Thor: Savage Crows MC Book 7

by T. O. Smith

  "Why?" Thor asked as he led me inside. "I know Trixie won't care if you eat something."

  "I know," I admitted, because I did know. She had specifically told me to use what I needed while I was staying at the bar – that included food.

  "So, why don't you?" Thor asked me.

  I just shrugged. How could I tell him that I still struggled daily with my weight? At one hundred and sixty pounds, I was still on the thicker side. Granted, it was a hell of a lot less than the two hundred and fifty that I used to weigh, but I still wasn't where I needed to be.

  Men weren't attracted to a heavier set woman, as I had been constantly reminded by my ex. To ever fit into this world, I had to lose weight.

  "Is it because of a weight loss thing?" Thor bluntly asked.

  I stared at him, appalled at his bluntness. How in the hell does a man find it so easy to just ask a woman anything about her weight? It was rude.

  He sighed as he pushed his hand through his shoulder-length, blonde hair. "I didn't mean it in a hateful way, Lex." Thor softly assured me as he turned to face me, somehow sensing the tension in my body. He gently rested his hands on my shoulders, bending so he was at eye level with me. "I just noticed there was . . . proof of you being a heavier weight, Lex – that's all. I know women struggle with that shit every day of their lives."

  Oh, God, help me. I was out of my depths with him.

  He gently reached up and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck. "You're beautiful, Lex.” I wanted to cry. “Every inch of you is perfect. A man of my size doesn't want nor need a stick figure of a woman." He ran his hands down my curves, making my breath hitch in my throat. "You're perfect, sweetheart."

  I swallowed thickly, tears filling my eyes. I hated that he so easily tore down all of my defenses. "Thor, I'm not -"

  He grabbed my hand and placed it over the top of his jeans. I gasped softly. He was hard as a rock – for me. How the fuck was that even possible?

  "You feel that?" He asked me huskily. "That's all you, sweetheart. You make me hard. You turn me on. Even now, I just want to fuck you against the nearest wall." He smirked. "See if I can fuck you hard enough to possibly break my dining room table."

  A tear spilled over onto my cheek, and I reached up to swipe at it. Despite his teasing, I was ready to ball my eyes out. No one had ever said they wanted me, and certainly not like Thor just had. He had made me feel like a goddess.

  "I'm sorry." I choked out.

  "For what?" Thor asked quietly, concern washing over his features as he gazed down at me.

  "For being so emotional." I croaked.

  He shrugged. "Sweetheart, I figured you'd never been treated properly from the very first moment I laid my eyes on you," Thor admitted.

  "I'm so plain," I whispered, casting my eyes away from him.

  He gripped my chin, turning my head back to look at him. Thor shook his head. "Nah, sweetheart. Not gonna lie, at first glance, yeah, you are, but those fucking eyes of yours," he sighed, "they draw a man in." He admitted. "I love your eyes. They're so fucking beautiful. You have a quiet beauty – the kind that calls to a man’s soul once it’s noticed.” My heart warmed in my chest. Oh, he was so fucking sweet.

  "My ex – Wren – he hated the way I looked," I informed Thor. "He and the entire club belittled me and made me feel extremely horrible for the way I looked, even though before I became an old lady, none of the men minded."

  Thor’s eyes narrowed, anger sparking in their depths on my behalf. "So, what the hell changed?" Thor demanded.

  I shrugged. "If I knew that answer, maybe I might feel a bit better," I said with a bitter laugh. "Shit was rough, and I couldn't leave – they said I knew too much. Every time I tried to get the fuck out, they um, well, they -" I wasn’t able to finish what I was trying to say – to tell them they threatened to rape me – to tie me up and allow every man in the club to have a turn with me.

  I wanted to throw up at the mere thought of it.

  Thor pressed a finger to my lips. "Don't. If it's this hard, Lex, don't say anything, okay? I'm good at reading between the lines." He assured me. "I'm guessing this time you managed to get the hell out of there before they could stop you again? Hence, here you are."

  I nodded. "I don't trust any man that wears a cut," I told him honestly.

  Thor nodded solemnly. "As is expected, Lex. They treated you like shit. Clubs are meant to be a sense of family, and they obviously didn't have that. I'd like you to know the Savage Crows are different, but I know you won't really believe me." He knelt again, cupping my face in his hands. "I will never hurt you, sweetheart. I swear that on my life and on every life of every man that wears the same cut as me." He assured me.

  "I wish I could believe you, Thor," I admitted, "but I can't."

  He nodded in understanding. "I know, Lex. Just know that as long as you let me be around, I will do everything in my power to prove to you that my brothers and I are nothing like the men you're used to. We take care of our own, and every man in our club cherishes their old lady."

  His phone suddenly went off in his pocket, and he sighed, pulling back from me before he answered it. "Yeah." Thor's eyes turned hard and cold as he listened to the person on the other end of the line speak. "I think I might know what they're in town for." He said. He looked down at me. "What's the name of the club you're running from?"

  I drew in a slow, deep breath before I answered him. "Burning Devils."

