“Waverly?” he pressed. “Are. You. Afraid. Of.Me?”
I let out a frustrated huff. “No.”
“Then, we’re gonna sit right here and have a little chat.”
“You’re going to do more damage to your shoulder and your leg.”
“Let me worry about that.”
I glared at him as he stared back at me, his eyes full of nothing but adoration.
“I love you,” he said. “I’m sorry I lied by omission. That was not the plan, but we have some shit going down with the club—”
“See? You’re all the same.”
“We didn’t start this,” he ground out.
“What are you? On the playground now? You didn’t start it?”
“Baby, it’s complicated. There’s a one-percent club gunnin’ for our legitimate businesses and they beat the shit out of me to send a message. They’re also threatening our families. Hatch will not let that stand.”
“I don’t know what any of that means.” I threw my hands in the air. “Where’s Katie?”
He ignored my question about Katie but started to educate me about the other stuff, even though I didn’t really think I wanted to know. “The Dogs of Fire, our club, is legal. A one-percent club means not necessarily legal. We own and operate not only auto shops around the area but also cannabis grow warehouses and stores in Oregon and Washington. The Gresham Spiders want the grow operation, and they’ve decided they’re going to get it by any meansnecessary.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I love you, Waverly. I trust you. The only reason I came in to see you initially without my colors is because Hatch wanted me to keep a low profile in case we were being watched. It was never to deceive you.”
“You should have told me the second you knew how I felt.”
“You’re right. I should have. But how do you tell the woman you’re falling in love with that you’re part of a club knowing you’ll lose her?” he challenged. “We are not like the Riders, Waverly, not even close. And we know Snarl’s club, baby. I don’t know him personally, but I know his brother, Rocky, and he’s a good man. So, if your friend fell in love with him, trust that Snarl’s a good man, too.”
“Where the hell is Katie?” I asked again.
“She’s not comin’ back up until I give her the all-clear.”
“Whoisthis woman?”
“Baby, she’s one of my best friends.”
“Stop calling me baby!” I hissed. “So much for women protecting women.”
“If she really thought you were in any kind of danger, there’d be no way in hell she’d have left.” He cocked his head. “I’ll ask again. Are you afraid of me?”
I ran my teeth along my bottom lip, pondering his question.
“Fizzy?”
“I’mthinking,” I snapped.
He chuckled, shoving his face in my neck and kissing my pulse.
“No, sir,” I said, pushing his head away. “I have not forgiven you yet.”
“Yeah, you have.”
“I think your friend needs to come over and punch you again for makingmecry.”
