Xan inhaled, his eyes narrowing, but he didn’t agree with me. “Not gonna happen. The buddy system is in place, and as of now, I am your buddy.”
Buddy my ass. No way in hell was I going to survive being stuck with him. I looked around, praying Kellen would help me out, but found we’d been left alone.
“Come on. I’ll drive you home in your car.” He put his arm around my waist, giving me no choice but to walk with him, or be lifted off my feet.
“What about your bike?”
His eyes smiled down at me. “No worries. I’ll handle it.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “You are so damn bossy.”
As we walked out of the office, I spied Lyric and Rowan at the bar. They waved, but one look at Xan and his sister slid off her stool.
“Now, Xan, I really think you should let me and Rowan take Breezy home with us.”
The growl he emitted had everyone turning to look at him, but the little spitfire that was his sister placed her hands on her hips. Her new mate came up behind, his bulky presence an inch or so taller than Xan, but not quite as intimidating. I had a feeling nothing would sway the big bad alpha from his current plans.
“Mind your business, sister.”
“Like you did, brother.” Lyric looked over her shoulder at Rowan, the newest member of their club and pack.
Xan grunted. “He’s still alive and able to function as a man. I call that a win.”
“If I remember correctly, darlin, he didn’t try to cut off my manly bits even though they were on full display the first time we met. Maybe we should allow your brother to handle this.”
I felt as if I were watching a tennis match. My head bounced back and forth between the three as if I weren’t a participating member of the conversation. “Excuse me, but I am right here.”
The three continued to argue, forgetting I was there. I took a cautious step back, then another, and another. By the time I hit the door with the keys in my hand, I was smiling to myself. For such a badass who thought he knew everything, he obviously couldn’t multitask.
I slipped out the door, glad Coti and Wyck were busy breaking up a fight. Looking around the empty parking lot, a shiver stole over me. I had to take a deep breath to calm my nerves as I opened the door to my Mustang. I looked in the back to make sure it was clear, then slid inside, refusing to allow anyone to take me by surprise.
I straightened in the seat, my hands shaking like a leaf, and wanted to return to the safety of the clubhouse, to the arms of Xander Fucking Douchebag Carmichael, who thought I was a whore. Thanks, but no thanks. He’d probably laugh his ass off if he knew I was still a twenty-seven-year-old virgin. God, going home to my dad and brothers didn’t appeal, especially if I was bringing trouble. The note I’d found on my windshield a few weeks back flashed before my eyes. Your blood will become my blood. I still had no clue what that meant. Did it mean he or she wanted me to become part of their pack, or family?
“Damn it, you’re wasting precious time, Breezy. Get the fuck out of here.” I twisted the key in the ignition and heard the familiar roar of my vehicle. The Mustang Cobra was my present to myself when I’d gotten my RN license and had saved enough money for a down payment on the candy-apple-red beauty. Living at home meant I was able to save up enough, making me grateful I didn’t owe much on the muscle car and that I would soon own it outright.
As I pulled out of the club lot, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a very unhappy Xan burst out the door, frustration rolling off him in waves. With the windows up and my radio blaring, I couldn’t hear what he roared at me, but I was sure it was a litany of curses.
I noted the empty highway and almost considered turning back. The turnaround loomed ahead. I hit the blinker and noticed a large SUV sitting on the side, its dark windows making my inner wolf howl. With a second sense of warning, I decidedto move into the farthest lane without signaling and speed dialed the clubhouse.
“Where the fuck are you?” Xan asked without preamble.
One quick visual of the highway marker and the sound of loud pipes let me know Xan had already forwarded the calls to his bike. I’d worry about the consequences later. Now, I was glad he was following me. The SUV pulled off the shoulder and was gaining on me.
He growled through the line. The deep sound both terrifying and reassuring. “I’m at least five minutes behind you. Pull over, and I’ll follow you home.”
“There’s a dark blue Tahoe following me.”
More curses flew through the line. “Son of a bitch. Why did you fucking leave like that?”
“Because you were pissing me off, and...because I was stupid.”
A grunt and then a chuckle. “At least you are honest. Luckily, you’re gorgeous. Now, stay calm and don’t hang up. Tell me what the vehicle is doing?”
I noted the blue Tahoe was gaining on me, coming up beside me with the dark windows rolled up. “It’s beside me. Should I speed up and try to lose it?”
“No, then you’ll just get further away from me.”
He asked what mile marker I was at. I sighed when the numbers showed he was within five minutes. My eyes flew to the side as the sound of the Tahoe got louder.
