****
“He’s dead.”
Gunner’s tone was low as he shared the news with me that Wren’s attacker had been killed. “Once you told me you wanted to go back down to Portland, I started digging around. Looks like he was killed a few days ago.” He looked up at me, a solemn look in his eye. “Car accident.”
“What the fuck?” Cole demanded. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
“Nope,” I agreed, my heart hammering in my chest. “Why the fuck haven’t the Devils told us about this?”
Cole eyed me thoughtfully. “You don’t trust them?”
“Right now, beyond the members of this club, I don’t trust shit.” I grunted.
“Last thing we need is a war with another club,” Cole muttered, sitting back in his chair. “Been through one of those before, not eager to relive it.” He was referring to the war the club had with the Black Riders when I was just a kid.
“I don’t want it to come to that,” I agreed. “But if we find out they knowingly held back information….” I trailed off darkly.
“We’ll be having more than words,” he growled.
“I need a fucking beer.” Gunner grunted, rising from his seat and striding off to the fridge we kept stocked.
“You look like shit,” Cole noted with his typical no-nonsense manner.
“Thanks.” I chuckled dryly.
He cocked his head to the side. “Sal have a good reason to clock you?”
“Depends on what your definition of a good reason is.” I shrugged, knowing Cole was just as protective of Grace as Sal was of Wren, sometimes more so.
“You made a play for Wren,” he surmised.
I looked over at him in surprise. “Pop tell you that?”
He shook his head. “Lucky guess. Looks like he took it about as well as I’d expect.”
“Better, actually,” I replied honestly. I’d expected worse.
“This gonna cause an issue?”
“No,” I replied, hoping that was true.
He eyed me thoughtfully. “Good.” He stood up just as Gunner returned with three beers. “I’m good,” Cole declined. “Gotta get home to Scarlet. She smells way better than you assholes.” He snorted before turning to look at me. “Knowing Sal, he’ll come around. He’s just a stubborn motherfucker sometimes. In the meantime, put some ice on that shiner.” He slapped my back with an amused chuckle before heading toward his bike.
Gunner handed me a beer, keeping the other two for himself. “Glad words out, man. I suck at keeping secrets.” He grimaced, taking a pull from his beer. “Hope after all this, she actually wants your ugly ass.”
I shot him an annoyed look, despite the fact that I hoped the same damn thing.
Chapter 15
WREN
“Wren, honey, are you going to put that poor man out of his misery or should I take him out back and shoot him?” my mom quipped as she sat gently on my bed.
It had been a week since I’d been home from the hospital, and Max had come over every day, staying for hours despite my not wanting to see him, despite what I was sure had to be a chilly reception from my dad.
I wasn’t trying to be cold to Max; I was just confused and in pain and hadn’t felt equipped to handle this apparent change of intention from him. If I was being honest, I was terrified of having him let me down.
“He’s still down there, huh?” I asked as I lay flat on my back staring at the ceiling. It wasn’t comfortable to do much else, and I was already dealing with a serious case of cabin fever. I couldn’t imagine another month or more like this.
“Has been for hours,” she confirmed. “Between you and your father both being so damn stubborn, I have to admit, I didn’t expect him to crack first.” She grinned playfully.
I looked at her in surprise.
She shrugged. “He’s not at the point of admitting it yet, but I think he likes having Max around. They’ve been working a bit on that old Chevy he bought.” She wrinkled her nose. She hated that car. “And I don’t think he minds having another eye on the house, especially when he wants to run out for a bit. But most importantly, Max is proving he’s serious about you. I think your dad remembers a bit about what that was like when we first got together.”
She got a dreamy look in her eye—the one she always got when she talked about my dad. “I don’t want to push you,” she continued gently. “I’ll support whatever you want to do, but I think whatever doubts your feeling, talking to him might be the first step.”
“You’re right,” I replied with a resigned sigh. “Plus, I don’t think he’s going anywhere until I actually talk to him.”
She squeezed my leg. “I don’t think so either.”
“All right,” I agreed. “I look like shit but not much I can do about it.” I grimaced. I didn’t have a stitch of makeup on, my hair was greasy, and I’d been wearing the same ratty T-shirt for days. “If this doesn’t scare him away, nothing will,” I joked, gesturing to my appearance.
“You’re beautiful,” she assured me as only a mother could. “I’ll go get him.”
My heart began to pound in anticipation as she left the room. I listened with intent to her quiet tread on the stairs and then, moments later, his much louder one as he made his way closer.
When a quiet tap on the door sounded, followed by him entering the room, I was momentarily speechless at the sight of him. Dressed in his trademark blue jeans and black tee, his hair mussed and luminous eyes trained on me, it was hard to remember how to breathe. My dowdy appearance suddenly felt that much worse, and I longed for a black hole to rise up and swallow me.
“So, you survived the wrath of Sal Armstrong, huh?” I quipped, trying to hide my sudden onslaught of nerves.
A ghost of a smile crested his lips, but his gaze was clouded with concern. “How are you?” I’d always loved that deep voice of his.
“Everything considered, I’m okay,” I replied. “I’m looking forward to being able to breathe without pain, but one step at a time.”
