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without an injury.
    It was a pain I longed to feel, hated to forget, and suffered through for the past year.
    “Son of a bitch.” His words murmured in soft threat. “You’re bruising.”
    I edged away. He didn’t take the hint.
    “I said I’m fine.”
    His thumb brushed over my lip. What might have once been a gentle gesture only stung the cut. My lip swelled beyond pouty and into battered. Instinct kicked in, a learned behavior to protect myself—even from the men who didn’t deserve my attitude.
    I slapped him across the cheek. He retreated as his men pretended to stay busy. Grim snickered.
    “Shut up, Grim.” I hadn’t needed to scold him since he and Keep Darnell tag-teamed a dancer on my stage. “Luke, take me to Sorceress. Now.”
    Luke didn’t rub his cheek though the red marks probably hurt. “It’s not safe for you there.”
    “I’ll decide what’s safe for me.”
    “Not unless you want to end up as Temple’s whore.”
    “I won’t have time to get fucked if Anathema swoops in here to play hero too.”
    Luke ran a bloody hand over his head, staining his thick, blonde hair crimson. “Don’t make this any harder.”
    “Don’t get me kidnapped and we can play as nice as we want.”
    The steel-tipped footsteps echoed against the garage’s concrete. I didn’t dignify Priest’s approach with a response, though a man like Priest took silence as consent—as well as screaming and fighting. I warned my dancers to stay clear of him. Not everyone took the warning, and not everyone made it home to Sorceress.
    “You okay, Prez?” Priest crossed his arms. The leather creaked. His old patches stretched against the black, worn and faded and still bearing Anathema’s scarred demon insignia. I was surprised he kept the patches. Priest and Luke were some of the first to betray Anathema. Luke left with words. Priest slid out on blood. “You gonna let a bitch talk to you like that?”
    “Yeah.” Luke said. “‘Cause it’s my fault she got hurt.”
    Priest was old enough to be my father, but that didn’t stop him from putting money on my stage, and it didn’t prevent him from looking now. I resisted the urge to zip Luke’s jacket higher.
    He sneered. “If she were my old lady—”
    “I’m not.” I said. Odd for a group of murderers and thieves to descend into awkward silence. “And I’m not Luke’s.”
    I hated how much the words embittered my tongue. I spit the truth just to admit it aloud and spare myself whatever weakness I’d felt for him in the past.
    “How did your guys know where to find us?” I asked. “We were in the middle of the desert.”
    Luke shrugged. “We’re not in church, Lyn.”
    “And I’m not running the info to Anathema. I deserve some answers.”
    “I got recon on Temple. That’s all you need to know.”
    There was more to it than that, but he was right. Safer if I didn’t have a clue.
    “I need a phone,” I said. The men didn’t move, even when I snapped my fingers for a cell. Great. Kidnapped again. “Unless you want Thorne riding over here with his men, I need to call off his dogs.”
    Luke pointed at Grim. “Get the guys here for Church. I’ll take Lyn home.”
    “I don’t need a ride home,” I said. “Take me to my club before Anathema firebombs this garage and you all get killed.”
    Luke had a lot of patience, and he graced me with most of it, but he didn’t become president of a usurped motorcycle club by chance. No matter his smile, his dimples, or even the regal charm he possessed, Luke was still a dangerous man. He didn’t intimidate me. He tried, but I was smart enough to avoid challenging him. Mouthing off wasn’t a savvy business decision, especially when it was hard to dance with broken legs.
    Luke dragged me from his men. He kept a spare bike in the garage. I wasn’t dressed to ride, and I didn’t do side saddle.
    “Not gonna call me a taxi?” I asked.
    He rubbed the cut on his face, but it only made it bleed more. He was