He snatched up his T-shirt and dragged it over his head in one motion, jerking it down over his chest before catching up his jacket.
Seychelle’s eyes went wide and dark as she watched him stomping into his motorcycle boots and shoving knives and a gun down into them.
“Wait a minute. Are you leaving? Now? In the middle of talking about this? Just when I’m talking about another woman?” She wrapped her arms around her middle, shivering.
He did his best to shut out the hurt in her voice. In her eyes. “Baby. We fucking put that topic to bed. I don’t know how many times I have to reassure you that I don’t want another woman’s mouth on me. It isn’t happening.”
“We didn’t put this to bed, Savage. This is different and you know it. I need your help to sort this out. Something’s really wrong. You’re my partner. I need you.”
“Babe.” He softened his voice and took a step toward her. Seychelle stepped back, the hurt in her eyes moving to her entire face. It felt like a fucking knife in his heart. “You knew I had to do some club business tonight. I’ll be back soon. We’ll sort this out then.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’d do this. Leave me like this. You can’t leave me when I really need you. This isn’t something silly. I’ve never once asked you for anything. Not one single time. I need you here with me to sort through this. I’m scared.”
“You don’t need to be afraid, Seychelle. You won’t be alone. I’ll have guards on you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“My God, you’re really going. You’re choosing them when I need you desperately.” The pleading on her face disappeared. For the first time he couldn’t read her. “This club of yours is so damned important to you, Savage. I hope it keeps you warm at night.”
What the fuck did she mean by that? “I don’t want you leaving this camp for any reason. You understand me? Not for any fucking reason. You have to pee, you tell one of the boys, and they’ll get Lissa or Scarlet or both of them to escort you.”
“Like I’m two.”
“Like you’re a treasure that no one is going to get the chance to hurt.”
She just looked at him. He stepped into her, intending to kiss her, but she stepped back, holding up her hand. “Go, Savage. It’s what you do. I know that. I knew it when I came here, what would happen. It isn’t like I don’t know what a fool I am. Just go, and don’t rub my face in it right now. You said you aren’t into humiliation, so please just don’t.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Reaper and Czar stood at the edge of the trees. “Savage, we need you now.” That was Czar. His president talking. A clear order. He had to go.
“Don’t you fucking move, Seychelle,” he snapped and stalked away. Hyde and Glitch waited just behind Czar and Reaper. Savage pointed at them. “If one thing happens to her, so much as a scratch on her, I’ll hold you two responsible. She isn’t to leave the campsite. If she does have to use the bathroom, both Lissa and Scarlet go with her. If you can’t get them, dig her a fucking hole right here and call it good.”
He stormed off, glaring at Czar, for the second time in his life wanting to punch the man. “You couldn’t give me fifteen minutes to straighten out something important with her?”
“I’m sorry, Savage, no. After you texted me that any of our people could be in trouble, and that Campbell may have gotten to some of the women in the Venomous club, it occurred to me that there might be a real connection between Tawny and that club. She admitted to trying to get information for the Diamondbacks from the Venomous club. It is entirely possible that Campbell and Tawny hooked up at some point.”
Savage slowed his pace, allowing Czar and Reaper to move up beside him. They were moving steadily through the crowd. The sun had set, and as the sky darkened, the parties began in earnest.
“Seychelle thinks I abandoned her. Some really fucked up shit happened right before you got there. She was scared, and she asked me not to leave her.” He looked at Czar. “She already thinks she plays second to the club, that she doesn’t matter as much to me.”
Czar shook his head. “I’m sorry, Savage. The timing on this entire thing is so wrong. I’ll talk to her.”
Savage raised an eyebrow. “She doesn’t like you very much. She sees you as the enemy. She sees the club as her enemy. After what I just did, I don’t know how I’m going to make it right.”
“I fucked up big-time with Anya and she took me back, Savage,” Reaper reminded him.
“Yeah, well, you don’t have the kinds of things to ask Anya to accept that I’ve had to ask Seychelle to accept, Reaper. She didn’t want to come. She knows most of the other women didn’t come. It didn’t help that Lana and Maestro all but told her she couldn’t take care of my needs and she shouldn’t be here. They all but told her she wasn’t the right woman for me. She also resents the fact that Lissa and Scarlet know what’s going on but she doesn’t, even though she’s here for the club to use her talents.”
“Do you think it’s wise to tell her?” Czar asked. “Because if you do, if she can handle that shit and you think she’ll settle down, then it’s best to just let her know things are going to be taking a bad turn here.”
Savage thought they’d already taken a bad turn. Seychelle was only going to take so much shit before she was going to fight back. He was damn sure that battle was waiting for him. Just ahead, he could see Alena in her blue jeans and leather boots, Torpedo Ink colors and wavy fall of platinum hair. She faced them as they moved toward her. One hand was on the branch of a tree. She looked casual, but even from the distance, he could feel the seething rage pouring off her as she faced Pierce. Tawny was all over Pierce, deliberately running her hands over him, blatantly declaring ownership.
Automatically, Savage drained enough anger from Alena to give her the ability to hang on to the casual, indifferent appearance she presented. Four other Diamondbacks were close by, and two other women. She had somehow managed to walk right into a trap.
Alena stood still, her platinum hair falling around her face in a waterfall of waves, giving her more of an icy appearance than just the glacier blue of her eyes. She moistened her lips, her one sign of nerves, but she didn’t take her gaze from Pierce and Tawny. Tawny continued to play with Pierce’s zipper and run her hand up and down his chest. He didn’t stop her but kept his gaze fixed on Alena, as if that would somehow keep her from noticing the woman practically stripping him right there.
“You trying to steal my man again, bitch?” Tawny asked, a challenge in her voice.
An arm snaked around Alena’s waist. It was huge, all muscle and tattoos, an iron bar, and she was pulled back against Destroyer’s large body. It was a little like smashing up against a steel wall. She recognized his scent immediately. He always smelled a little wild. Untamed. He looked it too. A dangerous, scary man she wasn’t quite certain of, coming to her rescue. For once she was grateful and she’d take the help.
“Sorry I was a little late, baby,” he whispered loud enough for the other two to hear. His voice had a growling rasp that told of a throat that had been damaged somehow years earlier. “I snagged a bottle of your favorite though.”