Chapter Thirty-Four
Sniper
K atey was still here at the clubhouse. For now. I wasn’t crazy enough to think that she was here because of me or because she wanted to be, but there was still so much we had to say to each other and as long as she was here there was time. For the past forty-eight hours she’d been quiet and withdrawn, pale as she stayed in bed curled into a ball.
Today she looked better. The color had returned to her skin, and she’d taken a shower, her short hair glossy and slicked back to show off her high cheekbones, the delicate slope of her nose and highlighting her lush, plump lips. It was now or it was never. “Hey Katey. How are you feelin’?”
“I’m fine. How’s the arm?”
“It’s fine.” Every time she looked at me there was guilt in those blue depths that I hated to see. “Stop blaming yourself.”
She shrugged. “How can I not when it’s my fault? He came looking for me and found you instead. If I had pulled my gun faster, you wouldn’t have been shot.”
“I would have been dead if you hadn’t pulled your gun Katey, I hope like hell you realize that.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “We’d both be dead if not for you.”
She shook her head, her gaze aimed at the floor. “If I would have just come down when you asked, he wouldn’t have snuck up on you.”
“Stop it, Katey. You saved me and more importantly you saved yourself. Got it?” I hated that she continued to blame herself for this when she was a goddamn hero.
I watched as she opened her mouth and then thought better of it before she found an acceptable response. “Yeah, I got it. I saved you.”
“That’s more like it.”
She arched a brow. “I can acknowledge that I basically solved a problem I created.” She was such a smart ass and I’d give her shit for that later, now there were more important things on the table.
“We need to talk.” My tone was deep and serious.
Katey’s eyes widened and then resignation settled on her delicate features. She was uneasy but she squared her shoulders and nodded. “I know. Killing Ethan only solved half the problem. It’s not over. It might not ever be over.”
“This is going to be over. If you don’t believe anything else I tell you, believe that.” I covered my face with both hands and scrubbed them up and down. “The people you told us about will have to be dealt with. I’m sure they realize or suspect something’s happened to Ethan by now.”
She frowned. “Sooner than that, don’t you think? The police are probably already asking questions and trying to find me.”
I met her gaze, those deep blue eyes saw too much and imagined the absolute worst. “There’s no body to find Katey. No crime was committed as far as the cops are concerned so no reason to be lookin’ for you.”
It took a minute for my words to sink in but when they did, her eyes rounded with both shock and maybe, possibly relief. “Oh. Okay.” The words stammered past her full lips. “Then they might already be planning an attack?”
I nodded again. “Probably. You have to stay here.” There were more reasons than Ethan’s partners, but I needed to appeal to her logical, rational side first.
“Until this is finished , ” she added. “Sure. I’ll stick around.”
She still didn’t get it but that was okay, I’d make her understand. I took a step forward and then another until I was at her side on the sofa, my gaze fixed to the side of her face, daring her to not look my way. “I want you to stay Katey.”
She nodded absently. “Yeah sure, Sniper. I won’t make this more difficult. I promise.”
My lips pulled tight. “You don’t get it do you?” I sat up and moved closer, laying one hand on her thigh with a squeeze. “Katey, I want you to stay here. With me.”
She watched me and she waited. For what, I hadn’t the faintest fucking clue. “Wait, what?” Her brows dipped into adorable confusion and her lips puckered as if she really didn’t understand.
“I shocked you.” I thought I’d been pretty transparent, but I guess not.
She nodded slowly. “You want me to stay. Here.” It wasn’t a question, she was just repeating the words almost like she was trying to make sense of ‘em.
“I do. I really fucking do Katey.”
She frowned and shook her head like she was trying to knock a thought loose. Finally she faced me, questions swimming in her eyes. “But you hated me from the moment Cal pushed me onto you. And you made no secret of it. Other than sex you can barely stand me.”
“I think you’re forgetting a lot of moments we spent together outside the bedroom.” I studied her carefully. Patiently. Determined to wait until the memories hit her.
Her mind spun and her blue eyes made jerky, thinking movements.
“All those meals where we got to know each other.” Watching her enjoy her food on those few occasions she allowed herself to eat.
Katey shook her head again, probably trying to find arguments to deny my words.
“The nights I held you when those fucking nightmares tore your sleep apart. Fighting together. Saving each other.”
“But,” she started but never finished the thought.
“And then there was the sex. It’s never been as good or as intense with anybody else. Before my cock leaves your body, I’m ready to have you again. I dream about fuckin’ you because when I’m buried deep inside you Katey, my world feels right.
She smiled. “The mind-blowing, life-altering, axis-tilting sex that made my toes curl?”
I nodded. “Now you’re starting to see the big picture.”
Goosebumps popped up on her arms and legs and she shivered. “But that doesn’t make any sense.”
