Page 41 of Savage King

He was sober in an instant, disgust shooting through him like ice daggers. What if Skathi had seen?

But she’s not here, so how could she?

Anger—at Bonnie’s bullshit and Skathi’s abandonment—scoured his insides, leaving him just hollowed enough that wrath flowed in. But as much as he wanted to tear some shit up, he needed to keep his fucking cool. The last thing the club needed was their prez chasing off paying customers.

Before he could tell Bonnie to take a hike so he could think, his cell buzzed in his trouser pocket and he pulled it out, leaning away from Bonnie so her scheming gaze couldn’t read the text.

Trouble: She’s here. I’ll bring her in the back.

Finally! She’d come!‘Bout godsdamn time.

Odin didn’t even bother excusing himself, tearing himself away from Bonnie’s grasping hands and striding toward the stairs like his ass was on fire. The furiousclick-clackingof Bonnie’s heels told him she was following close behind, probably wondering what had gotten him so worked up.

She was there. His goddess had come, and that meant he would finally have his woman on his arm where he could show her off properly.

The Savage King and his Queen. His Goddess. His Valkyrie. No matter what he called her, she was his perfect match, and he’d prove it to her tonight.

Hitting the main floor, the clusters of people impeded his movement and his view, though he knew Skathi would be visible above the commoners who didn’t even measure up—literally. At six-two, Skathi was head and shoulders over all the other women in attendance, just as his queen should be.

His gaze landed and remained on the entryway into the room leading from the back of the house. Trouble had said he’d be bringing her in through there, so that’s where he was headed.

Bonnie had caught up, her hands grabbing his forearm, but he before he could pull away and tell her to fuck off, Skathi was there, following behind Trouble who was smiling down at her.

“Skathi?” Odin called, her name on his lips a balm to his soul. The anger from minutes before was replaced by relief and happiness, because she was there. Gods, he was such a pussy.

At his call, Trouble lifted his head, catching sight of Odin, but rather than the usual chin lift and smirk, Trouble’s eyes narrowed, his lips thinning.

Odin didn’t have time to figure out what his VPs fucking problem was because Skathi had caught sight of him, too. The dark, breathtaking hunger in her eyes nearly made his knees buckle. Then…the molten look was gone, replaced by blasting freezing wind.

What the fuck?

Silencing the alarm bells clanging in his head, he strode to his woman, gathered her in his arms, and bent to kiss the hell out of her.

She turned her face at the last second, his lips landing against her cheek.

“Goddess,” he warned, gripping her chin to force her face back into place. This was not the time for her to deny him what he so desperately wanted—and why would she do that in the first place? Hadn’t she missed him? Didn’t she want him as badly as he wanted her?

“Odin,” Skathi snapped, pulling her face from his hands. “Now is not the place nor time for this.”

He tensed, hating that his woman dared to fucking speak to him like that with others around to hear it. He was the motherfucking MC prez, the patrons of his bordello were watching.

Odin opened his mouth to demand her compliance, but something in Trouble’s gaze gave Odin pause. Something was going on that he hadn’t caught on to yet, but he sure as hell was feeling the aftermath. It was clear that Skathi was uncomfortable and…anxious. Her body was tense, her face pinched, her eyes blank.

This wasn’t his Skathi. He needed to get her the hells out of there, the urgency boiling in his blood made his fists clench.

Bonnie, the consummate hostess slunk up to stand before him and Skathi, her critical gaze taking in Skathi from head to toe.

“Skathi, I’ve heard so much about you. Of course, if I had known you were joining us this evening, I would have had Odin send our stylist to help you prepare.

Skathi, to her credit, didn’t even flinch at the hit.

Tucking Skathi under his arm and draping his hand over her opposite shoulder, Odin pressed a hard kiss to her temple. She gave no indication he’d even touched her, just stood there, practically at parade rest. A statute in couture.

“Skathi, baby, you look perfect. No stylist would have been able to make you look as good as you do now.” He leaned in to whisper into her ear. “And later, I’ll show you just how much I love this dress…when it’s on the floor.”

Odin didn’t miss the goosebumps rising from her exposed flesh. He hid a triumphant smile as he stood to his full height once more.

The smile died a quick death, though.

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