"Scout. She's adorable."
"He," he corrects. "I found him outside your apartment building, and judging by his size, no one is taking care of him."
Scout holds the little balled up handful of fur over the table, and I pull it into my hands. I can feel bones through his thin coat, but the little guy is purring like a motor. He nudges my palm with his head and snuggles into my hand with his paws neatly folded under his body.
"Have you thought of a name?"
"That would mean I plan to keep him, and I don't."
I glance between the little thing and Scout. "Oh, come on. Cats make perfect indoor pets, and this place could use a mascot." I watch the cat again. His fur is waves of brown and golden orange that remind me of the sky after a storm. "You could call him Tempest. He'd fit right in."
"He'd be better off with someone who actually likes cats."
I frown at Scout, then hand the balled-up kitten back to him. Tempest, as I will now forever call him, settles quickly into Scout's hands and yawns. I understand. It didn't take me long to feel the same way about the big lug holding him.
"You may not be a cat person, but he is definitely a people cat, and it looks like he's chosen you as his people. That's a big deal in the cat world."
Scout is smiling down at him. He might be trying to resist the charms of a sweet kitten, but it isn't hard to tell, he's going to fail. "I already have my hands full with one fledgling."
I reach over the table and slap his shoulder. "I resent being called a fledgling, but you have a point. Maybe they should have named you Jude instead of Scout."
Scout gives me his one raised brow look of confusion.
"Saint Jude? Patron saint of lost causes. We seem to be attracted to you."
Scout looks at me hard, his gaze boring into mine. "There is nothing lost about you, India. You just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time."
I lift my chin. "That depends on how you look at it." I'm not sure if he catches my meaning, but my cheeks heat just the same.
Sure, I didn't want to be held hostage in a motorcycle club initially, but not everything about it has been negative. Tempest Elite is more like a family than the rough riders I thought they were. And Scout is...well... he's deeper than I expected. Challenging yes. Infuriating at times. But, as I watch him tuck little Tempest into the crook of his arm, I realize there's a side to Scout that most people don't get to see.
"Well," I begin. "While I'm here, I'd be happy to care for the little guy, and when I leave, he can come back to my apartment with me. If we find his owner, he'll be returned in better shape than he was found. If not, I wouldn't mind having company for a change."
Scout doesn't look up from the cat. "If we find the owner, he'll answer to me. He's not getting a second chance with this guy."
It's sweet how protective Scout is being. Almost sweet enough to forget this is the same guy who won't let me leave his room or the one who beat three men bloody the night I met him.
I could almost see us together in the future, Tempest included. My belly warns at the thought. The club's noise breaks into my thoughts, and I realize our worlds are too different to mesh together. The only thing that would come from trying is heartache.
I have a feeling Scout has had enough of that in his life. I don't want to add any more.
"Then, I guess the little guy is mine."
Scout rubs his hand over the top of Tempest's head. "He's ours."
We both glance at each other, realizing the double meaning of his comment. I grin and play off the butterflies, now swarming in my belly.
I pick up the sleepy cat and hand him back to Scout.
The last couple of days have been interesting, even fun at times, but there can never be an ours. It'd be best for us both if we stop playing that game before we start.
Scout
I'm not sure what's happening.
India seemed enthralled in the kitten, and even though I think Tempest is a stupid name for a cat, it was beginning to grow on me. I can even see myself stopping off at her apartment to play with the little thing in the future.
"I think I need some air." India pushes her chair out and starts off across the bar.
She knows I'm following behind her by the way she looks out from the corner of her eye, but she doesn't slow.
"India?" I reach for her shoulder to stop her at the front doors, but she shrugs me off in the hallway and pushes out the front entry into the burning sunshine.
I want to follow. I need to. The coast is clear all the way back behind the wall, but I still don't like the idea of her out in the open like she is.
Tempest purrs and burrows into my side—still a stupid name for a cat. He’s more of a Bruce if you ask me, but I'll call the damn thing Tulip if it makes India happy.
I'm about to open the doors and follow her when Bear stops me with a hand to my shoulder.
"Who do we have here?" He takes the furball by the scruff and holds him up in the air. "When did we get a tiger as a pet?"
"Tempest, you mean."
Bear titles his head, and I point outside to India standing with her back to us in a sunny spot of the parking lot.
"India thought he could be our mascot."
"Could be." Bear twists the little beast around to face him and smiles. "But she might appreciate a more feminine name. Maybe la Nina."
"What?"
"Your he is a she." Bear drops her back in my hands. "Hawk told me about the tread markings outside India's place. Do you really think Cobra’s been at her place?"
"You know Cobra almost as well as I do. He's not going to give up on this. Not with the Devils wanting to wage war against us already."
Bear rubs his chin. "I trust your instincts. He couldn't keep his temper in check in the service. He was reprimanded more than a few times for it."
"Then you agree keeping India here is warranted?"
"I believe keeping her safe is. But I'm not sure here is the best option for her." Bear nods out the door to India. She has her head tilted back and her arms out wide like she's worshiping the sun. "I can put in a word with her boss. He owes the club a favor, and I'm sure giving India some time off won't be an issue. Why don't you get her out of here for a while? Give her some space away from the trouble."