  "Grim, I can't come," Thor said into the phone. "And I want two men here at my place with me. I have what they want, and they won't get their fucking hands on her."

  My eyes widened at his words. "You can't -"

  He put his hand up to me, shooting me a look to shut my mouth. I glared at him. He had a lot of fucking audacity. "Cool. Send Scorpion and Bullet." Thor said. "You need the other guys with you. I'll explain everything once you guys have taken care of the problem. Just come out to my place. I don't want to take her into town."

  He hung up the phone a moment later. I snapped my furious gaze up to his. "Thor, what the fuck is going on?" I demanded. "You don't get to dictate my fucking moves -"

  "They're here," Thor told me calmly, watching as different emotions flashed across my face, finally settling on fear. He gently cupped the side of my neck, his hold firm, but soothing. His other hand settled on my hip. "The Savage Crows will protect you, Lex. I will protect you." He assured me. "We're not like the fucking Burning Devils – I promise. My club will do everything in its power to ensure your safety – and that means putting their asses on the line for you. Because one thing we don't condone is abuse in any form. And my men will protect any woman that any man of the club shows interest in without any questions asked."

  "They're here." I choked out, still not able to move past that fact.

  Thor drew me into his arms as tears slid down my cheeks. I sobbed, fear snagging around my lungs, making it hard to breathe. But Thor’s soothing presence kept me from having an all-out anxiety attack. "We're going to keep you safe, Lex. I promise. Not a damn thing will happen to you, sweetheart."

  I was clinging to his words like they were my fucking lifeline because right now, I was about to drown in the middle of the ocean, and the sharks were ready to consume me.

  Grim sauntered into my house, Alex following close behind him with the rest of the club. Lex crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her chin up the tiniest bit in a defensive gesture towards him. The act had my chest swelling with pride for her. Despite her past with MCs, she was standing strong against one of the most dangerous men in this game.

  "What the fuck are the Burning Devils doing in Hope?" Grim demanded, his deep voice booming through the room as he looked over at Lex.

  "Easy, brother," Alex said, resting a hand on Grim's shoulder.

  Alex looked over at Lex and stepped towards her. "It's Lex, right?" He asked her.

  "Alexis," Lex said, her green eyes completely guarded against me and every other man currently standing in my house
.

  Alex nodded, a kind smile tilting his lips the tiniest bit. "Alright, Alexis. I'm Alex, Trixie's husband." He introduced himself, being nice to her despite her hostility towards him. The man had patience, but I guess that was a given considering he was married to Trixie.

  "I know." She snapped at him.

  I gently rested my hand on her lower back, a silent warning to tread carefully. It was an instinct to keep anyone from snapping or disrespecting my VP or my President.

  "She's good, Thor," Alex assured me. He looked back at Lex. "Alexis, not a single man in this room will hurt you." He assured her. She didn’t relax. "We've even gone on the straight and narrow – not wanting the shit that comes with being a true outlaw. But know that every man standing in this house will get their hands dirty to protect you. We just need to know what we're dealing with, and why we're dealing with it."

  "Lex," I said softly, drawing her beautiful eyes up to mine, "I know you don't want to talk about it, but they at least need to know the basics. And we need to know everything you can tell us about the Burning Devils so that we know what to expect."

  She blew out a harsh breath, shoving her hand through her dark hair. Steeling herself, she told them what she had already told me but informed us that she didn't know much about how they worked, only knew what she had managed to accidentally overhear. Club women weren't allowed to know much, but because of the chance of overhearing shit, once you were any kind of part of the club, you couldn't leave.

  And since she had run off, they wanted to shut her up by any means necessary.

  "I'd feel better if she was at the clubhouse," Grim spoke up.

  "No." Lex immediately snapped at him.

  He arched a single eyebrow at her. "A man of my club wants to protect you, then every man here will help to ensure you're protected." He told her. “The easiest way to do that is to stick you at the clubhouse where we know we’re you’re at and where we know you’re safe.”

  Her eyes flared with rage. "I didn't ask to be protected." She snarled at Grim.

  I opened my mouth to speak, but Grim cut me off before I could. "Didn't say you did, Princess." He said with a shrug. He looked over at me. "Thor, your call."

  "Clubhouse," I said instantly. "She can stay in my apartment upstairs."

  "Like hell!" Lex barked up at me.

  My nostrils flared as I glared down at her. "Tough luck, sweetheart." I retorted. "You're going to the clubhouse. I'll call Trixie and have her bring you your stuff from the bar. You can hate me and walk away when all of this shit is over, but until the threat on your life is dealt with, you'll be stuck at the damn clubhouse."

  "You're an asshole." She sneered up at me.

  Ink barked out a laugh, jerking our attention away from each other and over to him. "How's it feel, brother?" Ink asked me. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You gave all of us so much shit for arguing with our old ladies all the time only to be on the receiving end of it."

  "She's not my old lady." I snapped at the same time Lex said, "I'm not his old lady."

  Hatchet laughed. "You two sure about that?" He asked, making my glare deepen. "Sure doesn't seem like it."

