Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
LAURA
I stared at my reflection in the mirror and tried to wrangle my hair into something presentable. The bathroom downstairs wasn’t nearly as large as the primary bedroom’s, but I’d get used to it.
I moved my mattress, suitcases and singular lamp down to the guest room after Killian randomly relieved me of the files the other day.
He hadn’t been around much, and today would mark three days since I talked to him.
I didn’t know what his plans were for the apartment.
He’d told me he was moving in, so the first chance I had to move my things downstairs, I took it.
The last thing I wanted to do was get in his way or be caught near his bed.
Especially if he decided to bring someone back here.
That would not only devastate me, but it would start shit because I was too petty not to say something, and too annoyed to let it go.
I would have if he’d just left me alone, like he had for three months.
Now things had changed. He’d been touching me, creating a whirlwind of expectation inside me.
If he showed up with another girl, I would a thousand percent make a scene because he didn’t get to pin me to the door and tell me to fuck his hand one second and then bring someone else around the very next.
I understood it was common in motorcycle clubs, but I wouldn’t tolerate it.
Ever.
Finally twisting the last piece of hair into place, I flipped the switch in the bathroom and walked back into the guest room.
Pulling on my boots, jacket and hat, I exited the apartment.
Red wanted me to go to The Drip to grab a box of donuts.
Apparently, there was going to be a big meeting, church or whatever they called it, and Red wanted them to have some sustenance.
The sun had barely cleared the ridge, the fog from overnight still hung in the air and likely coated the roads. Most of Rose Ridge wasn’t even awake yet, and I was heading out to pick up food for a club I wasn’t sure I’d remain attached to.
Red was all smiles and warm humming when I found her in the kitchen of the clubhouse.
“Morning.”
She peered over her shoulder. “Hey honey, you lookin’ for the keys?”
I knew where she kept them, but my mind was all over the place.
“Yeah.”
She wiped her hands on her apron. “In my purse, right—”
I grabbed them from the top of her massive black leather purse. “Got ‘em.”
“Thanks for making the run, I need to keep an eye on this bread.”
I only smiled at her, unsure why she enjoyed making loaves so often. I came to work one morning and saw at least a dozen that had been baked, and while I had no idea what she did with it all, it seemed to keep her in good spirits.
With her keys tucked into my fist, I exited the kitchen, rounded the bar and veered for the front door. Right as I was cutting past the main room, feet pounded against the staircase to my left. My eyes flew up, right as Killian came into view.
He froze right as he saw me, and we both just stood there staring at one another. He wore a black hoodie, with his leather cut pulled over it. His hair was mussed from sleep or…sex. Dread curled inside my chest, like smoke.
I parted my lips to try and breathe through it, but it was so painful that tears burned the backs of my eyes. Not able to hold his gaze any longer, I dipped my face and thundered through the space until I was clearing the front door.
I heard him exiting a second later, jogging down the stairs as if the club was on fire.
“Laura.”
I didn’t stop. I just continued toward Red’s truck, ignoring the man at my back.
I heard him curse again, then it sounded as though he’d picked up his pace and started running.
Right as I reached for the truck door, his hand eclipsed mine.
“Fucking stop.”
I whirled on him, shoving at his chest. “No. You stop, I have somewhere to be.”
I tried moving again, but this time, his arms came around my middle and he lifted, pulling me against his chest.
“I can see that you’re upset.”
“I’m not. I just have somewhere to go,” I lied, heaving clouds of white as the frost laced my worries.
His lips came next to my ear. “Nothing happened. I slept alone.”
“I. Don’t. Care,” I bit out, pulling at his hands.
Finally free, he released me. “You do care. I can see it in your eyes. You care the same way that I care.”
I practically barked out the laugh caught in my chest. He was such a liar.
“You don’t care.”
He stepped closer, so close my back was pinned to the truck. “I care about every eye that lands on you. Every breath that’s inhaled your scent. Every smile given to you, every hand that’s ever touched you. I care, Daisy. Too fucking much if we’re being honest.”
Anger and hurt, along with longing, tangled in my chest. I tilted my chin in defiance.