"I don't think that is a good idea."
Bear turns back to me. "Why not? You know Cobra better than anyone. If anyone can keep India safe, it's you." He glances at the glass doors, and I know what he's going to say before he says it. "I'm not sure how much longer you can hold her here."
He's right. I can force India to stay with me as long as I want. That is not an issue. But her unhappiness has been on my mind. Not having to watch over one shoulder every time she’s around the other members would leave me more time to focus on her safety.
"Where?" I ask reluctantly.
"Gunner's got that old hunting cabin near the state line."
I don't like the idea of being so far away from reinforcements, and I think India will balk at leaving the city. "I'd need a day to secure the place."
Bear drops a heavy hand to my shoulder again. "Gunner is already on it. He sent Everly and Kyle up there this morning to clean the place and stock it with food, while Gunner’s ol’lady Lexa watches the grandkids. Gunner has a rifle and shotgun already in the cabin, but of course, you'll be packing your own."
I nod.
"Everly's taken care of a few final touches to make India feel comfortable. She said you sent her a list."
My throat goes dry when I remember what I requested. Black lace bra and panty set being one of the items.
"Good. Then we have it settled. It might be best if you guys take one of the trucks from the garage. Put your bike in the back in case you need it. She’s probably not ready for a long mountain ride on the back."
I don't know how Bear planned this all so thoroughly right under my nose, but that is why he was picked over most of the older members to take the prez position. He always has a plan, an
d as I look at India pacing the parking lot like a caged animal, I'm glad for it.
Chapter 7
India
Nina is settled in my lap, purring away as she sleeps. I like Bear’s suggestion for a new name, and I shortened it. Even Scout grinned when I thought of it, and scratched little Nina behind her ears.
That was before Scout told me I'd be spending the foreseeable future locked away with him in an unfamiliar part of the state in the middle of the woods. Alone.
We've been on the road for over an hour, and I still don't know how I feel about being alone with Scout. The clubhouse was beginning to feel cramped, but being so close to home made it feel possible that Cobra's threat would end soon, and life could go back to normal.
Taking this trip with Scout feels like accepting that my life will consist of a new normal from now on. I scratch Nina's ears and contemplate what that means for me.
"If I'm right, the place is just up ahead."
I glance at Scout. He's said the same thing half a dozen other times already. Not that I'm complaining. He has a hand-drawn map with pretty straightforward directions, and he's having trouble finding the place. That doesn't bode well for the success of any uninvited guests.
"The sooner, the better." I shift in my seat and hold Nina up between us. "Because I'm sure this little girl needs a potty break and to stretch her legs."
"There won't be much stretching for her around the cabin."
His tone is so flat, I'm not sure how to read it, so I tilt my head as if asking for clarification.
"Mountain Lions."
I pull Nina against my body and wrap her up in my arms. "Great. From angry bikers to man-eating cats. Boy, meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Hey. I'm not the one who charged at a man twice my size with a beer bottle as a weapon.”
I laugh. "You're right. I should have let him beat you. Then I wouldn't be in this mess."
I turn for the window, but Scout's hand lands on my wrist. When I face him, his eyes are dark and heavy, and they're looking right into me.
"Hey. I just realized I never told you, thank you."
I shrug him off. "Don't thank me for this mess."
"No, really." His grip tightens just enough to get my attention. "I mean it. No one but a TE brother has ever stood up for me like that. That means something to me, India."
I've not seen this side of Scout before, and I'm not sure how to respond, so I only nod and turn away. "Then you're welcome."
The awkward silence that follows breaks when a small two-story log cabin juts out from an endless line of trees along the dirt trail we've been following for miles. It can't be more than one room on the ground floor and maybe a loft up top. One stone fireplace takes up the whole side, and two small windows dot the front, flanking a door that looks like it was cut from the center of a tree.
"This isn't so bad," I say, searching the surrounding forest. "Minus the Mountain Lions."
Scout answers with a grunt. He pulls in a space behind the cabin and grabs our bags from behind the bench seat.
I follow him around the small house to the front. The place is simple, but there is a charm to living out in the woods, and I can't deny I've been toying with the idea of being alone with Scout. He'd look amazing in a buffalo plaid shirt and jeans.
"India."
Scout's voice breaks my daydream. He has the door open and is waiting for me to step in first.
Before we left the club, Bear assured me he had people cleaning and stocking the place, but I wasn't sure what I'd find. The downstairs is quaint, with an overstuffed couch in front of a rustic fireplace and a pile of cut wood even though it's still summer. A small kitchen is to one side, and a ladder style staircase leads up to a loft bedroom.
Scout clears his throat. "I'll take the couch. It will be easier to keep an eye on the place from down here. Everly brought you a few things to make you more comfortable. She left them upstairs if you want to check."
"I can do that later. I want to get Nina settled first."
Scout grimaces. "I don't think they knew about the cat when they came out this morning."
