Strong and Steady

Quake shrugged. “I didn’t say this person was smart, just mad.”

“Have you told this to the police?” Paul asked Quake.

I leaned in. “Some dumb guy hooked on pain meds broke into my house and wanted to hurt me!” I kept my voice down but couldn’t keep the anger from it. It was my turn to grip Gray's hand. “I climbed down a Boy Scout ladder in my pajamas all because of pain med prescriptions?”

“We just met, so you don’t know my reach,” Quake continued.

Since he was the president of a motorcycle club, I had an idea.

“Your club donates to the clinic where Emory volunteers,” Christy said. All eyes turned to her in surprise. I didn’t know that little gem of information, and I worked at the place. “I’m Director of Community Relations at the hospital. I know all about this stuff.”

I used to work in administration but on a nursing level, not the same pay scale as Christy. It was news to me.

“My daughter went to the clinic for help when she thought she couldn’t come to me. Saved her life.” Quake cleared his throat and didn’t say more. I saw a glimpse of pain, a hint of softness beneath that hard exterior. He looked to me, those dark eyes shrewd and fierce. “This isn’t your problem. It’s mine.”

“With all due respect,” Gray began, but Quake held up his hand to stop him.

“Your problem is keeping Emory happy. No one fu—screws with what’s under my protection. The club’s protection. He is my problem.”

By the look on his face now, the tone of his voice, I knew this was the real Quake Baker. He might have been older, he might have a grandson, but he was not someone I wanted to mess with. And with an entire MC behind him…

“What do I do now?” I asked.

“This… problem will be taken care of. Tonight.” His words were sharp and edgy. Lethal. “Stay with your man.” Quake indicated Gray with the tilt of his chin, and I flushed. “Have him take you to your yoga class in the morning then spend the day together. Forget about this. I’ll call when it’s over.”

Quake was serious. If it had been anyone else, I’d have laughed. Gray lived in a darker world than me, knew how to fight, knew men who liked to fight. He wasn’t laughing either but instead leaned forward, forearms resting on the table and narrowed his eyes.

“Not a chance. I’m going with you.” When Quake was about to speak, Gray pushed on. “You didn’t see the flimsy ladder she tossed out her window to escape. You didn’t hear her on the phone when she was hiding from the guy. You didn’t have to drive across town to get to her. I’d never felt more helpless in my life knowing someone was after her, and I couldn't protect her.” With every word his jaw clenched tight, his body tensed, his voice turned dark.

I melted a little inside at the thought of what Gray had gone through when I’d called him. I couldn’t imagine a similar phone call and not want to seek retribution.

“I want to know this man’s off the streets.” Gray sat back, put his arm along the back of my chair, and I felt his thumb stroke over my back. Even with all his obvious hostility, the touch was gentle.

I turned in my chair to face him. “I don’t want you hurt.”

He swiveled his head toward me, his dark eyes holding mine. “I’m not the one who’s going to get hurt.”

A frisson of fear shot through me. This was the fighter part of Gray I hadn’t seen before. “Then I’m going with you.”

Both men chimed in at once. Even Paul shook his head.

“No fucking—” Quake began, but Gray cut him off as he kept his eyes focused on me.

“I can’t do this and worry about you.” Those dark, dark eyes bored into me. The intensity there was for seeing justice done, for protecting what belonged to him. I belonged to him. “Go with Paul and Christy. They’ll take you to my apartment, and you can wait for me there.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but his words made sense. If I went with them to God knew where, most likely the darkest and most dangerous corners of the city, Gray could get hurt if I distracted him.

I took a breath, knowing he wasn’t going to change his mind. “You… you promise you’ll come back to me?” I knew the worry came through in my voice. I’d just found Gray and didn’t need him hurt, or worse.

He cupped my cheek, leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Promise.”

Quake stood, and after Gray held my gaze for another moment, he rose as well. Taking his wallet from his back pocket, he pulled out a white key pass. “This works on the outer door of my building and on the elevator to get up to the apartment.” I took it from him, our fingers brushing.

“This’ll be done tonight, but you’re under my protection since Jackson is in love with you.” Quake looked to Gray, who nodded and grabbed his hat. They left. The cowboy and the biker. Two big, scarred men fighting battles for me.

I felt my heart going with them. I ached to get up and follow, to grab Gray’s hand and hold him back, to tell him not to go off with an MC president hell bent on vigilante justice. In this case, Gray was of the same mind, and if he was the man I… I loved, then I had to let him go.