Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 41825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
“Damn right,” I confirmed without hesitation. “Jealous?”
Kane shook his head with a rare smile. “Get out of here, brother. They’ve got this covered.”
I didn’t need to be told twice.
By the time I got back to the clubhouse, adrenaline was still pumping hot through my veins, mixed now with raw, possessive need. Hadley waited just inside the lounge, her eyes bright with anticipation, and her face softening the moment she saw me.
The world fully righted itself at that moment. I doubted there would ever be a time when I stopped trying to control everything around me. But for the first time, I didn’t feel utter rage at the thought of things spiraling beyond my reach. Because even if chaos reigned around me, I’d always find peace in Hadley.
18
HADLEY
Waiting for Thayer and the other club brothers who’d gone with him was harder than anything I’d ever done. I paced the length of the common room at the Redline Kings clubhouse, with my arms wrapped around my middle like I could hold myself together if I just squeezed tight enough.
I trusted Thayer to keep me safe, but that didn’t stop me from worrying about him.
Every time the door opened, my pulse jumped. Each engine rumble outside had me hoping it was him. Finally, my wish was granted.
The heavy side door swung open, and there he was.
Thayer’s hazel eyes scanned the room until they locked on me. The moment they did, the hard lines of his face softened just a fraction. He crossed the floor in purposeful strides and pulled me straight into his arms without a word.
I melted against his chest, breathing in the familiar scent that had quickly become my home. “Tell me it’s over.”
His arms tightened around me, one big hand cradling the back of my head. “It’s over, baby.”
“Thank goodness,” I whispered in a shaky voice.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his thumb brushing my cheek. “The hitman they hired is gone. We hit the whole network hard. They won’t be coming after you again. Ever.”
Relief crashed over me so fast my knees went weak. I sagged against him, and he held me up without hesitation, like he’d been expecting it. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them back, laughing shakily.
“I knew you’d keep me safe. I trusted you the whole time, but I feel like I can finally breathe.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment. “There’s more.”
I leaned back to blink up at him. “More?”
His beautiful eyes took on an apologetic gleam. “We also got solid evidence tying your parents to the purchase. Enough to bury them if it ever comes out.”
The people who had raised me and shaped my entire life had bought me like an accessory for their political image. Part of me had already accepted that truth. But the knowledge still made me ache. “They could lose everything.”
“They could.” Thayer’s jaw flexed, but his eyes stayed gentle on mine as he reminded, “But they also stepped up when it mattered.”
“True,” I conceded.
It wasn’t the unconditional love I’d always wanted, but it was a small act of protection from the only parents I’d ever known.
Thayer cupped my face with both hands, tilting my chin up. “You okay?”
I nodded, leaning into his touch. For the first time since the truth had come out, I felt safe. Cherished in a way that had nothing to do with appearances and everything to do with the man standing in front of me.
“I’m okay,” I finally whispered. “Because I’m with you.”
His expression shifted into the softness I was learning to crave. He kissed me, his voice rough when he pulled back. “What do you want to do about your parents?”
I gaped up at him, my eyes widening. “I figured you guys would decide because it’s club business now.”
Kane approached us, casting me an approving glance. “They’re your parents, and you belong to Cage. So you get input.”
All eyes turned to me. I took a breath, surprised at how steady my voice came out. “You have evidence that could destroy them, but only the club knows the full truth about me. That I wasn’t their biological child. It gives you leverage, an important tool my father might regret teaching me about. He’s a powerful state senator with connections in government and law enforcement. That could help the club stay protected.”
Thayer’s hold on me tightened. “Are you sure you want to handle them this way, baby?”
I nodded and met Kane’s gaze directly. “Use it. Keep him in your pocket. Not to hurt them, but to make sure the Redline Kings have an ally where it matters most. He owes me that much.”
The room went quiet for a beat. Then a genuinely impressed smile spread across Kane’s face. “Well, damn. Didn’t expect that. Cage chose well.”