Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Winter
Fang and I lay tangled up in each other’s arms until it’s time for him to leave.
I feel like a fool for crying over a man I don’t know.
Let’s face it, I don’t know him. Sure, I know his name, and I know about his father and brother.
But I don’t know him, and here I am shedding tears as I watch this man walk out the door.
I step out onto the porch and watch him mount his bike. His brown eyes find mine and he winks before slipping the helmet over his head. Inside of me is a tornado wreaking havoc on my emotions.
Two men wearing leather vests open the gates. There is a revving of engines then the Iron Devils file out of the gates in an orderly fashion. Trailing behind the motorcycles is a large white utility van. A van that I suspect is housing weapons and who knows what else.
The gates close once the van passes through, and I continue to stand and listen to the roaring engines as they fade into the distance.
I don’t know how long I stand out on the porch, but when a hand slips into mine, I turn to see my best friend standing next to me.
“Come on, let’s get you something to eat. ”
Shaking my head, I tug free from her grasp. “I can’t leave.”
“Win.” Jelly jams a thumb over her shoulder, aiming at the clubhouse. “There is nothing for us here. We need to get back to town and resume our lives. You have a book to write, and I have a job that will harass me if I’m not back in the morning.”
She’s right. I know she is. Besides, I’m sure Buzzcut and those two at the gate don’t want me in their space. Especially right now with everything going on with their rival. When Fang comes home, he’ll call me.
“Fine, but only because I am on a tight deadline.” I let her drag me inside and up the stairs. Every few steps I have to blink tears from my eyes. It doesn’t make sense how fast this thing with Fang happened. How deeply my feelings for the man have grown.
Last night when I approached him, it was only supposed to be a slap in the face of my ex.
It was never supposed to go further than that.
But that first kiss rocked me to my core.
Then the way he protected me from flying bullets and cared for me like I was worth saving.
That meant everything to me. He reached a part of me that hasn’t been touched in what feels like ages.
When we reach Fang’s room, Jelly releases my hand. Neither of us utter a word. She waits for me to open his bedroom door and enter before trekking down the hall to the other room to gather her belongings.
Stepping over the threshold I breathe in deeply. The room smells like Fang. I miss him. Miss his touch. His kiss. God, this is torture. Walking over to the bed, I snatch up his pillow and bury my face in it. How am I supposed to go back to my mundane life and not be able to touch him. To smell him.
Decision made, I gather my cell phone, purse, and Fang’s pillow. When I fling the door open, Jelly is standing on the other side. The moment her eyes land on the pillow in my arms she lifts a brow. “Seriously? You’re stealing his pillow?”
“Like you haven’t stolen men’s shirts in the past.” That girl has gotten away with shirts, sweatpants, jackets. The closet in her spare bedroom is full of clothes she has taken from past lovers. That would make her the pot, me the kettle.
Jelly rolls her eyes. “Fine, take the man’s personal belongings.”
Downstairs Buzzcut is on the phone. At the sound of our descending footsteps, he turns around. “Hold on a sec.” Glancing at the pillow in my arms, he crosses his arms over his chest. “What exactly do you think you’re doing with that?”
“I, um.” Well, I guess I didn’t think of the repercussions of stealing Fang’s belongings while his club brothers were in the house. Looks like this Buzzcut guy is about to hand me my ass. “You’re scary as hell.”
Why did I say that?
Jelly tugs on my shirtsleeve. A signal for me to shut up. Buzzcut, on the other hand, cracks up laughing. Putting the cell phone back to his ear, he says, “Yo, your chick thinks I’m scary as hell.”
Your chick? Is he speaking to Fang?
“Chick was trying to leave with your damn pillow, like some lovestruck puppy.” Whatever Fang says has Buzzcut in a fit of hysterics. Shaking his head, he hands me the cell phone, a splintering crack on the screen.
I’ve never been referred to as a lovestruck puppy. I’m not sure if I should be offended. Pressing the phone to my ear, I say, “Hello?”
“So, I hear you’re trying to sneak off with my pillow?” Oh god, does he think I’m a nutcase? Is this going to be a dealbreaker with this man? I don’t know the protocol when it comes to a romantic relationship with a MC member.
“I’m sorry, I’ll put it back. It’s just that it smelled like you and I wasn’t ready to give up that scent just yet.” Now I’m rambling like an idiot. If he wasn’t ready to get rid of me before, I’m sure he is now.
“No.” There’s laughter in his voice. “Take it with you.”
“Seriously, you don’t mind?” Relaxing my shoulders, I smile at Jelly, letting her know all is good.
“I don’t mind.” There are voices in the background, and he pulls the phone away to answer. “Hey, I hate to do this, but I need to speak with Buzzcut.”
