I nodded, tears falling down my cheek.
“Say it again.”
“It’s Mona’s fault.”
“You’re a good friend, Julia,” I said, taking a drink of my PBR.
“Damn straight I am,” she laughed.
A knock at the door startled us. Julia looked over at me inquisitively.
“Expecting company?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Oh, shit. It’s probably Grace!”
“You’re probably right,” she agreed. “Are you going to answer it?”
I looked over at the door with the deepest dread.
“I guess,” I said, dejected. Of course she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Neither would I.
“Don’t agree to anything you don’t want to,” she reminded me. “You’re in charge.”
“Right,” I replied, squaring my shoulders, before opening the door.
Bullet’s handsome face stared back at me, knocking the wind right out of my lungs.
“Bullet!”
My eyes widened as I drank him in.
God, he looked so much better than I remembered…
Wearing his usual uniform of a black t-shirt, tight 501’s, black boots and his cut, he looked like a sexy, heavenly God come to life. It was obvious he’d been working out a lot in the last few months — his arms and thighs, while already thick and muscular, were noticeably bigger.
He smiled at me silently, standing there straight out of one my dreams.
Wait, maybe I was dreaming, I thought. I blinked hard.
He was still there. Dammit.
“What!” Julia cried from behind me. I shot her a glance and pulled the door closed, wedging myself between the door jam and the edge of the door to block her view.
“Hello, Libby,” he smiled down at me, his voice a low, husky growl that shot right to my stomach.
“Um, hi?” I replied, my voice high and nervous. I reached up to smooth my hair, swallowing hard.
Why was he here?
How did he even find my studio?
“You look good,” he said, his dark eyes raking up and down my body. I looked down — I was wearing my tattered, old, black Carhartt overalls, which were streaked with years of dried clay. Most likely, there was clay streaked on my face and matted in my hair.
I’d never been a tidy sculptor.
I looked back up at him, my heart skipping a beat, “You look…”
Dammit.
I could barely speak. He looked freakin’ amazing, that’s what he looked like. So amazing that I was sure if he kept looking at me the way he was looking at me, I’d surely melt into a puddle of soft, gooey flesh at his feet.
“Can I come in?”
Come in? Why?
“Um…”
“Of course he can come in!” Julia ripped the door open, her sing-songy voice ripping through my fog. She smiled, a huge, growing smile that spread across her face as she drank him in.
She thrust her hand out towards him. “Hi, Bullet. I’m Julia. I’ve heard all about you.”
She was gushing. Staring. Her eyes wide as saucers.
I nudged her and gave her a warning look.
“Nice to meet you, too, Julia,” he said, flashing her a drop-dead smile. My stomach flipped at the sight of it and it wasn’t even directed at me. I looked away, breathless, my heart racing. I hated that he had this effect on me.
“Come in, come in,” Julia said, pushing me out of the way.
He nodded gallantly, and walked in, flashing me a look that I felt more than saw. The heat rolling off of him seared me, without even one touch.
“So this is where the magic happens, huh?” he asked, turning and flashing me a smile. Julia stood in the corner, witnessing my uncomfortableness with apparent glee.
“Uh, yeah, I guess,” I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s cool, though,” he nodded. “I like it.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, trying to look everywhere but directly at him. He sat on the couch, his huge frame nearly taking up an entire half of my long sofa.
“So, what brings you here, Bullet?” Julia asked. I shot her a third glance, willing her to shut the hell up.
His face grew serious and he nodded, his brow wrinkling with worry.
“As you know, Grace and Ryder’s baby was kidnapped by Mona,” he said, solemnly.
“Yes, Grace told me,” I said. “But Bullet, I’m not going to see Mona. I never want to see her again. If that’s why you’re here…”
“I understand,” he nodded. “I agree with you. You should never have to see her again. I’m not too fond of the idea either.”
I squinted, trying to understand. He’d never told me what had gone down between the two of them the day she took him upstairs, and I didn’t pry, but I knew from his demeanor when he returned that it wasn’t good.
“Then why are you here?” I asked.
He stood up and walked over to me, placing his palms on my biceps. Goosebumps rippled up my skin, my nipples hardened under my overalls. He peered into my eyes, his smoldering gaze threatening to bring me to my knees.
“Libby,” he paused, inhaling slowly as he held my gaze. “I don’t trust Mona. We’ve made other arrangements to get the baby back. Grace is going alone to try to reason with her. But, in the meantime, we don’t know if this is a trap. We don’t know if she’s working alone.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“I just don’t think you’re safe. Not yet. In fact, I’d go so far as to say you’re in danger.”
“Danger?” Julia asked, her voice rising an octave. “Really? Wow, that’s so dramatic.”
“Julia, please,” I begged. “Hush.”
I turned back to Bullet, shaking my head.
“I’m not afraid of Mona. I just don’t want to see her. She would never hurt me.”
“It’s not that I’m afraid of her hurting you, I’m afraid of her abducting you again.”
