Page 99 of Paladin's Hell

Am I selfish? Taking my man away from the club?

It’s as if Hell can read my mind. “Would have to step down sooner or later, Mo. Would rather it be on my own terms, and while we’re both young enough to enjoy ourselves.” He stands, his bones protesting audibly again, and holds out his hand to me. “Think you need to make an apology, Mo.”

I nod, and first turn to Demon. “I’m sorry.”

“Nah,” Hell scoffs, “Not to me or the VP, to Paladin. Near tore his head off out there.”

Before agreeing, I take a moment. Maybe my dreams weren’t abandoned, just delayed. Jayden’s life might pan out different, she may get exactly what she wants. Perhaps she doesn’t have the same expectations that I had. And maybe, just maybe, if Paladin’s half as good to her as Hell has been for me, maybe he is right for her. I’ve never been one for platitudes, never said a word if I didn’t mean it. Finally, I nod. I can say my apology, and as sincerely as I can make it.

I stand, take my man’s hand, following him to the door. Then I swing around. “For goodness sake, shut the window before Hell freezes in here, Demon.”

We leave the room to his bark of laughter.

Neither Paladin nor Jayden are in the clubroom. Brothers seem awkward, eyeing us carefully as we make our way across to the stairs, heading to Pal’s room to try to find the young couple. I’m gripping Hell’s hand, pleased he’s still with me, knowing how much I’d pushed him tonight. Eating humble pie is never nice, but I feel better now I’ve got the weight I’d been carrying off my shoulders, and the promise of a future where I won’t have to worry every day about Hell.

We walk down the corridor, past all the closed and locked doors. I notice Bitch jumping up at one, expertly swinging on the handle, but it doesn’t open. Taking pity on the long-haired fluffy tabby, I crouch down, holding my hand out.

“Be careful,” Hell warns, “she’s got one fuck of a scratch to her.”

But she comes straight over to me. I stroke her for a moment and soon have her purring. “Poor girl. No one wants to share their bed with you?”

“Can you fuckin’ blame us? Look.” He holds out his arm, showing me the scabbed over scars from his last encounter. “Only thing she’s fuckin’ good for is catching mice.”

I laugh, standing unscathed. “Don’t think she likes men.”

“You think?” He shakes his head. “Come on.”

A step or two in front of me, he pauses in front of a door, but his hand stops in mid-air, and his other reaches out to halt me. “Er, think we better leave the apologies until the morning.”

From the noises coming from behind the door, well, fuck. Seems my outburst hadn’t deterred them.

Hell’s looking at me strangely, heat in his eyes.

“What?” I take a step backward.

“Come here, old lady.”

I take another step back.

“Woman.” He snarls warningly.

I step away again.

Suddenly he launches himself on me, pulls me up in his strong arms into a fireman’s lift over his shoulder, slaps my ass and turns in the direction of his, our, bedroom.

“You might have to give me a moment for the blue pill to work, but the way I’m feelin’, woman, that shouldn’t take too long.”

“Perhaps, old man,” I giggle into his ear, “there’s things you could be doing while we’re waiting.”

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