The officer looks shocked before he tries to hide it. “Is that a threat to my daughter?”
“Whoa, all I asked was what she would think about your actions. I didn’t say I would tell her about them. Social media might, though. You know, I used to think dash cams were stupid until I realized how much they catch. I think I’ll post this ride online and make sure it circulates to a certain college. What do you think, boys?” Yak asks us as if we are part of the decision-making process for him.
Detective Hampton throws a glare his way before turning back to me. “Are you following us or not?”
“Are we under arrest?” I ask.
He shakes his head no.
“There’s your answer. Now, if you are done, we will be leaving.”
Without waiting for him to respond, I put my helmet back on and start my bike. He doesn’t follow us as we take off down the road. By the time we make it back to the clubhouse, my arms are shaking from holding my bike so hard.
“Why don’t you go home. I’ll fill Panther in on what happened,” Wolf tells me.
“You sure?” I ask.
He nods. “Yak is handling Jimmy. I got this. Go see your girl. It was her first time, right?”
I nod.
“Go comfort her then.”
I don’t hesitate. I take off, heading toward the house we share. Once there, I expect to find her in her bed, sleeping. I planned to sneak in and place a kiss on her forehead.
That’s not what I find, though. Instead, I find the kitchen a wreck. There is flour all over the place. It looks like she decided to bake, and from the smell of it, I would have to say it was bread.
Looking around for her, I find her on the couch, slumped down. I lean down to press a kiss to her forehead.
Her eyes blink open as she looks up at me. Then she flings herself up into my arms, holding me tight.
“You’re home.” She breathes a sigh of relief.
It shouldn’t feel good to know she was worried, but it reinforces that there is something between us. Something real.
“I am. Let’s get you to bed,” I whisper, picking her up.
“No. I don’t want to sleep without you. Not tonight. I know I’m supposed to be strong, but I was worried,” she admits.
I look down into her sleepy face and smile.
“I don’t want you to worry because it stresses you out, but you are allowed to worry.”
She sighs. “For tonight, can we just cuddle for a bit?”
I nod. “Sure. Whatever you need.”
I take her into my room and lay her on one side of the bed. Then I go about doing my nightly routine. When I finally crawl into bed, she is already sound asleep.
I keep my distance, not wanting to take too many liberties with her, but I shouldn’t have worried. The moment I’m settled, she moves over to me, resting her head on my chest over my heart. Then she relaxes into me.
This is what it feels like to have a home.
This right here.
I will do everything I can to protect it.
CHAPTER
