"I dunno. Why you staying with Wolf?" he putted it back at me. And, well, what was I supposed to say? That he kidnapped me? That I was being held hostage by one of his biker brothers? The very strong, independent part of me bristled at ever admitting I was some man's captive. So I just lifted my chin and remained silent. Cash waited a beat then reached out toward me, touching his hand to the gauze on my arm and it sent off a shock of pain that made me let out a small shriek and pull away. "The fuck..." he started, looking genuinely concerned.
"Time to go," Wolf said suddenly, moving to stand between me and Cash. The message there wasn't lost on me. He was taking a stand against one of his brothers. That just simply... wasn't done. I couldn't see Cash anymore past Wolf's massive frame, but his silence spoke a thousand words. He was confused.
Watching Wolf's back... so was I.
"Alright," Cash said after a long minute. "But pick up your fucking phone and call Reign or you're gonna have a group of Henchmen up here asking questions and airing your laundry. Janie, kitten," he said, leaning past Wolf's body so I could see him. "Take care of that arm. I'll see you around."
I listened to him walk out the door, closing it quietly and making his way back down the hill. Wolf was still standing with his back to me. I knew he was never going to volunteer any information unless I forced it out of him. If it was possible to "force" him into anything.
"What the hell was that?" He moved away from me, going toward the kitchen and making a fresh pot of coffee.
Oh no. He wasn't getting away with that.
"Um... hello. I'm talking to you here." I got a grunt of acknowledgment to that. A grunt. Like a caveman. "Why are you avoiding church and The Henchmen? Why are you making it clear to Cash that the topic of me is off limits? What the fuck is going on in that Neanderthal head of yours?"
He betrayed his annoyance by slamming the pot into the machine and stabbing the button to turn it on. "Drop it."
"Yeah, I'm not going to just... drop it, Wolf. I need to know what the fuck is going on. This might not be a big deal to you, but this is my life here. I am trapped with a man I don't know from Adam, whose intentions are anything but clear, who could very well plan on torturing, killing, and burying..." Whatever I was about to say got cut off because suddenly he wasn't across the room from me. He was right in front of me, all up in my space, his head tucked down to look me in the eye.
"I. Won't. Hurt. You." He made every word its own sentence, putting so much sincerity into them that I had no choice but to believe him.
"Okay," I swallowed, my neck craning up to look him in the eye.
"Believe me?"
"Yes. I believe you," I said, nodding a little for emphasis.
"Don't be afraid," he pressed, looking down at me like he wouldn't be able to move away from me until he knew for sure that I trusted him.
And, oddly and for no damn good reason, I did. I trusted him. "I'm not afraid." I was never afraid. And even though he could break my entire body with just one of his massive hands, I didn't truly believe he would ever do that.
"That's my girl," he said, his hand touching my cheek.
The words landed with impact, making the floor beneath my feet give away, making my hands move out to grab his forearms to hold steady. His hands closed around my elbows as his face twisted in a mirror to the shock I was sure was on my face.
My.
That's my girl.
I was trying really hard to not analyze what that meant, if that meant anything at all. But it had to mean something if he said it. He said so little that everything that did come from between his lips had weight, had meaning. So it meant something. But maybe it was the flippant, nothing way people said all the time. "That's my girl" like "that'a girl". Like encouragement, not endearment.
So yeah I was doing really poorly at the 'not analyzing it' thing.
"Wolf," I started, my palm resting on his chest. But I didn't get a chance to speak because the second my hand landed, his gaze followed. Then he wrenched away from me violently and stormed across the room, pulling open the door, then slamming it closed behind him.
So I guess that was that.
I waited a beat then made my way to the door, pulling it open slowly and smiling when Harley and Chopper met me. Their heads tilted to the side and their tails wagged, but the second I stepped past the doorway, I got growls.
"You guys suck," I said small-eying them and slamming the door closed.
I tried every means of escape that afternoon and evening. I attempted to climb out of each of the windows, only to be met with snarling hell beasts. I tried bribing them with lunch meat I found in the fridge. They ate it, but one at a time so the other could keep an eye on me.
I exhaled loudly, leaning against the wall and looking around the cabin as night fell.
"Home sweet prison," I mumbled, pushing off the door and heading for the coffee pot.SEVENJanieI heard the truck sometime later, grumbling up the drive. There was a slam and I heard the dogs shuffling up to greet him. The door opened and I didn't bother to look up. The dogs ran over to the side of the bed, looking up at me for permission.
"I'm not speaking to you," I informed them grumpily, keeping my head ducked to avoid eye contact with Wolf. That was until something hit the mattress at the end of the bed and I noticed a bag. I reached for it, curious. Opening it, I found about a dozen paperback books. My head jerked up to find Wolf standing a few feet away staring at me. There must have been a question in my eyes because he answered it.