Page 51 of Healed

“Delightful,” Dante muttered dryly, pulling out strands of bloodied black hair.

“Any ideas who that belongs to?” Kevin asked.

“Aye. This is Michelle, right?” he asked, handing the strands over to me.

“How the fuck would I know? It’s covered in blood, Dante. Do I look like a DNA analyst to you?”

“Looks like we got our answer, boss,” Ant replied, having picked up the envelope and found the note at the bottom. He unfolded it and placed it in the middle of the table.

You left someone behind, princess. And here I thought you wanted to save them all.

“It’s Michelle, isn’t it?” I asked with a sigh.

“It’s looking that way,” Dante replied, his face just as grim as Kevin’s had been. “This changes nothing, lads. We know what we need to do, this just proves we need to do it more urgently. Hacksaw, you find out how he’s managed to slip past the cameras and gain access to the woodlands. Everyone else, do what we agreed during this meeting. Nico is not a stable man, and the sooner he’s taken off these streets, the safer it will be for everyone.”

Chapter 14

Gabriella

“Sit,” Rachel demanded, shoving me into one of the booths.

“Doesn’t feel like I have much choice,” I muttered back, shuffling over to the far side.

“Shut up,” she snapped at me before walking over to the bar and grabbing a bottle. “I’m doing this for your own good,” she called over her shoulder.

“My own good,” I scoffed when she came back over. “You’re doing this because I wouldn’t drink with you. Because I wouldn’t treat you like royalty and kiss your ass like the rest of the old ladies.”

“I’m doing this because you have a stick up your ass and need to learn to lighten up,” she snapped back, slamming the bottle and glasses on the table.

“You know who you remind me of?”

“Enlighten me,” she drawled sarcastically.

“Kitty,” I said, meeting her eyes, my voice firm.

Rachel sucked in a sharp breath.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that. Kitty would have ordered you to be banned. I tried to offer you friendship. And unlike Kitty, if I want you out of here, you’d be out on your ass in a second, and there’s nothing Vienna would be able to do to stop it.”

“You think you have that much of a voice?” I asked, already knowing that she did, but not wanting to back down so easily.

Rachel laughed.

“Oh, honey. I know I have that much of a voice. Because as much as I get on his nerves, Dante knows I have the club’s best interests at heart. All of them. Kitty had herself and her immediate family on her mind. I think of the greater impact. Luckily for you, I don’t want you thrown out on your ass.”

She took a deep intake of breath and seemed to shake off my words, offering me a sickly sweet smile.

“Now, there are a few ways this can go,” she told me. “We can leave this booth with years of pent-up resentment making us hate each other. And that’s fine by me. You’ve seen for yourself. I’ve got my ladies. I’m good. I don’t need more friendships, nor do I particularly want them.”

“What’s the other choice?”

“We can drink, we can talk, and we can leave this booth not quite friends, but with a solid foundation to work with. Your choice, Gabriella.”

She finally took the seat opposite me and looked at me with raised eyebrows.

My mouth all but dropped open. The nerve of this woman!

“I’m confused here. What could you possibly have to resent me for?” I asked.