by L. Wilder
I watched as she nervously ran her fingers through her long bangs as she unsuccessfully tried to tuck them behind her ear. Cassidy continued to talk as Henley’s dark eyes anxiously skirted around the room. Unlike her sister, she wasn’t wearing much make-up, but then again, with her olive skin, she really didn’t need it. She was a natural beauty. When Cassidy pointed across the room to Boozer, Henley’s full lips curved into a smile as she held up her hand and gave him a bashful wave. Her cheeks turned crimson as she quickly dropped her hand to her side and began to fiddle with the hem of her vintage t-shirt. It was obvious that she wasn’t exactly comfortable being here, but she would have to realize that we were here to keep her safe. Nothing else really mattered.
My attention was still focused on Henley when Cooter, one of our prospects, sat down beside me. He let out a deep sigh when his phone chimed with a text message. He grabbed it out of his back pocket and read it, cursing under his breath.
“Damn it. I can’t catch a break with her. I mean,” he whined. “I love her and all, but fuck.”
When I looked over to him, he took it as an invitation to continue with whatever was on his mind.
“I’ve done everything she’s asked me to do, and she’s still bitching at me. I’ve just about decided that you can’t make a woman happy,” he started as he motioned over to Cassidy for a beer. “She’s always on my case about something. It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s never enough.” He stopped long enough to take a drink from his beer before he continued. “I just can’t get away from it. You know? Every time I turn around she’s calling to ask me… Are you okay? When are you going to be home? It never ends. You’d think she’d finally just give it a rest, but nooo! She just keeps at it. And it’s even worse when I’m home. When are you going to do this? When are you going to do that? Man, it just goes on and on.”
I looked down at my empty beer and wondered how the hell I got stuck listening to him ramble on like this. I raised my empty beer bottle and waved it in the air letting Cassidy know that I needed another one. When she placed my cold beer on the counter, I noticed Henley walking over to the back of the bar. As I watched her, I realized that she was taller than I’d remembered, and I found myself wondering what she was hiding under that old t-shirt. I imagined her having one of those athletic builds that some girls have without even really trying. She didn’t seem like the kind of girl that was into sports as she walked over towards our old Pac Man Arcade game. We’d pulled the damn thing out of some rundown bar downtown, and I hadn’t seen anyone even play it since we installed the thing.
“I’ve done everything she’s asked. Hell, I painted her damn bathroom three fucking times before she was happy with it,” he carried on, completely oblivious to the fact that I could care less what he was talking about. He took another tug of his beer before he continued, “At least she can cook. Man, she makes the best lasagna you ever put in your mouth. Never found anyone that could make it like hers.”
I tried to tune him out as I watched Henley start up the game. When she took the knob in her hand and leaned closer to the screen, her faded blue jean shorts rose slightly, showing off her sexy, long, tan legs. My eyes were zeroed in on her hips swaying from side to side when Cooter’s voice pulled me back into his rant.
“You just can’t find a good Italian woman like her anymore. She’s one of a kind. I guess that’s why I put up with all of her shit. We only get one momma, right? What’s a man supposed to do? You know?”
Realizing for the first time that he was actually talking about his mother, pissed me the fuck off. “I wouldn’t know. My mother died when I was a kid. I’d say you’re lucky to have her,” I told him as I turned my head away from him, ignoring whatever he mumbled under his breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Henley jumping up and down. Her hips jerked from side-to-side as she pumped her fists in the air, obviously celebrating her win over the game. Watching her made me feel lighter somehow, an unlikely diversion from the darkness that usually consumed me. After several seconds of prancing around in the corner, she suddenly stopped and slowly turned her head, peering around the room. Her lips pressed together as she checked to see if anyone had seen her little victory dance. When her eyes locked on mine, she bit her bottom lip. Her mouth slowly curved into a bashful smile as she shrugged her shoulders, acknowledging that she knew I’d seen her. I turned my head and looked away in disbelief.
I sat there for a moment, trying to clear my head, but I couldn’t stop myself. I don’t know what exactly triggered it… maybe it was that goofy little dance or her adorable smile, but she’d just done something no one has been able to do in months. Henley Gray just made me smile. Fuck.
Chapter 8
Henley
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WHAT IS IT about those green eyes that captivated me? It just doesn’t make any sense. Of course, he’s absurdly good looking, with his shaggy brown hair and perfect body, but it’s more than that. When I looked at him, I saw something that I just couldn’t explain, and it made me want to know more about him. I wanted to know the demons he was fighting… why there was such hurt hidden behind those beautiful emerald eyes.
“Would you like a beer or something?” Boozer asked me, being a gentleman as always.
“No thanks. I’m good.”
“How about a game of pool?”
“Trust me… you don’t want to play pool with me. I’m beyond terrible. It would be like Chinese torture to play against me. Besides, it’s been a really long day. I think I’m just going to go crash for the night.” I could see the disappointment cross his handsome face when I turned him down. I would’ve suggested playing a game of darts, but I was exhausted. I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget this day ever happened.
