Best I could figure, they took it to heart and scattered.
Good.
I didn’t want anything else to do with any of them—or the detectives in my precinct.
I’d found my family, and I was never letting them go.
37
RAFE
We walked into a packed clubhouse.
Every member who’d stayed behind waited for us, their faces a mixture of curiosity and barely contained hostility when they caught sight of Noelle.
Word had already spread, not that I was surprised, and not everyone was happy to see her return.
She stiffened but didn’t shrink away from the obvious animosity.
Conversations died and heads turned until we held the attention of every member.
The weight of their stares had never bothered me.
These men had trusted my judgment when I’d brought her into our world.
They’d felt betrayed right alongside the three of us when her true identity came to light.
Their opinions mattered, but only in context.
Marcus, one of our oldest members, stood from his chair near the bar.
He shot a scathing look at Noelle, then dared turn that look on me. “What the fuck, Rafe?”
He spat it out with enough heated venom to cause Bishop to make a wounded noise and take a step forward.
A second voice carried across the sudden silence. “Hey, Noelle. Welcome back.” Colt whistled and clapped, and Ash laughed at my brother’s antics.
Danny shoved Colt’s shoulder, causing him to stumble.
“Touch him again and you’ll lose a hand.” The entire room turned stone cold silent.
Just the way I liked it.
Noelle’s hand found mine, and she laced our fingers together.
Atta girl.
She made a statement with that one move.
Even if she didn’t realize it, she just showed every last one of them that they were not going to scare her away.
I squeezed her fingers, hoping to comfort her.
I had her back, now and forever. “Marcus is of the opinion he can question my authority and my decisions.”
I’d run this club for years, and this asshole wasn’t about to usurp my authority. “But I’m willing to hear him out. Speak your piece, Marcus.”
I waved nonchalantly, like whatever he had to say didn’t matter at all.