He stepped further into the room, and I gestured to the side of the bed where my mom had just been. He sat down so cautiously it would have been funny if it wasn’t so damn sweet. “You didn’t want to see me.” It wasn’t a question.
So, we were going to get right to it. Knowing Max’s personality, I couldn’t say I was surprised. He’d never been one for small talk. “I wasn’t ready,” I amended.
“And you are now?”
“I wouldn’t say that.” I laughed lightly. “But it doesn’t look like you’re going away so….”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I’m not.” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you remember everything I told you at the hospital?”
I nodded.
“That’s not changing, Wren, I think you know me well enough to know that I would never say anything like that if I wasn’t absolutely serious. I wouldn’t be here every day if I wasn’t. I admit, I had to work through what it might mean to take this step with you. I want to protect you from everything, even being with me. But you know what? I can’t stay away from you. I’ve been completely fucked up since I started trying. I think you have too.”
His eyes searched my face for some glimmer of confirmation, but I was too shocked to give him one. “I want this, more than I’ve ever wanted anything. Whatever shit it stirs up, we’ll be better together. I’m all in, baby. And truth be told, once I shared my intentions and started to deal with the fallout, all I wish is that I’d done it sooner. You wouldn’t have doubted me otherwise.” He leaned closer, his eyes fierce with intent. “But it was never that I wouldn’t fight for you, Wren,” he declared adamantly. “I just didn’t want you to have to fight for me.”
That protective gene in Max ran so deep, always had. It made sense to me that that’s what had held him back.
“But I would have,” I insisted. “And I can hold my own. Sometimes you have to let people fight their own battles,” I told him. “And if that battle happens to be over you, then
just know that you’re worth it.”
His gaze warmed to molten as he searched my face. “You believe that, don’t you?”
“I always have,” I replied firmly. “Don’t you?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “One thing I think I’m realizing through all this,” he shared quietly, “is that, despite my parents giving Em and me everything we could have ever wanted, having my mom ditch us fucked me up.” He shrugged, looking off to the side as though it pained him to admit that. “I guess I didn’t realize that until I actually wanted to give my heart to someone.”
I looked at this man who was a heady concoction of ferocity and vulnerability, who didn’t share a whole lot but was opening himself to me, and I realized that I wanted to be the woman who made him feel safe to do that, to give his heart to me. Because in that moment, I realized with striking clarity that I loved the hell out of him. And that heart? I wasn’t ever giving it back.
I reached over and put my hand over his. “Well, she missed out on a hell of a man,” I murmured. “But I don’t want to.”
His eyes widened with cautious hope. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He leaned over, brushing his mouth over mine before pulling back and gently cupping my face with his palm. “I’m gonna make you so fucking happy.”
“I know.” And I did. Somehow, in that moment with us both laid bare, I knew that.
“As soon as you’re up and around, I’m taking you on a real date,” he vowed. “But for now, I’ll hang here with you.”
I looked at him skeptically. “You want to hang out with this grungy-ass girl who can barely move, all with a hostile father downstairs?”
I expected him to laugh or maybe roll his eyes. Instead I was met with an expression so full of determination it rendered me speechless. “Every day. Wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
“You’re a glutton for punishment,” I accused gently.
“And you’re mine,” he replied, as if that explained everything. And hell, in Max’s world, it pretty much did.
Chapter 16
MAX
“We’ve got an issue, man,” Tank, enforcer for the Blue Devils, told me the next morning. I’d just pulled up in front of Wren’s, intent on spending the day with her.
I immediately stiffened, the phone pressed that much harder to my ear. “What’s the issue?” I asked gruffly as I leaned against my bike, eyes on Wren’s house.
“Went by your girl’s old place to give it a final onceover since we moved all their shit out, and fuck, man, there was some pretty weird shit waiting on the front porch.”
My blood chilled at his words, and I braced. “Like what?”
“Flowers with a note that says, ‘I’m sorry.’ A framed picture of your girl that looks like it was taken at a distance, and then a box of dead roses with a note that says, ‘Betrayed.’ Looks like he got progressively more pissed since my guess is this shit wasn’t all delivered at the same time. He probably didn’t know she’d left town until recently.”
“Fuck,” I swore. I could barely hear through the whirring in my ears as rage blurred my vision. “He ran her off the fucking road,” I growled.
“That would be my guess,” Tank agreed. “Whoever delivered that shit is pretty twisted.”
“And fucking dead,” I clipped. “Thanks for the update. I’ll be in touch if we need anything, but my guess is that this has moved into Knight’s territory.” Despite not wanting danger anywhere near Wren, I relished the opportunity to handle this myself. It didn’t sit well to have another man, or another club, fight what I considered to be my battle.
“You got it, man,” he replied in parting before the line went dead.
For a moment, I sat staring at Wren’s house, fighting the urge to drag her back to my place and never let her go. I didn’t doubt Sal could keep her safe. Hell, he had the place more secure than a maximum-security prison, but that didn’t change the instinct. He and I would be having words, and soon.
