CHAPTER FIVE
Bridging Worlds
“WHERE ARE WE?” She asked, with her head still on my shoulder. I took one arm off the wheel to put around her and she snuggled closer to my side.
“You’re awake.”
“I have been for a while. But I could tell you were thinking about something… I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“It was just so friggin’ nice being alone with you. None of the club shit follows me when I’m with you. But that’s about to change… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. The Club is a part of who you are. I get that.”
I sighed, as her right hand rested on the top of my thigh. “But I’ve kept you from the MC until now. Sure, you smiled—met a few in passing at the lake. But everything is different now.”
“How?”
“Because you’re mine. That makes you a target, babe. It’s fucking with my head—knowing that I put it on your back.”
“No one will hurt me. They couldn’t. It would take an army of ancient Romans to get through my big, bad wolf.” Her words warmed my heart, but she was naïve, not realizing the danger was real and bad men often broke down doors.
“I’d kill any man who tried. Does that scare you?”
“Yes,” she whispered, “but only because I believe you really would.”
I laced our fingers together on my thigh. “You slept most of the way. We’ll be in California soon.”
She perked up. “I can’t wait to drive over the Golden Gate! I’m so freakin’ excited. I already have a list of art galleries I want to visit.”
“I’ll take you to them all. But first, I’ll need to handle some club business.” I rubbed the back of my neck again, missing the feel of our hands locked together.
“… do you want to talk about it?”
“There’s some Club business I’ll never share. Not because I want to shut you out. I just can’t, babe. I need to protect you.”
“I’d never betray your trust.”
My eyes left the road, finding hers. “I know. But some burdens a man doesn’t put on his woman’s shoulders.”
“Well, which ones can you share with me?”
“I need a VP.”
“Why don’t you have one?”
“Because I can handle everything on my own…”
I felt her eyeroll.
“…but understand just because I can doesn’t mean I should. So now, I need to pick a few and have the Club take a vote.”
“How long have you been the Prez?”
“Two years.”
“That’s a lot to carry alone.”
“It is.”