Rocket (Hell's Handlers MC 5)

“Lefty delivered you. Had no choice. Copper would have gone after him, but he hurt the fuck outta you before he did it. It was a big fuck you to Copper. Because he knew Copper wouldn’t start a war if you were in the motel and alive.”

Her lips rolled in and her head moved up and down as understanding set in. “Even though he didn’t do exactly as your president said, I was alive and your club wasn’t going to start a war just because he beat and raped me.”

He winced. Christ, it sounded so heartless. Shame washed over him. He’d done some heinous shit in his day, much justified in his mind, but plenty that didn’t live up to even his own loose moral code. Nothing though had ever made him feel shame, until he had to admit to Chloe his club had failed her. “I didn’t agree with his decision,” he said. “And maybe had the others seen you that night, they’d have sided with me, but I was out voted. We called getting you back alive a victory and let Lefty go about his business until we found out he had a barn full of underage girls.”

“So your club didn’t order him to kidnap me?”

“Fuck no. Copper would strip the patch off any member who harmed an innocent woman. Trust me, that’s a fate worse than death for any of my brothers.”

Trust him. Like that would happen anytime soon. All he could do was hope and be forthright.

“Has the club been keeping tabs on me ever since you found me?” She was still tucked tight into herself, but a bit of color returned to her cheeks. She no longer looked like a light breeze would take her out.

“We did at first. For a week or two. To make sure the cops bought your story.”

“Oh.”

Admitting this could be a huge mistake, but after all she’d been through, the least she deserved was the unvarnished truth. “But I’ve been watching you on my own.”

Her eyes bugged wide and she let her knees drop down, ending up in a cross-legged position. “Y-ou’ve been following me?”

He nodded.

“For how long?”

Their gazes connected. Something crackled between them. Rocket had no fucking clue what to call it. He’d never experienced it before. It was some kind of magnetic pull. A need to protect her, to be near her, to comfort her. He felt compelled to answer honestly even if she wouldn’t like his response. “Since the beginning. I’d drive by, make sure your car was there. When you started going out on Friday and Saturday nights I tailed you.”

She gasped. “You followed me to the bars? How many times?”

He just stared at her.

“E-every time?”

“Yes.”

“W-why? I assumed you ran into me by accident that first time.”

“Because I couldn’t stay away.”

He saw her lips begin to form the word why once again, but she changed her mind with a sharp shake of her head. “Fuck all this. I want someone to take me home. Stephanie or Izzy.”

His heavy sigh caused her eyes to narrow once again. “I can’t force you to stay here, but I’m asking you to give the club a few days to work some things out. The threat Stephanie mentioned is very real.”

“Lefty? Because I’d love a shot at that piece of shit.”

He worked to hide his grin as he shook his head. “No. Someone from my past wants something I’m not willing to give him. He was spotted in town and isn’t above using people I care about to get what he wants from me. Club’s just making sure all the ol’ ladies are safe. He saw me with you, so I’m asking for a few days to deal with it.”

“People you care about? Guess I’m off the hook then.” She rose to her knees, hands on her hips. “I’m going home if I have to walk the whole goddamn way. Now get the hell out of this room.”

She had questions. Was curious. Her curiosity was there in her searching eyes and the way she chewed her lower lip in frustration, but she was fighting the urge to ask him. Whether because she didn’t want to have to deal with a story she might not believe or because she just plain hated his guts, he may never know.

He scooted off the bed, rose, and stared down at her. “I fucking care, Chloe. You think I’d let just any goddammed woman tie me to a bed and ride me like a damn stallion? And knowing how sweet that pussy is? Knowing how hard it squeezes my dick as you come? You think I’d give up taking control of that if I didn’t fucking care? Don’t fucking think so.” Let her chew on that for a while.

Chloe’s mouth dropped open and she hopped off the bed.