Savage Bond (Savage Wolves #2)

1. Chopper

Chopper

Four Years Ago

She steps out of the high school and I swear every eye is on her.

She doesn’t realize just how beautiful she is.

There’s a slight arch to her brow and her eyes are narrowed.

She’s probably angry about something, but she won't tell me even if I ask her.

Her attitude only adds to her appeal, though I'm sure a lot of people think her attitude is a problem.

Roxy tugs her sunglasses off the top of her head and places them over her eyes. She scans the parking lot, looking for someone.

I smirk as I push off my bike and close the distance between us. As soon as she spots me, she folds her arms over her chest and her brows furrow. If I could see her eyes, I know she’d be glaring at me.

“What are you doing here, Chopper?” She lets out a dramatic sigh and pops out her hip. Even at eighteen, Roxy has more attitude in her tiny body than most women do.

Yet I love it. I'm drawn to her like no one else. I crave the arguments and the banter we constantly have. Anything to know I'm on her mind and her focus is on me.

“Well, when you get detention and have to stay after school, someone needs to pick you up.” I stop in front of her and stare her down. “And Porter is away on business until tomorrow. You’re stuck with me and Storm tonight.”

“I can walk home.”

“Yeah, ok.” I chuckle and shake my head.

“What? You don’t think I can walk home by myself?” I can practically see her stubbornness take hold. She won't back down all because I told her she can’t do something. She’s itching for a fight and she’s always willing to go up against me.

Me? I couldn’t care less. Bring it on. She doesn’t scare me in the least. I know the real Roxy. The one she doesn’t show many people.

“Do I think you can physically walk home by yourself? Yes. Will you be uncomfortable? Probably. I mean, c’mon, those have to be six-inch heels. And leather pants? You’re going to sweat your sweet booty off. But more importantly, how would Porter react to you walking home alone?”

“Oh my gosh, Chopper! You all act like I'm a toddler!”

“Nah, baby. We just worry about you. You know I’d never let anything happen to you. C’mon, let’s get home.”

She lets out a huff, but she steps past me to make her way over to my bike. I place my hand on her lower back and happily walk in step with her. Any excuse to touch her.

“Roxy! Wait up!” A guy calls from behind us.

Roxy glances over her shoulder and a smirk spreads across her lips. I want to growl, I don’t need to look at this idiot to know I won't be happy with him talking to my girl. Her reaction is all I need. She knows this is going to irritate me.

“Hey, Darren,” Roxy practically purrs, making me want to punch this guy. He may be a nice, decent guy, but I don’t want Roxy looking at him or talking to him like she’s interested in more with him. She should be looking at me and talking to me and only me.

“What are you doing tonight? I was going-”

“She’s busy,” I growl, snaking an arm around Roxy’s waist. I try to tug her into my side, but she pushes me away.

“I'm not busy tonight,” she hisses, glaring at me as she takes a step closer to Darren. “What were you thinking?” Her voice turns sweet when she’s talking to him again.

“There’s a party…” Darren starts, glancing in my direction. He keeps eyeing me, clearly nervous about how I might respond.

“Don’t look at him. He’s not my dad and he has no say in what I do.

” Roxy’s getting annoyed with him now, making me grin.

She’d never go after a guy who can’t stand up to other people.

She’ll view them as weak and Roxy Reeves doesn’t enjoy weakness.

It’s why she doesn’t show any emotions other than anger. She views emotions as weakness.

“Right.” Darren clears his throat. “There’s a party…” His gaze flickers to mine and he swallows hard. He’s terrified right now.

“A party she isn’t going to,” I finish his sentence for him.

“Chopper!” She grinds out through clenched teeth.

“Not happening, sweetheart. Porter’s away this weekend and I'm your babysitter.” I fold my arms over my chest, staring her down. I know this will do nothing when it comes to Roxy, but it will let Darren know I'm not messing around.

“I don’t need a babysitter! I’m eighteen. In case you forgot, that makes me a legal adult. I don’t need to listen to what you say!”

“Mmm, I think you do,” I singsong, knowing it will irritate her more than anything.

“I’m a…. I'm going to go. Call me if you want to hang out some time.” Darren quickly scurries past me, giving me a wide berth.

“She won't!” I call after his retreating back, making Roxy let out a shriek of frustration.

“I hate you so much, Chopper!” She stomps her heeled boots, looking seconds away from tearing off my head.

“Ok. Are you ready to go home?”

I couldn’t care less if she hates me. Roxy hates everyone and everything.

The only way she wouldn’t hate me is if I let her do whatever she wanted.

On the flip side, she’d also view me as weak if I let her get away with everything and then she’d want nothing to do with me. I'm screwed no matter what I do.

“I'm not going anywhere with you.” She arches a brow, daring me to fight her. And just like that, I know exactly how today is going to end. If she thought she hated me before, she was wrong. She’s about to hate me a whole lot though.

I suck in a deep breath and blow it out slowly as I move quickly. I bend down and grab her around the hips. Lifting her into the air, I position her over my shoulder, more than happy she’s wearing pants today. If she were wearing a miniskirt, we’d be in trouble.

“Put me down!” She shrieks, pounding her fists on my back.

“Nah, I think I like this better. You’re easier to handle this way.”

“I'm not a child! You can’t just pick me up whenever you want me to listen to you!”

“Roxy, you were throwing a temper tantrum and stomping your feet, pretty sure you’re acting like a child.”

Ignoring her attempt to convince me to put her down, I head over to where my bike is. I settle her on the seat before placing my hands on her thighs.

“Don’t move.”

A smirk tugs on the corner of her lips and I know she’ll do the opposite of whatever I tell her to do. She really is such a child some days.

I lean in close, making sure my lips are a hairs’ breath away from her ear. She sucks in a sharp breath and I have to hold back my chuckle. She can pretend she hates me all she wants, but I know the truth.

“Baby, if you don’t obey me, I’ll tell Porter all about how you tried to sneak off the property last weekend. I’ll let him know exactly what type of guys are sniffing around and where to find them. I'm sure Daddy dearest would love to scare some sense into those losers.”

I pull back with a grin on my face and quickly place a helmet over her head. I buckle the strap under her chin and boop the tip of her nose.

She won't risk me spilling her secrets to Porter and we both know it. He’ll make sure to have two guys on her at all times. He’d make sure to put alarms and cameras on every door and window. If there’s one thing the president of the Savage Wolves won't risk, it’s his triplet daughters.

What he doesn’t know is how he should be watching out for me. How I’d jump at the chance for a life with Roxy. I’ll never love anyone the way I love her. Yet she’s the one woman I can’t have.