“So why?” I adjusted my backpack straps. I had limited space for carrying stuff, so I’d dug out my old college backpack. Finding it had delayed us. The one-hour I’d told Raul had turned into an hour and a half.
“I grew up in foster homes. Never really had a family.” He shrugged with a lopsided grin, making my heart hurt for him. “When I get patched, the Knights will be my family. I’ll have a crap ton of brothers.”
“You’ll get patched.” I smiled at the hopefulness in his green eyes and put my hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “So, what’s your real name? I don’t imagine it’s Copper.”
His cheeks turned pink. “Nah, Copper is my very unoriginal road name.” He ruffled his hair. “My name’s Cole Davis.”
“Well, Cole, thank you for taking me to my place. It was fun getting away from the compound for a little while.”
“No problem, babe.”
“Angel?”
I whipped my head toward Storm’s gruff voice. His stormy eyes were locked on me as he stalked toward us. Cole stiffened.
I flung my leg back to dismount off the bike. “Hi, when did you get back?”
Storm didn’t answer. He tugged me into his arms and captured my lips in an intense kiss.
God, I’d missed him. It would be easy to get lost in him but we weren’t alone. I patted his chest and pushed gently, feeling awkward for kissing like a horny teenager in front of Cole.
“Storm,” I whispered against his mouth, trying to pull back. I hadn’t even gotten the rest of my stuff out of Cole’s saddlebag.
“Missed the fuck out of you, Angel.” He glared at Copper. “Prospect.”
“Hey, Prez.” He removed my small tote from his saddlebag and handed it to Storm.
“Thanks for the ride, Cole. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime.”
Storm growled. “Let’s go, Angel.” He slipped my backpack off my shoulder and carried it in one hand, his other pressed to my lower back.
We entered the clubhouse and went straight for the stairs leading up to his room. Anger rolled off him like the lava rising over the edge of a volcano on the verge of exploding. With every stomp of his boots, my gut clenched tighter. I sensed his vexation had everything to do with me… and probably Cole.
32
Storm
“Storm? Wha… what’s wrong?” She sounded nervous. She should be. Hell, even scared.
I bolted the lock and tossed her bags onto the club chair. It took everything in me to not lose my shit on her—everything. I rolled my fingers, making a tight fist. This shit, her being gone when I’d returned, seeing her on the back of Copper’s bike, her calling him Cole, it all threw me over the edge after the foul mood I’d already been in.
Was it too fuckin’ much to ask for her to stay put? After getting absolutely nowhere with another Hunter and disposing of him, I’d wanted to come home to my woman.Mygoddamn woman. Fuck. This day was going to get a lot worse. Fuck!
“I told you to stay here. You gave me your word.” I ground my teeth and tried to hold it together because I knew if I blew up at Madeline, she’d fight back and might walk out my door. I couldn’t lose her. Not like this. I cared too damn much for her.
I needed her.
“And you said you’d take me to my house so I could grab a few things.”
“You know I’m dealing with all kinds of shit after the attack. Important shit.”
“And you know Ionlyhave the clothes on my back. I’ve been wearing this damn dress for three days now. And the same pair of panties.” But I also knew she washed them every night before we went to bed. They were dry by morning.
“You were supposed to stay put. Instead, I get here, and you’re gone. And on Copper’s goddamn bike too! What the fuck, Madeline? On another dude’s bike?” I seethed at this betrayal. She might as well have fucked him, too. “You’remygoddamn woman!” My voice was getting louder, but she didn’t appear fazed.
“Well, I couldn’t take my car because the key was missing. Know anything about that?” She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her boot. Shit, she was getting pissed.