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He threw his arms out to the side. “Apparently, you fucking do. Look at the shit you’re pulling.” He put his hands on his hips. “You think I want to be left back to babysit you? You think a twenty-six-year-old woman should need a babysitter?”
He was right. It was embarrassing that Bear thought I needed a babysitter, but the truth was if Race wasn’t standing in my way, I would go find my brother. “Well, consider yourself officially off duty because I’m leaving.”
I started past him, but he reached out and wrapped his hand around my arm. “Oh yeah, where you gonna go?”
I attempted to pull my arm free, but he tightened his hold. “Home, Race. I’m going home.”
“That’s a fucking lie. You’re not gonna go home; you’re gonna go make trouble.”
I wanted to believe he knew me so well because he’d been watching me out of interest, but truthfully, everyone knew how I was. This wasn’t a special moment. This wasn’t the part of the romance book when he would finally begin to show his love. This was Race doing what his president ordered him to do. Keep me out of trouble.
I leaned my body in closer to his and lowered my voice, hoping he took me seriously. “Get your hands off me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “No.”
I jerked my arm again but shifted until I could see Maggie when I heard her voice. “Becs, just come hang out with me and wait.”
I held her stare, only so I didn’t have to look at the man who had taken another small step closer to me. “I’m good, Maggie. I have my car, and as soon as Race stops being an ass and holding me against my will, I’ll be on my way.”
Almost immediately after I finished speaking, Race dropped my arm, which surprised me, and I wondered if he actually believed me. I hesitated a moment out of surprise, but I could only assume he planned on that when he wrapped both arms around my chest and pulled me against him so my back was pressed tightly against his chest. “You’re not leaving.”
He lowered his voice even further, and a shiver rolled through my body when he continued speaking. “I know you’re afraid, Becs, but you can’t help him right now. And if you got hurt, a lot of people, including your brother, would find it pretty fucking hard to forgive themselves.”
I inhaled deeply and allowed his beautiful words to wash over me. “Nothing will happen to me, Race.”
He leaned his head down and put his mouth close to my ear, tightening his arms around me and I sank into his warmth. It was only recently I was realizing how much I needed this. How much I needed someone to comfort me. No one had for so long. Not after my dad and brother died, not after my mom died, and certainly not when I thought I was going to lose Bear too through those years. Everyone was lost in their own grief. And as much as Bear loves me, he’s never been one to offer comfort. Although, I never let on that I needed it. I tried to stay strong for him because he didn’t need any more weight to carry.
“I won’t ever let anything happen to you, baby.”
I closed my eyes and swallowed back the tears threatening when I heard the words I wanted to believe meant more than they did. I wanted to say something equally nice back to him, hoping that maybe it would make up for all the nasty things I’d said over the years, but before I could find the right ones, I heard the roar of bikes.
My body tensed, and I tried to pull away, wanting to run out that door and see for myself that Bear was okay, but then Race whispered to me quietly. “Breathe, Becs.”
I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath until he pointed it out, and I exhaled loudly before he unwrapped his arms. I didn’t look over my shoulder before moving to stand beside Maggie. I couldn’t. I was too afraid he’d see what I’d been trying to hide from him all these years.
Maggie reached down and wrapped her hand around mine. “Are you okay?”
I could only shrug. “I will be.”
Her eyes met mine. “He cares about you.”
“He cares about the club, Maggie. And my brother.” I glanced back at Race who was watching the door closely before meeting Maggie’s stare again. “I’m a job to him.”
When we heard, “It’s them,” shouted out, my body began to relax, but I needed to clarify something first.
“All of them?” I called out.
One of the older members of the club turned to look at me and shook his head. “No SUV.”
Panic filled my body when his words sank in. Bear and Gunner had been in the SUV that went to the Widow’s clubhouse. They didn’t take their bikes, which meant the only way they were coming back was in that SUV. Maggie sank to her knees, and I followed.
“What am I going to do without him?” Maggie whispered, echoing my exact feelings.
“I don’t know, honey,” I answered honestly.
“Where the fuck is she?”
Shock filled my body when I heard Gunner’s voice. Looking over at Maggie, I saw the same expression on her face that I must be wearing. We both jumped to our feet just as Gunner and Bear cleared the open doorway. Maggie ran toward Gunner and threw herself into his arms, making everyone chuckle around me.
