“I need a favor,” I tell Skull, when he picks up the phone.

In response, he lets off with a trail of curse words. Most are in Spanish, but I’ve been around him enough to know what they are. I hold the phone out from my ear until there’s nothing but silence.

“Are you finished?

“No. I am not done, you shithead! Why haven’t you been picking up your goddamn phone?”

“Because I didn’t want to talk.”

“You didn’t want to talk?” he mutters, and I sigh.

I should have called Diesel. I’m standing by my bike. Trying to figure out for the hundredth time why Hayden…kissed me. She kissed me. What the fuck did she do that for?

“No quieres hablar,” Skull mutters, and I growl.

“Quit busting my fucking balls. Either you will help or you won’t. Which is it.”

“I’ve been trying to help you, estúpido. You haven’t picked up the fucking phone!” he yells, and I mostly ignore him. Looking out at Hayden’s house and seeing her move through the kitchen window. She kissed me.

“What are you talking about?”

“Motherfucker, you told Blade that the Devil’s Blaze had no interest in Whitley! You told him you weren’t under our protection!” Skull yells and fuck, if he doesn’t stop yelling he’s going to stroke out. He’s that worked up.

“It’s the truth. Now are you going to help me, or do I need to check with someone else.”

“It’s not the truth motherfucker. I’ve had Hayden under our protection. I put a call into Cade and he brokered a deal with the Torasani family. Your little declaration to Blade has fucked shit up.”

“Why does Hayden need protection?” I growl.

“Because I found out a little over three months ago they beat the fuck out of her and left her for dead. I may not owe shit to Pistol, but fuck, maybe if I had checked on the bitch earlier—” Skull trails off, but the message is clear. He’s feeling guilty, but his words leave me confused.

“The preacher mentioned her being beaten. He acted like her brother fixed her up with this place and shit. Diesel figures Pistol had a will or something,” I answer, my eyes glued to the house.

“Fuck, Pistol had nothing. That fucker is the one that sold her out to the Dwellers, then when he decided to change his mind it was too late. They used her as leverage over him.”

“The Dwellers?”

“Yeah, just one of the snakes Viper and those fucking Donahues climbed into bed with.”

“Motherfucker.”

“I put a call out to Cade and he may not be kin to Hayden because she was Pistol’s half-sister, but he still agreed to make sure she was protected. He called some markers into the Torasani’s. Blade found out she was pregnant, and demanded her back, but he’s scared enough of us and the Torasani’s he hasn’t made a move. You going in like a fucking asshole declaring we have no interest there, causes a bunch of fucking headaches,” Skull growls.

I take a deep breath and go over everything Skull just said. Cade is the President of the Florida chapter of the Blaze. He’s a good guy even if he shares a mother with Pistol. If Skull says Hayden’s not kin to Cade that must mean Hayden’s father and Pistol’s is the same. He was a slimy motherfucker, maybe even worse than Pistol. It’s hard for me to believe Hayden shares their blood at all. Holding my head down, I rub my forehead, feeling a migraine starting to form.

“A couple of Blade’s goons ran me off the road today. They had me in their sites, but didn’t take me out.”

“A message.”

“I figure. I want all the intel you can find on the Dwellers Compound. I’m going to pay Blade a visit.”

“The fuck you will. You aren’t going without backup.”

“I don’t need backup to deal with these motherfuckers.”

“I’ll have a meeting set up and you will have some of our men with you. That’s non-negotiable.”

“No fucking way.”

“This ain’t for you to decide this time motherfucker. I don’t want these assholes getting brave and going after the girl.”

“What’s she to you?” I ask him, even if I do agree with him.

“Responsibility. I should have sent someone after her when Pistol first told me about her.”

I think on all the hell that Hayden undoubtedly went through under the Dwellers. I remember her panic attack and the sadness that I see on her face sometimes, and I have to agree with him. It goes against everything I am to agree to let Skull set up a meeting. If it was just me involved I would fucking shut it down at once. It’s not just me. I need to protect Hayden and her daughter.

“Set up the meeting. I want it soon,” I growl, finally agreeing.

“I’ll be in touch. You just make sure to answer your fucking phone,” Skull orders, and I disconnect on a grunt. I put my phone back in my pocket and then I march back over to Hayden’s. I need to know what the hell she was thinking. She kissed me.