“Maybe some other time, then,” he said with a kind smile. “Just let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks Boozer. I really appreciate it.” I patted him on the arm and headed over to tell Cassidy that I was going to bed. She was clearing the empty bottles off the counter top as she talked to a couple of the guys sitting at the bar.
“How’s it going Lee Bug? Haven’t seen much of you tonight. You making it okay?” she asked as she busied herself behind the bar.
“Yep. Hanging in.”
“Good. Sorry I haven’t been able to spend more time with you. I’ve been swamped over here. Ellie couldn’t make it in tonight, so it’s just been me all night.”
“Cass, I’m fine. You don’t have to worry over me,” I assured her.
“Can’t help myself. You’ve been through a lot today,” she said with concern. “I still can’t get it out of my head. Those guys could have…”
“Don’t. Nothing happened. Nothing is going to happen to me. I think it’s silly that I am even here. I should be home waiting on my final grades to come in, not hanging out here with the Hell’s Angels.”
“Henley, don’t say shit like that! You know better than to disrespect these men, especially in their own damn clubhouse. You need them right now. They’re the only ones who can keep you safe, and you need to appreciate their…”
I held up my hands in surrender and said, “You’re right. You’re right. I’m a jerk. I’m sorry. I’m just tired. It’s been a hell of a day, and I just need to get some sleep.”
“Cotton had a couple of the prospects bring your stuff over from the apartment. I gave them the list of things you wanted, and they set up everything in your room.”
“Wow. Well that was nice of them. I’ll be sure to thank them tomorrow,” I promised.
“And you should know…” she started, but paused to look around the bar before she continued. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but someone broke into our apartment. When the guys got there, the entire place had been ransacked.”
“What the hell? Who would have done something like that?” I knew the answer before the question ever left my lips.
“They didn’t say for sure, but I’m positive it was the guys that tried to break into your car.�
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“What were they expecting to find in our apartment?” I asked as my heart began to pound nervously against my chest.
“You… or at least something that could lead them to you. Whoever these guys are, they seem pretty intent on finding you, so that’s why Cotton put Maverick in charge of watching over you.”
It was hard enough being here like this, but I definitely didn’t need Mr. Green Eyes watching my every move. He’s always so damn serious, with his blank stare and grim expression. It was like someone had just killed his dog or something. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen the man smile, and now he was going to be watching over me. Crap on a cracker. Just being in the same room with him made me feel all awkward and nervous, and it made my palms sweaty just thinking about it.
“It’s his job, Henley. He’ll make sure nothing happens to you,” she replied.
“I will do what they tell me to do. But I don’t need a freaking babysitter, Cassidy. Especially not him.”
“Maverick will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. That’s all that matters. Even if you don’t like it, you’re going to have to make this thing work. It’s not going to be easy for either of you. You’re just going to have to make the best of it,” she said, as she started restocking the bar’s coolers.
“Damn it all to hell,” I told her as I rolled my eyes. “Why did I ever leave the house? I should’ve just gone to bed and none of this would have ever happened. I wouldn’t have to deal with Mr. Grouch.”
“Henley, just do what he says. He takes club business very seriously, and it’ll only piss him off if you don’t do what he tells you,” she warned.
“Yeah… well, I’ll do what I can to not piss him off. Alright?” I asked sarcastically. “I’m going to bed, mom. I’ll see you in the morning.”
As I started to walk out of the bar, I looked over at Maverick. He was sitting alone, drinking another shot of whiskey. His elbows were stretched across the countertop as he stared into the empty shot glass. A part of me wanted to go to him… ask him what was bothering him, but I couldn’t get the courage to do it, so I just left.
I still didn’t know my way around the entire clubhouse. When Cassidy told me where my room was, I thought I knew exactly where she was talking about. I was wrong. This place was like a maze with all the doors and hallways, but after asking three different guys for help, I finally managed to find my room. When I opened the door, I was pleased to see that Cassidy was right. The guys managed to get everything I asked for and more. One of them even brought my favorite blanket from my bedroom. I took off my clothes and put on my favorite Game of Thrones t-shirt. When I crawled into bed, I was relieved to see that they even remembered to get the pillows off of my bed. I’m a little obsessed with them and knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep without them.
“Henley?” a man’s voice called with a pounding knock against on my door.
“Hold on,” I answered as I got up from the bed and walked towards the door. When I opened it, Maverick was standing there with his overpowering presence and his beautiful green eyes glaring straight at me. He didn’t say a word as his eyes dropped down, reading the words on my t-shirt or possibly checking out my boobs. I really couldn’t tell.
I cleared my throat, trying to draw his attention back to my face and asked, “Did you need something?”
His eyes slowly meandered down my body, roaming over my bare legs. My feet shifted nervously as he continued to stand there blatantly staring at me. His intense gaze burned against my flesh, making me pull at the hem of my long t-shirt. With a deep sigh, he ran his fingers roughly through his hair, and my eyes instantly zoned in on his waist. His faded blue jeans dropped low around his hips and with his arm lifted, it gave me a peek at his abdomen. My eyes widened when I noticed he had a very pronounced, very sexy V. Damn, I did not need to see that.
