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“Something tells me your heart is safe,” I quipped. “Even though my biscuits are to die for.”
I glanced at the door, hoping Slash would surprise me and walk through it. But he didn’t. I sighed and went back to baking.
It was around five in the morning when women who’d partied with the Blue Angels began trickling into the living room and kitchen area. They were in all different states ofthe morning after. The hair spray hadn’t held up and their makeup was smeared. One woman had major raccoon eyes from mascara and eyeliner.
“Who’s this for?” a young brunette in a denim skirt asked.
“Anyone. Everyone,” I said.
“Thanks.” She filched a muffin and looked at me. “Holy shit, what happened to your neck?”
I sighed, wondering how the hell I was supposed to address it.
“Sorry. Not my business,” she said hastily. She took a bite of the muffin. “Damn, this is almost better than sex with Acid.”
“Thanks, darlin’,” Acid said as he trekked into the room.
She shot him a smile and blew him a kiss. “Figure of speech. Don’t get cocky. Walk me out?”
I grabbed a plate and filled it with baked goods.
“What are you going to do?” Duke asked. “Eat that in your room?”
“I’m taking it to South Paw and Crow. They shouldn’t miss out just because they’re on guard duty.” I headed back to Slash’s bedroom, slipped into my shoes, and then headed toward the porch. Monk wanted to come with me, but I made him stay with Duke.
The sun had begun to rise, and the promise of heat was in the air. A strand of hair blew into my face, shielding my eyes. I hastily pushed it behind my ear and ground to a halt.
Slash was walking through the open gates to the clubhouse. The plate slipped through my fingers and hit the ground. And then I was running. Running to Slash. I was suddenly in his arms, and he was hoisting me off my feet and holding me so tight it was like he never wanted to let me go.
I buried my face in the crook of his neck and breathed him in. He smelled like sweat and grime, reminding me of the truth about where he’d been.
“It’s done,” he whispered against my ear. “You’re safe.”
A tremble started in my belly and caught in my throat for a moment before it came out of my mouth. While my tears soaked his skin, he carried me into the clubhouse. The living room was full of people by the time we got back inside, but their conversations went silent when we came through the door.
Slash didn’t stop. He took me to his room and shut the door behind us. He tried to set me down on the bed, but I clung tighter to him.
“Hey,” he said, his voice gravely.
I lifted my face from the crook of his neck and stared at him. Eventually, I let go of him and collapsed onto the edge of the bed. Slash kneeled in front of me and brushed a knuckle along my cheek.
“Have you slept at all?” he demanded.
“A little bit. Not a lot. I’ve been up for a few hours.”
“The bags under your eyes are purple.”
“Great, they’ll match the bruises on my neck.”
He clenched his jaw and then stood up. “I need to shower.”
I nodded.
“And then we’ll talk, yeah?”
“Can’t we talk now?” I asked.
“No.”
