Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Katie’s silent after I tell her she’s not going home again. What she doesn’t know is that I meant ever.
The Russos won’t let her walk away. They’ll take her to use as leverage against our club.
I’m not letting her get hurt.
She stays with me.
A dark, greedy part of me is satisfied. Now I get to keep her.
I check the clock on the phone, and right on time, the rumble of bikes shakes the building.
“Are those your friends?” Katie asks, finally looking hopeful.
“My brothers.”
“It sounds like you have a lot of brothers.”
I chuckle, despite the fact that the mob is prowling around the park with guns under their suits.
“Not my relatives. My motorcycle club brothers.”
Katie nods, tapping her chin. “Oh, I see. Kind of like a sorority.”
This time I shake my head. This girl is too freaking innocent and adorable. The club life is going to eat her up.
That thought makes my stomach turn over.
As soon as the club rolls into the parking area, the Russos climb back inside their cages. Probably because they know my brothers will make a scene.
They don’t give a fuck who is watching. Outlaws be outlawing.
I finally blow out a ragged breath that was beginning to feel like a knife in my chest.
“It’s clear,” I tell her, helping her off the floor. But I’m still simmering with anger at myself because I’ve just gotten this girl’s name on a target list.
She looks like sunshine and now she’s tied to the devil. A greedy fucking one too.
“You have to stick with me now, Katie. It’s a done deal.”
She blinks up at me, and recognition dawns on her face. “You’re not talking about this afternoon are you?”
I brush a kiss over the crease between her brows on her forehead. “These things take time.”
AKA forever.
Some wars never end. But that’s a brick to the face she doesn’t get. I’ll take the impact and figure out how to ease her in slowly.
Like a few hours at least.
She pulls back, more worried than before. “How long will I be sticking with you, Skull?”
I’m not going to say forever. But that’s what I’m thinking when one of the King’s bangs on the door. “Clear out here.”
Katie’s question is still hanging in the air when I grab her hand and drag her out into the sunshine where a dozen of my brothers are waiting.
It looks like a tattoo convention collided with an MMA training gym. From her eyes they probably look scary as fuck.
Katie shies away from them, hiding behind my back.
Guilt stabs me.
It’s a new feeling. I’m not even sure how I know this is guilt. But it’s heavy.
This is my fault. If I hadn’t let that woman talk me into meeting Katie she’d be on her way to a nice quiet evening.
With some dickhead who rides a sewing machine on wheels.
Instead she’s getting ready to see the club in action.
A fucking kegger. Whores and all.
“It’s okay. They don’t bite, and they know you’re mine.” I drag her around to my side, locking her in my hold.
The club brothers are staring. Mostly at me. Because someone must have body-snatched me.
I flip a few of them off, and snarl at the others.
“Let’s go, Katie-girl. Time for your first ride. This time you’ll get to experience the full effect, all these bastards will be with us.”
It’s gonna be a spectacle. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like from the eyes of someone who didn’t grow up around the life.
“Shouldn’t we have an armored car or something.”
I wish. Maybe the club needs to buy one. I’m telling Prez the minute I see him.
“If I had one you’d be inside it right now. But we’re gonna make a fast run to the clubhouse.”
I hold her close as we walk to my bike. Thank fuck I have a leather jacket in my saddle bag and a spare helmet that’s never been used. The Boy Scout troupe that kicked me out for raising hell would be proud.
“Let’s get you in some gear.”
She lets me slip my jacket on her. Katie’s swallowed by my coat and seeing her like that makes a lump swell in my throat. I zip it up and check the strap on the helmet twice.
“Let’s go.” I grumble, worried I’m gonna break such a small, delicate creature when I take her virginity.
I’m all raspy when I say, “Climb on behind me and hold on tight.”
She’s looking a little freaked out.
“I’ve got you. Nothing to it,” I assure her with a hug against my chest. She fits against me like a key into a lock. And I need to get her on my bike and get her home before my dick stretches my jeans out again.
She holds perfectly still, studying my scarred up face as I check the strap on her helmet one more time because I’m going to be obsessed about this girl’s safety for the rest of my life.
When she hitches her dress up and climbs on behind me, my protective instincts roar as loud as the Harleys around us. The woman looks like she’s been snatched out of some college classroom.
I’m probably going to hell for corrupting her. But that’s exactly what I’m going to do and I’m going to enjoy the fuck out of it.
That is if I survive worrying about her.
Katie latches on tight, wrapping her delicate arms around me, and I lay my hand over hers. “Lean with me. Just relax and it will feel natural.”
In the mirror, her eyes are bright, luminous green. Her lips are damp from her licking them.
Love at first sight.
That’s what the little devil on my shoulder whispers. I tell it to fuck off. But in the back of my mind, I wonder how I am going to survive this.