Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Three days later
STORM
My jaw is still sore from Lore’s treatment of it, but it just makes me chuckle every time I feel it whenever I eat or smile.
Gazing down the street in Minneapolis, my lips purse as I worry about how fucking big this city is. Ace’s uncle was very tight lipped about Marie, and only told him that he does have her car.
Then he told him to leave “the girl” alone.
That’s impossible, so after we buttoned up the first part of our job, I took off to grow roots outside of his shop to watch for her.
We distribute stolen parts to car and bike shops for several Knotted Anarchy chapters. This way, we can keep as much of our income as possible within our little fucked up family.
Part of our club is currently running deliveries within a four hour drive of Minneapolis to the different clubs near here, while Wilder and Lore are headed up to see Devon two hours outside of Chicago.
Devon is Lore’s younger brother and the president of the chapter out there. He likes to check in from time to time since he recently rose to power. I don’t think it’s a bad idea, though I don’t love it when we’re separated.
Leaning forward, I watch as a redhead walks up the street toward Henry’s place, and my eyes narrow. It’s not the safest area. Just what is this girl doing?
I remain still as I watch her closely, wondering where she’s been laying her head at night.
I’ve been waiting for her to use a credit card so it’ll notify me of where she’s staying, but nothing has shown up.
For an omega who is broke, I doubt she’s using cash to pay for the things she needs.
Glaring as she enters Henry’s shop in what appears to be jeans and a t-shirt, I wait to follow her home.
It’ll be easier to do at a distance if she’s driving.
Thirty minutes later, she leaves on foot again, appearing dejected. Making a face, I’m glad there’s some traffic on the road so I can begin to follow her. There’s nothing inconspicuous about my bike, and I typically don’t care about it.
However, it’s difficult to be quiet, so I pull into an alley to hide my bike, jogging to catch up on foot behind her. As much as I despise leaving things that are important to me, Marie’s whereabouts are important too.
I get a few glances as I flip my curls out of my eyes, but it’s not a crime to walk on the sidewalk. Marie doesn’t look behind her once, and I’m getting more and more angry as I follow her.
I’m going to do something really fucking stupid. I can feel it.
Marie walks for several blocks before she turns into an area that’s full of warehouses. There’s a building with a blue door with a light on, and I notice there are men outside of it that remind me of guards.
What the fuck?
Moving quickly, I pull Marie into an alley, my hand on her mouth as she twists, scratches, and screams. She’s putting up more of a fight than she did before, and it makes me proud of her.
There's more confidence inside of her now. As much as I want to make her mine, I don’t want to beat her down until she’s a shell of herself. Too many women lose their spark when they allow men to strip them of it.
I don’t want a weak mouse for an omega. I want a lioness who will scratch, slap, and beat the fuck out of me when I’m being an ass. I also want her to feel comfortable enough with me to allow me to treat her like my little slut in the bedroom.
A part of her enjoyed what we did, and I’m sure she’s wondering why. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
“Hey, baby,” I whisper against her cheek, scent marking her. “Did you miss me?”
She’s still for a second before she makes a strangled scream, and becomes a hell cat. There will be scratches on my face, skin under her nails, and evidence that I saw her. Lore won’t be happy about that.
I was supposed to be lying low. Oops?
Releasing her since I would like to talk to her, I smirk as she turns around quickly, breathing hard.
“You’re going to make me late to work,” she hisses at me.
“You really are a cat,” I chuckle, voicing my thoughts. Marie looks confused, and I continue. “You always land on your feet like a good kitty.”
Her cheeks heat as she glares at me. She’s projecting her every movement as she cuts a glance toward the entrance of the alley, which is also the only way out. She has a shit poker face.
I like that I know what she’s thinking.
“I would like to know where my scent match is staying, Marie. I worked hard to find you,” I murmur.
“Well, you can unfind me, asshole. You’re following me, so you should be able to figure out where I’m staying too. I’m not going to jeopardize other people’s safety by having you here. Go away. Shoo,” she says, flicking her fingertips at me.
Rocking back on my heels, I smirk at her audacity. It’s only once I return my weight onto the balls of my feet that I realize what she’s not telling me.
“You’re staying at a homeless shelter? Or worse, some type of battered women’s shelter?” I ask, gaping at her. “What the fuck did you tell them about us?”
“Are you trying to say that you didn’t hurt me and throw me away?” she asks, her eyes glittering with anger and hurt.
Fuck. We did ride off, but there weren’t many other options.