“Agreed,” I laughed. “From what I understand love never makes a damn bit of sense.”
Her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp.
“Yeah, I said it. I’ve fallen for you, Katey, it’s as simple and as complicated as that. You’re grouchy as hell and you’re hardheaded and independent to a fault. But you’re also beautiful and kind, and so damn capable that I know you’re too fuckin’ good for me. I know it and I don’t care because I’m a selfish bastard and I want your beautiful, brilliant, grumpy ass for myself.”
She let out a shocked, strangled sound.
My heart pounded out of my chest while I waited for her to say something. Anything.
A knock on the door hard enough to shake the frame took us both out of the intense moment. “Church,” Gio shouted on the other side of the door. “Important shit to discuss.”
And just like that, my love life and my future would have to wait. “Gotta go.”
“I know.” Her cheeks flushed and she licked her lips, as if daring me to take what I wanted.
So I did. “Fuck,” I moaned and cupped the back of her neck, staring at her for a long minute before my mouth crashed down on hers. This was a continuation of everything I wanted to say to her but had no fucking clue how to say the words. The kiss said I love you instead of I’ve fallen for you . This made explicit the words that, in hindsight, seemed so tepid.
Katey moaned into my mouth and pressed her chest against mine. The sensation of her hard nipples on my chest, her warm, capable hands on my forearms, it was too fuckin’ much.
“Katey,” I growled against her lips.
“You have to go,” she replied and flicked her tongue against the seam of my mouth. “You should go. Important biker business.”
Her words teased a laugh out of me, and I dove back in, hungry for just one more taste before we went to make a plan on how to handle a bunch of rich assholes who thought it was okay to fucking buy people. Her lush lips, plump and sweet, were enough to keep me here for hours.
But MC business came first. Always did. “Okay. Gotta go.”
Katey pulled back and leaned against the sofa, crossing her legs, and then folding her hands in her lap. “Go.”
I stood, adjusting my pants to hide my hard cock and smiled at my woman, because that was how I thought about her. “You’ll think about what I said?”
She nodded before nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. “I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to think of anything else.”
“Good.”
Gio knocked one more time just as I yanked open the door. “Yeah, I fuckin’ heard ya!”
“Just makin’ sure lover boy. Let’s go.”
“Asshole,” I grumbled through a smile. “You know anything?”
“Some,” he shrugged and clapped his hands together. “We’re all about to find out.”
***
Church was more packed than usual today, which meant we had enough intel to make a real fucking plan to get these fuckwads. I leaned against a wall with the other prospects, and waited for Rocky, the lone straggler. Even though I couldn’t wait for my prospect period to be over, I didn’t mind not having a seat at the table. Yet.
“Sorry I’m late. Peyton’s not feeling well.” Rocky rushed in, closed the door, and took his seat, all without a smile which meant he was worried about his woman.
“Katey can take a look at her if you want. She’s still here.”
His expression relaxed along with his shoulders. “Pike, step out and tell Katey that Peyton isn’t feeling well, see if she wants to help.” His lips twisted as if he wasn’t sure Katey would help.
“She’ll want to. Trust me.”
“She’s your woman,” Pike said with a smile before he left the room.
“All right,” Slate began once we went through all the important club notes and Diesel turned the floor over to him. “These guys are into some major, major shit boys. They traffic humans of all ages, sexes, genders, and religions. They stick to the script with forgotten people, runaways, and transients, the only exception is good looking teenagers.”
“Slate,” Hawk groaned. “Get to it, brother.”
“Right. So I’ve laid a trap by hacking into their network and draining half the amount in a dozen different crypto accounts, leaving a cryptic note so they know who robbed them.”
“That’s dangerous, don’t you think?” It could end up being a stupid fucking mistake.
“That’s kind of the point,” Slate shot back. “Diesel said we were tired of waiting for them to attack, so we’re forcing their hand.”
“Are you telling me assholes this rich don’t have a resident computer geek on staff?” Maverick shook his head, incredulous and disgusted.
“Doesn’t seem like it. My guess is they hire independent contractors just in case anybody comes close to figuring out what they’re into.” Slate shrugged. “Either way, they’re extra vulnerable. While you guys go after them, I’m going to do my thing on this end. Questions?”
“Yeah,” Rebel groaned. “How long are we gonna have to wait?”
“How long would you wait to attack if someone stole millions from you,” he shot back with a smug grin.
“Right, we need to prepare now and stay ready,” Diesel instructed. He stood and issued orders to each of us. “And when I say don’t leave a man behind, I fucking mean it.” He glared at me, and I nodded to let him know I heard him.
Loud and clear.
This shit would be dealt with by the end of the week and then I’d have plenty of time to convince Katey to stay.
I hoped.