CHAPTER 42
ZIGGY
I couldn’t sit still.
I couldn’t stand still.
I insisted the Gods stand guard not just outside the suite but inside, too. I wanted layers of security for Nicholai to try to penetrate. Since I’d come out of Lucky’s bedroom this morning, Blade had been doing his best to apologize to me. After pulling myself from Lucky’s arms, the reality of everything that happened yesterday was so much more stark in the early morning light.
We’d been played, plain and simple.
Nicholai won a battle.
But the war wasn’t over yet. In fact, it hadn’t even started yet. Once we unloaded the full power of the Gods on him, he wouldn’t know what hit him. Until now, we’d been too lackluster, not taking him seriously, or appreciating what a threat he really represented.
His message left no doubts about his intentions.
And if thought he was going to kill Lucky, he was crazy.
Slade had come up with a plan last night that was so crazy it just might work. As much as that guy slightly annoyed me, I was growing to love him. He was creative and his thinking outside the box might just be the thing that puts an end to all of this madness. For that, he’d have my unending gratitude.
But first we had to put the plan in play, and that was going to take all damned day, and the last thing I had time for was Blade following me around like a puppy dog that was in trouble for peeing on the rug.
“Dude, just let it go,” I said, finally.
“I just want you to know that I feel really terrible, man,” he replied.
“I get it,” I said. “But I forgive you. Lucky forgives you. This guy has skills, doesn’t mean you did anything wrong.”
“But I did, man. Becky…”
“Yeah, that might have been a mistake, but for other reasons. I mean, really, Blade? Becky?”
“I know, she’s a little awkward, but in bed, she’s a —.”
“—No, dude, I don’t want to know.”
“I want to know,” Slade piped up, causing everyone to laugh. “She’s what? Does she keep her glasses on?”
“She’s just very…hungry,” Blade said, reaching down and protectively grabbing his cock. We all burst out laughing again, breaking the nervous tension that had been lingering in the air all morning.
“Look, guys, we have a lot of work to do if we’re going to transform a pig into a princess, so let’s get out of here,” Riot said.
“I thought you said I was a snake,” Slade said, before snorting loudly. The guys broke out into laughter again.
“The others should be arriving in about half an hour,” Ryder said. “After we pick them up from the airport, we’ll all be meeting on another floor. If you’re not needed downstairs, your job is to stay here and not let anyone near that bedroom door.” He pointed at Lucky’s bedroom.
“Nobody goes in or out but me,” I said, with a determined nod.
Slade, Riot, Ryder, Wreck and Bones stood up and Ryder came over, giving me a huge hug with a big pat on the back.
“Don’t worry, Ziggy, we got this,” he said.
I swallowed hard and nodded and looked over at the other guys, waiting behind him.
“Thank you. All of you,” I said. “I know this wasn’t your traditional way of working and I know you’re taking a big chance even being here. I just want to say thank you, man. It’s means the world to me.”
“It’s obvious Lucky means the world to you. We’d have done it even if you weren’t involved. Don’t sweat it, Ziggy,” Riot said.
“Man, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m having a fucking blast,” Slade said. “So thank you, dude.”
“It’s all good,” Wreck said. “And yeah, don’t worry. Frankie’s Dad is incredible. This is all going to work, you’ll see.”
“I’m going to trust you on that,” I said.
Ryder patted me on the back again and flashed me a small, reassuring grin, before walking out, leaving me there with the others.
“I feel helpless just sitting here,” I said.
“So don’t just sit there,” Fury said. “Go back in there. You know you want to.”
I paused, feeling torn between my loyalty to the club and my desire to be glued to Lucky’s side. So far, they all seemed to understand, but I still felt as if I was somehow excluding myself from the brotherhood we all enjoyed.
“Just go, dude,” Eli insisted. “Look, it’s happened to the best of us. You’re in love.”
“Love?” I parroted, my eyes wide with surprise. “I don’t know if we’re there yet.”
The whole lot of them started laughing again and I looked at them in surprise.
“Y’all suck,” I said, shaking my head as I joined in.