I stared up at him, trying to make sense of his words. To be honest, even when I’d been locked in Mona’s basement, I hadn’t felt as if I was in danger. She’d been nothing but kind to me. Except for the locking me up part.
Why would she hurt me now?
“I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s been months…”
“I know,” he said. “Long enough for the idea that she’s your biological mother to have time to simmer and make her crazy.”
“I still don’t understand what you want from me.”
“I want you to come to the clubhouse and stay for a while.”
“What!” I exclaimed. “No way.”
“Libby…” His eyes implored me.
“No!” I said. “Hell, no. I have a life here. I’m not going anywhere. I barely graduated last year because my life was interrupted by her. I’m not letting her do it again.”
“Libby, please.”
“No, Bullet,” I said, shaking my head again. “And if that’s the only reason you came here, then I think you should leave.” I pulled myself from his grasp and walked over to the door and opened it. I looked down, waiting to hear his footsteps.
They never came.
I looked up with exasperation. He stood there staring at me, his arms crossed defiantly, and Julia stood behind him, her eyes filled with joyful intrigue as she enjoyed the latest episode of the soap-opera of my life.
“Libby, I understand your hesitation,” he said. “I do. Truly. But it’s only for a few days. And if you want me to be completely honest, yes, Grace and Ryder sent me here to protect you. And the safest place for you right now is the clubhouse.”
“I’m not going to the clubhouse, Bullet!”
“Well, we have a problem then,” he replied, unmoving.
“No, we don’t,” I insisted.
“I’m not prepared to take no for an answer.”
I scoffed, laughing at his brazenness.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” I crie
d.
“It’s for your safety,” he insisted.
“Libby, come on,” Julia piped in. “It’s just for a few days. Maybe he has a point. Mona already abducted you once. She’s unpredictable.”
“You can bring Julia with you, if you’d be more comfortable.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, god!”
I could just see Julia there, flirting with everything in leather.
“I mean,” she shrugged. “I’m not really doing anything for a few days. I could go.”
“No!” I shouted, turning on my heel and heading for the door. If Bullet wouldn’t leave, then I would. The slam of the door behind me felt like the slamming of my heart.
Why did he have to look so fucking good?
Why couldn’t I just forget how it felt to be in his arms?
Why oh why couldn’t Mona just disappear?
I made it to the elevator, pressed the button and stood waiting for it to arrive.
I didn’t hear his footsteps behind me.
He swooped me up over his shoulder in one smooth, swift movement. Before I knew it, I was upside down over his back, face-to-face with his backside.
“What the fuck!” I shouted.
“I know this is fucked up,” he said, as I attempted to wiggle out of his grip. “But I just can’t let another day go by worrying about you.”
Julia stood next to him giggling like a hyena, my purse and keys in her hands.
“Let me down!” I cried, kicking my legs.
“It’s just for a few days,” he said, holding me tightly. Escape was impossible. “I promise.”
“Goddammit, Bullet, put me down!”
“I can’t, babe, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’d never forgive myself.”
“I’ll never forgive you!” I cried.
“That’s a risk I’ll have to take to make sure you stay alive.”
“Wow,” Julia said beside me. I stared at her, glaring at her for not helping me. “This guy doesn’t mess around, does he?”
“Julia, I can’t believe you’re helping him!”
“Well, I want you to stay safe, too,” she insisted. “And besides, a weekend away in the woods sounds amazing, don’t you think?”
I glared at her, but somehow I don’t think it had any effect coming from upside-down.
The elevator doors opened and Bullet carried me on. I fell silent, fuming with anger.
“I don’t even have a fucking toothbrush,” I muttered.
“Oh, don’t worry,” Bullet said. “We have everything you’ll need at the clubhouse. We rescue women who leave their homes with nothing all the time.”
“That’s so cool,” Julia said, gushing at him. “Tell me more about the other Gods.”
“You’ll meet them all,” Bullet laughed. “And they’re going to love you.”
“You maybe want to put me down?” I asked. “The blood’s rushing to my head.”
“Don’t do it,” Julia warned. “She’ll run. Trust me.”
“Dammit, Julia!” She was right. I wanted to run so far away from Bullet that I’d never think of him again.
But we all knew that was never going to happen.
I was screwed.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BULLET
Fine, call me a caveman.
Call me a brute.
An asshole.
Whatever you wanna call me.
I don’t care. At least I know she’s safe.
I can keep an eye on her.
Maybe she’ll never want me to touch her again, but I can live with that.
What I cannot live with is knowing she was in danger and I wasn’t doing anything about it.
I had a front row seat to Mona’s craziness. I didn’t want Libby anywhere near that again. If I had to sacrifice her respect to make sure she didn’t fall victim to that wench again, so be it. It would be an honor to make that sacrifice.
Sure, it’ll fucking wreck me.
But it’s worth it.
Libby’s worth it. Hell, she’s worth anything I have to give.
I watch her chatting with Lacey now back at the clubhouse, and I can see how special she is with just one glance. She’s graceful, like a deer. Skin like porcelain and hair as black as night — I can’t stop looking at her.
