“What else is stressing you out?”
“I still don’t know who shot at us yesterday. I don’t like not knowing.”
I walk toward him and grip onto his cut.
“You’ll find out, you always do. Just be careful when you’re out. I wouldn’t survive without you.”
He slams his lips onto mine, then promises, “Nothing on earth could take me away from you.”
He takes hold of my hand, and we head down to the bar. I don’t look Annabel’s way. I can’t blame her if she crushes on my husband. He’s an asshole, but he’s a good-looking asshole. He’smine and hasn’t given me any cause to worry. So I’m not going to.
If she continues with the unwanted attention, then she’ll certainly won’t like the attentionI’llshow her.
“Has Rudi already left for work?” I ask Angel as he gazes off into space.
He blinks himself back into reality and nods.
“Yeah, I dropped her off an hour ago.”
I smile. He doesn’t care that she has her own car or that most of her shifts start at the crack of dawn and end near the dead of night, if he’s not on club business, he never fails to drop her off and pick her up.
I like him as Luca’s Vice President. My dad always used to say you could tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his woman. When Mason was younger, he would argue you couldn’t be two different people. My dad made it clear it wasn’t about being two different versions of yourself, it was the world shaping you into a man who had to be strong in certain circumstances but know when to be soft when he had to be.
People look at men like my husband and Angel and see terror. Men like them are the ones I trust easier than any others. I couldn’t imagine my life not being surrounded by these men and if anyone judges me for it, that is their wasted energy, not mine.
Handing the baby monitor to Luca, I press a kiss on the top of his head and make my way outside to my green house. I’ve barely taken a step inside when a throat clearing behind me fills my sanctuary.
It sounded feminine and since Rudi is at work, it can only belong to Annabel. I don’t bother giving her my attention and pick up my pruning sheers.
“Everything about this place surprises me. I wouldn’t have imagined there was a mini paradise out here. Do you grow food?”
I clip out the dead leaves on my rose bush and toss them in the compost pile.
“I have potatoes and runners growing, and some peppers. Eventually I’m going to have that whole side…” I say sweeping my hand across the far side of the yard. “I’m planning on growing everything and anything I can.”
Her brow arches, her smile fake as fuck. “Don’t you worry the guys will trample over it when they’re drunk?”
“No. It wouldn’t happen.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Giving her my full attention, I smile. “Because the guys wouldn’t disrespect me like that.” Narrowing my eyes, I take her in like I’m seeing her for the first time again. There is mischief in her eyes but there is also loneliness. Softening my tone, I ask, “Don’t you have anyone that would make sure nothing bad touched you?”
Her mouth opens but nothing comes out. I have my answer without a sound from her.
“It must be nice to have so many guys looking out for you.”
“I don’t know any different. I grew up in the club. Most of my family wear the patch, the brothers are family, and I grew up with the younger generation. I like to think that if you’re a nice person, it comes back to you.”
Her snort rattles me. “Nice gets you nowhere.”
“It gets you further than being a shady bitch.”
Though she’s making my inner bitch venture out the more I speak with her.
“Personally, I haven’t seen much evidence of that.”
“It’s wasted energy to live with such negativity, and it won’t last long around here.”
