was probably scaring the crap out of her, but she had scared the piss out of him earlier and he wasn’t playing nice anymore.
Rhee felt her hands start to shake. She raised her face to meet his, and focused on Dax’s chin. She employed the only strategy she could think of to combat the dizzying anxiety that threatened to bubble over and consume her. She got mad.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like you own me!” Rhee forced her anger into her face and managed to glare at him.
Dax smiled then, a cold smile that made Rhee shake in her borrowed boots.
“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong, Rhiannon.”
Rhee shivered at his use of her given name.
“I do own your little ass. You have no family, no money, no place to go, and I’m your only chance of finding that wayward little sister of yours. So the next time you think about disobeying a direct order from me, think long and hard. Because it won’t take me more than two seconds to forget about your little cause! I have more important things to do than babysit you!” he roared, his fear for the girl manifesting as rage.
Rhiannon blanched at his harsh words and fought the sudden, embarrassing rush of tears that came to her eyes. She was pinned by Dax’s anger, rooted to the floor. Her heart pounded and her vision blurred.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Angry Dax was more frightening than Marco or her step-dad had ever been.
Dax backed off, and took several deep breaths. “Dammit, Rhee.” He pushed his hand through his spiky blond hair and realized he had been shouting. The whole damn clubhouse had probably heard his uncharacteristic tirade. He approached the girl, who had a hollow, wide-eyed look on her scared face.
Dax took a step towards her and Rhee flinched, hard. Instinctively, she covered her face with her arms, protecting herself from the imaginary blow. Dax stopped in his tracks.
“Shit.” Dax turned away, running a hand through his hair. “Rhee. Rhee? Honey, I’m sorry I got carried away but you scared the shit out of me. Rhee?”
Rhee drew a shaky breath behind her hands. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor, to escape him. “Please, don’t.” It came out as a half-sob, one that begged to unleash a torrent of pent-up hysteria.
Dax was at a complete loss. He regarded Rhee’s protective posture. I’ve never hit a woman! I’ve also never wanted to spank a woman as badly as I want to spank her right now! But I don’t want to hurt her. I’ve scared her enough. Dax’s anger dissipated and now he was left with awkward feelings of guilt and remorse. So, he did what most guys did in uncomfortable situations with women: He stalked out the door and headed for the bar.
The minute he was gone, Rhee locked the door and collapsed on the small bed, sobbing. Too much had happened. Too much. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Mickey…
As if he didn’t feel guilty enough, the faint sounds of Rhee crying only added to Dax’s level of discomfort. The scathing looks directed his way from Wince, Rollie, and even Hawk pissed Dax right off. He kicked back a scotch and then a whiskey.
“Maybe I should check on her.” Wince directed his question to Hawk.
“Yeah. The kid sounds pretty upset.”
“Do you have a master key? The door might be locked.”
“I’d knock and see if she wants to let you in. If she don’t answer, then leave the girl be.”
Wince brushed by Dax without acknowledging him and made his way down the corridor. Dax made a mental note to put the grunt in his place. Still, he found himself listening intently as Wince knocked on the door for several moments. Then, the door must have opened because Wince didn’t come back. Dax raised two fingers.
“Make the next one a double.”
Chapter Ten
Dax woke up with a dull ache pounding in his head. Fuck! He stood up and then room spun. Dammit, he hadn’t been this hung over since he was a kid. He stumbled to the grunts’ bathroom after realizing he had
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