Page 150 of Beast

I put my hand on his chest and feel the rapid pounding of his heart through his cut. “Beast, I’m fine.”

“You smell like lighter fluid and smoke.” His gaze sweeps over me, all warm and protective. “What did you do?”

I look into my husband’s eyes. “I told him to stop messing with my club.”

CHAPTER 60

BEAST

I hearthe rumble of approaching motorcycles and turn to see my club brothers riding toward us.

After leaving the clubhouse with Lars, Viking, Bear, and Axe, I saw the orange glow of a fire in the distance and doubled my speed, tearing through the night ahead of them, my gut telling me Belle needed me.

Now, my brothers pull in behind us, the heavy thump of their Harleys vibrating across the ground.

I walk over to Lars and point to the black smoke drifting across the sky. “The sheriff will be there by now. Keep an eye on the situation and report back to me.”

Lars’s bright blue gaze slides to Belle and then back to me. “Do we know what we’re walking into?”

“My old lady showed Boney what she thought about him trying to take our land.”

Amusement tugs at Lars’ mouth. “Have I mentioned how much I like your old lady?”

In the distance, the bellow of a fire truck cuts into the twilight.

I take a step closer to Lars. “If Boney starts making noises about filing charges, tell him we’ll counter them by filing a complaint with law enforcement for unlawful imprisonment. My old lady tried to leave, and Boney wouldn’t let her. She felt threatened. Something like that. Then tell the sheriff I will call him later.”

Lars nods and dust swirls around Belle and I as the four Harleys take off into the darkness.

I turn back to glance at my wife. In the moonlight, she looks tiny and angelic, and I ache to put my arms around her. To kiss her. But there are unsaid things hanging between us. “Are you ready to go home, little one?”

When she nods, I help her onto the back of my bike, feeling the kind of relief only love knows when the reason for you breathing is sitting on the back of your bike with her arms wrapped around your waist.

Once we’re back at the clubhouse, I can finally breathe knowing Belle is safe.

In the quiet of our room, I take her in my arms, feeling relieved when she lets me. “Are you still angry with me?”

“You bet your life I am. Keeping all of that from me?”

“I didn’t want you to run.”

She pushes her fingers into my chest. “I understand that. But what you did was still wrong. I deserved to know.”

“I was always going to tell you.”

“I know.” Her face softens. “Tell me you didn’t marry me for the land.”

Fuck.The fact she thinks that kills me.

“I fucking love you, Belle. That’s why I married you. Not because of some debt or claim over land. I married you because the moment I learned you were still alive you’re all I’ve wanted. You are the other half of me, Belle. It’s you and me.”

She looks up at me. “Yeah, I know. I just wanted to hear you say it.”

Her reaction surprises me.

“Okay, what’s going on here, little one? You’re going to have to spell it out for me because I don’t know what’s happening.”

She smiles and pushes me into a sitting position on the bed, and slides onto my lap, straddling my hips. “I know you love me. You’re not very good at hiding your feelings, bike gangster. It’s written all over your face how much you do.”

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