Lucas braced beside me. “This is different. She didn’t grow up like you.”
I blinked, wondering what he meant by that. Stella cut me a subtle look and gave me the tiniest shake of her head. Reminding me not to get sidetracked. Not now.
Her focus swung back to Lucas with the kind of stare only the president’s wife could get away with. Especially when he was at her back, after following her across the room and resting a hand on her hip as he took in the situation.
Lucas’s nostrils flared on a deep exhale. “King?—”
But King only lifted one broad shoulder in a shrug. “Nope.”
“You gotta be kidding me.” Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “This is club business.”
“I’m not stupid enough to interfere when my wife is riled up.” King pinned Lucas with an unapologetic look. “Especially when I don’t disagree.”
Lucas leaned forward. “Seriously?”
“The rules are different when one of our women is at risk.” King shrugged. “If you’re looking for my permission to share more of this shit with her, you have it.”
Stella lifted her chin, delivering her final blow. “If you want her trust, you gotta give yours to her too.”
Something in Lucas’s eyes flickered. My breath caught at the depth of emotion in them when he met my gaze. He looked like a man who knew he wanted to give the woman beside him more than just his protection.
Then he nodded and stood, holding a hand out to me. He didn’t say a word as he led me to his room, but the tension rolling off him made my stomach tighten. Whatever Stella had pushed him into sharing was a big deal.
When we reached his door, I bit my lower lip while he unlocked it to guide me inside. As it shut behind us, I turned toward him, but his expression was unreadable.
“Lucas?”
“Sit with me, baby.” Interlacing our fingers, he tugged me over to the chair, sitting down and guiding me onto his lap. “If we’re gonna talk about what’s going on, I want you close.”
My breath caught. “Okay.”
I shifted until I found a comfortable spot, and he tightened his arms around me. “I hate the idea of letting darkness touch you, Maren. You are so bright, full of trust and sweetness. I don’t want to tarnish that with harsher parts of my life.”
“But being in the dark about what’s happening is scary.”
His expression turned fierce. “I don’t want you to worry because we won’t let anything happen to you. I will keep you safe, and so will every brother in my club.”
“I know.” I wrapped my arms around his neck but continued to watch him expectantly.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He brushed his lips against my temple. “Not used to sharing club business with anyone but my brothers. What I told you already was more than I’ve ever shared with anyone not wearing a Hounds cut.”
My brows drew together. “But I don’t understand what could be so bad that you didn’t just say it then. I mean…I’ve already been kidnapped. It doesn’t get much worse than that.”
“I wish to fuck it didn’t, baby. But it does.” His fingers dug into my hip. “When they couldn’t take you quietly, they put a hit out on you.”
It felt like the world shifted beneath me, but Lucas was my anchor, holding me tight. “Someone wants me dead.”
Saying it aloud felt unreal.
Lucas’s chest expanded, and his lips flattened. “That’s why the compound is on edge. Why no one will give you space. You’re a target until we take the men after you off the board.”
A tremor ran through me at the idea of someone wanting to end my life because I’d accidentally seen something I shouldn’t have. I didn’t even know what I saw, hadn’t even said a word about it to anyone.
It all seemed so unbelievable. And unfair.
I pressed my hand to my stomach as guilt swelled. “I don’t want to be a burden. Or for anyone to get hurt because of me.”
“Baby, no.” Lucas cupped my jaw in both hands, forcing my eyes to stay locked on his. “None of this is your fault. I can’t tell you why, but the Hounds would’ve been in this even if I’d never met you.”
