Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
LAINEY
Viking doesn’t answer me immediately. I’m not sure what he’s thinking. I can’t read his thoughts, and I don’t know him well enough to guess. But his eyes stay glued to me, unmoving, unwavering.
I only wish they were on me because he wanted me… all of me. That he was trying to figure out which part of me to kiss first. I’m pretty sure that’s a dream that needs to die because he’s given me nothing in all these years to suggest he would ever want me.
Except for the one time when I was drunk two years ago, but he only said he couldn’t and left it at that. He’s never mentioned it again. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’s been ignoring me since then… until now.
“Now you let me protect you.”
My brows snap together as my lips purse, and I tilt my head to the side. I want to ask him exactly how he’s planning on protecting me. And if my brother knows that he’s here in my house alone, announcing to me that he will, in fact, be protecting me.
But before I can get a smart-assed word out, he closes the distance between us. My breath hitches when he’s so close that he’s almost touching me. Tipping my head all the way back, I look up into his eyes.
His chin is dipped low, his gaze focused on mine, and I tremble again, or maybe I never stopped, I’m not sure. But what I do know for certain is that I can’t speak. Even if I wanted to say something right now, my lungs, my throat… my brain… Everything has completely stopped working.
“I can see the question in your eyes. Your brother has made it clear you won’t be on lockdown, so I want you to get really fucking used to me, Lainey.
It’s you and me, babe. You don’t do shit without me knowing.
You don’t go anywhere, you don’t talk to anyone, you don’t even breathe without my presence. ”
Narrowing my eyes, I press my lips tighter together as I stare at him. I’m not sure I like what he’s just demanded of me. In fact, I think I would like to speak to my brother about this. Taking a step back from him, I reach behind me, take my phone out of my back pocket, and unlock my device.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“I think I’m going to call my brother about this. Just to make sure this is what’s supposed to be going on,” I announce.
My gaze searches his while I say those words, my fingers moving across my screen as I find my texting thread with Axton. Viking stares at me unnervingly, unblinking, unmoving. He doesn’t even seem slightly worried that I’m going to talk to my brother.
Touching the call icon, I bring the phone to my ear and listen to it ring. Axton picks up on the third ring, although he sounds annoyed that I’m calling him. I don’t care; he’ll get over it once he realizes I’m concerned about my safety.
“Is there something you have neglected to tell me?” I ask.
I’m also a bit annoyed that Millie, my sister-in-law, hasn’t said shit to me. They’ve only been married for a few months, but I’ve known her for years, and we’re friends. I would have thought she’d at least have warned me that I was being followed and in danger of being kidnapped.
“What?” he asks.
Keeping my gaze connected to Viking’s, I don’t even blink when I continue. “Something about some group trying to kidnap me to marry me or something so they can merge with the Vicious Reapers?”
The moment of silence that follows is a little too long for my taste, and then my brother clears his throat. “Viking there?” he asks.
“Yes,” I snap.
I’m so annoyed because I really thought that he was going to be surprised by all of this. I don’t know what I thought Viking was trying to get away with, but I thought it was something, and now I’m not so sure.
“He’s been covering you for a while. I know you can’t close up shop and be on lockdown. I wouldn’t make you be on it anyway, not with the way you feel about it. But you’re the closest woman who isn’t claimed by the club. A princess of sorts. And they want us tied to them.”
I close my eyes slowly, then open them again, but I don’t look at Viking. Instead, I affix my attention to the wall where there is a picture hanging from Axton’s wedding. It’s of me, Millie, and Axton.
My whole family.
Why would he keep something like this from me?
“Axton,” I softly call out, “why did you keep this from me? This is about my safety.”
He doesn’t reply. I can tell he’s trying to put together the words he wants to say, and he’s picking them carefully, which means he’s trying not to upset me, but I can’t help but wonder why.
What does he know that he’s attempting to protect me against? What doesn’t he want to say? What doesn’t he want me to know? Because I can tell when Axton is trying to think of something to say in order to deflect, and that is exactly what’s happening here.
“You’re safe, Lainey-Rose. Viking would never let anything happen to you. You’re under the full protection of the club. And even if they were somehow able to get you, I would ensure your safe return. Believe that.”
“Axton,” I hiss. “This does not sound as easy-peasy as you’re attempting to make it sound. One of those men was at the shop today. That’s the only reason Viking told me anything. And that shit pisses me off. He was within a few feet of me. I need more.”
“You’re not going to get it. Now you can sleep at my place for a while, or Viking can be your twenty-four-seven guard.”
