“What?” He nudged my chin up, gently urging me to look at him.
“I don’t expect that you actually meant all the things you said.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the relief wash over his face as he backed away from the promises he made. That’s how it had always been with the guys I dated. They’d say anything to get what they wanted. Once they did, they’d always leave.
“I’m not that guy, Ashley.” He slid his hand behind my neck and pulled me closer. “I meant what I said. You belong to me now.”
The possessive grit in his tone sent heat spiraling through my belly. I’d always dreamed of finding the kind of connection that would last a lifetime. I’d hoped it would be with Thunder.
“Now let’s get something for you to wear because no woman of mine is going to parade around in front of my MC brothers looking the way you do right now.” His lips met mine.
I leaned into him, eager to believe every word he said.
He pulled back first. “Let’s go talk to Atlas, then I’ll take you back to the ranch and help you do the evening chores. How does that sound?”
That sounded good to me.
Thunder got dressed and went in search of something I could wear while my clothes were in the dryer. He came back a few minutes later with a pair of yoga pants.
“Try these on. Ginger’s about your size and thought these might fit.”
While I slid on the pants, he dug through a drawer and pulled out a t-shirt and hoodie.
“Do you have a hairbrush? I’m a mess.” I stepped into the bathroom to try to make myself look presentable. The combination of getting caught in the rain and rolling around in the sheets with Thunder left me with makeup smudged around my eyes and a mess of tangled hair.
“You look beautiful to me.” He came up behind me and pulled a comb from a drawer. “Give me a minute, and I’ll work through these snarls.”
His hands were surprisingly gentle as he worked the comb through my hair. When he’d finished, he put his hands on my hips and met my gaze in the reflection of the mirror.
“You ready to show everyone you’re with me, Baby Girl?”
I nodded.
He gripped my hand and led me through the halls until we stood outside Atlas’s office. Thunder knocked, then opened the door and gestured for me to go first.
Atlas sat behind a large wooden desk. Framed photos of the club through the years decorated the walls.
“Have a seat.” Atlas got up as we entered. “How are you feeling, Ashley? You’ve been through a lot over the past couple of days.”
I slid onto the chair in front of his desk, feeling a little bit like I’d been sent to the principal’s office. “I’m doing alright.”
Thunder sat down next to me and reached for my hand. Atlas arched a brow, but didn’t say anything as Thunder twined our fingers together and rested our hands on his thigh.
“I ran into a couple of the Bones at the café this morning. Pretty sure they targeted the ranch because of the fertilizer. We’ve talked to the ranch hand twice now, and I know he’s holding out on us.” Thunder shot a glance my way. “He’s been with the family for a long time, but something’s not adding up.”
“What’s your plan?” Atlas asked.
“We get some more of that fertilizer and make sure the Savage Bones know where it is. Then we wait. They’ll come and get it and lead us straight to their production site.” Thunder squeezed my hand. “Once we know where they’re making meth, we can go around local law enforcement and bring in the Feds.”
“And in the meantime?” Atlas asked.
“Business as usual, though we’re running low on manpower.” Thunder leaned forward. “I was thinking about calling in a few favors. Maybe seeing if some of the guys who joined us for the first ride would mind coming in for a bit. We’ve got good connections with the Lonestar Riders.”
“Yeah, why not? We can use all the help we can get right now,” Atlas said.
I cleared my throat. “Can I make a suggestion?”
“Of course.” Atlas folded his hands together and waited.
Swallowing the lump suddenly lodged in my windpipe, I forced the words through my lips. “What if we also involved the community more? I bet the staff at the café and other places around town would be happy to keep tabs on the Savage Bones. We could have an underground report line or something where people could call in anything that looks suspicious.”
