She hesitates for a second and then shrugs, walking ahead of me and leaving me with that sweet honey smell of hers.
Makes a man fucking ravenous.
I get her bag strapped onto my hog all while she fusses with her helmet nervously. I switched out my spare to make sure it would fit her head properly. I’m a fucking sap for this woman who’s wrapped in secrets, coated in broken armor and trip wires.
Once her arms are wrapped around me tight and I can feel every fucking inch of her pressed against my back I get us onto the road and I let the hog fly, the deep rumble of the engine loud in my ears and like a balm on my soul.
It’s fucking perfect.
For a second I can forget all about the endless bullshit I’ve got going on in the club, with my brat of a sister, with my cousin fighting for life, and with the beauty on the back of the bike. I can just pretend everything is exactly the way I want it to be.
I can pretend I was lovestruck at the sight of her and she’s mine for keeps.
I’m still not sure that’s what’s happening here but at least I can say I tried. It’s fucking perfect while it lasts but, as always, we make it to the club way too fucking fast and I feel the tension start to fill her the second the gates of the compound come into view.
I fucking hate how uneasy this place makes her.
Was the guy who beat her a biker?
I’ll fucking fill him with lead or, better yet, beat the life right out of him. I pull up into my usual spot and huff out a laugh at Rue’s missing rig. Guess he really is off stalking his little flower child again. It’s a good thing tonight, means there’s another set of eyes on Trink too.
I still need to find out what the hell is going on with her too.
Fuck.
Angel takes a second before she climbs off, her arms squeezing me tighter right before she lets go like it’s hard to separate from me.
Fuck, what the hell is going on with my head tonight?
Seeing her cry at the sight of Speck, knowing she’d rather sleep on the streets than tell me she needs help, the shaking, the broken phone… she doesn’t want to be touched.
Fuck.
Who the hell has hurt my girl?
Is she still being hurt? Is she lying to me about it?
Nope, can’t wander down that thought spiral. If I think about if someone is still hurting her or, fuck, how they’re hurting her, I’ll be dead by dawn.
Killing rampages don’t go down well in Coldstone. It’s too fucking small to get away with that shit.
She glances up at the clubhouse and wraps her arms around herself like she’s cold but it’s still warm enough out. “Is there a party going on? I’d rather not go in there. Is there… somewhere else we can stay?”
“Nope, this is home,” I say, trying to keep my cool. Pushing her isn’t going to help my case but it takes everything I have not to just shake the answers outta her.
She sighs and scuffs her foot on the ground. “Okay. I guess… I mean, Speck said—”
“Stop fucking talking about Speck. You’re sleeping in my bed where I know you’re fucking safe for the night and then I’ll drive you into work. You don’t have to party or talk to anyone.”
She nods and glances around. I follow her gaze and I see all of the extra bikes hanging around. There’s a party going on like there usually is on a Friday night but the fear is real in every inch of her as she counts up the vehicles.
I see it now.
And I don’t like it, not one bit, so I do something fucking stupid. I strip my jacket off and sling it over her shoulders, marking her up as mine and definitely not available to any of my brothers and then I tuck her tiny hand in mine. Wearing my shirt with the patch was one thing but wearing my jacket in front of other charters?
No mistaking that move.
“Come on, I’m not in the mood for a party either. I’ll get you to my room and then I’ll grab us both something to eat.”
She nods and hesitates for half a second before stepping in close to me, using my body as a shield as we move into the crowd of men and women spilling out of the packed bar.
I feel ten feet fucking tall.
Her bag is tucked in tight between our bodies like she’s scared it’ll get ripped away by the crowd. There’s shouts and jeering as we make our way through but I ignore them all. I’ve got zero fucking time for any of their shit tonight. I’m stone-cold sober and the only thing on my mind is Angel.
“Who the fuck is that? Is she wearing your patch right now?”
I roll my eyes and pull Angel in closer to my side as Monroe steps into my path. Fucking dumb bitch, if her daddy wasn’t a brother I’d take her down a fucking notch right here but I don’t have time to deal with this bullshit.
Angel just wants to get to my room.
“It’s none of your fucking business. Go find Diesel and suck him off, I’ve got nothing for you.”
She smirks, trying to get a look at Angel but my girl is tucked in tight with her head down. “Oh really? You bringing a fucking stripper home? Your momma must be so proud, Tomi.”
Angel’s hand twitches in mine but for once I’m not angry at her for getting her tits out at the club.
I’m fucking livid at Monroe for talking down to her.
She sees it too, sees the look in my eye that says she’s fucked up and there’s no coming back from it.
“Get your ass the fuck out of my way before I decide to take it personal and tell Diesel about your little obsession with Rue. Does he know you’re trying so fucking hard to bend over for his brother? Fuck, does Dave know you’re trying to fuck us all?”
She finally gets the fuck out of our way and I get moving, weaving through the drunk and stumbling crowd until I get us to my room. I get it unlocked and gently push Angel in there first, breathing a little easier when she’s in my space and away from all of the bullshit and debauchery.
If she saw the four-way happening on the pool table she says nothing about it, just pulls the jacket around herself a little tighter.
She looks fucking perfect in my leather.
I sling her bag down onto the couch. “Lemme grab us some food. I saw burgers, anything you don’t like?”
She shakes her head and I head out.
It takes me way too long to grab the shit. King tries to catch my eye but I ignore him, making my way back through the crowd without pausing for fucking anything.
When I get back Angel is still standing in the middle of the room clutching at my jacket like it’s a goddamn lifesaver and she’s stuck out at sea.
“Angel, you’re here for the next couple of nights. You can’t be standing around feeling fucking awkward for days.”
She startles and turns around to give me a half-smile. “Sorry. I just don’t want to get in your way… I don’t want to rock the boat.”
Her voice is quiet still, like she really is afraid I’m about to kick her ass out. “Here. Eat this so we can go the fuck to bed. I’m gonna go shower first.”
She nods and takes the plate, perching her ass down on the couch and then falling onto the burger like she’s gone days without food.
Come to think of it… “When the fuck did you last eat?”
She pauses with the last bite of the damn thing halfway to her mouth. “I can’t eat before I dance. I’m too… nervous, I guess.”