“I care that you were rude to me about the files. Treated me like shit for no reason. That’s what I care about, Killian. Who warms your bed, or sucks your flaccid cock doesn’t bother me.”
His smile was feral and lethal. “Flaccid, huh? Sounds like someone remembers our little trip home that night. If you remember me talking about that, then surely you recall how you begged to touch me, and how you straddled my—”
“Stop.” I turned and reached for the handle again, and his hands locked onto my hips, right as someone called for him.
“Prez, we need to go over a few things before the meeting.” Giles began running toward us.
Killian’s jaw locked in place as he searched my features.
“This isn’t over, Daisy.”
I brushed his touch off and climbed into the truck and pulled away from the club. The rearview mirror provided a glimpse of his thundering expression, but I shifted it, so the reflection lowered.
My thoughts were messy as I drove.
He said he cared, but why was he so possessive of my body, while regarding my heart so apathetically?
I did care about who he was with, which is why my feet carried me outside so swiftly.
I couldn’t bear the image of a girl traipsing down after him, wearing little to nothing, or worse, one of his shirts.
My heart would crack in half, and the understanding of how much power he held over me angered me.
For months I was fine with seeing him flirt with other women. The minor sting to my pride, and dull ache in my heart was all manageable.
Then he went and crossed the line he’d drawn himself in the sand. He’d touched me repeatedly, said things that had wrangled the beast in my chest into submission, my heart only wanted him. I’d been in denial and embarrassed by his dismissal three months ago, but now…it was unbearable.
There was no way to undo this feeling, and I loathed my lack of respect for myself.
My standards might as well be lying on the floor with how much sense it made.
He was a shadow within my own, a hammer in my pulse, a chord of music thrumming against my veins.
He was all the things I was always so completely horrified to ever allow in.
I was in love with the wolf.
I knew he was dark, broody and mean and handled me with sharp edges and claimed me with vicious intent, and yet, I craved him.
I needed the piece he kept hidden, the beating heart under his thick exterior, his walls that he kept so secure.
I wanted to sneak inside and destroy him the way he had ruined me.
The coffee shop arrived abruptly, and my navigation was all turned around, so I had to loop the block to park in the back. I sniffed and swiped at my eyes at a few random tears that had crept free.
Then I was swinging in through the back door of The Drip.
Natty was huddled over a butcher block, dusted with flour. Her hair was swept up into a top knot, a white apron was tied around her midsection. A few other employees were milling about but didn’t pay me any mind.
“Hey, Natty,” I said softly, coming to her elbow.
She turned a bright smile at me. “Laura!”
“You here for the donuts and coffee?” She wiped her hands on the apron and moved down the counter.
“Yeah, Red sent me.”
A pink box was produced, still open so I could see inside.
“These look amazing.”
Natty smiled and began shutting the top, so it was secure. “I have three dozen ready, and Red already paid.”
I stood there watching as she set one box on top of the other, when I heard a loud round of applause coming from the front part of the coffee shop.
Natty’s eyes thinned in the direction of the noise.
“I’m so sick of them having their meetings here.”
Curious, I wandered closer to the opening and peeked my head out. There, near the front of the shop, were three tables shoved together, and several people sitting shoulder to shoulder, while they watched someone give a speech.
“That is why we need to move up legislation. The mayor of Rose Ridge won’t be able to tell us no if we’re parked right outside his house.”
Natty was suddenly behind me, quietly speaking so only I could hear her.
“That’s the group that is trying to ban motorcycle clubs from being able to meet or gather within city limits.”
“Aren't the Stone Riders technically outside of the city limits?” Not that the answer lessened the effect legislation like that would have on us.
Natty shook her head. “No, technically we’re within them. That whole property is. Which makes this extra frustrating. I overheard Rune talking about how they’ve caught a few of these members poking around the edge of the property with video cameras.”
The group clapped again, but I had missed what they said.
A man with a red beanie and spiral curls stood up from the table. “I think we need to print pictures of some of their crimes, blow them up so everyone can see how dangerous this club is. People think they’re peaceful, but there’s too many questionable things that they’ve covered up.”
“I think they could begin to react if we do that, none of it would be admissible in court…there’s not even any way to prove they’re guilty,” a woman in a soft yellow coat countered.