“Rabbit,” I snapped, just as Parker walked into the room.
Hurt flared in her eyes and she turned on her heel and rushed out the door.
“Parker!” Rabbit called, but she didn’t respond. He gave me another squeeze, then released me. “You good?”
“I’m good,” I assured him, and he grinned, knowing exactly what he’d done, then walked out of the room, and I guessed he went looking for Parker.
Orion crossed his arms and studied me.
“He’s my friend, nothing more,” I said, mimicking his stance.
“I know.”
“Then why are you all stabby?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t like walking into a room and finding my woman in another man’s arms.”
“Well, don’t be a douche and it won’t happen.”
“Baby, I wasn’t trying to be a douche.”
“And?”
“And, what?” he asked.
“I’m sorry for acting like a douche, even though I wasn’t trying to be one,” I prompted, waving my hand in a circle.
He grinned. “I appreciate your apology, but for the record, I would never call you a douche.”
I threw my hands in the air and walked out of the room. I just couldn’t deal with him being a dick, however, I didn’t get far. Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind and I was pulled up against Orion’s chest. “Stop, Frazzle. I’m just messin’ with you.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“Yeah, I’m pickin’ up on that.” He turned me to face him and cupped my cheek. “Talk to me.”
“I’m afraid this is never going to work.”
“Why, baby?”
“Because I can’t be what you need,” I whispered.
“Jesus Christ, how did we get here?”
“I’m mouthy, Orion, in case you haven’t noticed, and I’m not good at keeping my opinions to myself.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Bullshit,” I hissed.
“Baby, I’m not. I love all of your opinions.”
“When they’re voiced in private.”
He sighed. “I’m just asking that maybe you take it easy on me in front of my brothers. At least, when it’s on a serious note. When I’m with my club, everything’s amplified. Fighting, fucking—”
“You fuck your brothers?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes. “My club watches me closer than most. You know I’m expected to take over when Dad decides to give up his patch.”
“Oh, I’m aware,” I ground out.
“So, can you give me a break?”
“Can you pull the rod from your ass for five minutes?”
“I can try.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Fine, then I’ll try, too.”
He kissed me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, but we need to set some ground rules going forward.”
“What kind of rules?”
“The kind that don’t involve you getting up before me without telling me what the fuck you’re doing, particularly if that something is dangerous,” I hissed.
“Right.”
“Among others.”
He cocked his head. “What others?”
“The ones I’ll make up as we go along.”
He laughed. “Okay, Razzle, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
“There might be more than one bridge.”
“We’ll cross those, too.” He wrapped his arms around me. “For what it’s worth, I missed you today.”
“Well, imagine what that would feel like wondering if I was going to live or not.”
“Point taken, Raquel. I heard you the first hundred times you mentioned it.”
“Don’t get stabby with me, Orion. This is on you.”
“Baby, I’ve apolog—”
“You haven’t actually,” I pointed out.
“I have.”
“You haven’t.”
“Okay.” He sighed, dropping his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry, baby. I will do my best in the future not to worry you.”
“You’ll do your best in the future to tell me everything that’s going on, so I don’t worry.”
“Nope, that’s not even on the table.”
I gripped his cut. “Shit.”
He chuckled. “You’re gettin’ it.”
“I can’t be left completely in the dark, Ori. I’ll go mad.”
“I don’t plan to leave you completely in the dark, baby. I promise.”
I nodded, dropping my face into his chest as he wrapped his arms around me again. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
He gave me a squeeze. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”
I met his eyes. “Now, can we go back upstairs so you can finish what we started.”
He nodded, kissing me gently, then leading me back up to our bedroom and smacking my ass as we walked inside.
Raquel
TWO DAYS LATER, we’d booked our flights home for the next day, so I decided to do a last-minute load of laundry, switching it from the washer to the dryer just as I heard the deep, bellowy voice of my dad.
“Raquel Susan Brooks, where the hell are you?”
“He’s early,” Tristan said, peeking into the laundry room. “Sorry, sissy. Dad’s on his way. CorBran are coming, too.”
“What about Mom?” I asked.
“Your mom’s at your aunt’s for a few days.”
“So, no buffer there,” I grumbled.
“Sorry, not sorry.”
“Seriously, Tristan? I will get you for this,” I threatened. My brother grinned and walked away in response. “And it’s BranWin, not CorBran,” I corrected.
“Raquel!” Dad bellowed again.
“I’m here, Daddy,” I said, and walked out to the great room and straight into his arms.
“You fly home and don’t call? What’s up with that, Chickpea?”
“Sorry. It’s been a crazy couple of days.”
Brando rushed me, lifting me off my feet.
“Oh my god!” I squeaked. “Have you grown again? Lordy, you get taller every time I see you. And why haven’t you returned my texts?”
Brando chuckled, setting me on my feet again. “Because I’m not a twelve year old girl.”
