Firestorm (Sons of Templar MC 2)

I gaped at him. “Well, not much can distract me from an impending confrontation with my mother, but that’ll do it,” I said blandly.

Luckily Brock didn’t expect any heartwarming, heartbreaking declarations from me because he smirked and grabbed my head, laying a huge smacker on my lips. I got lost in the kiss and before I knew it we were full on making out, pent up desire flowing through us both. I was about to scramble onto his lap when my door burst open.

“Detach! Detach!” a familiar, slightly hysterical voice demanded.

I reluctantly complied and turned to my best friend. I didn’t get the chance to say a word before I was unceremoniously dragged from the car.

“Let me look at you.” Her eyes darted up and down my body, searching for something. She seemed satisfied because she met my eyes and paused for a moment. Gwen then promptly burst into tears, gathering me into her arms.

“Oh my god, I’m so happy you’re okay,” she sobbed into my shoulder.

I sank into her arms, letting myself finally feel all of the emotion that I had been holding back. Before I knew it I was bawling along with her. I don’t know how long we stayed like that, drawing comfort and strength from one another, but it felt good, despite what the waterworks were communicating. Gwen was the person who knew me better than anyone else in the world. She was my sista from anotha mista.

She pulled back, hiccupping, before a serious look descended on her face. “Your mother’s inside,” she said solemnly, eyes darting to the living room window.

“We’re going to have to get a priest in to come and exorcise the place once she’s gone,” I replied.

She nodded. “I spiked her San Pellegrino with some holy water. Imagine my surprise when she didn’t burst into flames,” she said seriously.

I patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Thanks for trying.”

The roar of motorcycles drowned out any further conversation as Cade, Bull and Lucky arrived. They had been trailing us the whole way.

Gwen glared in the direction of Cade, who was dismounting his bike, eyes locked on her. “Don’t you come near me,” she ordered, pointing her finger at him. “I am not speaking to you. Mad is not a sufficient enough word to describe my feelings toward you right now. Don’t worry, I’ll think of one and get back to you. Or I’ll consult a thesaurus. But for now stay at least ten yards away from me at all times,” she ordered.

Cade’s face was soft as he approached us.

Gwen held both her hands up. “Uh uh! Do not come any closer. I mean it. Your daughter is inside. Go and see her. She hasn’t mastered motor skills or the ability to swear at you so I think your chances are better with her.”

“Babe. I haven’t seen you in days. I said I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you until I could do something about it. Let me fuckin’ kiss you then you can go on being mad.” Cade was standing right in front of us now.

Gwen was still clutching my shoulders and I thought she might use me as a human shield against her husband. “You didn’t want to worry me?” she said quietly. “You didn’t want to worry me?” This time it was louder. “You are not a human censorship machine for poor delicate Gwen. I think I have a right to know when my best friend has been kidnapped!” she yelled. “You do not just get to ride off with a vague excuse and leave me thinking about breast pumps and Belle’s baby teeth and lack of them.” She cut her eyes to me. “I started freaking out over Belle’s mouth full of gums and how weird it was she hadn’t started growing teeth yet and it was a big thing.” She darted her eyes back to Cade. “Anyway. You don’t leave me worrying about things like that when my best friend is being held captive. In no world is that okay.”

Cade crossed his arms. “And what would telling you have done, Gwen? Stressed you out even more than you already are worrying about Belle’s fucking gums? You would have been beside yourself. And I wouldn’t have been able to be there to fuckin’ calm you down. So yes, I didn’t tell you. I’d do it again. I’d rather have you pissed at me than worried and alone without me.”

On that note he grabbed the back of her head and laid a hot one on her, not unlike the lip lock I had just detangled myself from. After what was a smidgeon too long for a kiss outside the bedroom Cade let her go, touching his forehead to hers. He gave her a look. A look that I felt like an intruder even being witness to. One that communicated a shared secret between the two of them that the world didn’t know about, nor would ever know about. With that look he let her go.

“I’m going to see our daughter,” he said softly.

“Kay,” Gwen replied dreamily, watching him walk toward the house with a vacant look on her face. She seemed to shake herself out of it and turned back to me, clutching my hand in hers. “Let’s go inside and get you some tea.”

I let her drag me inside, following Bull, Lucky, and Brock. Brock had been watching the little scene unfold, leaning on the truck looking all sexy. “I’ll only have tea if by tea you mean vodka,” I replied as we walked through the door.

“Slugger!”

Uncle Garrett detached from what looked like an argument with my father, who was standing in the middle of my living room to pull me into a hug. I sagged against him, the familiar smell of cigarette smoke comforting. “Thank god you’re okay, kid,” he spoke softly into my hair, not letting me go.

The emotion and slight choke in his voice threatened to get me starting with the tears all over again, but they dried up with the sound of a familiar but unwelcome voice.