It helps that she’s so angry with me that she won’t look back. Because then I can look at her all I want without having to look away and pretend I’m not.
Julia’s a hoot.
Thank goodness for her, because she made the whole thing back at Libby’s art studio go down just a little easier. And now, she looks like she was made to be here. She started flirting with the other Gods almost before she even got out of the car. Colt, Storm and Striker took a liking to her right away.
They’d be fine here for a few days. I had a feeling Julia would find many activities to keep her entertained. Libby might just sulk the whole time.
Fine by me.
Like I said, as long as she’s safe…
Let her hate me.
I get it, I understand.
And maybe, just maybe, she’ll warm up a little and we can find our way back to each other. In the meantime, she needed a little space and I was prepared to give that to her.
She and Julia walked my way and Julia smiled up at me.
“It’s beautiful here,” she said.
“I think so, too,” I said.
“What should we do now?” Libby asked, shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
“Whatever you want,” I grunted, shrugging. “Just don’t leave.”
I turned and walked away abruptly, suddenly unable to bear the way she was looking at me.
Sure, I could take my medicine, but that didn’t mean it was going to go down easy.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
LIBBY
“What the hell was that about?” I asked Julia. “He’s just going to grunt and leave us to fend for ourselves?”
Julia shrugged, her eyes lit up with anticipation. “Lacey told us where the kitchen is and what time dinner is. She said to make ourselves at home and gave us the keys to our own cabin. I think we’ll be fine on our own.”
“Yeah, but…”
“But, what?” she asked. “Do you want Bullet to babysit us?”
“No,” I shook my head, looking after him. “I don’t know what I want.”
“Well, we’re here now,” she said, dangling the key in front of me. “Let’s go find our cabin.”
“Fine,” I sighed as Bullet disappeared into the woods.
“I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Bullet,” Julia said. “Just give it some time.”
“This is all so ridiculous,” I said. “I should be home. I have work to do!”
“Relax, you’re acting like you’re in prison,” she said. “Think of it as an adventure. I know, I am.”
“I bet you are,” I said, as we made our way down a nearby trail.
She laughed and nodded.
“This place is like my own personal paradise.”
“Jesus,” I said, shaking my head.
“Jesus ain’t got no place in my paradise,” she said. “He’d blush so hard his face would explode.”
“You have a way with words, Julia,” I said.
“And you have amazing taste,” she said. “I mean, there’s a lot of beefcake here, but Bullet’s the hottest of all, girl. You need to pull your head out of your ass and give that man a chance.”
“He basically just kidnapped me.”
“Oh, stop,” she said, dismissing my complaint with a wave of her manicured nails. “He loves you.”
I stopped in my tracks, staring at her.
“Don’t say that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not true and it’s like…I don’t know…bad luck or something.”
“What the hell, Libby?” She laughed. “Are you just going to turn into a nun now?”
“No!” I insisted. “I don’t know! I’m a mess.”
&
nbsp; “Yeah, you are,” she said. “And once we get you cleaned up and out of those filthy overalls, you’re going to be a hot mess.”
I looked down, having completely forgotten about my appearance.
I groaned.
Julia wound her arm through mine and began skipping through the woods, forcing me to keep up with her.
“Come on, girl, let’s have some fun!”
“Jesus, you’re crazy, you know that?” I asked, rolling my eyes and smiling for the first time since Bullet knocked on my door.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
BULLET
Dinner was a fucking disaster.
All of us crammed into the clubhouse, the tension thick and heavy as we awaited news from Grace and Ryder.
In the meantime, Julia and Libby were on the receiving end of a whole lot of male attention. The Gods may be a bunch of superheroes in leather, with great big hearts of gold, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still hot-blooded, testosterone-fueled men who’d jump at the chance to get close to a couple of attractive, young women. The nearer, the better, apparently.
Julia was surrounded again. Flanked by Colt and Vick, she sat on the couch with a smile plastered on her face the size of Texas. They hung on her every word, drinking her in and doing their best to impress her.
Libby, on the other hand, was doing her best to be polite, but aloof. As soon as someone sat down next to her, she seemed to look for the quickest opportunity to flee. Which left her walking aimlessly around, until she finally retreated outside.
I found her on the porch swing, a look of sadness in her eyes. My heart broke that I was the cause of all of that misery.
“Hey,” I muttered, at a loss for words. I wanted to tell her I was sorry. I wanted to tell her that I missed her. I wanted to tell her that I had no idea what went wrong and beg her to tell me how to fix it.
But the thing is, I knew the answer. I understood the answer.
It was undeniable, and trying to change things now was not going to work, no matter how much we talked about it.
“Hey,” she replied, barely looking at me. I leaned on the porch railing, looking out into the dark sky.
“Nice night,” I muttered.
“Yeah.”
Sparkling in the sky like little clusters of diamonds, the stars were clearly visible out here in the forest. It was one of my favorite things about living so far away from civilization.
Gods of Chaos MC Box Set 4 Page 20
