The next day, I made good on my promise to beef up security. My brothers showed up around midmorning, rolling onto the property on motorcycles and in one SUV loaded with equipment. Kevlar parked near the barn, removing his helmet and scanning the area with a practiced, assessing gaze. Wizard, Echo, and a handful of prospects followed him. Cross climbed out of the SUV and opened the back to haul out heavy boxes of cameras and cables. Before I even reached them, Wizard was already halfway toward Clara’s apartment, his tablet tucked under one arm and a kit full of electronics under the other.
Clara eyed us warily, hands on her hips as we approached the store. Her cheeks flushed with mild embarrassment and a spark of exasperation, clearly believing my insistence on added security was excessive.
“You realize you're turning this place into Fort Knox,” she teased, raising one eyebrow challengingly as she surveyed the gear we carried.
I paused, moving close enough that her eyes widened slightly, the pink in her cheeks deepening as she gazed up at me.“You’re damn right. Nothing less is acceptable when it comes to you.”
Clara’s dad appeared from around the corner of the store, his stride purposeful as he approached us. He’d clearly overheard the exchange and amusement twinkled in his eyes as he chuckled deeply.
“Not gonna complain about extra eyes keeping watch over my family, Clara,” he told his daughter gently, giving her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. He turned his gaze to me, steady and thoughtful. “Anything you boys need to get it set up properly, just let me know.”
I inclined my head in acknowledgment. “Thanks, Larry. We won’t disrupt business—just putting some extra layers of protection in place. Making sure no unwanted visitors can get too close without being noticed.”
“Fair enough.” He held out his hand for a firm shake. His grip was strong and calloused, and his expression was still open, but with a slightly more serious edge than I’d seen before. “I’ll admit, seeing my daughter involved with someone from your world makes a father nervous. But going out of your way to make sure she’s safe proves you’re willing to do right by her. Keep doing stuff like this, and you’ve got my support.”
Something in my chest tightened at his quiet approval. My voice was rougher than I expected when I replied, “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Clara let out a dramatic huff, shaking her head even though her smile softened as she looked between us. “Fine, you two can bond over your ridiculous security measures. I’ll just get back to actually running the orchard.”
Larry laughed warmly, nudging his daughter with an affectionate elbow before he turned to help Cross and Kevlar with the gear. “Come on, boys. Let’s get this show on the road.”
The next several hours were spent strategically placing cameras along the property lines and installing subtle sensors near the entrances. Wizard worked his magic, his fingers flying across his tablet screen as he programmed the security system in Clara’s apartment. We set up discreet alarms on her windows and reinforced the locks on her doors, leaving nothing to chance.
By the time the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long golden shadows across the orchard, the security setup was complete. Echo wiped sweat from his brow, shooting me a satisfied nod. “We’re good. Anything moves out here, you’ll know about it.”
I inclined my head, feeling some of the tension ease in my chest. “Appreciate it.”
Cross stretched, looking around the orchard before his gaze landed pointedly on me. “So, this mean we get a lifetime supply of the orchard’s famous pies?”
Clara laughed, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest. “Depends on how you behave from now on. Don’t forget, I’m the one in charge of those pies.”
Cross smirked, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Noted. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Wizard snorted, muttering without glancing up from his tablet. “That’ll be a first.”
Cross looked at him incredulously. “You tried one of those sweet-potato pies? I’d go back to confession for unlimited access to the bakery here.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved Cross toward their vehicles. “Only one with unlimited anything when it comes to Clara is me.”
I grinned when Clara blushed hard and squirmed.
Kevlar, Echo, and Wizard shot me knowing grins, but they had no room to judge since they were just as possessive of their women. Cross harrumphed like a spoiled child instead ofa tough-as-fuck biker. Honestly though, I couldn't blame him entirely. Kathy had sent me home with some of Clara’s treats the last time I’d been there. They were almost as delicious as my girl’s mouth.
The guys headed back toward their bikes and the SUV, engines rumbling as they pulled away from the farm. As the dust settled, Clara stepped closer, looking up at me with an expression without any of the teasing and bravado from earlier.
“Thank you.” Sincerity filled her voice. “I know I gave you a hard time, but it really means a lot that you’re willing to do all this just to keep the orchard and farm safe.”
“This place is important to you, which means it’s important to me.” I brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek, my fingertips grazing her soft skin. “But you know that wasn’t why I did this. How many times do I gotta remind you that I protect what’s mine, baby?” My thumb brushed gently over her bottom lip. “Just so we’re clear. That includes you.”
Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parting on a quiet breath, then she smiled softly, and leaned into my touch.
The possessive heat in my chest burned even hotter, settling deep as I pulled Clara against me, savoring the way her soft curves melted into the hard planes of my chest. I let myself linger for a moment, inhaling her subtle scent of apples, honey, and something distinctly her before I reluctantly eased back, giving her space I didn’t really want to offer. Then we went back to work, and though I hated to leave her at the end of the day, I knew it still wasn’t the right time to push for more.
The rest of the day was a blur of activity, and I found myself right in the thick of it at Winslet Orchard and Farm. I was deep into preparations alongside Clara’s family, hauling crates, arranging hay bales, and setting up stalls for vendors who’d be arriving soon to get ready before the event kicked off in thelate morning on Saturday. It was a great distraction from the situation I was dealing with for the club.
Information on more suspicious activity at the so-called training facility trickled in from our surveillance. They operated mostly at night. Vehicles with plates from foreign countries—ones we’d been able to identify because they’d only done a half-assed job obscuring them—arrived periodically. But we quickly discovered the plates were fake anyway.
Cross was working on identifying the vehicles since that was his area of expertise. He ran the MC’s garage and was sought out for his custom work, but what he didn’t advertise was his skill at scrubbing and chopping vehicles. He’d picked up the talent during his misspent youth, but now we made use of it for different operations, though they were no less legal.