Having a big brother is fun and all, especially when you’re little and you always have that up your sleeve if someone is being an asshole to you. But right now, it’s not fun. Right now, I want to tell him to eat shit and ignore him.
But I can’t do that, because I’m also acutely aware that the Vicious Reapers aren’t the Boy Scouts.
And if they’re saying my life is on the line, then my life is…
On. The Line. But I’m not sure I want this man around me twenty-four seven, and that’s mainly because I don’t think I can personally handle it without losing my mind.
“For how long?” I ask.
There’s much less demand in my voice, and Axton knows I’ve conceded to his orders, which also sucks, because he is my brother, and I absolutely hate to back down to anything when it comes to him.
“Bullet is going to be meeting with someone in a couple of days about it.”
“Let me join.”
He gives me silence again, and I think that maybe, just maybe, my brother is going to allow me to be an active participant in that part of my life, the part of my life that I never chose to be involved in to begin with.
One that makes it part of my life by association only, and yet, it’s become the biggest part.
“Absolutely not,” he growls. “You’ll stay the fuck away from them. They’re dangerous. Trust Viking to keep you safe. I know I do.”
And with that, he ends the call, but not before he tells me he loves me. At least that’s something. I reluctantly tell him that I love him, too, then toss my phone onto the side table before I spin around to face Viking.
“Welp,” I snap. “Welcome home.”
VIKING
I press my lips together and try really hard to hide my smile, but I fucking fail. I also try not to look at Lainey like she’s absolutely fucking adorable, and I know that I fail at that, too. She looks up at the ceiling, then spins around and marches to the kitchen.
“I don’t have any beer, and I definitely don’t have enough food,” she announces as she tugs open the refrigerator door.
“I don’t drink when I’m on duty,” I murmur. “And we can order in.”
She snorts, then closes the fridge before she straightens and turns to face me. Her gaze narrows on mine, her brow arches, and she stares at me for a moment in silence. I know she’s gearing up to give me some shit. I brace and attempt to hide my amusement.
Lainey amuses me. I really don’t know if I’m going to be able to stay with her like this, day in and day out, without fucking her. I did visit the girl who lives around the corner from her. I’ve already come today, yet I could still get it up for her if she asked me.
“I cannot order in for the foreseeable future. Besides, Thunder Rock has, like, two places to actually order from, and neither sounds like a good choice. Come on. We’ll go to the store.”
She marches past me, grabs her purse, slips her shoes back on, and is standing next to the door.
Her gaze is on me, watching me as she waits for me to join her.
My feet become unstuck, and I follow her in a slight daze, because, honest to fuck, she literally just told me what to do and how to do it, and I jumped.
What the hell is happening here?
Lainey only stops when we are at her car. I watch as she reaches for the handle of the driver’s side door, but then I catch her bicep. I don’t let her sink down into the front seat. Instead, I gently tug her away from the door, silently guiding her over to the passenger side.
“What are you doing?” she demands as I slip the keys from her grasp.
“I’m not sitting bitch in your ride, babe. I drive.”
Her breath hitches, but I don’t bother looking back at her as I walk around the front of the car and sink down into the driver’s seat. Pressing my foot to the brake, I touch the start button and wait for her to get inside and close her door.
It takes her a moment.
No doubt I’ve surprised her, although I’m unsure as to why. She must know I’m a man who is going to operate a vehicle if it’s between her and me. When she finally sinks down into the passenger seat, she closes the door before I hear the seat belt click into place.
Before I can shift the car into Reverse, I feel her fingers curl around my bicep. Turning my head, I look over at her and arch a brow, then flick my gaze down to her hand before I find her eyes. She slowly uncurls her fingers, then places them in her lap to join her other hand.
“You don’t want me to drive?” she asks.
“Babe.”
“What?” she asks. “I’m not offended, but it’s my car, so I’m a little confused.”
Shaking my head once, I clear my throat. “I got a dick. I drive. It’s just the way of it. You, of all people, should know that. Piggy ever ride bitch in your car? He ever been in your car?”
She chews on her bottom lip, tugging on the skin there. It’s sexy as fuck, and I want to suck that lip between my lips. I want to slip my tongue inside her. I want to slip my cock inside her, too.
Jesus Christ, I’m going to be jacking myself off every five minutes if I don’t get control of myself soon. And since she doesn’t answer me, I don’t push it and decide to change the subject.
“We’re going to the store to get some groceries,” I grunt. “Let’s do this, because I’m already getting hungry.”