Corwin pulled me in for a more demure hug. “Hey, sissy.”
“Hey, Winnie. You look like you’re bulking up.”
He grinned, flexing a bicep. “Workin’ on it.”
“Raquel, have you seen my—?” Orion stopped midsentence as he walked into the room.
I pulled away from my brother and smiled. “Dad, BranWin, this is Orion. Orion, Dad and my brothers Brando and Corwin.”
My dad raised an eyebrow before facing Orion and shaking his hand.
“Beer?” Tristan asked Dad, offering him a bottle.
“Thanks,” he said, taking the beer, but studying me.
“Orion and I are a thing,” I said.
“A thing?” Dad and Orion said, in stereo.
“I think you and I need to talk,” Dad said, and I sighed.
“You can use my office,” Tristan offered.
“Fine,” I said, and headed down the hall. I glanced back at Orion hoping he’d leave me alone for the moment. He crossed his arms and watched us walk back but didn’t make a move to follow.
Dad stepped in behind me and closed the door, waving to a seat next to Tristan’s desk. I sat down and he took the chair opposite me, setting his beer on the desk and leaning forward, his elbows to his knees. This was his ‘I need to have a serious talk with you’ stance.
And I suddenly felt like a child all over again.
“What’s this about Cs in two of your classes?” he asked.
I forced myself not to react, but I was angry and nervous at the same time. “I haven’t gotten my final grades, so those will go up.”
“And who’s this Orion character?”
I bit my lip. “I think he quite possibly might be the love of my lif
e.”
Dad sat back with a sigh. “I see.”
I dropped my eyes to my hands, unable to look at the disappointment in my father’s eyes.
“This is why you’re failing.”
“I’m not failing,” I countered.
He raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not,” I said. “And it has nothing to do with Orion. It’s more about the fact that I suck at science.”
“One more semester,” he said. “You don’t get your grades up, I’m pulling the plug. Finance-wise…I’d never pull the plug on you.”
I couldn’t stop a groan. My dad was a total dork.
“You can do this, chickpea,” he encouraged.
“I’m going to try,” I said, finally meeting his eyes again. “I’ve lined up tutoring.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Did you really need to come down here and give me a lecture, though?”
“I didn’t lecture, Raquel. If I give you a lecture, you’ll know it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, there is that.”
He grinned. “Come on, chickpea. I need to interrogate your young man.”
“No. Absolutely not.”
He stood, grabbing his beer off the desk and walking out.
“Dad!” I growled, following and slamming into the brick wall that was Orion.
“I got you,” he said with a chuckle.
I gripped his cut. “Where’s my dad?”
“I don’t know. I was takin’ a piss.”
“Thanks for the info.”
He grinned. “You okay?”
I sighed. “Yeah. He was actually kind of cool about everything. I have one more term to pull my grades up before he cuts the money off.”
Orion waggled his eyebrows. “Wow.”
I nodded. “He wants to grill you ruthlessly, though.”
“Let’s go.”
“We don’t have to. We can go back up to my room and do other things.”
“I’m not hiding from your dad like a pussy.”
I gripped his cut. “I wouldn’t think less of you if you did.”
He cocked his head. “I’d think less of me. Come on, Frazzle, let’s go face the music.”
“Why couldn’t I fall in love with a man who does what I tell him to?”
Orion laughed and took my hand, tugging me back out to the great room.
* * *
“We’re here, baby,” Orion whispered, kissing me gently.
I blinked my eyes open and smiled. “How did I not notice?”
“You’re not a morning person, so the flight nearly killed you.”
I chuckled. “Might be a little melodramatic.”
“I believe I just quoted you warmly and accurately,” he said, unbuckling my seatbelt.
Moses had picked us up from the airport and brought us back to the cabin, but he was nowhere to be seen now.
“Where’s Moses?”
“He had ‘shit to do,’” Orion said. “You want me to carry you inside?”
“Oh my god, crazy man, no way in hell.”
He grinned and stepped back so I could climb out of the truck.
“You good to stay here tonight?” he asked. “I can take you home tomorrow.”
“I’ve got class tomorrow.”
“I can drop you at school, then pick you up.”
“Me staying here on a school night did not go well last time,” I pointed out.
He grinned. “I’ll make sure you don’t drink much, and I’ll set my alarm.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“I’m gonna fuck you,” he warned.
“Yeah, I picked up on that.” I smiled up at him. “I’m all in, honey.”
“Good.” Taking my hand, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the palm. “Come on. Let’s go find some food.”
“I’m dying for coffee.”
“We’ll get coffee too.”
I followed him inside and we found the great room packed.
“Orion, my boy!” a large, bearded biker bellowed, jogging toward us. “How was your trip?”
“It was good, Wrath,” he said. “The threat’s been taken care of.”
Wrath squeezed Orion’s shoulder. “Next time you take off without warning, I’m gonna fuckin’ brain you.”
