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“Madeline—”
“No! You feel the connection between us, like I do. I know you do. You want me. I’ve heard it in your voice and seen it in your eyes. I know we come from two different worlds, and yes, your MC scares me a little, but I’m willing to give it a go if you are.”
“That’s just it. We’retoodifferent. And ‘giving it a go’ isn’t enough. You need to be sure of what you want, and you’re not.”
“You haven’t even given me a chance. We’ve only had oneamazingday together.”
“Doesn’t matter. I should’ve left you alone.”
“No—”
“Don’t you get it? I’m not good for you!”
“Storm, don’t do this. Whatever happened in the elevator, let’s talk about it. Something changed in you, but I’m here. I want to help you.”
“You can’t.” I removed her hand and stepped out of her doorway. “Bolt the door.”
“Stop! You can’t go!”
“Fuck, Madeline. It was just one goddamn day,” I scoffed like the bastard I was. Making light of the phenomenal day we had. We had a connection. I felt it deep in my heart. Some crazy ass shit after only one day. One day of being in heaven… with my angel.
“You’re absolutely right.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Have a nice life, Storm.” She closed the door and bolted it. For a few seconds, I got a glimpse of a strong, determined woman, but the soft whimpers on the other side of the door showed her tender, vulnerable side.
I hurt her.
“Fuck,” I hissed, stalking to my room. I blew through the door and went to the brown paper bag on the nightstand. The Jack Daniels I’d yet to open. I hadn’t needed it, because I had Madeline. It seemed she chased away the demons lurking in my mind before they fed on my soul.
Tonight wouldn’t be about drinking myself stupid because of the sins of my past. Somehow those mattered less to me now than they had in a long time. Tonight they could sleep in the graveyard of my agony. Getting plastered was about Madeline. Numbing every piece of me that wanted her. I needed to get her out of my head and move on.
Who was I kidding? I was a fuckin’ idiot if I believed that was possible.
All it had taken was one song, one touch and one kiss, for her to imprint on my goddamned heart.
10
Storm
“The Dirty Hunters are dead! I’m about ready to string the little maggots up by their ears and use them as a punching bag!” Boxer paced in my office, hands in tight fists with a sizable bulging vein in his neck. “Jill is freaking the fuck out. Wolf, oh, he wants blood.”
“Where’s he at? I don’t want him to go off half-cocked.” I cut my eyes to Raul and Track, leaning against the wall next to my desk. It was safer to stay out of Boxer’s path. My enforcer rarely lost his shit, but when he did, it was best to keep the fuck out of his way.
“I told him to stay with her and to wait for your orders.”
“Good.”
“Shit, Storm! You know how hard Jill has worked to build her boutique. And now it’s gone! Up in fucking flames! I know it was those motherfuckers!” Boxer seethed with his fingers entwined behind his head, biceps flexed. When we were in the Marines together, no one had ever messed with him.
“We need proof.” Although I had no doubt, the Hunters had torched Jill’s clothing boutique. All kinds of shit had been popping up ever since I’d returned a week ago from the lake. A patched member’s old lady’s car had been vandalized—tires slashed, windows shattered.
But none of us had overreacted. It could’ve been a bunch of high school punks, for all we knew.
Then, when Hero had gone to work at the club’s gun shop, the front of the building was covered in graffiti. Upon investigating it,DHwas found in small lettering. No question DH stood for Dirty Hunters. Fuck, it had made my blood boil.
So when the call came in from Wolf in the middle of the night, it had nearly sent me over the edge. Jill was Boxer’s sister; he was a council member. The Dirty Fuckers were striking the leadership.
The last week had been a shitstorm. AJ reported several Hunters roaming the streets in Winters when he’d gone into town to drive by Madeline’s place.
Yes, I still had AJ keeping an eye on Angel. With all the shit going on, I needed to make sure she was okay, even if I had no intention of seeing her again.