“Marie—”
“No!” she yells. “This isn’t a battered anything. Do you have any idea how few options there are for an omega with very little money? You’re also not the only one I’m hiding from.”
“You’re infuriating,” I growl. “Why don’t you tell me who it is so I can take care of it? Consider it a courting gift.”
Her jaw nearly unhinges as she stares at me, and I worry that I may have broken her.
“I can handle it,” she finally mumbles. “I don’t need you knuckleheads accidentally killing someone I care about.”
“Is this an ex-boyfriend or something?” I ask, before realizing it might not be as she begins to hysterically laugh. Leaning her hands on her knees, she shakes her head.
“See? You know nothing about me,” she says, straightening. “I’m just some chick you hit it and quit. Biology isn’t always right, you know. In fact, I re—”
“Shut the fuck up!” I yell in a panic, my alpha bark slamming into her.
Marie’s eyes overflow with tears as she realizes she can’t speak, and her fingers touch her throat as she panics.
“Marie, just wait,” I groan. “Please. I can’t let you reject me, not until we fix this. Wilder, Prez, and I are all your scent matches. We can figure this out, okay?”
I watch as she pulls out her stun gun and marches over to me. Deciding to stay still and let her use it on me, I feel like I’m reliving a previous experience as she lifts my shirt and presses the tip of the stun gun against my bare flesh.
Grunting as my teeth grind together, I shudder as I ride out the pain.
“I’m…sorry,” I groan. “You can talk as long as you don’t use your voice to reject us.”
Marie grabs a fistful of my curls as I bend over to hold me still and shoves her weapon against my neck. Her finger pushes against the trigger, sending electric shocks through my body as I gasp. I let her take it out on me, knowing it won’t fuck me up for long.
“You’re a miserable prick,” she growls. “Why would I want an alpha who treats me like all the other male figures in my life?”
Turning away, she leaves me gasping for breath as she exits the alley. Refusing to allow those to be the last words she speaks to me, I force myself to hobble after her. Once I’m on the sidewalk, I stand tall as if she didn’t hurt me, and swagger in her shadow.
“Are you hiding from your dad?” I ask, taking a shot in the dark.
“No,” she says, keeping her weapon in her hand as she continues to walk.
“Brother?” I guess again, watching as she stiffens up. “That’s it! Come on, Marie.”
“Fuck off,” she says, checking the time before sighing and turning around.
“Did you forget what you were doing?” I ask, watching as she walks past me. “Marie!”
“I told you I was going to be late for work,” she grumbles. “Now I don’t have time to run inside to eat. I have to jump on the bus to get there.”
“Why don’t I take you?” I ask, knowing I’m skirting trouble.
“I don’t really want you to know any more about me than you do,” she sighs. “Take the hint…”
“Storm,” I say quickly, cursing myself for not even introducing myself. God, I’ve been around the MC for too long. I’m used to people simply knowing who I am.
“Hmm,” she says, continuing to walk. “I remember you. No, that’s not at all a compliment.”
I hold back the comment of how she tasted on my tongue and walk beside her.
“What time do you need to be at work?” I ask instead.
“Twenty minutes,” she says, glancing at her watch as she visibly pales.
“I’m the one making you late, let me take you to work,” I suggest.
“What will it cost me?” she asks.
“Damn,” I mutter. “Is everything a tit for tat situation for you? I can’t be nice?”
“Alphas like you are never nice,” she says. “Everything has a price.”
I want to beat the fuck out of her brother. It’s fucked that she truly believes that, but I’ll use it to my advantage. Then, I’ll find her brother. Madden isn’t a very popular last name, and he taught her a lesson that will be very difficult for her to unlearn.
“We’ll do it your way,” I decide. “I want a date for a ride to work.”
“I think I’d rather be late,” Marie mutters, looking longingly at the bus stop.
“No you don’t. Aren’t you the new hire?” I ask, knowing full well that she is.
“Yes,” she says.
“Come on. I don’t smell,” I tease her.
“I loathe you,” Marie growls, attempting to push me. I’m two hundred and sixty pounds of muscle, so I simply smirk as I refuse to move an inch. “Fine. Where’s your bike?”
“Your carriage awaits over here,” I tell her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder as I walk her to my bike.
“It’s a bike, not a carriage,” she says stubbornly, standing still as I put my helmet over her head. “There’s still time for me to catch the bus.”
“No, there’s not,” I say, listening as I hear the squealing of the bus’ brakes. “Get on.”
I throw my leg over my hog before giving her my hand to help her climb on behind me.