Page 13 of Scorpion
How fucking dare he insult Lilah.
I give his chest one final shove before I re-holster my gun and run back to where Lilah is hiding. I don’t know how much of that she heard, but a gunshot is pretty unmistakable. The poor thing is probably scared out of her mind.
When I round the corner, she raises the pipe I gave her for protection. She’s ripped off her helmet, so I can see those blue eyes and that button nose. Even terrified, she’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen in my life.
As soon as her brain registers that it’s me standing in front of her, she drops her weapon and rushes forward. Her arms wrap around me, and as I pull her closer to my chest, Inotice that she’s shaking. So, as gently as I can, I rub circles into her back and murmur that everything’s going to be okay.
Eventually, her shaking lessens and she pulls back to look up at me with red rimmed eyes. They’re shining with unshed tears, but she’s holding it together. I bring one of my hands up to her cheek, rubbing my thumb under her eye.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” she says. “I was so scared.”
“I’m more worried about you,” I say, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she says. “I’m much better now that you’re here.”
“Good,” I reply, hugging her against me again. I take long, deliberate breaths, guiding her closer to relaxation. “Now, let's get you inside.”
“Inside?” she asks, her voice muffled by my chest. “This place isn’t abandoned?”
“No,” I say, realizing that I didn’t really explain anything to her. In my defense, I didn’t have the time. “It’s meant to look like that, though. This is one of the Riders of Retribution’s safe-houses.”
“Oh,” Lilah says, pulling back to look me in the eyes. “I didn’t know the MC had them.”
“It’s not really knowledge that we share with people who aren’t in the club,” I say with a shrug. Then, I mutter, “Anyway, let’s get you inside. There’s a situation out front that I don’t want you to see.”
“I–” she starts, swallowing and looking away from me for a second. “Is– is Dan dead?”
I’m quiet for a beat, trying to figure out the best way to answer that question. She’s already been through so much, andoutright telling her that I’ve killed someone doesn’t seem like the right thing to do. So, instead, I say, “That creep isn’t going to be bothering you ever again.”
Lilah nods before turning her gaze back on me. So quietly I almost don’t hear her, she says, “Thank you.”
I kiss her forehead again before shifting my hold on her so I can lead her to the backdoor of the house. With her pressed against my side, I put in the code to the lock and pull the door open. Then, I step inside with her, closing the door behind us.
“There should be some sodas in the fridge,” I say, gesturing to the kitchen we’ve stepped into. “I’m not sure the last time it’s been stocked, though.”
“That’s fine. I don’t really think I want anything,” she says, pressing even harder against my side. God, I hate that I’m going to have to head out of here to take care of the mess out front. “I’m… I’m not really sure how to feel.”
“I don’t think there’s any right way to feel right now,” I tell her. “And I wish I could stay here to help you through it right now, but I need to call the MC. I’ll be back inside before you know it, though.”
“I understand,” she says with a sigh. “Just promise you’ll stay close by and you’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll be as fast as I can. All I ask is that you stay away from the front of the house,” I say. Then, when she nods her ascent, I kiss her lips, a soft and chaste thing. “I love you, Lilah. And I’ll always keep you safe. I don’t want you to ever doubt that.”
She looks at me with huge eyes. Her entire expression softens and she says, “I love you too, Scorpion. More than I ever thought possible.”
With our confessions hanging heavy in the air, I can’t stop myself from surging forward and kissing her wildly. She gives it back as good as she gets, grabbing onto me with a kind of hunger and urgency that makes me feel like the most powerful man in the world. I long to take this further, to drag her to the bedroom on the other side of the house and take her right there, but there’s too much I have to deal with first.
So, with a growl, I pull away from Lilah’s soft, sweet mouth. She sways forward, chasing the contact. Fuck, I hate that part of protecting her is taking care of the mess in the front yard.
“You stay here,” I instruct her, forcing myself to put distance between the two of us. It damn near physically pains me, but if I don’t, I’ll give into my weakness for her. “I’m going to go take care of everything.”
“Okay,” she murmurs, watching as I head toward the door. “Stay safe.”
“I’ll always come back to you,” I promise, stepping outside and pulling my phone from my pocket. It’s time to get the boys out here.
Chapter 10
Lilah