Any joy I had at hearing his voice is being drowned out by the sadness of having to say goodbye. Again. “Okay.”
“I’ll call you when I can.” In the background is the roar of engines as they prepare to take off from wherever they stopped.
To be honest, I’m scared to death of what Fang is about to do.
For all I know, he’s off to sign his death sentence.
Rather than voice those fears, I decide to put on a brave face.
The fact is, I’m highly attracted to the handsome biker and apparently that comes with a side of danger.
“Talk to you then.” I refuse to say goodbye. Right now, that seems so final and this thing between us is far from over. It’s just beginning, and I so desperately want to see where our journey takes us. Handing the phone back to Buzzcut, I wave and follow Jelly out of the clubhouse.
Before we can make it down the steps, a tall guy with broad shoulders steps in our path.
Honestly, he looks like he could take down a grizzly bear one-handed.
I don’t remember seeing him last night and I take a step back.
For all I know, this could be one of the Hollow Bones that shot up the carnival last night.
A hand lands on my shoulder, bringing a startled yelp from me.
“Chill, it’s me.” I turn around to see Buzzcut standing behind me.
“Snake is going to escort you home.” Snake?
What is it with bikers and their crazy names?
If things with Fang and I work out, they better not try to nickname me.
They suck at names. Well, except for Fang. His name rather suits him.
Throwing my hands on my hips, I shake my head. “That’s not necessary.”
Buzzcut shrugs a shoulder. “The order came from Fang. If you want to leave, you’ll be escorted home.”
Jelly takes my hand. “Win, after last night, I say we let him follow us home. That way he can keep an eye out for any rivals that might be lurking about.” How is she so calm right now? This girl acts like it’s just another day.
How the hell did I get myself mixed up in this chaos?
Before yesterday, my life consisted of writing and Billy.
My days were calm and relaxed. Well, except when Jelly occasionally drags me out to the club.
Even then, it was nothing like this. Today I’m being escorted around and worrying about who might be watching me from the shadows.
Part of me wonders if pursuing Fang is worth the trouble his biker club brings, but the other part, the much bigger part, wants Fang and everything attached to him. Like I told him earlier, these events will make for great inspiration for the next book I write.
Not saying a word to Snake, I give Buzzcut one last glance and follow Jelly to her car. When she turns the ignition, I hug Fang’s pillow and rest my head on the glass. My mind and body are so exhausted I could sleep for a week.
Lose Yourself filters through the speakers and I close my eyes, allowing the music to lull me to sleep. The darkness is inviting, and my body relaxes into the seat. In the background I can hear Jelly, but my brain shuts out the outside noise, allowing me a few minutes of bliss.
Normally, I’m a light sleeper. Every little noise stirs me from slumber.
Not this time. This is the hardest I’ve ever crashed in my life.
When I open my eyes, it’s to Jelly shaking me.
“Thank god.” She grabs her purse from the backseat.
“I was afraid I’d have to sit out here all day and listen to you snore like a freight train. ”
It takes a minute for my brain to register what she just said. When her words sink in, my mouth drops open and I smack her arm. “Excuse me, I do not snore.” My best friend has the audacity to roll her eyes and crack up laughing. How rude.
Unbuckling the seatbelt, I exit the vehicle and trail after Jelly.
Seeing Snake walk out my front door causes me to pause at the front of Jelly’s car.
When did that man go inside my house? He was following along behind us.
Glancing back, I see his bike parked behind Jelly’s car.
Then a thought occurs to me. How the hell did he even get into my house?
Before I can question him, he hands Jelly a set of keys. Her keys. That’s when it registers that she must have given him her key so he could look the place over. Make sure that there weren’t men inside waiting to kill us.
Just the thought of that causes butterflies to stir low in my belly, and not the good kind.
He says something to my friend then comes toward me. Of all the Iron Devils I’ve met, Snake is the most unsettling. I would have much preferred Ramon or Ruffas to have escorted us home today. I suppose if Fang trusts this man, I should too.
Snake nods toward my garage. “I’m gonna park my bike in the garage so it’s out of sight. I’ll be sitting in the car to keep watch.”
No asking, just telling. I swear these men think that because they belong to some dangerous club that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. “Just like that, you’re going to come into my home and start barking orders?”
“Something like that.” The garage door opens, and I realize that while I’ve been standing here listening to Snake, Jelly has gone inside and opened my garage door for this man. Without another word, Snake walks around the car and starts moving his bike.
As he’s getting his bike out of sight, an unsettling chill races up my spine, leaving icy trails in its wake. I rub the back of my neck and start looking around. Nothing appears to be out of the ordinary, yet I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched.
Maybe it is a good idea that Snake will be hanging around. As much as he makes me nervous, this feeling is so much worse. Like a killer is lurking around the corner, waiting for the right time to put a bullet in my head.