“Why not? It makes sense.” Seb stabbed back, hands on his lean hips.
Dax said that while everyone else was beat from running, Seb kept going after the shooter. And because everyone had been up when Seb dragged the guy through the front doors, she’d witnessed how utterly terrifying and sexy he looked, covered in exhausted sweat as he announced. “This is the little prick who got happy shooting at us.”
The equally tired boy descended into a litany of half-sobs, insisting he hadn’t wanted to do it, but then Rider had taken the boy into his office.
Now she was tuned into this other interesting conversation as she rested her PJ-covered butt on the edge of a hardback chair.
“Why do they look like they’re in a heated argument?” she whispered to her mom, who was cuddling Clover. Her sister hated disruptions to routine; she loved order above all, and being brought to the clubhouse for a lockdown made her younger sister anxious more than usual. She probably snapped that rubber band on her wrist several times to calm down.
“Because they are.” Her mom replied.
“I want Sunny out of here, Hawk. I’ll take her to the safe house. I’ll take both girls to the safe house until you break that little fucker’s legs and find out who’s pulling the strings.”
Say what now? Her ears perked.
The warmth spreading through her chest was big and bright, and she had to fight to stop smiling. It became clear that he was arguing with her dad about her. And not backing down.
Watching them exchange angry stares, anticipation skipped through her beating heart.
Would Sebastian yield?
That bright warmth swelled until Sunny had to press a hand into her giddy belly button.
She should’ve interjected there and flat-out refused his offer, but she was secretly excited by how sure of himself he seemed.
Some of their conversation was too low to overhear, and she wanted to turn invisible and slink across the floor to eavesdrop without shame.
When her dad glanced her way, his brow folded so low over his crystal blue eyes, making him look grumpier, she smiled at him in return, but he only frowned deeper.
“In the back,” he growled at Seb. “I want words.”
Oh, that sounded ominous. “Mom, I want to listen at the door.” She confessed, watching their retreating backs. The urge caused her feet to shuffle. What could they need to discuss privately when they were already speaking openly?
Her mom chuckled. “You get the nosiness from your aunt Zara. Just leave them be. It’s been a long time coming.”
“I’m not going to a safe house,” Clover said, and Gia reassured her she was staying with them.
Until this moment, Sunny thought the clubhouse was the safest place.
Later, Sunny might think about how serious the threat to her family was—someone wanted to shoot them. But just then, like always, she was thinking about Sebastian. He’d insisted on taking her somewhere secluded, just the two of them. And her weak heart, the heart that loved him with every single beat, was so damn unsteady.
But it all hinged on what on earth he was talking to her dad about.
* **
Sebastian
“My intentions are clear, VP,” Seb stated as soon as the door closed behind him. His adrenaline surged.
“Are they now?” he asked with a razor-sharp edge to his tone as he pierced Seb with his crucifying stare.
Without looking away, Seb gave his answer. “Yeah, they are. I’ll be the one who protects Sunny. And I want her away from it while you deal with it here.”
He sounded like a good soldier, but his motives were altogether selfish. Hehadto be the one guarding Sunny. There was no other option. He’d fucking glue her to his side if he had to.
“I’m her father, and I protect my family.” He replied, calmer than Seb expected. His eyes bore into him like he could see to the back of Seb’s skull, could see all the filthy intentions he had for his daughter, and was weighing up the options on how to kill him.
Inhaling hard, Seb’s leather jacket creaked as he moved his arms. He was so wired after chasing that guy all the fuck over Armado Springs. His legs were burning after vaulting wire fencing like he was sixteen again. Just the thought that one of those bullets might have hit Sunny, and he’d become a one-man hunting machine.
