“Better now.” He wrapped me in his arms, holding me close. “How ya doing, Tina?”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Great. Getting to know Madeline better.”
He looked down at me, a curl in the corner of his lips. “Good. I don’t want her alone.”
“I’ll take care of her.” Tina smiled, getting back to making the hotdish.
Storm turned away from Tina and lowered his voice. “We’re heading out for a while. I just wanted to see you before I left.”
“How long will you be gone?” I grabbed onto the gray T-shirt under his cut.
“Not sure, baby. Don’t leave the clubhouse. I’ve got prospects guarding the entrance and back doors. Dodge is at the gate.”
“I’ll be here.” My stomach flipped with unease. He was leaving, and I hardly felt comfortable with him here. Without him, I’d feel like an outsider.
Track strutted in, jerking his chin at Storm. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” Storm kissed me again. I held his shirt tighter in my grasp, not wanting to let him go. “I’ll be back.” He gently pulled away, and I released him.
“You better.”
He lightly pinched my chin before he kissed me one more time. “Take care of my girl, Tina.”
“I will. You guys stay safe.”
I watched Storm leave, suddenly feeling cold. The glances passing between him, Track, and Tina put me on edge. Tina telling them “to stay safe” made me nauseous.
Where were they going? What would they be doing?
“He’ll be okay.” Tina capped my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “The guys will protect him.”
“So, he’ll need protecting?” I twisted my hands together and flicked my eyes in the direction Storm went. Was I ready for this? Being involved with an outlaw? I knew I wanted to be with Storm, so I guessed I needed to be prepared for anything. Still, it didn’t mean I had to like it or not be afraid.
Tina smiled sympathetically. “Most days, danger lurks around the club. It’d been quiet for a long time. Then the Dirty Hunters rolled into the area, wanting what wasn’t theirs. The club needs to protect its territory, or other clubs mightinvade. The Knights can’t look weak. They need to handle the Hunters.”
“You sound like it’s just another ordinary day around here.”
“I guess it is. They’re just doing what needs to be done.” Tina grabbed a plate off the shelf and filled it with fruit and some cookies. Next, she went to the large commercial grade fridge and took out two bottles of water. “Let’s take a little afternoon snack to Ava and Nancy.”
“Sure.” I forced a smile, taking the bottles from her.
I had yet to see the women. I was nervous. Storm had told me they were pretty roughed up. What that looked like, I wasn’t sure. Nor was I ready to see them. But I was with Storm, and I needed to toughen up and be more like Tina.
“This hallway leads down to the dorm rooms in the basement. There are fourteen. Only half are occupied full-time. Some of the patched members own homes, and so do most of the exec council members.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Living at the clubhouse isn’t really family-friendly. But the construction going on in the back is a family wing.”
“Family wing?”
“Mhm. Storm wanted to have it ready when some of the guys have a family, like Wolf and Jill. There’ve been whispers about them getting married.” She smiled wide. “The new building will be nice for when we’re on lockdown, and members and their families stay on the compound. It’ll be more comfortable for children. Like my own, which I’d rather them not witness a kitten sucking off Uncle Lynx.” She rolled her eyes.
Uncle Lynx, so cute.
“No, I don’t imagine they need to see such activities. The new wing sounds terrific. And it was Storm’s idea?”
“Yup. He takes good care of his brothers and their families.”