"Not a problem. I'm sure we can find a bowl for water, and if there is chicken or fish, that will do until we can get real cat food." I slide into the small kitchen space to check the refrigerator, which puts me chest to chest with Scout.
Since last night we've pretty much kept our distance, but that will be hard to do in such cramped quarters. I brush his arms as I pass, and I don't miss the heat in his eyes when I do.
Shaking it off, I open the fridge and check out what we have. "Plenty for him to eat and us too. How long were you planning on us staying here again?"
"As long as it takes." Scout bends around me and checks out the stocked fridge as well.
There is plenty to keep us full for at least a month, and I find myself hoping Everly was overzealous with the shopping and not planning for us to hide away from life forever.
"What about...you know?" Scout waves his hand near Nina's little tush.
"The bathroom?" I chuckle. "I'm sure we can rig something up. If there is sand outside we could put some in a tray and bring in for a litter box?"
It's cute how worried Scout is for Nina. Almost paternal.
"I'll check outside after dinner if you think she can wait that long."
I bend down to put Nina on the floor to stretch. "There's only one way to find out for sure."
Scout is scoping out cabinets and drawers, letting each one slam before opening the next.
"What are you looking for?"
"Dinner," he growls back so deeply, Nina slides across the floor and lands against my leg. "I'll put something together if you want to go upstairs and get settled."
"I am kind of interested to see what Everly brought." I also don't want to be anywhere near the kitchen when Scout begins banging around pots and pans. "I did see some pasta noodles and a jar of sauce in the cabinet on the left." I throw over my shoulder before stopping at the ladder.
Another loud grunt tells me he's found them.
Upstairs is a queen-size bed with a quilt over a wooden frame and one small cabinet to the side. Everly has laid a few outfits out over a chair, including a new pair of jeans, leggings, an oversized flannel button-down, socks, and a small pink shopping bag.
Nina makes herself at home, curling up on one of the pillows before I excitedly reach in the bag. There's tons of pink and white tissue paper. I pull it all out and reach into the bag for the gift. Is this what most women wear to bed?
The fabric is so thin it's transparent, but it's silky and soft, and I can't resist rubbing it against my cheek. The little black nightgown makes me laugh.
Nina makes a meow sound.
"So, you approve, I guess?" Though I'll have to wait until I'm alone to put it on.
The next bundle of tissue has a matching bra and panty set in soft lace and silk. I've never seen anything as pretty in my life, and I can't imagine what it cost.
Nina paddles herself across the bed and paws at the bag. On her second try, the bag falls to the side Nina tumbles in, headfirst.
"Silly kitty," I muse, reaching into the pile of paper for her furry little body. There's something else in the bag. A card by the size and shape. "Did you know that was in there?" I hold Nina up, so her nose and my nose meet.
She meows and bats a paw at my cheek until I let her back down.
The card is also pink. I stall in opening it. I'm not sure how I feel toward Scout, and if this card holds a declaration of his feelings to me, I'm not sure how to react.
Nina is back on the bed in a flash, and she's nudging the nightgown with her head until half of her body disappears under it. I watch and laugh and sit on the edge of the bed, enjoying her innocence and not thinking about Cobra or what my life will become after months of hiding from him.
Nina finds her way out of the silken maze and paws at the envelope in my hand.
"I wish you could read it for me,
" I say, rubbing the top of her head. "Might as well face the music, I guess." I don't want to walk back downstairs and have Scout thinking I know what he wrote.
I slide my finger under the sealed flap and pull the card free. Roses. A dozen or so pink ones painted like a picture with gold writing across the bottom, spelling out "to my sweetheart."
I can't imagine Scout using a term of endearment like sweetheart. He's more of a baby or honey kind of guy.
As soon as I flip the front open, my whole body relaxes. I spot Everly's name signed at the bottom right away.
Scout wanted you to have these so you'd feel as pretty as you are. I told him you'd rather have leggings and a soft sweatshirt, but you know men. Enjoy them and what they bring. He's a good guy, India.
I close the card and hold it to my chest. True, leggings and an oversized shirt would portray how I see myself, but as I finger the bra and panty set's lace, I begin to see myself through Scout's eyes.
I'm not some boring girl from the middle of nowhere to him. For the first time in my life, I feel special because someone else sees me as such. It's an intoxicating thought that has my whole body humming a tune of delight.
Nina has buried herself in the tissue paper again and is meowing for help. I pick up the nightgown in one hand and dig her out with the other before making my way back down to the ground floor.
Scout is in the kitchen, still opening cabinets and drawers. He's pulled together a few ingredients on the counter, and I'm surprised it looks like he's preparing to put together an entire meal from scratch.
As soon as he turns from digging through what seems to be a spice cabinet, he catches me watching and halts.
"What?" he smiles, but the longer I wait to answer him, the less his mouth curves upward.
I'm in a playful mood. I wait until Scout is near frowning before I pull the gown from behind my back. "I wanted to say thank you. For this."
By his reaction, I can tell he never expected me to come bounding down the ladder with it in my hands or to thank him for the gift. He smirks for a second, then schools it back to his normal half frowning scowl.
Scout: Tempest Elite MC Page 6
