“I can see the question in your eyes. Your brother has made it clear you won’t be on lockdown, so I want you to get really fucking used to me, Lainey. It’s you and me, babe. You don’t do shit without me knowing. You don’t go anywhere, you don’t talk to anyone, you don’t even breathe without my presence.”
Narrowing my eyes, I press my lips tighter together as I stare at him. I’m not sure I like what he’s just demanded of me. In fact, I think I would like to speak to my brother about this. Taking a step back from him, I reach behind me, take my phone out of my back pocket, and unlock my device.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“I think I’m going to call my brother about this. Just to make sure this is what’s supposed to be going on,” I announce.
My gaze searches his while I say those words, my fingers moving across my screen as I find my texting thread with Axton. Viking stares at me unnervingly, unblinking, unmoving. He doesn’t even seem slightly worried that I’m going to talk to my brother.
Touching the call icon, I bring the phone to my ear and listen to it ring. Axton picks up on the third ring, although he sounds annoyed that I’m calling him. I don’t care; he’ll get over it once he realizes I’m concerned about my safety.
“Is there something you have neglected to tell me?” I ask.
I’m also a bit annoyed that Millie, my sister-in-law, hasn’t said shit to me. They’ve only been married for a few months, but I’ve known her for years, and we’re friends. I would have thought she’d at least have warned me that I was being followed and in danger of being kidnapped.
“What?” he asks.
Keeping my gaze connected to Viking’s, I don’t even blink when I continue. “Something about some group trying to kidnap me to marry me or something so they can merge with the Vicious Reapers?”
The moment of silence that follows is a little too long for my taste, and then my brother clears his throat. “Viking there?” he asks.
“Yes,” I snap.
I’m so annoyed because I really thought that he was going to be surprised by all of this. I don’t know what I thought Viking was trying to get away with, but I thought it was something, and now I’m not so sure.
“He’s been covering you for a while. I know you can’t close up shop and be on lockdown. I wouldn’t make you be on it anyway, not with the way you feel about it. But you’re the closest woman who isn’t claimed by the club. A princess of sorts. And they want us tied to them.”
I close my eyes slowly, then open them again, but I don’t look at Viking. Instead, I affix my attention to the wall where there is a picture hanging from Axton’s wedding. It’s of me, Millie, and Axton.
My whole family.
Why would he keep something like this from me?
“Axton,” I softly call out, “why did you keep this from me? This is about my safety.”
He doesn’t reply. I can tell he’s trying to put together the words he wants to say, and he’s picking them carefully, which means he’s trying not to upset me, but I can’t help but wonder why.
What does he know that he’s attempting to protect me against? What doesn’t he want to say? What doesn’t he want me to know? Because I can tell when Axton is trying to think of something to say in order to deflect, and that is exactly what’s happening here.
“You’re safe, Lainey-Rose. Viking would never let anything happen to you. You’re under the full protection of the club. And even if they were somehow able to get you, I would ensure your safe return. Believe that.”
“Axton,” I hiss. “This does not sound as easy-peasy as you’re attempting to make it sound. One of those men was at the shop today. That’s the only reason Viking told me anything. And that shit pisses me off. He was within a few feet of me. I need more.”
“You’re not going to get it. Now you can sleep at my place for a while, or Viking can be your twenty-four-seven guard.”
Having a big brother is fun and all, especially when you’re little and you always have that up your sleeve if someone is being an asshole to you. But right now, it’s not fun. Right now, I want to tell him to eat shit and ignore him.
But I can’t do that, because I’m also acutely aware that the Vicious Reapers aren’t the Boy Scouts. And if they’re saying my life is on the line, then my life is…On. The Line.But I’m not sure I want this man around me twenty-four seven, and that’s mainly because I don’t think I can personally handle it without losing my mind.
“For how long?” I ask.
There’s much less demand in my voice, and Axton knows I’ve conceded to his orders, which also sucks, because he is mybrother, and I absolutely hate to back down to anything when it comes to him.
“Bullet is going to be meeting with someone in a couple of days about it.”
“Let me join.”
He gives me silence again, and I think that maybe, just maybe, my brother is going to allow me to be an active participant in that part of my life, the part of my life that I never chose to be involved in to begin with. One that makes it part of my life by association only, and yet, it’s become the biggest part.