Page 75 of Brother In Arms

“Let Reave’s ol’ lady drive you back to the club, honey. You been through a shock. You just ain’t fit to do it.”

I nodded and just kind of gave up, a wave of exhaustion and emotion just sort of swamping me.

Rush and Archer returned with the news that the horses were spooked, but by all appearances, doing just fine. The firefighters had the blaze under control and the house and smaller barn attached seemed to be the only losses so far. The police took a statement from me and then Rush while I sat there and shivered in nothing but Rush’s tee and the stupid emergency blanket. All my clothes, all my belongings continued to burn throughout the rest of the night.

Finally, as dawn began to light the eastern horizon, we were told we were free to go. I stood up from where I had been relocated to the back of Hayden’s SUV. She was incredibly kind and vivacious, taking the evening’s events in stride like they happened every day, which worried me to tell you the truth. Rush had retrieved his bike from the garage, and leaned on it nearby. His warm, cognac eyes roaming over me, fixed on me, all while his older brother, Archer, and his twin, Nox, talked to him in low even tones.

The set of his broad shoulders told me just how furious he was about the whole thing. I, on the other hand, was too emotionally drained to really feel anything one way or the other about anything except for my desire for a hot shower, a real bed, and some real clothes. Hayden sat down on the tailgate of her Lexus with me and said, “My dad boards his horses here sometimes.”

I blinked and turned towards her, “Who’s your dad?” She gave me a one-thousand watt smile and said “Jacob Michaels.”

Well, now that was a name I recognized. I blinked stupidly and just barely managed to keep my mouth shut on the burning question, how the hell did Jacob Michael’s daughter end up marrying a biker!?

Hayden laughed and winked at me leaning in to say in a conspiratorial whisper, “I can see it all over your face, and it’s a long story, I promise to tell you when the boys put us all in lockdown to go take care of business.”

I frowned and she smiled and it wasn’t entirely happy. I didn’t quite know what it was, but it was something I was likely going to find out and soon. Rush came over and the guys started moving around like we were making ready to leave.

“I can’t leave the horses,” I blurted and Rush came over to me.

“You aren’t, baby; look.” He pointed at the driveway and the line of three pickups coming down it. I frowned and then realized, “Oh, god. No one called the men to tell them not to come to work today.”

“It’s okay, I’ll handle it.” He kissed my forehead and said to Hayden, “Take her home for me, make sure she gets a hot shower and tucked into my room safe.”

“No problem, Rush.” Hayden said, and Rush led me to the passenger side of Hayden’s SUV.

“I love you, baby. Go try to get some rest, I’ll be right behind you.”

I nodded and kissed him back, his lips warm and comforting against mine. I didn’t want to let him go, but I supposed that was the price you paid for growing into your own and shouldering the mantle of ‘adult.’

The car ride was silent for the most part until Hayden broke it with, “They can be heavy handed sometimes, you know? Not telling us everything. It can be infuriating, but it’s for our own good… god, as much as I hate having to say that.”

I turned from the window and looked at her, frowning. “I don’t understand.”

“No, I suppose I need to explain a little better, don’t I?”

“It’d be nice.”

“Okay, I’ve been around the club for a few years now. In all that time, I’ve never seen any of the guys get violent for the sake of being violent. I’ve never seen one of the boys do something to start shit, but I’ve seen them finish plenty.”

I blinked, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because word is, your mom’s filled your head since practically birth that these guys are all violent rabble rousers who go out and cause a bunch of mayhem at every opportunity.” I blinked again, long and slow and tipped my head thinking about it.

“Yeah, okay, I can’t say you’re wrong there, but that’s kind of how things were, I mean, before…”

“Before your aunt died?”

“Yeah.”

She sucked in a deep breath and let out a gusty sigh, “I know, and that must be a really hard one for you to wrap your mind around, but I’m telling you, I’ve never not once seen these guys do anything to anyone that didn’t do something to them first.”

“Okay, again, why are you telling me this?”

“Because I can see this is tearing you up something awful and that you really like Rush.”

“I do,” I said softly.

“Okay, I’m going to give you the super short version on what happens next.”

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