Tornado paces like a crazy man. He shoves his hand through his thick black hair and sighs for the thousandth time.
“You’re wearing that carpet out,” I say drily. “Why don’t you sit down?”
He glances over at me with narrow eyes. “We’re basically using you as bait, princess. I can’t sit down. I really don’t like this idea.”
I wave my hand in the air. “It’s fine. I’m surrounded by bikers. I couldn’t feel more safe.”
Truthfully, I’m squirming inside. Silver came up with a plan and I know it’s the only one that will work. He agreed that we needed to draw my father out, instead of letting his guys catch us by surprise. I, like the idiot my father thinks I am, used my debit card at a local ATM. We knew he would be tracking it and we knew he would send his men here to Holly Oaks. The plan was to beat them to the punch when they arrived.
“I still don’t like it. What if we overlooked something? What if they get inside the compound somehow? What if…”
I stand up and stop him with a hand to his chest. “You are going to drive yourself crazy. You’re here with me, right? And two of your men are outside. No way in hell are they trying to get in here.”
We’re in Silver’s house again, this time with Elsie. Elsie was sent off to his aunt’s house in case of danger. She went very reluctantly.Very. I almost smile at the memory of her cursing at Silver like a sailor.
Tornado wraps me in his arms, and I snuggle into his familiar scent. “I wouldn’t be able to handle it if anything happened to you,” he says softly and kisses the top of my head.
I pull back and look up at him. “Nothing is happening to me.” I say it with a conviction I don’t feel. As soon as my father finds out what I know, I’m a liability. He may be my father, but he’s never been a true parent. I don’t know if he’s capable of love.
He places a gentle kiss to my lips, but soon the kiss grows out of control. He pulls me in, exploring my mouth with his tongue. I groan out loud, feeling control slip out of my grasp. It’s like this every time he’s near me. I just want him, no matter what.
“Uh…excuse me, guys?” It takes a second for the voice to break through the fog of lust. When it does, we both pull back, breathing hard.
Brick, the sergeant at arms of the Silver Snakes, and a close friend of Tornado’s, stands there with his arms folded. There’s a wry grin on his face.
“Sorry to interrupt but Silver called. Two guys have been taken in.” His brown-eyed gaze turns to me. “It’s two of your father’s men, Catherine. They’re being held at the clubhouse. They’ve put a call into your father.” His mouth flattens as he glances back over at Tornado. “Silver wants both of you there.”
I feel Tornado stiffen. I stroke his beard gently. “It’s okay, Tor. This is what was supposed to happen. This needs to happen.”
There’s a war in his grey eyes. He wants so badly to protect me. But the time has come for me to stand for myself. It’s time to finally cut ties with my father and all that he represents. I need to do this.
Tor gives a hard nod. “Let’s ride.”
Chapter Fourteen
Tornado
She’s so much stronger than I ever gave her credit for. -Tornado
The clubhouse, usually the center of our world, is oddly quiet as we walk inside. Blaze and Scar, two of our enforcers, stand guard outside one of the rooms.
I give them both a handshake and then turn to Blaze. “He in there?”
I know I don’t have to say who. Her father was always the goal. He’s the one with all the power.
Blaze nods. “He was staying nearby. Got here a couple minutes ago.” He hooks his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the closed doors. “Silver’s in there with him.” Brick switches his dark-eyed gaze to Cat. “I’m sorry, Cat, but your dad is one hell of an asshole. The way he talks to Silver…” he shakes his head. “Let’s just say if he wasn’t related to you, I would have to hurt him.”
She bites down on her lower lip and nods. “I know, Blaze, I appreciate it. He’s never been the softest guy. I don’t particularly like him either.”
I place a hand at the small of her back. “We don’t have to go in there, sweetheart. We can turn around right now.”
She shakes her head profusely. “No, I’m not running anymore. It’s time to face my monster.”
I hate that she thinks of her own father as a monster, even though he is. I wish I could change things for her. I hope one day I can give her the kind of family she deserves.
Blaze opens the door for us, and we enter one of the back offices of the clubhouse. On the wall, a mural of a silver snake slithering his way through tall grass stands guard over us.
Franklin Scott, Catherine’s father, stands beside a massive desk covered with papers. There’s one man in the corner in a dark suit. I assume he’s with Frank. I only give him a cursory glance. I knew Frank would always have backup. Silver gives me a hard look that I interpret to mean that we are in negotiation mode. I stiffen. I would rather kill this man than negotiate with him.
