She yanked her seat belt around her and waited for him to adjust the driver’s seat in order to be able to get behind the wheel. “You didn’t want me to go grocery shopping,” she clarified.
He sent her a chilling look as he started the car. “You’re right, I would prefer that you not go anywhere until I know there aren’t any other threats to you. At the same time, I don’t want you to have to cook for unexpected guests.”
She stared out the window as he easily handled the car, taking it along the highway toward Caspar. “I’m just out of sorts. I have been all day. Crazy person with gun trying to kill me in my house might have put me in a bad mood on top of everything else. Just saying. I’m a processor. I just need a little time to get a handle on all this.” She did her best not to burst into tears.
Savage ran his finger down her cheek. “I know this is hard for you, Seychelle. I’ll come home the minute I can, and I know it’s important you have some alone time. Ice and Soleil will go to the guest room long before I’ll make it home tonight. They’re used to being alone. She could use a friend, though. She doesn’t come to the clubhouse very often with the other women.”
“I’ll be happy to visit with her,” she assured him, not really meaning it but knowing she would do it. She pushed back her hair and then reached out her hand, needing the physical connection with him.
Savage immediately engulfed her smaller hand in his and pressed it to the heavy muscle of his thigh. “We’re going to be fine, Seychelle. We’re new, and I get that can be scary.”
Seychelle nodded. There was little doubt in her mind that any new relationship could be frightening at the time, but hers was more than that if she thought too much about it. On the other hand, did she really want to be without Savage? She looked up at him. She had been alone without him. Lonely. She hadn’t felt alive. Or beautiful. She certainly didn’t know what it was like to be loved so intensely. Savage made her feel as if she belonged with him. She just didn’t know how to fit into his world. There were so many things she questioned, and she didn’t have anyone she could talk things over with.
Savage pulled the Mini Cooper into the garage and parked it. “Babe, for me, just leave everything for tonight. I’ll be home in the morning, and we can talk then. I promise you, I can make things better.” He turned her hand up to the warmth of his mouth, kissing her fingers.
Seychelle nodded. “I can do that, Savage.” She wasn’t leaving him, she knew that much. She wanted to work things out, but it wasn’t with him, it was in her own mind. She had to find some kind of balance she could live with. “About Joseph . . .”
Savage shook his head. “We aren’t going to talk about him. Arnold is no longer your business. He’s mine. Go into the house, babe. Try to forget everything bothering you and just enjoy Soleil. She’s very sweet, and she hasn’t had the best life.” He leaned into her and then brushed a kiss onto her forehead before sliding out of the car, one hand retrieving her overnight bag. Once he rounded the hood, he handed her the bag and indicated the door leading to the house from the huge garage.
Seychelle didn’t look back. Savage was already somewhere else in his head. He was at the clubhouse, or wherever they’d taken Joseph Arnold.
She put her overnight case against the wall in the hall leading to the master bedroom and went to meet with her guests. Ice was in the great room with his wife, Soleil, his arm around her, looking protective. Ice was a gorgeous man, with the same platinum hair Alena had and startling crystal-blue eyes. He had three tears dripping down from his left eye tattooed on his face. Soleil was a beautiful woman, and every time she tilted her chin up to look at her husband, her face lit up.
“Soleil, this is Seychelle, Savage’s old lady. She’s new to the club and could use a friend. I thought the two of you could get to know one another. I can get some drinks together if you’d like.”
Soleil smiled at her. “It’s nice to meet you. Ice has talked about you so much.” She indicated the ring on Seychelle’s finger. “I really loved watching him make the ring for you. Getting that stone was difficult, but Savage had his heart set on it, and fortunately, Ice has amazing connections.”
Seychelle held up her hand to look at the ring. It really was unique and beautiful. She had never seen a stone like the one in her ring. “It’s so beautiful. He surprised me with it. I always called him my fake fiancé, and now I can’t. The Red Hat ladies loved it when I did that.”