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“Nothing happened. We got there in time.”

“Tell me exactly what happened,” I gritted out, not liking how calm they all were acting.

“He grabbed Lilah’s arm, and Charlie was already across the room, having had him twisted in a wrist lock a minute later. I was on the phone with Keys. The guy was a PI from Villanova.”

“Motherfuckers.” Lilah’s family? Her ex?

“We took him outside and sent him home with a warning and plenty of physical reinforcements. Your girl had some choice words for him, and her ex as well.”

“You’re sure it was Kyle who sent him?”

“Yeah. He all but said it straight out. Plus, the payments track back to him. Lilah gave us permission to look into it. Keys has been working on it, but I really don’t think we’ll be seeing that guy again.”

“It’s taking a bit longer than usual. I have to prioritize the search for Crow, but I’m starting to put together a picture of what’s happened back home since Lilah left. Give me a little more time to dig deeper,” Keys said. He looked tired, but his eyes never left the laptop screen, and his fingers continued to fly across the keyboard.

“I have to go.” I pushed away, needing to see Lilah. I had to know she was okay, needed to know where she was at with it. It was another assault by Kyle, even if it was indirectly. She didn’t deserve it, and I would make sure it never happened again.

The ride to her house was a blur, everything I wanted to ask and say fighting for dominance in my head. Tommy was out front, but I barely acknowledged him, closing the distance to the door in a few steps. Lilah opened it right before I reached the threshold.

“You’re back!” She rushed toward me, and I wrapped her up in my embrace. Walking us forward until the door closed behind us, only then did I close my eyes. Breathing her in, I held her tighter, making sure she was real, that she was okay.

“I missed you so much,” she murmured, her sweet voice, cheerful and unbothered, washing over me. Pulling her to the living room, she dropped down onto the couch but frowned when I didn’t join her.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the PI?” The question came blurting out, but I didn’t like that I had to find out from the club. Her face dropped, and she pulled her knees to her chest in a protective move. Was she afraid to tell me?

“I didn’t want to distract or worry you. Club business…It’s important. I want you to be safe. I don’t want you to worry about me. Plus, Bull and Charlie were there, and now, the whole club is looking into it. Or at least Screen…or Type? I’m blanking on his name…The computer guy…I’ve o-only met him a few t-times,” she stuttered out. My earlier words from before I left drifted through my mind. I can’t find him if I’m worried about you. Fuck.

“I’m sorry about what I said before I left. I didn’t mean it. You’re never a distraction, never a burden. I want to know everything that happens in your day, I want you to feel comfortable telling me anything,” I confessed as I dropped onto the couch next to her, pulling her into my side. She curled against me like a kitten, rubbing her face on my shirt as she settled against me.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought I was being smart.”

“You’re always smart, Angel. I’m just a needy bastard. Hated the idea that you were scared and I wasn’t here. That you might be afraid to tell me what happened.” She gasped, pushing herself up so we were face to face.

“Don’t say that! I’m not afraid of you. I never have been, and I never will be. I feel comfortable telling you everything and anything, like you’re asking because I love you more than that, I trust you. Physically, emotionally…There’s nothing you could do that would scare me.” She hesitated, her eyes dropping.

“Nothing?” I asked, pushing Lilah’s hair behind her ear and cupping her cheek.

“When you left for your trip, I was scared,” she admitted, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Scared of what? You can tell me.”

“That you wouldn’t come back. Not…Not that you would die or something melodramatic. But that you would meet someone better and move on. I guess that sounds just as crazy because you wouldn’t just up and leave your mom and the club, but…I just was afraid you would come back, and it would be different.” She was talking fast now, the way she did when she was nervous.

“Different how?”

“That you would realize I wasn’t worth it. That you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore…” She closed her eyes, as if that would freeze the moment. Sitting up, gently pushed her to her back on the couch. Leaning over her, I took a minute to study her face, those blue eyes that trapped me from the first moment we met.

“You’re not getting rid of me. Ever. In fact, I was coming over to tell you I’m moving in. Once things calm down at the club, and we make sure your ex isn’t gonna send any more errand boys over here, you can pick out a place for us to buy. But I’m not spending another night without you. Consider me your shadow. Wherever you go, that is where I’ll be.” Her eyes widened as I spoke as a smile broke out on her face.

“You want to move in?” she asked shyly.

“No, I am moving in. Gonna grab the rest of my shit tomorrow. Then, we’re going to live together permanently,” I clarified, and her eyes got big.

“Oookay,” she said in a breathless whisper, her body shifting beneath mine in a different way now, no longer shy and embarrassed. The mood shifted into something darker, intimate.

“You wanna live with me? You ready for that? For us?” I asked as I bent down to kiss her neck. A sharp inhale had her stiffening underneath me before she melted, her hands gliding up my arms and back.

“Yes. Absolutely.”