fight Club is even better stoned."

She makes a face like there's a hundred other things she'd rather watch before Fight Club, but eagerly takes the joint I hand her.

After a few hits she's staring off into space.

"Feel better?" I ask.

She snort-giggles, and rolls to the side. "Feeling no pain."

Oh, good God, what did I unleash?

"Why're you being so nice to me, Wrath?"

Aw, shit. "I been mean to you, sugar?"

More giggle-snorts. "Uh, duh. Yeah."

Shit she's funny like this. I hand off the joint again and try to collect my fuzzy thoughts. "You proved yourself. You got enough love for Rock to accept all this shit. Known him more than twenty years. Went through lotta bad shit together. Never seen him cry once until that day in the hospital when he thought he might lose you."

Fuck, she's tearing up and I can't stand to see it. "Don't you cry. Can't handle females cryin'." I try to say it teasingly, but it comes out a little harsh.

"You think I'm too soft for Rock's life. For the club, I know," she says with a pitiful sniffle.

Shit, how do I even explain the conclusion I've come to? "Yeah, sugar. I ain't gonna lie. You're soft. Took me some time to get it, but that's what Rock likes about you so much. Your softness. Our world is hard most of the time, so I guess he needs that. You give him something he can't find anywhere else."

Her lips curve up into a slight smile.

"Besides, you're a good girl. You've been tough when it counted."

I want her to understand if I've had reservations about her and Rock, it's not because I don't like her. It ain't about that at all. "You realize I worry about your safety? You ever got picked up by one of our enemies I can't even think about it."

"Shit, Wrath," she breathes out. This is where Rock's reluctance to explain our world to her really pisses me off. "Hope, we've worked damn fuckin' hard to strike a balance and keep our alliances tight." I stare right at her so she understands how serious I am. "But this life ain't easy on women."

"What about Trinity?"

I'm surprised her first concern is Trinity and not, oh, I don't know, herself. I think of the things Trin's lived through and I want to fuckin' choke someone. "She's been through enough."

Her whole face softens. "You love her, don't you?" she whispers.

Love doesn't quite describe how I feel about Trinity. Madly infatuated? Obsessed? Fucking furious we've wasted so many years hating each other. Frustrated she's not ready to let everyone know she's mine. "That girl's made me work harder than anything in my life."

Hope doesn't seem to know how to respond, which is fine, because I got nothing.

She sniffles. "I miss him."

"Yeah. I know. I'm sorry, sugar. Shoulda been me on that run."

"What is this 'run' anyway? Rock never said."

I roll my eyes at her. She should know better by now. "Club business."

"Ohhhhh." She falls over on her side laughing. "Top secret, big, bad biker stuff. I get it."

"You are soooo fucked up right now."

My phone buzzes against my thigh, and I yank it out of my pocket. Rock. Perfect timing.

"Yo," I answer.

"Hey. Where's Hope? She's not answering her phone. She okay?"

Hello to you too, asshole. "Yeah, she's right here."

"Where's here."

I kind of want to fuck with him and say my bedroom but I don't. "Living room."

"Doin' what?"

"Gettin' her high."

"What the fuck?! I'm gonna rip your fuckin' head off!"

"Is that Rock?" Hope yelps as she holds out her hands. "Gimmie, please!"

Jesus Christ. I hand over the phone.

"Hey, baby," Hope coos.

Christ, I wish I didn't need the crutches. I'd run the fuck away so I didn't have to listen to this.

"Yes, he's been a perfect gentleman."

Well, now she's just making me look like a pussy.

"Not if I spank you first." Seriously? Is there a bucket around here I can hurl into?

They do their nauseating goodbye thing which takes forfuckingever, before finally hanging up and Hope hands me my phone.

"He threatened to kick my ass you know," I inform her.

"I don't ever want to see you two trade punches."

I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted. "He can hold his own."

"I don't doubt it."

We're quiet for a minute or two. Hope's not into the movie. She starts playing with her hair. "I need to get my hair trimmed," she says absently.

Ding! The perfect way to get Trinity out of the house has just been dropped in my lap. Thank you, Cinderella. "You and Trin should go out tomorrow. Do some sort of girly salon day thing."

Hope seems to consider the idea. "Does she? She's not really the girly type."

Just then, the front door slams shut. Speaking of my little angel. "Jesus, it fucking reeks in here!" Trinity sniffs. "Goddammit, Wyatt. Did you get her high? Rock's gonna kill you."

"Yeah, he already chewed me out." I hold out my hands to her, but she sits next to Hope and takes the joint out of her hand.

"Hey!" Hope shouts.

I've got the perfect excuse to get them out of the house tomorrow. "Trin, Hope wants to go get her hair cut. Can you take her tomorrow?" I ask her casually.

Trin nods and glances at Hope's hair. "Sure. Girl I know owns that pin-up salon downtown. She always fits me in. I'll text her later."

Hope wrinkles her nose. "I'm not too nerdy for that place?" she asks, completely serious.

Trinity flashes a grin at her. "No."