I laugh and pat her head. “Sometimes we just believe what we are gonna believe, huh?”
She smiles and bounces off toward another girl who just woke up and started playing by the wall on the other side of the living room.
Hunter holds out his mug for me to hold while he puts on his boots, and then he throws on his cut like the rest of the guys. Then he grabs his mug again. I feel like I’m being pulled tight watching all of these men get ready. It’s like they’re getting ready for war.
Most of the men have guns tucked under their vests or in the back of their pants. I didn’t see Hunter put a gun on his belt or anything, so I wonder where his is located.
Hunter sees my thoughts like they are coming right out of me and asks, “Do you want to walk outside with me?”
I nod and put my mug on a table nearby.
Chapter 45
Hunter
There are no words for what I am about to say to Blake. She has never been present during our goodbyes. She doesn’t understand that this could be the last time that she ever lays eyes on me alive. These rides are dangerous. Hell, being a part of this club is dangerous. We don’t live in the straight and narrow.
We do illegal things on a daily basis, and today is no exception.
“Why does it feel like you guys are going to war?” she asks nonchalantly, and it makes my chest pull tight.
That is basically what we’re doing. It won’t be an easy trade-off for the guns, and if things go sideways while we’re down there, some of us may not come back at all. Hell, if we get ambushed or something on the way down there while we are on the road, that will be even worse.
I walk us out to my bike, which sits at the far end of the line, and grab my gloves from the handlebars. I lean against it and motion for her to stand between my legs. “Listen, I won’t ever lie to you. But sometimes what I will say to you will be hard for you to hear.” I give her a soft smile. “Are you going to be able to handle that?”
She nods right away, and I squeeze her body to mine. So eager to please me. It makes me want to bring her back inside and devour her again.
“Okay. Sweetheart, listen to me.” My voice is steady, but I need her to understand. ”Where we are going is not safe. The road down there sure as hell isn’t safe. This ride– we do every year, and is one of the most dangerous ones we take. We’ll have illegal cargo which means not only do we risk being pulled over and locked up, but we also put our lives on the line. Other gangs, the people we are bringing the stuff to– any of them could decide we’re not making it back.”
I usually don’t divulge information about my club’s business. It’s a line I don’t cross. But Blake is different and this ride is different… I can feel it in my bones.
She doesn’t want me for my money or what I have to offer. Hell, sometimes she doesn’t want me at all. But I know deep down she needs me and I need her.
She runs her fingers gently through my beard. “So why do you do it?”
I chuckle. “Same reason anyone does anything dangerous, sweetheart–money.”
She nods slowly. “I saw everyone else has their gun on them. Do you not carry a weapon?”
Oh, she has an eye for weapons, huh? I raise my brow. “Who says I don’t have one on me right now?” At her confused expression, I lean down and lift up my pant leg to showcase my .380 in my ankle holster.
She scrunches her nose. “Oh, okay.” She doesn't seem very enthused by my gun choice. Is it because of the size of the gun? .380’s are smaller guns meant to be concealed more easily. Hence why I house it on my ankle.
I have to laugh. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I carry my chest carrier with two more pistols as well. I was just waiting until I got outside to put it on, so I didn’t scare Charlie.”
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she lets out a breath I don’t think she realizes she was holding. “Oh, thank God.”
I raise my brow. “What’s wrong with my .380?”
She shrugs. “Nothing; It just seems small.”
I grip her ass tightly in my hands and rest my head on her chest. She wraps her hands around my head and plays with my hair. “I appreciate your concern, princess. But I promise, Daddy can take care of himself.”
She blushes at my use of Daddy outside of the bedroom, and I can’t help but play on it. The red in her cheeks is slowly becoming my favorite color.
“What’s the matter? Don’t like to call me Daddy in public?”
She looks over my shoulder to make sure no one can see us and then yanks my head back so that she can reach my mouth with hers. I am instantly hard.
