I’d packed away two pizzas without realizing it?
Cristu, maybe I had lost the fucking plot.
“It’s fine. I’m surprised you noticed with how glued you were to the Stars’ game.”
Her laughter was self-deprecating. “I’m a sucker for hockey. Even reruns”
“You screaming louder than a foghorn gave that away.”
Her fingertips trickled along the divots on my abs, smoothing over muscles that tensed under her touch. “My dad and I used to watch it together. I was the only one of his kids that genuinely enjoyed it.” Her tone was wistful. “We never missed a game, and I kept the ritual up after he… The second they immigrated to New York, he was all about the Liberties.”
“They became the Stars, right?”
She nodded. “Stan?”
“Se?” Sweet fuck, she tempted me. With her special secrets, her fond memories, and the silken slide of her toes over my calf.
“When we’re back home, will we see each other again?”
Every fucking day for the rest of my life.
“We will.” When she heaved what sounded like a relieved sigh, I tutted. “You didn’t believe me on the plane?”
“Things change,” she muttered sleepily.
“Not this. Never this.”
“I’m glad.” Her nose rubbed against my side. “You’re crazy, but I’m still glad. I’m tired.”
“Rest,duci. I’ll watch over you.”
When she relaxed, I knew then that she’d been too anxious to before, and her trust in me gave me hope for our future.
I cursed Wolfe and his council because their posturing hadn’t helped matters.
If they’d welcomed Kitty and her sisters, I wouldn’t have been so on edge. The Hell’s Rebels weren’t fucking monsters. But the way they’d reacted to our presence… Something wasn’t right.
When she fell asleep, I toyed with her hand, sliding my fingers along her palm as my mind went to work.
Whatever had gone down with Dead To Me had clearly impacted the MC.
The question was, why? And, hell, how?
Politics wasn’t my jam, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t focus on it in an emergency. Especially as bringing in my siblings, the natural politicians, would only make a shit situation worse…
With my woman to guard and a fucked-up situation to figure out, there’d be no sleep for me tonight.
THIRTY-FOUR
STAN
I should have expected it.
The minute I heard the scream outside the bunkhouse, I jolted out of the haze I’d been existing in—a happy, warm haze that only my thoughts marred because comfort took on another meaning with Kitty tucked into my side.
The scream had her jolting awake too.
But even when it cascaded into a torrent of giggles, I was on my feet, gun in hand, as I raced through the living area and damn near dragged off the front door in my rush to reach the yard.
