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Matt Knight had stolen my heart. I never wanted to be apart from him, just as he didn’t want to be apart from me. It might sound crazy to some—insta-love and all that shit—but I didn’t care. I was right where I belonged… with my soul mate.
“Don’t go all caveman on me now. I agree with Raul. Something must be up. Daddy would rather cut out his own heart with a spoon than come here and have to see you.” I made a sad face because it hurt me deeply that the two men I loved were enemies. “Maybe he’s here about whatever you and your crew were up to yesterday.” I tapped my finger near my eye. The bruising around his looked worse than before.
“No. I’m certain he’s not here about the club.” Matt cradled my face in his big, calloused hands. His thumbs lifted the corners of my mouth. He hated to see me sad. “I’ll play nice for you.” He kissed me softly.
Five minutes later, I was sobbing in Matt’s arms.
Daddy sniffled, wiping away tears with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. We were in the dimly lit bar at a table. I was on Matt’s lap, curled into his chest.
Raul and Justin were with us.
“I got the call from Deputy Morris an hour ago. After I left the scene, I came straight here.” Daddy exhaled a shuddered breath. “First, Eloise is killed by a drunk driver, and now Johnny, by a drug dealer.” His hand hit the table as he held a sob in his throat.
I couldn’t do the same. I wasn’t strong enough to keep my devastation in check. I fisted Matt’s T-shirt, burying my face in the crook of his neck as guttural sobs ripped from my chest.
My little brother was gone. I should’ve never let him leave the club upset. I could tell he was worked up over the prospect of getting the girl he’d been with pregnant. Johnny was scared, and I let him go.
But drugs? Overdosing? That didn’t sound like Johnny at all.
“I got you. Let it out, baby.” Matt rubbed circles on my back. This tender side of him was never displayed in front of anyone. He had said it made him look weak, that the president of the club could never show vulnerability. I guessed there were exceptions to every rule.
“I want your help,” Daddy muttered. My ears perked up as my tears continued to fall. “I can’t have this shit in my town. Two other local kids have OD’d. Now my own. Enough is enough!” He slammed his hand on the table again.
Matt was quiet for a long beat. I lifted my head, feeling his muscles turn to steel. In his eyes, a fierce storm brewed. His grip around me nearly squeezed the air out of my lungs.
“You’ll turn a blind eye to our methods of dealing with problems?” Matt’s lethal voice raked down my spine. I knew nothing about his “methods,” nor did I want to.
I raised my eyebrows and swooped my gaze toward Daddy and Deputy Morris, then back at Matt in utter disbelief of what I was hearing.
Daddy dragged his hand down the side of his face. “I don’t want any civilians getting hurt.”
I gulped, wishing I wasn’t hearing any of this discussion.
“I can’t promise that, but I’ll do my damnedest to keep the innocents safe.” He kissed my head. “Especially this one.”
“That one is all I have left. She means the most to me.”
“She does to me too, sir.”
Oh, my heart.
Matt and my father shook hands. Through the death of my brother, they had found common ground.
“I have one question.” Matt cleared his throat as if nervous.
Dad inhaled a deep breath. “What’s that?”
I watched Matt’s throat bob. “The timing of this isn’t the best. I apologize for that, but I’d like your blessing to marry Eve.”
Holy balls! What?
“Your timing sucks.” Dad rubbed his eyes with his palms. He turned toward me. “Do you really like this biker?”
I wiped the tears off my cheeks and stared into Matt’s eyes. “No, I love this biker.”
Matt and I hadn’t said the L-word, but it was in our actions. When we talked about the future, he made no bones about getting married or having a family. Matt had claimed me weeks ago. I was officially his old lady.
Marriage had been next on his to-do list.
