“Granite—”
“Let me finish. It’s not because I want to keep secrets or hide things from you. It’s just the way we do things. I’m not going to pretend we’re saints, because we’re not. But we protect what is ours, and you are mine. The less you know, the safer you are, and that’s what’s most important to me. Keeping you safe. You’ve seen what Slither and his Python fuckers did to Neon.”
A chill ran up my spine just thinking about what they did to her.
“So you need to be okay with that,” he continued. “You need to be okay with the fact that I can’t share everything about my life in the club with you.” He stepped forward, taking my face in his palms. “But as a man without a cut and a patch, you have me one hundred percent, I fucking swear it.”
Our eyes remained fixed on one another. The intensity of his stare and the edge in his words were enough to convince me just how important all of this was to him. The club. His brothers. Me.
I placed my hand over his, still clutching my cheek, and simply nodded before he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. Even though I knew who and what he was, I didn’t think I had ever felt so safe as I did right at that moment, in his arms. He might have been a cold, hard as stone president of a motorcycle crew, but he had a heart when he needed one.
I held him tighter. “You tried to stop her without letting her get hurt.”
He didn’t respond, but I could feel his heart beat faster.
“You tried, Granite. It’s not your fault.”
“I know.” He pressed a kiss on my head. “I’m just glad I got here in time, and that you’re safe.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” His voice was low, yet calm.
I gazed up at him. “I’m sorry you had to kill her in order to save me.”
He placed a gentle hand below my chin. “I would kill the motherfucking devil for you.”
“Alyx?”
Granite let go of me, and I searched around for the familiar voice. “Dad?”
“Alyx!”
I turned, and my dad came rushing over, sweeping me up in his arms. “Thank God, you’re okay.”
“I’m fine, Dad.”
He placed his palms on my cheek, searching my face like he was looking for any injuries, making double sure I wasn’t hurt. “Jesus. I was so worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Dad. Really.” I pulled him in for a hug, realizing how much I really had missed him. And then everything came tumbling down like a giant rockslide, hitting me so hard I started weeping uncontrollably. Sob after sob, I cried my heart out while my dad had his arms wrapped around me so tight. Everything that had happened the last few weeks completely overwhelmed me, crushing me to a point where I thought I’d never stop sobbing.
“It’s okay, baby girl. You’re safe now.” A gentle hand stroked up my back and through my hair. “Shhh. It’s okay. It’s all over now.”
I didn’t want him to let go. Seeing my dad, hearing his voice, and being able to hug him again was better than I ever could have imagined. The safety I felt, the relief, it was indescribable.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, baby girl,” he cooed into my hair as he continued to hug me. “If anything had happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”
I sniffed, trying to swallow my tears. If I never cried a single tear again in my life, it would be too soon.
Granite stepped up behind us, his large shadow casting over me. Even among law enforcement authority, Granite still managed to demand all the respect. His presence was too heavy, too dominating to ignore no matter where he went.
“Granite,” my dad started, taking my hand in his, pulling me in beside him, “thank you.”
There was a slight hint of animosity hidden within the words of gratitude. By the way Granite lifted a brow, I knew he picked up on it too.
“I told you I would find your daughter.”
My dad straightened. “Which wouldn’t have been necessary if she hadn’t been taken in the first place.”