Page 46 of Smoke

Both mine and Paddy’s heads swing over to where Oriana is standing, the front door wide open behind her. When Paddy had let the door close behind him, it must have bounced back off the latch before catching.

“Back. Off.” She hisses between her teeth. Her fortitude feeds mine, and I push back at Paddy with my hands against his chest. It’s enough to get him to take a few steps away so I can extract myself. I instantly go to stand beside Oriana. I won’t deny that when her arm slips around my waist, giving me a sense of solidarity, I struggle to hold back the emotion it ignites.

“Unless you want to face the law, I’d make yourself scarce if I was you because a charge of breaking and entry with the intent to harm a vulnerable woman won’t be that easy to get dropped.”

Technically, he didn’t break in. I let him in, but he makes no attempt to refute Oriana’s accusations.

Paddy’s face is redder than my favorite lip color and he looks like he’s about to explode. Without uttering a word, he makes to leave.

Both Oriana and I, still holding onto each other, follow his movements, ready in case he makes any sudden moves towards us. Before he steps out into the hallway, he glances over his shoulder. The demonic smile on his face is horrifying. Clearly, this is far from over.

As soon as he’s out of sight, I rush towards the doorand shove it closed, my fingers fumble with the lock until it’s secured.

I turn back to Oriana. Her skin is ashen. Her eyes, fearful, the bravado that she’d projected early, stripped away. I go to her, bringing her into my arms and pulling her close. I’m not sure who is trembling the most or who needs the comfort more, but her arms circle me, too, and we hold on for dear life.

“I’m so sorry that you had to witness that,” I whisper at the side of her head. “But I’m so very grateful that you turned up when you did.”

“I came here to rip you a new asshole for getting involved with all this in the first place,” she smiles softly. “But if that’s not enough to make you realize how irresponsible you’ve been, then I’m not sure what will.”

“I was trying to help the club,” I offer in my defense.

“I don’t hold you totally responsible,” she sighs, her hands drop to her side, and she moves further away from me. “I know that Smoke has a lot to do with this, and don’t you worry, President or not, I’ll be having words with him, too.”

“Fuck, Oriana. Where has the sweet little girl that was too quick to please even though it made her out to be a total pushover gone?”

“She grew up and got some balls,” she snickers. “Metaphorically, of course.”

“I’m glad.” I glance up at the ceiling, trying to pull together the right words to say to her, but I go with the ones that will always be the most powerful if delivered truthfully. “I’m so sorry Oriana, for…”

“You can’t stay here,” she tells me, brushing off myapology. Guess she’s not quite ready yet to forgive. “You need to come to the compound.”

“Hey, if you think I’m bunking up with a load of dirty bikers and club whores, you're deluded.” No way, even though the thought of sleeping under the same roof as Smoke kinda excites me. “I’d rather take my chances.”

“You can stay with us at the cabin.” Oriana offers. “That way you’ll be safe and have the full protection of the MC, and quite honestly, that’s the least they can do.”

“You’re inviting me into your home?” I gasp. “Oriana…”

“Go pack what you need,” she cuts me off once again. “I’ll grab your laptop, phone, and anything else I think you might need. Make it quick. The faster we get out of here, the better.”

I make for my bedroom, but not before I grab my stepsister's hand and give it a squeeze. Our eyes connect and they reflect a thousand unsaid words. She acknowledges me when she gives my hand a gentle squeeze back, giving me hope that forgiveness is at least something I can earn.

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

Smoke

Seven days since she’s been here. So near and yet so far, and it’s torture for me.

When I’d found out that Oriana had brought Tenley back here, I kicked up a storm. Immediately, I’d confronted Stone to accuse him of knowing what his woman had been up to. But when I’d seen him lose his shit with her for going off without protection, I knew he was as clueless as I.

I was then hit with Oriana’s wrath over my part in tricking Tenley into getting mixed up with Dunne, for which I’m sure she’s still not forgiven me.

When I’d got the full rundown from Stone, as Oriana had refused to speak to me, the devil was on my back and riding me hard. If Oriana hadn’t turned up at Ten’s apartment when she did, Tenley would have ended up a shadow of herself or dead. The Death Valley Irish hasn’t got the best reputation and is renowned for their torture,and not holding back when it came to inflicting excruciating pain. In fact, by all accounts, female captives are no exception; in their case, they are also met with most heinous acts of rape and sexual abuse, leaving them ruined, if not dead. Anything goes.

Tenley could have faced all of that, and if she had, I would be solely to blame for bringing her into this fucked up scenario in the first place. Not protecting her when things had shifted up a notch was even more unforgivable.

My head had been up my ass because I’d fucked her, and my guilt had consumed me to a point that it had blurred my judgement and responsibility to her.

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