The smell of asphalt and exhaust mingled with his woodsy scent. When we stopped at a red light, he reached down, squeezing my thigh. Once we took off again, he covered my hands with one of his while the other kept us steady.
We’d had sex plenty of times, but the way he held my hands against his chest was the most intimate thing he’d done. When I saw the turn to the clubhouse, a moment of sadness hit me. I’d never been on a motorcycle, and after that, I didn’t want it to end.
Plus, once we stopped, the reality of what happened this morning and at the restaurant had to be addressed. I’d just started to let go of the morning issue when he came storming into the restaurant and embarrassed all of us. God knows how Niko would react once wandering eyes and ears weren’t around.
We drove past the garage, and he didn’t park until we were at our house. He turned the engine off, put the kickstand down, and put his hand out. I grabbed it and climbed off, not very gracefully. I blamed the heels.
I unhooked the helmet as he climbed off the bike. He took the helmet from me and hung it on the handlebar before he took my hand and walked me inside.
He paused briefly, looking around at my small piles ofjunk and pictures, but he didn’t address that. Instead, he turned and wiped his hand down his face. “You can’t just take off, Kitty Kat.”
My brows pinched and I crossed my arms. “Is that the best you’ve got?” I asked.
His expression mimicked mine. “What?”
“I hope you don’t think that counts as an apology.”
“Well, that’s because it wasn’t meant to be.”
“Wow.” I uncrossed my arms and moved to walk past him.
He grabbed my arm, not as hard as before, but enough it both stopped me and pissed me off. “You left without a word to anyone. If anyone needs to apologize, it’syou.”
I was torn between slapping him and patting his cheek for his stupidity. “I hope you’re not holding your breath, because I will not apologize for going for a meal with my brother and my best friend. I may be your wife, but I’m not a child.”
He jerked me closer. “I didn’t know who you were with, Kat. I just was told you were on the move toward downtown. I just so happened to be not far from there. I didn’t know what I was going to find. If…”
I watched his brows soften as the thin line of his lips did as well. The anger was gone and replaced with something else… worry, maybe? “Hawk, did you think I left with another man or something? I would never do that to you. You were insulted when I suggested such a thing to you. How could you think I would do that?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t think that.” He looked down, then up at the ceiling. “I fucking hate this.”
That was a stab to the heart. “You hate this?” I whispered as I pulled my arm from his grasp.
With his hands on his hips he blew out a deep breath. “I hate that I was ready to burn the fucking city down because I thought someone took you.”
“Took me? Why would–”
He stepped closer, cupping my cheeks. “Kitty Kat, there’s bad people gunning for us, and now that it’s out we’re married, the easiest way to get to me is you. I can’t risk you leaving here without me.”
“Hawk, I was with Niko and his bodyguard. Plus, I’m not a princess, remember?”
His face shook as he got closer and he shouted, “But I didn’t know that you were Niko!”
I flinched, his hands fell from my face, and he paced before moving closer again. “I would never hurt you, but Iwillhurt anyone who tries to take you from me. And you can’t just come and go. I don’t want to trap you, but until all this shit is behind us, I need to know where you are, all the time. Promise me.” His words were desperate and ragged.
“I promise.”
He pulled me to him, not kissing me, just holding me and digging his face into my hair. I still was mad, but something deeper was happening to him, and it was happening for a reason. I only knew bits and pieces of what had been happeningto the club and to some of my new friends, but it was enough to understand his fears. I wanted to know more. Ineededto know more if he felt that strongly that I was in danger. But he was too worked up. Plus, if it was anything like my family, he wouldn’t tell me anyway. I’d have to dig around on my own.
And one thing was certain now. I was falling for him.
Chapter 23
Hawk
Kat wanted to change before she went to the clubhouse. And that was for the best. I tried to keep my rage contained for her, but it wasn’t gone. I stormed over and went through the back. Ma was supposed to be entertaining Klara, and Rooster grabbed the dipshit who was supposed to be at the driveway.
I made a stop to see Keys first. Barging through the door, he turned slowly, not bothered by the fact I was obviously pissed. “Where the fuck were you, huh?”
