Wraith OW Drama Excerpt

Caleb’s body jerks, and he stands up. “Bender.”

Bender’s eyes travel to me before flicking back to Caleb. “She belongs to Wraith.”

He spits out a curse before turning back to me with a muttered, “Sorry.”

I shrug, turning a glare to the big brute of a man beside him. “I don’t belong to anyone. The boy was just being a harmless flirt.”

Husky laughter falls from his mouth as he glances at Caleb. “She called you a boy.”

Caleb grits his teeth before turning on his heels and walking away.

“He’s twenty-six,” Bender says around laughter.

My eyes widen and I almost spit out the mouthful of beer. Instead, it goes down the wrong pipe causing a coughing fit. “No way,” I splutter, wiping the beer from my mouth with the back of my hand.

When Bender nods, I can’t help but laugh. “Holy shit. He’s got damn good genes. I would have guessed eighteen until I figured you all wouldn’t have someone that young here. He’s only two freaking years younger than me.”

He shrugs but before he gets the chance to say anything, a catty little laugh sounds from the other side of me. I close my eyes, already knowing who it is before I look.

Lola growls low in her throat, her body standing stiffly at the side of my barstool, so I wrap my fingers around her collar to hold her still.

I turn with a bright smile on my face. “Something funny?”

Her eyes run down me contemptuously, but I’m not the least bit perturbed. “Well, yes. You are. You think Wraith is going to keep you around? For as long as I’ve been here, he’s not kept anyone around. You’re not special.”

And she isn’t very bright if she’s going to just ignore the angry dog standing at my side. “Let me guess. You are though?”

“I’ve been here as long as Wraith has, and I’ve warmed his bed just as long. What do you think?”

I laugh, taking a sip from my beer. “You poor thing. I think you’re delusional.”

Bender buts in. “Candy, that is enough. Wraith warned you.”

She shrugs. “Wraith always warns me. Yet, here I am.”

“Like I said, delusional,” I chirp.

“How am I crazy? Did you forget I was the one that had my mouth around his cock just hours earlier?”

My mouth fills with bitterness at the reminder. “Nope. I also remember that he ordered another man to fuck you and you went like the little puta sucia you are. Do you really think he’ll see you as anything more?”

Her nose scrunches comically. “What the fuck ever you just said.” She stands and props her hands on her hips. “Stay away from him. I’ll be the one on the back of his bike, you stupid skank.”

I laugh again, coming to a stand in front of her. “You can call me a skank, but you’ll always be a little puta sucia.” Leaning closer, I whisper, “A little dirty whore.” When I pull away, I tap my palm against her cheek.

The anger brews in her dull brown eyes, and I prepare myself for the fight that’s about to come.

One day, Nova, you need to learn when to walk away.

But then I scoff at the ridiculous thought. I wouldn’t know how to walk away if my life depended on it.

Just as she’s about to pounce on me, an arm wraps around my waist and moves me out of the way, and the next thing I know, I’m glaring at the back of Bender’s cut.

Lola nearly jerks my arm out of my socket as she tries to get to the stupid woman. Her menacing growls have the hair on my arms standing up. “Calm, Lola. She’s just a bitter, jealous twat trying to mark territory that’s not hers.”

Bender’s shoulders tighten, and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh. “Candy, I suggest you get scattered before Wraith gets back and your ass is out of here.”

“You’re just a lowly patch member, Bender. I don’t give a shit what you say. You know how many times they’ve threatened to kick me out of here?”

“I wonder why,” I mutter.

“I heard that,” Candy snarls.

“Wasn’t trying to be quiet,” I singsong.

I’m so lost in the drama with this stupid bitch that it takes moments before the sound of bikes catches my ear.

With excitement, I step from behind Bender and wave my hand, shooing her away. “Shoo, you chocha apestosa.”

She screeches, but Bender grabs her arm, dragging her away before it gets out of hand. No doubt he heard the bikes pull up too, and the last thing we need is them to catch me and this woman in a brawl in the middle of the common room. Especially when it’s over nothing important. She’s staking her claim, but she doesn’t realize that it’s not needed. A deal for my body is not worth fighting over. She can have the man when I’m out of here.

Just as I take a step toward the stairs, Candy’s bitch ass blocks my way.

“You’ve actually come back.”

I lift a brow. “Of course, I did. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you’re not wanted here. Not anymore. I thought you figured that out,” she replies.

“Still a jealous twat, I see.”

