Addictive (The Houston Defiance MC Series Book 2)

open when you sleep.”
Zero’s gaze shifts to Finley, a sudden tension filling the air. “I’m not getting out of here, am I?”
I view the concerned eyes of my best friend. “We’re trying, brother.”
Finley nods. “Trust me. I’m looking into every possible angle for you, Zero. We will come up with something, but it might not be for a little while. You need to hang tight. Keep your head down and your guard up.”
Zero’s eyes meet mine. “Cherry Bomb?”
“She’s strong. She’s taking charge of the clubhouse. She’s fine. Misses you, but she’s okay.”
“Prinie?” he asks, but there’s a different tone to his voice.
Cracking my neck to the side, I let out a long breath. “She’s not as fine…” I exhale. “It’s bringing up some memories she’d rather forget. Prinie has anxiety about your family being separated. I wanna help her, but…” I trail off.
Zero rubs the back of his neck. “You take care of her. If she’s struggling and needs someone, Wraith, then for the moment, I need you to watch over her while I’m not there.”
I’m not sure how to take his words so I clarify, “For the moment?”
He grunts. “Just take care of her, Wraith. We’ll discuss it further when the time comes.”
“With all due respect, Zero, I don’t want to pull her in different directions when you get out. If things have to change when you’re around, then I don’t want to have to step back and hurt her. Am I good for her? Probably not. Do I care about her?” I let out a small laugh. “More than I fucking should. I don’t want to hurt her mentally any more than I have. If you’re gonna change your mind the second you come back, then no… I’ll remain keeping my distance from her.”
His top lip curls. “I can’t give you my blessing, Wraith. I don’t like you being with her for obvious reasons.”
My muscles tense, my stomach churning.
Why does it feel like the floor is spinning beneath me and about to swallow me whole?
“Then, that’s your answer—”
“I need Prinie taken care of. I need her to feel safe. I don’t want her upset over me,” Zero adds.
It makes me physically sick saying it, but it’s the only option I have. “She’s friends with Phantom. I’ll have him guard her.”
I can’t help but feel the heated stares of Finley and Kevlar on me, but I ignore them as I begin to pace, more because I can’t stand this damn conversation. The thought of sending Prinie straight into Phantom’s arms is killing me.
“Thank you, Wraith. I understand this is hard, but we both know for Prinie’s safety, it’s for the best.”
The problem is, he’s right.
I know it.
Zero knows it.
Fucking Kevlar knows it.
So that’s why I can’t question Zero on it, because if I want to do what’s right by Prinie, I’ll leave her the hell alone.
The buzzer for an incoming inmate blasts making all our eyes snap to the doors. I tense, and the second I see him, the anger, the hate, the venom that runs through my veins for the kid who made my life in juvie a living hell reignites. I want to rush over and rip his heart out with my bare fucking hands.
But I can’t.
Because I know more than anything Damir seeing me right now means we’re officially screwed.
Damir strides out. He’s older, but I guess I am too. We were only young when we were in juvie together. Now he’s a tall, strong-built man. The scar on his neck is still as prominent as his dark eyes when they meet mine.
Damir stalls as he comes through the doors.
“Fuck,” I murmur under my breath.
Damir walks casually over to the table behind us where a couple of people are waiting. They were there for our whole conversation. They could have overheard everything. His eyes don’t leave mine as he takes a seat, rolling his head around on his shoulders like he owns the joint.
“Zero, you need to find someone in here you can align yourself with,” Kevlar whispers across the table.
Zero chuckles. “I’ve tried. Everyone’s in the Baron’s pocket. I’m screwed.”
I turn to Finley. “We gotta get him out. Now Damir knows I’m tied to Zero…”
“I’ll be dead by morning,” Zero finishes my sentence.
Fear rushes through me because the problem is, Zero’s absolutely right. The second I leave, the second the guards are out of the cellblock, they’ll be on Zero like a moth to a flame.
And this time it’ll be my fucking fault.
“Zero,” I mumble.
“It’s okay… let Cherry know I love her. We may not have had a long time together, but she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Tell her. Tell her she means everything to me.”
My face scrunches as I hear his goodbye to his Old Lady.
It breaks something deep inside of me as I sink back into the seat. I simply nod. “I’ll tell her.”
Zero clears his throat. “Tell Neon I’m sorry for all the shit that went down between us. I let Anna ruin our friendship, and I wish I had time to fix it. He’s a great friend, and I lost sight of that fact.”
“Jesus Christ, Zero, you might not even—”
He interrupts with, “Tell Prinie…” He stops having to take in a deep breath. “Tell Prinie I love her so fucking much. All I ever wanted was our family back together. Tell her to move on, to live her life. To make sure Koda grows up living the best life he can. He’s a good kid. He deserves everything this life can give him.”
This is fucking bullshit!
“Zero, stop! I don’t even think I’m taking this—”
“And you, Wraith…” I tense, my heart hammering in my chest as I stare at