Page 18 of Hell Yes

“Listen to the woman.” Xander smirked. “She got more brains than you.”

“More than you, asshole,” Val muttered.

“Excuse me?” Xander bit out.

So much for the shy girl act. This woman had fire beneath her brimstone.

Sonny moved to strike but Xander shook his head.

“You heard me,” Val whispered. “Sam agreed to do what you asked, isn’t that enough? Do you have to humiliate him like this?”

The room was silent.

“And you.” She looked up at Dante. “Does Sage know about this? I thought Sam was her friend.”

Dante’s ol’ lady, Sage, owned the farm across the road from their compound and was friendly with everyone in town, including Sam. She often ate lunch there.

A rare hint of guilt hit Xander, but he ruthlessly pushed it away. Softer feelings had no place in his world.

“This is club business and Sage understands that,” Dante snapped. “No more backtalk, or next time Sonny will shut your mouth for you.”

Val hung her head and the dark curtain of her wavy hair fell over her face.

“Tell us about Mosley, Alberta,” Jesse asked, and Val’s head shot up again. “And don’t lie. We know that’s where you’re from.”

“I grew up there. I left years ago,” Val replied, her green eyes full of fear.

“You were raised in a religious group called Holy Sacrifice?”

Her eyes widened; her face frozen until she finally nodded.

“What’s your real name?” Xander asked.

“Alessia Rault. But it’s not my name anymore. I’m Val Renn.”

Jesse glanced at Xander and then back at Val. “Your family has no idea where you are?”

Val shook her head. “I ran away at eighteen because they were going to force me to marry our leader, Simeon Darling. Between that and the abuse I’d already endured from my parents, I knew I had to leave. And no, they don’t know where I am. At least, I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean ‘you don’t think so’?”

“Well, I received a letter today. No return address, but I know it’s from someone at the order given what’s written.” Val looked down. “It’s in my pocket.”

Xander reached down and slid his hand along Val’s thigh. Taking his time, he worked his way up her long leg, and then finally, reached into the pocket of her uniform to pull out an envelope.

He opened it, read it, and passed it over to Jesse.

“Someone’s found out where you are. Sounds like if you don’t head home, they’re headed for you. And what’ll happen to you when they catch you?”

Val bit her lower lip and shook her head again. “Probably what’s happening now. Imprisonment.”

“Sounds like you need protection too,” Sonny muttered. “How about instead of staying here, you go with Sam and work to get us intel? You do that, and we protect you in case anyone from your weirdo cult comes to town to find you.”

“But what would I have to do?” she whispered.

Sonny smirked. “Go as Sam’s date and then use your feminine wiles on the Krypt crew. Most men tend to think with their dicks, and it makes them stupid.”

She shook her head. “I can’t do that. I can’t.”