  "I hate you all." Lex snarled.

  Grim's smart watched beeped on his wrist, and he sighed, looking at Alex. "Copper is calling me back. Let me know when you're on the way to the clubhouse with her." He ordered before he strode out of the house.

  Alex pointed at Grave and Hatchet. "You two with Grim." He commanded.

  Hatchet and Grave walked out of the house, pulling their bike keys from their pockets. "If you really think I'm going to that damn clubhouse with you and the rest of your mariachi band, you've got another fucking thing coming for you." Lex snarled up at me.

  I smirked down at her. "Mariachi band?" I asked her, my eyes lighting up with amusement. She childishly stomped her foot, and I found it fucking adorable. "Sweetheart, you're coming to the clubhouse," I told her. "We're not arguing about this. I don't care if I have to instruct one of the men to get their old lady to drive their ass out here so we can tie your ass up and force you there. I will do it.” I warned her.

  "You're a fucking sadist." She snarled up at me.

  I shrugged. "Think of me however you want, Lex," I told her carelessly, hating that my brothers were finding amusement in our argument. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're coming to the clubhouse. Whether you come willingly or forcefully is your own choice."

  "You wouldn't even be dragging me there if it weren't for your fucking president." She snapped. My eyes flashed dangerously. She was treading on dangerous waters right now. "You all follow your fucking President and VP like little bitches. Men like you can't ever think for yourselves."

  "Damn, girl's got balls." Alex barked out a laugh. "Girly, we all try to be decent men, but tread carefully." He warned her. “Because right now, you’re digging yourself into a hole.”

  "Like you'll do anything to me." She sneered at my VP.

  I opened my mouth to shut her up, but Scorpion spoke up before I could. "Nah, darlin', we won't hurt you, but Thor will fuck you into submission – trust me on that one."

  Her cheeks tinted pink as I roared out with laughter. "Let's go, sweetheart," I told her, holding my hand out to her as I still chuckled.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. "I really hate you."

  I flashed her a grin. "So, you keep saying," I replied as she finally placed her hand in mine. I leaned down so my face was close to hers, and I gently gripped her chin, tilting her head back so she was forced to look up at me. "I know how you feel about clubs, but I promise this is only temporary – only until we deal with the Burning Devils for you," I assured her. "Once they're taken care of, you can do whatever you want – leave whenever," I assured her. "I swear on this patch on my back that you are not tied here permanently," I swore.

  She swallowed thickly but finally nodded her head. "We'll even give you a gun, girly, if it’ll make you feel better to be able to protect yourself against any of us," Alex told her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm sure the Burning Devils never gave you anything to make you feel like you could protect yourself, but we'll give you one. If you feel that we're keeping you at the clubhouse longer than is necessary, you're free to leave." He narrowed his eyes at her in a warning. "But know this – if you decide to use it against one of my club members without just cause, or if you take off on your own, we will not do anything else to help you. So, don't shit where you eat." He warned.

  With that, Alex strode out of the house. I looked down at the beauty in front of me. "Come on." I soothed. "We need to go."

  Thor took a seat beside me on the couch, grinning at Matthew – Layla and Hatchet’s son – when Matthew handed him the controller in his hand. "Thor, Grim is being a butthole."

  Thor barked out a laugh as he took the controller from Matthew and leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. "You're going down, Prez," Thor told Grim.

  Grim scoffed as Alexandra crawled onto his lap. "Uncle Grim is the bestest," Alexandra said, sticking her tongue out at Thor. "Nobody is better than him." She sassily retorted.

  "What about me?" Grave pouted as he strode over, sitting on the other side of me.

  Alexandra blushed. "You're the second bestest." She told him. “Sorry, Uncle Grave, but no one but Daddy beats him.”

  Grim barked out a laugh as he pressed a kiss to the top of Alexandra's head. "That's my girl." He praised.

  "Why is Uncle Grim better?" Grave said, a pout still on his face though I knew he was only teasing her. These men really were something else – something I wasn’t used to witnessing.

  "Because he's the president, duh." She told him, sticking her tongue out again. Grim laughed, a grin on his face.

  Thor grinned down at me. "You good?" He asked.

  I nodded. Shockingly, I was really okay. Everyone had instantly done what they needed to make me feel at ease while being here, and Alex had offered me a gun as promised, though I turned it down because I had n
o idea how to use one.

  Thor hadn't been wrong. This club's dynamic was completely different from the one I came from. There was a real feeling of brotherhood and family here. Everyone looked out for each other. Even the dick of a president they had – Grim – was a sweetheart with Alexandra and Storm – Alex and Trixie’s kids.

  Thor's grin softened to a gentle smile. "Good." He said a bit gruffly. "You need something, don't hesitate to let one of us know, yeah?"

  With that, he turned back to the game. Matthew cheered him on as Alexandra cheered Grim on. I stood up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen where Trixie was putting together dinner for everyone at the clubhouse. Apparently, it was a normal thing for one of the women to make enough dinner for everyone to eat. I was used to the Burning Devils grabbing takeout and drinking beers for dinner.