Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It’s all there in Skull’s eyes. My brother is here.
“Is he alive?” I whisper, my heart splintering already.
“Of course,” he replies gruffly. “Even if that fucker deserves to be taking a dirt nap right now.”
It takes work, but I wiggle out of his arms. He must have let me go, because if Skull wanted to keep me in his lap, he would.
Or maybe I surprised him and got away before he fully registered my intent.
Yes, that’s how he looks when I give him one more angry look before I storm out of the door, leaving the entire club behind.
“Where’s my brother?” I demand to the first guard I find as I storm through the building.
“Ma’am…”
“Where is he?”
I’m about to make it to the exit door when the sound of boots POUNDING on tile sends a shiver up my spine.
“Kate.”
Not Katie. Not Katie-girl. Skull’s sharp voice hits me between the shoulder blades.
I’m so mad I could spit. When I whirl around he’s on me. That carved chest inches from me.
“Baby,” he rasps, but I shove a finger into his chest.
“You do not get to baby me. You jerk. You didn’t tell me you were bringing my brother here…”
I have to force myself to breathe. “You threw him in a cage and you didn’t think you needed to tell me?!?”
Anger flashes across my skin, burning my cheeks. God, he’s big and really close and I just need…
Air.
“I don’t want to look at you right now.”
He grunts and steps closer. I step back. “Skull. I mean it. I don’t know what you’re up to with Callum, but I’m going to be really pissed if you kill him. He’s a mess. He raided my apartment, he stole all my belongings, but he’s the only family I have left.”
Skull reaches for me and I can’t dodge his ridiculously long reach. With his fingers wrapped around the back of my neck, he drags me forward until there’s no air between us.
His hands shift to cradle my face. “He’s not your only family now.”
I open my mouth to light into him, but I’m choking on emotions.
“Stop. Just stop being so… chivalrous. Or whatever weird macho thing it is you do all the time.”
“I would lay my life down to protect you, Katie. He hurt you and now he answers to me for that.”
I groan, pressing my forehead against his stupid muscles.
“Did you hurt him?”
He tips my chin up. “Yeah. I did.”
His honesty shocks me. “You’re just going to admit that?”
“I’m not going to lie to you. Ever.”
My silly heart gets all soft, even though this morally gray biker has just confessed he’s kidnapped my brother and hurt him because he hurt me.
“I need to see him.”
His face turns to stony resolve. “No.”
I grit my teeth and consider punching him in the gut but I’d probably break my fist because there isn’t an ounce of fat on his eight-pack.
“The answer is, yes. You need to say, yes. Right now. I need to speak to him. Maybe he’ll know about this stupid supposed deed.”
Skull goes still, as his expression turns to sudden recognition.
“You can see him after I interrogate him.”
I push away from him. “No, Skull.”
“Angel,” he says, but he stalks forward, his voice husky and low with a lethal edge to it. “It’s my job to protect you from him. Let me do it.”