His head was still facing down, and I assumed he was checking out my dark purple toenail polish when he asked, “You got everything you need?”
“Yep. All good here,” I told him as I turned back and looked around the room. My clothes were all hanging in the closet, my make-up was on the small dresser, and my bed was made up with fresh sheets. The guys had done everything they could to make the room as nice as possible. When I turned back to face Maverick, he was still staring at me with a peculiar look on his face. “The guys really did an amazing job here. It was really sweet of them. Did you need something?”
“Good,” Maverick said with a nod. “It’s late. I just wanted to make sure you were settled, I’ll be back in the morning. We have a few things to discuss.” Without another word, he turned around and left.
I stood there staring at the empty doorway, wondering what the hell we had to talk about. Something told me that he wasn’t exactly thrilled about having to keep an eye on me, but the way he just looked at me? Yeah, that was hot. This man had me all kinds of confused. I was tempted to just pack up my stuff and get the hell out of here. I told Cotton everything I knew, so there was really no point in me staying.
Chapter 9
Maverick
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“WHERE THE HELL do you think you’re going, Henley?” I growled. I was on my way to the kitchen when I found Henley tiptoeing down the dark hallway, her arms crammed full with all of her shit. An exasperated curse rumbled under her breath as she stopped dead in her tracks. With her hip cocked out to the side, she stared at me with a frustrated pout. Too fucking cute. Her long hair was pulled up high on her head in some kind of bun, with loose strands falling down around her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes looked black as coal as she stood there staring at me, wearing nothing but that damn t-shirt. My eyes trailed down the length of her long, sexy legs, and I instantly imagined them wrapped around me. Damn. This girl was getting under my skin.
“I’m… uhhh… I’m going home?” she sputtered.
“No… you’re not. Get your ass back to your room and go to bed,” I ordered. There was no way I was letting her leave, at least not yet.
“And why should I do that? I’ve already told Cotton everything I remembered about the shooting, so there’s really no reason for me to stay here,” she said, sounding like she actually believed what she was saying.
“What are you going to do when these guys come knocking on your door? Huh? You gonna take care of it on your own? Hit them over the head with one of your fancy fucking pillows? Hear me when I say this, Henley Gray. Once you leave here, there’s no coming back. No one will be there to help you when they come for that pretty little neck of yours. And let’s be clear… they will come for you,” I warned. A defeated look crossed her face as she stood trying to decide what she was going to do. Then a spark of anger crossed her face when she realized that I was right, making me almost smile with satisfaction.
She glanced up to the ceiling as a frustrated burst of air rushed from her lungs. “Well, thank you for clearing that all up for me, Maverick.”
“Henley…” I called out to her.
“What?” she snapped.
“You’ll be safer here. Club protection is the best thing you’ve got going right now.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” She rolled her eyes as she turned and walked back into her room, slamming the door behind her. I stood there for a minute listening to her endless stream of profanities as she tossed her things around in her room. A part of me was tempted to go in there and set her straight. Explain what kind of danger she was really in. If she had left here tonight, I have no doubt that they would have found her and killed her. Even though having her here was going to be a pain in my ass, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her.
“You lost, Maverick?” Peyton asked playfully. She was one of the club girls. Most of the brothers called them Fury’s Felines… pussies that were always eager to please, and Peyton was a club favorite. She had a way with her mouth that could make any man forget the world around him, even if just for a little while.
“Hey, Peyton. You’re up late tonight.�
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“I was just spending a little time with Clutch. He’s having a hard time with … you know… everything. I was trying to cheer him up a bit,” she explained. “But he’s asleep now, and I was just heading back to my room. Want to join me?”
“Yeah, I’m up for that,” I told her as I followed her back to her room. I needed to let off some steam, and Peyton was just the girl to help me out.
“I haven’t seen much of you lately,” she told me as she hastily began to unbuckle my belt. Without hesitation, she dropped down to her knees. Her long, black hair fell around her shoulders as her fingers worked to release the zipper of my jeans. “We have some catching up to do, handsome.” She smiled up at me, and her brown eyes filled with eagerness, she began lowering my jeans down below my hips. She took me in her hand and brushed her warm wet tongue around the head of my cock. As her hand began to slowly stroke up and down my now hardening shaft, she said “I heard you’re going to be around more since you’re helping out with Henley and all.”
As soon as the sound of Henley’s name left her lips, my dick went limp. Fuck. She’d only been here one night, and she was already turning into a cock block. I took a step back and said, “I’ve got to go.”
“What? Baby, we were just getting started. Let me make you feel good…,” she whined, her hands dropping down to her side.
“Maybe some other time,” I told her as I pulled up my jeans and headed for the door. Still pulling up my zipper, I stepped out into the hall. When I started down the hallway, I found Henley standing in her doorway watching me with a look of disgust on her face that I wasn’t expecting. Before I had I chance to say anything to her, she slammed her door and locked it. I almost called out to her, but I stopped myself. I knew there was no reason for me to fucking explain myself to her, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt that was scratching at the back of my mind. I decided to ignore it and headed to bed. I was ready for this fucking day to end.