“Right. Sorry, brother.”
“Ori?” Sundance called from the mouth of one of the hallways. “A word?”
Orion gave him a chin lift. “Be right there.” He turned to me and smiled. “Be right back. Make yourself at home.”
I nodded. “Just remind me where the kitchen is, and I’ll make coffee.”
He pointed to my right. “Through that door.”
I made my way to the kitchen while Orion went to talk to his father.
* * *
Orion
“What the fuck is going through your head, boy?” my father bellowed the second his office door was shut.
“Good morning to you, too, Pops,” I said, preparing myself for the torrent of criticism that was about to come.
“Why the hell did you take off without checking out?”
“Wrath already read me the riot act, okay? So, if all you’re gonna do is chew my ass out about safety protocols, I really don’t have time,” I said, pointing a thumb to the door.
Wrath was barely five years older than me, but he was my road captain, so I should have checked in with him at the very least.
“What the hell did you say to me, boy?”
“Enough with calling me ‘boy,’ already,” I said, dragging my hand down my face. “Jesus Christ, Dad, I’m twenty-six years old.”
“Listen here, you disrespectful little shit. I’ve been calling you boy since you were in your mother’s belly,” he fumed. “Before we even knew you were a boy. Hell, as far as I know, you were a girl until I willed you into becoming a boy.”
Dad was clearly in no mood for my backtalk, and I knew him well enough to detect something else had already been bothering him since before I’d even walked into the room.
“I’m sorry,” I ground out. “It’s just that I’ve told you over and over that you have to start treating me like a man.”
“I will when—”
“You start acting like one,” I mimicked.
“See? That’s the kind of snot-nosed shit I’m talking about right there. You’ve been in here for less than two minutes and all you’ve done is run your mouth and sass me.”
“As soon as I walked in, you started laying into me about not checking out, and I told you Wrath already talked to me about it. What the hell more do you want from me?”
My father’s face fell. “A hell of a lot more than you’re giving me, Ori. But I guess both of us are gonna be disappointed today.”
He was right. I was being disrespectful to him, both as a father and as the club’s president, and I felt like shit for that. On the other hand, I was pissed at him for the lack of respect he constantly showed me. “Look, I’m sorry for not checking out,” I said.
“I don’t want you to be sorry, Orion. I want you to do better. I need you to set an example to the younger members and the recruits. You’re gonna be their president one day and I want you to have already earned their respect.”
“Jesus, Dad. This shit again?”
He scowled. “The club and your future presidency is shit talk to you?”
“That’s not what I meant,” I said defensively before stopping and taking a deep breath, reaching for a calmer tone. “I hear you about the disrespect and you’re right. But if you continually treat me like a teenager, I’m gonna act like one.”
“Fair enough,” my father said before sitting down behind his desk. He motioned me towards the only other chair in his office and I sat. My father hated meetings. Outside of church, which he always kept as brief as possible, his conferences were always one-on-one. He believed in keeping the flow of information tight. It was one of the few things he and I agreed on.
/>
“Look, it’s not that I don’t take the president’s patch seriously. It’s the exact opposite. It’s a big fucking deal. Especially when your old man is the club’s founder and president.”
“If you understand what the presidency means so well, then why don’t you want it?”
In all the times my father had talked about handing his patch down to me, I’d never detected a hint of urgency, until now.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want it, only that I don’t know right now. If I do take the patch it’ll be because it’s my choice to take it, not because I feel obligated to take it. Becoming president would have to be my decision and mine alone.”
“No decision belongs to you alone,” Dad countered. “Every decision you make affects other people. Sometimes in ways you can predict, but oftentimes, not. That’s the first thing you need to know about being president.”
I threw my hands up. “You’re a broken record,” I said with an exasperated smile.
“I’m also coming up to the end of side B,” he said in a tone that reached right through me and grabbed ahold of my spine.
“You’re not that old,” I replied, trying to ignore the fist.
“The kind of cancer I got don’t especially care about that,” he said and the fist in my chest squeezed.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Acute myelogenous leukemia. It’s aggressive and most patients don’t survive once it spreads to the organs,” my father said plainly. “Which it has.”
“Jesus, Dad. How long have you known about this?”
“Not long. Maybe a month.”
“A month! And I’m just hearing about this now?”
“Sure, we can make this all about you if that’s what you need.”
“Save the martyr shit. You should have fuckin’ told me about this right away,” I snapped.
“Well, now you know,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Not that it changes anything.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“What does it matter if I die if you’re not gonna take my patch?”
“Holy shit! You’re unbelievable,” I exclaimed. “First of all, the topic of whether or not I will ever wear the president’s patch is hereby tabled indefinitely.”
“Careful, you sound like you’re leadin’ church.”
“Secondly, you’re not fuckin’ dying,” I said flatly. “There’s shit the doctors can still do, right?”
Primal Howl (Primal Howlers MC Book 1) Page 7