“Fuck,” I grunted, irritated at myself for being careless. I’d shut it down, but I should have dumped it on the way here. If her father had a tracker on the device, it was possible it could detect our location even when the phone was off. And someone could hack it to learn the location.
“I’ll take care of it,” Patch offered, and I gave him a chin lift before jogging up to the bedroom and locating her phone. When I returned, I tossed the device to Patch, who slipped it into a vest pocket.
I had to say that one good thing about Alyssa’s exposure to law enforcement and apparent research into at least one MC, she didn’t say a peep about her phone. Likely because she understood how it could put her in danger.
“What else?” I asked, sensing Patch had more to say but was reluctant.
He glanced warily at Alyssa, then back at me. He was giving me a chance to get her out of the room before he said whatever it was.
I was a little torn because I wanted to protect Alyssa from the harsher side of my life, yet as my old lady, she’d have to accept that I did shit most people wouldn’t see as justified under any circumstances. And there would always be things I couldn’t tell her when it came to club business, but this situation involved her, so she deserved to know. Sugar-coated, of course.
“What else?” I asked again, giving him my answer. But I also stared at him hard, warning him to tread carefully.
“The punks from her school were released on a hundred-dollar bail.”
“What the fuck?” I shouted.
“You’re kidding!” Alyssa exclaimed at the same time.
I’d told her about what went down there, including the little shits being arrested. Now I wasn’t so sure it had been the right thing because she looked scared for the first time since I’d picked her up at school.
“Hey,” I said softly. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know that.” Her tone was exasperated, and if I hadn’t been so confused, I might have laughed. “I’m worried about my dad. What if they tattle to their boss, and he comes after my parents?”
“We’ve got guys on your mom and dad,” Patch reassured her. “Besides, I doubt they’ll be breathing much longer. Dax and Patriot are hunting—” He broke off when I shot him a sharp look. I didn’t want him to tell her that my brothers were planning to kill the fuckers.
“Oh good,” Alyssa sighed, then her expression darkened to something almost like menace—but she was too beautiful to really pull it off. “I hope they find them quickly and kill them slowly.”
Patch and I stared at her in disbelief, waiting for her to indicate it had been a joke. But she just scowled and ate more of her meal.
“Bloodthirsty much?” Patch asked with a smirk.
“They have it coming,” she insisted. “They are shitty excuses for human beings and—oh, no…” She breathed the last words as an expression of horror crossed her face.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I rounded the bar and took her in my arms.
Alyssa raised her frightened eyes to look at me. “They caught them red-handed. In the crack house, right?”
I nodded.
“There’s no way they would have been let out on bail, especially that low, if they didn’t have help. And they can’t afford a lawyer that good.” She gulped and double-blinked before whispering, “Dirty cops are working for my dad.”
I hated to validate her fears, but I wasn’t going to lie to her. “Yeah.”
“Mac gave him a heads-up on that, too,” Patch chimed in, drawing Alyssa’s gaze. “And whether he wants it or not, he’s got Silver Saints protecting him. We’re more likely to find out who they are before he does, anyway.”
“We won’t let anything happen to him either.”
Some of Alyssa’s tension drained, and when she looked at me again, her eyes were filled with trust. “Thanks,” she whispered, then she laid her head on my chest, and the rest of the stiffness in her body melted away. With one finger, I lifted her chin and brushed a kiss across her lips. Then I captured them for a deeper one.
“Well, that’s my cue to leave,” Patch announced.
I tore my mouth from Alyssa and gave Patch a hard stare. “No more visits unless we need to move or it’s over.” Then I turned and smiled at my woman wickedly. “I’ve got some loose ends to tie up, and I don’t want to be interrupted.” Then I lowered my voice so only she could hear me. “It’s time for detention, baby.”
Alyssa’s mouth formed a little O as she caught my drift, then her cheeks bloomed with crimson. She’d forgotten about my threat. But I always followed through, and my little girl had disobeyed me, which meant she needed to be punished. And from the fire burning in her eyes and the sparks flying between us, she was looking forward to it as much as I was.
7
Alyssa
The past two weeks had been amazing. The best of my life, really. Which was wild, considering the circumstances.
Garrison and I stayed in our little bubble, just the two of us. No school for me, and no club business for him except for some texts and calls about my situation. There was nothing to distract us from each other…and oh boy, had we taken advantage of the privacy. I’d even earned myself another couple of punishments because the orgasms after being denied for so long were out of this world.
We basically played house the entire time, going about our days and nights like a happy couple who lived in this gorgeous home in the middle of nowhere. We were strangers when we first got here, but we had slid into our roles almost as though we’d known each other forever. At this point, I wasn’t sure I could return to my old life without him.
I knew the situation I had landed into was serious because my dad never would’ve let someone from a motorcycle club watch over me if my safety hadn’t hung in the balance. I hadn’t known what I was risking when I sent those emails to the Silver Saints’ president, but I would gladly do it all over again for the chance to meet Garrison. The big, sexy grump had quickly carved himself a place in my heart by being sweeter than anyone would ever guess.
Like he was doing right now, cooking all of my favorite dishes for breakfast. “You really don’t have to go all out. I’m not even that hungry.”
His blue eyes filled with heat as he stalked across the kitchen toward me, his gaze scanning down my body and lingering on my chest. When he got close, he slid his hand to the back of my neck and gently squeezed. “Trust me, baby. Eat up. You’re gonna need to store up some extra energy for later.”
“Did you have something specific in mind?” I bit my bottom lip, my cheeks heating as I thought of several ways we could spend the afternoon together and all the orgasms that would be involved.
Brushing his thumb over my lip, he tugged it from between my teeth and stroked over the spot a few times. His gentle caress sent a zing of lust straight to my core. If I’d been wearing any panties, they would’ve been drenched. He was just that potent.
“Other than getting my daily fix of your sweet pussy?” He shook his head and flashed me a sexy smirk, knowing darn well the impact his dirty words had on me. “Nah.”