I took a deep breath, knowing I needed to calm the hell down as I made my way up their front walk. It was Kat who opened the door, her eyes warm as she gestured me inside.
“How is she today?” I asked, my voice low.
“Better I think,” she replied. “Getting out for a short walk would do her good. The doctor wants her to move around a bit. Plus, she’s already cranky at being cooped up.” She gave me a pointed look as though to say I’d have my hands full. I was more than happy to take on the challenge. “She’s upstairs.” She gestured toward the staircase.
I nodded and headed that way, anxious to set eyes on my girl after the news from Portland. I tapped on the door lightly before pushing it open, finding Wren half inside a sweatshirt.
I cocked my head to the side, not entirely sure what was going on. “Babe?”
Her body turned toward me in surprise before her shoulders visibly slumped inside the material.
“Are you stuck?” I asked in concern, grateful she couldn’t see my lip twitching toward a smile.
“If you laugh, I’ll kill you,” she grumbled.
“I won’t laugh,” I promised as I stepped closer. “Let me slide this off,” I coaxed as I slid the material up over her head. I crouched low to drop a gentle kiss to her lips. “How about something that zips up the front?”
The deep blush on her cheeks from my kiss was gorgeous as she nodded. “Should have thought of that. What are you doing here anyway?” she asked as I rummaged in her closet, pulling out a soft sweatshirt I’d seen her wear.
“I told you I’d be here every day,” I replied, as though it should be obvious.
Her eyes popped wide as I zipped her up. “I didn’t think you meant literally.”
I cupped her cheek, staring down into her gorgeous eyes. “Well, I did.”
“Okay,” she breathed. I’d never tire of seeing how obviously I affected her.
“You up for a short walk?” We’d stay close to the house and I’d be armed, a fact I’d keep to myself for now. Wren needed to focus on her recovery, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t be sharing with her the need to be cautious. I’d also have to explain why I planned to be that much more overprotective until this situation was dealt with.
“Yeah,” she agreed readily. “A couple of days in the house, and I’m getting squirrely.”
Damn, she was cute.
She took the stairs slowly as I followed closely behind.
“Okay, honey?” Kat asked when we entered the kitchen, finding both her parents sipping coffee. Sal’s jaw clenched as his gaze locked on the grasp I had on Wren’s hand, but he remained silent.
“Better I think,” Wren replied. “We’re just gonna go on a short walk.”
“All right, honey.” Kat nodded as I guided Wren toward the door.
****
“Even Corey Harris?” Wren demanded in disbelief as we walked side by side, making slow progress around her block.
“He was a moron, babe,” I scoffed.
“So that’s a yes,” she confirmed incredulously. She’d been listing off every guy she’d had a crush on in school that, as it turned out, I’d chased away at one point or another.
At the time, it hadn’t been necessarily intentional, but now that we were going down the list, the evidence was pretty damning.
“You had terrible taste, present company excluded of course.” I grinned.
“I was twelve when I liked Corey!” She laughed, smacking my arm.
“Still.” I shrugged, dodging her.
“I wish I could have chased off your fan club,” she muttered, the sudden sadness in her tone stopping me in my tracks.
I stepped in front of her, stooping to her eye level. “As far as I’m concerned, there was no one before you, understand?” I told her fiercely.
She bit her lip, looking off to the side. “I get that it’s ridiculous of me to care and unfair to even say it. Not like I expected you to live like a priest or something.”
“There’s just you,”
I murmured. “You’re all I see. As far as I’m concerned, those others, they didn’t even happen.” I meant that too. Every word.
Her expression lightened, and I could tell she believed me. “Okay, Max.”
“While we’re on the subject though…”
“There hasn’t been anyone,” she interjected quietly, her cheeks turning pink once again as she picked up on my line of thinking.
I looked down at her in both relief and surprise. I couldn’t imagine another man’s hand on the girl I’d considered mine for longer than I cared to admit. On the other hand, she was fucking stunning. How she’d kept herself away from men wasn’t something I completely understood.
“There just wasn’t anyone I was interested in,” she continued quietly when I hadn’t replied. “No one was you,” she admitted so quietly I almost didn’t hear her.
But I did, and her whisper might as well have been as loud as a bass drum for the impact it had on me.
If she hadn’t been injured, she probably would have been up over my shoulder and on the back of my bike on the way to my place so I could show my gratitude. As it was, I took her mouth in as passionate of a kiss as I dared.
“I’ll spend the rest of my life proving I was worth the wait,” I vowed against her lips. “I’ll be your first and your last.”
Her intake of breath was all the gratification I needed as I pulled away reluctantly, capturing her hand and guiding her to what she called home, for now.
****
“We need to talk,” I told Sal the minute Wren went upstairs to take a nap. Even our short walk had worn her out. I’d found him out in the garage under the hood of his latest project.
“Oh yeah?” he asked gruffly.
“Had a call from Tank.” I leaned against the doorframe watching him work. “That stalker shit with Wren, it’s worse than we thought.”
He stood up, his gaze lethal as he gave me his full attention, without words telling me to continue. It was something I’d always liked about Sal. Like me, he didn’t say much, but he always made his intentions abundantly clear.
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