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After Deviant nodded, Storm spoke up. “I can comb the security footage—”
Fox held up his hand, making Storm go silent. “You have to leave on a run tomorrow.”
Storm blinked, then his expression filled with guilt. “Right. Shit. Can’t believe I forgot.” A tortured look entered his eyes, and he ran his hands through his hair. “But my sister—”
“She’s got all of us, brother,” Mav assured him. “You know every one of us will protect her with our life. And we’ll let you know as soon as we have something to go on.”
“I’ll come right back.”
Fox shook his head. “No. Focus on the run and on your woman. If shit hasn’t been handled when you get back, we’ll get you up to speed and let you handle the asshole. Blakely comes first. You’ve waited long enough, and that situation could blow the fuck up any day.”
I understood why Storm was torn. He felt like he was choosing between his sister and his woman. Not that he’dclaimed her since she’d just barely turned eighteen a week ago. She wasn’t living in great circumstances, and he wanted to get her out before anything damaging happened.
My instinct was to tell him that I would take care of Elise myself, that she was mine and I’d never let anything happen to her. But I had a feeling that would only make matters worse. His head was a mess right then, and he needed to clear it and focus. So I made the vow silently, if only to make myself feel better.
We strategized for another ten minutes, then agreed to meet again the next day after Storm and the others accompanying him had left. It was still Christmas, and a party was in full swing. The last thing any of us wanted was to ruin anything and make Molly or Dahlia cry—which they did way too fucking often since they’d been knocked up.
When we returned to the kitchen—with the exception of Deviant, who’d chosen to get right to work—everyone was eating, and the mood was light.
My gaze immediately found Elise, and my lips curved up when I saw her talking to Molly with a beautiful smile. Dahlia was on the other side of Elise, and she leaned in to say something, making all three women burst into laughter.
Seeing as how I’d made up my mind to keep Elise, I was happy that she seemed so comfortable with the other old ladies. It would make her transition much easier. Although after hearing her comments to Storm about his absence in her life, I realized she wasn’t as familiar with our lifestyle as I’d first assumed. Some women struggled with the concept of the MC being a brotherhood and the lines drawn between them and the club business. However, some MCs, like the Iron Rogues and the Silver Saints, made sure our women knew our commitment to them was every bit as strong as our loyalty to our brothers. The only secrets I would ever keep from Elise would involve clubbusiness, and considering the nature of it, I wouldn’t want it touching her anyway.
I took a step toward her table, but halted when Storm took the chair directly across from his sister. The last thing I wanted to do was drive a wedge between the siblings or cause a fight on Christmas. Fighting my instincts and desire to be near her, I went back to my original seat.
From my vantage point, I had a clear view of Elise, and I couldn’t drag my eyes away from her. After a few grunted responses, my tablemates stopped trying to engage me in conversation, leaving me to eat and brood in relative peace.
Several times throughout the evening, Elise glanced my way, and when our eyes met, I didn’t bother to hide the heat in mine. Sometimes, she would shiver, making me grin and causing her to blush before she turned her attention away.
It was hard as fuck not to grab her and make a run for it, but I kept myself in check with the reminder that Storm would be leaving the next day. I’d have time without his interference to convince Elise that she was meant to be mine.
Once we took care of the son of a bitch who’d nearly killed her, we’d work out the details for the future. I knew she was in school, but not locally, so we’d have to change that ASAP since I couldn’t protect her if she wasn’t with me. And I didn’t intend to sleep without her after tonight. I didn’t want to wait to start our life together.
I probably shouldn’t have been surprised by the sudden desire to see her big and round with my kid growing inside her. But I was still reeling a little from falling head over heels for her in an instant. However, it all felt incredibly right, so I hadn’t questioned my reaction to Elise. Besides, I’d seen it happen with Fox and Maverick. The moment we met, Elise became my future. My forever.
5
ELISE
My Christmas hadn’t gone anything like I had expected. Instead of earning some extra cash, I’d almost been killed, and now my brother was insisting that I couldn’t go back to work because it wasn’t safe for me to be there anymore. And it didn’t matter how much I argued since his club president had backed him up. My job was gone, and I’d barely padded my bank account since I’d come to Old Bridge.
Rolling over in my bed, I buried my face in my pillow with a groan. My body was achy from the crash, and my head throbbed a little where Blade had stitched up my cut. Today wasn’t getting off to a great start, that was for sure. And it only got worse when my brother stopped me from falling back asleep.
“Pack up your stuff, El.” Gideon rapped his knuckles against the connecting door between our motel rooms. “It’s time to go.”
Sliding off the mattress, I stomped across the room and flung the door open. “Go where?”
“To the clubhouse.” He flung his duffel bag over his shoulder and jerked his chin toward my room. “Don’t take too long. I need to be there in twenty minutes.”
My brows drew together. “Why do I need to pack to go to the clubhouse?”
“Because you’re gonna stay there while I’m gone.”
“Gone?” I echoed softly, leaning against the doorframe while I stared up at him. “Where are you going? And I thought you didn’t want me staying at the clubhouse? Isn’t that why you booked us into the motel while I’m here? Because it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to be there without you.”
“I didn’t word it quite like that,” he grumbled, dropping his bag at my feet to shove his way past me and sit down on the chair in the corner of my room. Propping his feet up on the ottoman, he ignored my glare while he got comfortable. “It’s just that I didn’t want any of the guys to get the wrong idea about you hanging around the clubhouse.”
Flopping onto the corner of the mattress, I huffed, “I still don’t understand the problem. I thought you said I didn’t have to worry about stuff like club whores with the Iron Rogues.”