Candy laughs and tosses her frizzy black hair over her shoulder. “Why would I be jealous? I’m the one that took him to his room not long after you left.” Her smile widens. “I told you he’d always come back to me.”

“Wow. You don’t give up, do you?”

Her brows draw together. “What?”

“It’s kind of pathetic the way you chase someone that wants nothing to do with you.”

Her nostrils flare. “That’s what you think.”

“Oh, sweetie. It’s what I know. I know what I’m worth, honey, and once a man’s had a taste, he ain’t gonna go back to someone like you. You’re catty and miserable and you’ll bring down anyone that gets in your way. You think because someone sleeps with you they’re your property. News flash, puta. You don’t get the right to own people.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. We went to his room together. He told me he missed me, and we kissed.”

Her eyes scream that she’s telling the truth, but my gut tells me she’s also leaving something out.

“Candy, your dumbass ain’t ever gonna learn. Wraith was drunk off his ass. He only let you help him to his room because he couldn’t see two inches in front of his face. I watched you try to take advantage of him. I also saw him shove you away. He told you not to touch him because he wasn’t yours,” Steel informs her.

My insides freeze when I realize what he’s said, and my head slowly swivels back to the bitch standing at the foot of the stairs.

“You tried to take advantage of him while he was drunk?” 

“Nova,” Juniper calls softly, warned by the quiet tone of my voice.

Candy’s gray eyes widen. “What? No,” she splutters.

I clench my fists as my hands shake and her eyes drop to them. The banister at her back stops her retreat. “You tried to take advantage of my man. While he was drunk.”

When she realizes she has nowhere to go, she makes one last ridiculous stand. People like Candy, I’ve been dealing with them my whole life. I grew up having to defend myself on the playground. If I wasn’t defending myself, then I was protecting someone else that was being bullied. You learn how to use your fists fast when you’re left with no other option.

She doesn’t have time to respond because faster than she can blink, my fist connects with her cheek. 

“You stupid bitch,” she screeches.

Candy comes at me with her hand raised, but I step into her hit and anchor my hand into her hair, tossing her away from the stairs. 

I stare down at her. “Stay the fuck away from Wraith. He’s not yours. He’s never going to be yours.” Turning on my heel, I make it to the first step when the next words that spew from her mouth stop me in my tracks.

“You and your little bitch of a sister should have ended up in a ditch.”

A red haze settles over me, worse than I’ve ever experienced before. Hands try to grab a hold of me as I rush toward her, but I shove them away, my target finally understanding the grave mistake she’s made.

Right. Left.

My fists attack methodically. 

The sting on my neck from her scratches spurs me on. The imprint of her palm against my cheek boosts me. 

My anger at this woman is a breathing entity under my skin.

Her body loosens under my hold, and I release her. I step back, clenching and unclenching my fists as I let the toxic anger drain from me.

“You shouldn’t have brought my sister into it,” I mutter.

Candy’s laugh is weak as she rises to her knees, but it still grates my ear, and whatever she’s about to say is going to set me off again.

I don’t give her a chance. Nope. Instead, I give her one of my boots to her jaw.

Her eyes roll back into her head, and she crumples to the floor.

It’s not until the silence of the room penetrates that what I just did settles in, and my body shakes.

“C’mon, Firecracker, let’s get you cleaned up,” a warm, familiar voice says.

I peer up into hazel eyes that spark with love. “She shouldn’t have brought my sister into it.”

“No, baby, she shouldn’t have.” He glances over at Candy. “I have a feeling she won’t be fucking with you again.”

The amusement in his voice clears some of the gray from my mind. “Benjamin, are you laughing because I used violence?” I ask.

“No?”

My hands fall to my hips, and I glare up at him. “You are.” I give a disdainful sniff. “Violence never solves anything, ya know.” His shoulders shake and I turn my glare up a notch, throwing in some toe tapping for the hell of it. “You find this amusing?”

His face becomes serious, and he steps closer. “I find it hot as fuck. I like knowing that you can take care of yourself. It’ll keep my hair from turning gray in the future when I’m away on runs.”

“We need to talk,” I state.

Wraith sighs. “Yeah, I guess we do.” He searches the room until he finds Phantom and Blade. “You two, get her shit and get her the fuck out of my club. Let her know if she steps foot on this property again. We won’t be so nice next time. Prospect Miller, Prospect Caleb, you two give them a hand. You might have to drive her to a motel for the night.”