Atonement (Angel's Halo MC 5)

“I want you to sleep in my room,” I told her as I turned the Honda off.

She lifted her head, fighting back a yawn. “Right now, I don’t care where I sleep. I just need a pillow and a blanket, and I could sleep right here if I have to.”

“You won’t have to.” I reached for her hand, entwining our fingers. I thought I saw something flash across her face, but it was too dark in the car to know for sure. “Stay in my room. With me.”

“That’s not a good idea,” she murmured, pulling her hand away.

I didn’t let it show how much it stung that she had pulled away from me. After all the bullshit that I had put her through over the years, she was allowed to be cautious now. I just needed a little time to show her that I was in this for the long haul.

Reaching out, I brushed a few stray locks of her blonde hair back from her face. “I want you with me so I know you’re safe. So I know that you’re resting and not working yourself to death, doing whatever the hell it is all the other women are doing. You’ve been going nonstop lately, and you need a break.”

“People aren’t going to like that I’m in your room, Raider. I’m not in the mood to deal with those people.”

I knew she was talking about her sisters, but those bitches didn’t mean anything to me.

“I don’t care what anyone likes or doesn’t. They don’t matter to me.” I brushed my thumb over her soft cheek. “All I care about is you. Only you, sweetheart.”

She sat there for a long moment, just looking at me. Another car pulled into the parking lot, stopping beside us. I didn’t have to look to know it was Colt and Kelli in the other woman’s car. They had left the hospital before us, but had gone to pick up the women a few things they would need for at least a few days.

I wasn’t optimistic that this new lockdown would be over as quickly as the last one had. Last time, Santino’s people had only wanted to distract us while they snatched Gracie. This time, they were out for blood.

They had almost gotten it, too. My arm was still feeling the burn of the graze it had gotten from a bullet earlier.

“Quinn, please?” I wasn’t above begging her, but I wouldn’t force her. I needed her to come with me willingly. To trust me.

She glanced out the side window at Colt as he climbed out of his girlfriend’s car. “I could stay with Kelli in Colt’s room,” she suggested. “You and Colt could share yours.”

“Is that really what you want?”

Her shoulders lifted then fell with her breath. “I don’t know what I want any more.”

I cupped the back of her neck and gently turned her head so that she had to look at me. “Sleep in my room with me. Nothing will happen you aren’t ready for. I swear it, baby. Just … Fuck, I need to have you lying beside me. I need to know you and our baby are safe. I won’t ask anything else of you but that.”

She exhaled softly. “Okay. We can give it a try for tonight.”

“Thank you, baby.” Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Thank you.”

Colt rapped his knuckles on her window, making her draw away from me when he opened her door and offered his hand. “Everything okay?”

She nodded. “We were just discussing the sleeping arrangements. I … I think I’m going to stay in Raider’s room tonight.”

My brother shot me a hard look across the top of the car as I got out, though his words were directed at her when he said, “If that’s what you want, Quinnie.”

She put a hand on his arm, and I had to ball my hands into fists. I wasn’t so much jealous of them as possibly being a couple—although there was always a chance of that happening, I guessed. No, it had more to do with how close they were. How trusting she was in my little brother. I wanted that with her almost as much as I wanted her to still love me.

“It is.”

“Okay, then. I’ll put your bag in his room.” He kissed the top of her head. “But if you need anything, I’m just across the hall.”

In the clubhouse, everyone was quietly milling around, unusual for this large mass of people in one place. Those who were talking kept their voices low so they didn’t carry far.

As I walked in with my arm on Quinn’s waist, Aggie left a group of people and headed straight for us. “Quinn, thank God you’re okay.” She hugged Quinn for a long moment. When she pulled back, the old woman had tears in her eyes while glaring at me. “I told you to keep her safe.”

“I tried, Ag.”

“Try harder!” she snapped. I knew if she’d had a wooden spoon in her hand. she would have used it on me.

“Hey, Aggie, can you help me make some sandwiches?” Flick called from across the room. “I think everyone is hungry.”