Page 26 of Tick Tock, Boom!

Standing there in the middle of the goddamn clubhouse like I hadn’t had her strapped to a fucking leather Cross just days ago. Like she hadn’t been squirming, desperate, soaked, begging for a release I never gave her. Like I hadn’t shoved my fingers so deep into her she’d forgotten her own name, only to walk away and leave her trembling and denied.

And now?

Now she stood between Aiyana and Barrel, acting like none of it had happened. She looked so innocent and wide-eyed. And even in her tight jeans and tank top that hugged her tits like a second skin, she looked good enough to eat.

Fuck me.

Barrel’s voice echoed in my head, dragging me back to reality. “Tick Tock, this is my daughter, Natalia.”

I stared at her. Not knowing what to say. My brain tried to process the math, but it wasn’t adding up. My mouth felt like it was full of ash.

Hisdaughter.Barrel’sdaughter.

I felt like the floor had opened up beneath me.

Barrel turned to her, his hand on her shoulder like a father trying to shield a fragile thing from the storm. “You’re gonna stay here for a while. I’m heading out for a few days on club business. Tick Tock will be watching over you.”

"What?" We both asked in unison.

Barrel turned to me. "You will watch over her for me, won't you brother. You're the only one I know won't put a hand on her."

It took a second for me to actually comprehend the words coming out of his mouth and then I simply nodded, and he gave me a hard pat on the back.

"There we go. Tick Tock will watch over you."

Natalia’s lips parted you could see the horror painted across her face. “What? No. I can’t! I have classes, I…”

“You’ll go,” Barrel interrupted, firm as a steel wall. “But you’re not going alone.”

My voice came low. Rough. Dead calm. “I’ll take her. And I’ll pick her up.”

She flinched and her eyes slightly twitched. It was subtle, but I saw it. And for a second, I swore I saw something else in her eyes too.

Guilt.

She fucking knew. She must’ve known who I was. I always wore my cut. Always. The skull. The crown. The name. She’d seen it. Shehadto have known.

And now she was pretending like this was some big shock?

Barrel kept going like he hadn’t just shattered the ground beneath me. “She’ll stay in my quarters. I already cleared it.”

I didn’t like that. Not one fucking bit. Barrel’s room was too exposed. Too close to the common area and too danger lurking.

“She’ll take my room,” I said, more force than suggestion. “It’s in the back, off the armory. No one goes near it unless I say so.”

Barrel raised an eyebrow, but after a long pause, he nodded. “Fine. You’re the only one I trust here anyway.”

Natalia looked like she wanted to protest, but Aiyana squeezed her arm gently, silently telling her to shut up before it got worse.

Smart woman.

The rest of the evening passed like a blur. I didn’t drink. Didn’t joke. Didn’t play pool. I leaned against the wall in the corner of the bar, arms crossed, watching.

Watching her.

Aiyana stayed close, showing her how to keep the bar stocked, which fridge held the prospects’ beers versus the patched men’s. Teaching her how to prep sandwiches and snacks for the late-night crowd. She moved around the kitchen like she belonged, even smiled once or twice.

But all I saw washer.

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