Page 35 of Defended By Bam
But it appeared there was only one other guy, and they had it under control. Walking past, I went to a truck parked close to the building. Opening the door, I looked in the back. Pulling out the black leather cut, I held it up.Fuck.
The unmistakable orange scorpion was centered on the back. Hammer came over, catching his breath, so I held up the cut. “What are we gonna do with those guys?”
Hammer ran his hand down his face. “We need to get rid of ‘em and the truck. Someone will look for them eventually. But we don’t need anyone tipped off that this place was discovered.”
“You got it. I’ll let the prospects know what to do.”
After explaining to Skeeter and Runt how to clean up any signs of the struggle inside, get rid of those assholes, and get their bikes and the truck back to the clubhouse, I found Hammer.
“I’ll tail them and help get one of their bikes loaded and strapped to the bed, then we’ll head back.”
“Leigh can stay back, too. I’ll see you back at the clubhouse.”
Normally I didn’t mind long nights and regrouping at the clubhouse after some shit. Tonight was different. I hoped we’d get in and out with a simple recon so I could go straight home and talk to Brooklyn. After nearly getting shot, I had a lot I needed to say to her. Instead, we had to clean up and make sure these prospects got the job done so they could earn their patch.
Hopefully, we’d get it cleaned up enough to keep any suspicions off us. We didn’t need to start a war, not until the time was right. But we had confirmation that our rivals were trying to move closer to our territory and steal business from us. So, if a war happened, it was on them.
Chapter 18
Brooklyn
It had gotten late the night before, and Glenda was leaving, so I had her drive me down to where Ollie was hanging out. I forced him to come back to the house. He’d been out there for hours, and while she and I hung out on the porch and chatted for a long time, we also had cold drinks.
She stopped drinking after a couple of beers and switched to sweet tea, so I was fine with her driving. Also, forced was a strong word. I think Ollie didn’t want to argue with me and moderately felt sorry for me because I was in a tank top and shorts and my multi-colored bruises were on full display. It was hot and it seemed that everyone knew what happened to me, so no use in trying to have a heat stroke.
Ollie looked at me with sympathy. I understood why and it was sweet, but it was vastly different than how Bama looked at me. That look was hard to describe and even harder to understand. Maybe he did look at me with sympathy but I didn’t know his facial expressions.
That was the crazy part. I hardly knew this man, yet my mind was overrun with thoughts of him. I tossed and turned most of the night, hardly sleeping at all. The only thing still tethering me to the reality that I was on the run was the few times Ollie walked through the house, then finally went back outside.
Those guys sure took their jobs seriously. He only stayed in the living room for about two hours, occasionally walking from the living room to the kitchen. I would have assumed it was to get a drink or a snack until he did it over three times. Then, I realized he was checking the house, waiting until I dozed off before going back outside.
Only, I wasn’t asleep when he finally did but he didn’t know that. He didn’t go all the way to the end of the driveway. He sat on the porch for a while, then paced around the front yard for a while before he went back to the porch to sit. Was I spying on him through the window?Yes. What else was I going to do besides stare at the ceiling?
Sadie was sleeping like a rock at least. She seemed so unfazed by everything. I hadn’t really sat her down and explained much. When we left home, I told her we were taking a trip, just the two of us, and her eyes lit up. She hasn’t asked any questions, but maybe I should talk to her about all of this. But what would I say?
Looking down at the phone Bama left with me, it showed four a.m. Sighing, I forced my eyes closed.
***
Jerking, my eyes blinked open, and I looked over at Sadie. She was still fast asleep. When I heard men talking, I turned and peeked out of the blinds. Bama and Ollie were standing outside talking. The sun was already coming up. I watched as they finished their conversation and shook hands before Ollie started rolling his bike up the driveway. Bama took long strides toward the house, and I let go of the blinds, pulling the blanket back over me.
Laying there, I thought about what Glenda said. But then I also thought about when he and I almost kissed, then nothing happened, and the awkwardness that followed. Closing my eyes, hoping my mind would stop racing, I startled at the sound of a click.
My head jerked in the direction of the door, my eyes wide as saucers as I watched Bama waving me to come out. My heart raced but I didn’t want to risk Sadie waking up yet. I nodded and slipped from the bed quietly. Tiptoeing to the door, he pushed it open enough for me to slip through. Then he closed it, being sure not to let it click again.
We were so close, too close. I nearly jumped out of my skin when he grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall. He had on a black leather vest like Ollie. It had a red skull with a crown. I’d seen them before, but it was the first night I arrived, and everything was such a blur. I didn’t remember if I noticed the emblem before.
Bama led me through the back door, gently closing it behind me, but he never let go of my hand. Part of me wanted to pull it away, but the heat and pressure of his surrounding mine was as comforting as it was nerve-wracking.
I hadn’t slept well. I was still hazy from waking and confused as to why he dragged me outside. “Umm…is everything okay?”
“Look at me.”
My eyes slowly met his, the darkness of his gaze practically paralyzing me. He stared at me, his lips twitching like he was struggling to get words out. My pulse sped up again, lost at what to do but afraid to look away.
“Fuck it,” he finally said and before I could respond, he’d backed me against the house, pressing himself to me as his strong lips crushed mine.
My body and mind woke up, his mouth devouring mine as he gently threaded his fingers in my hair. Heat pooled low in my belly, and I melted into him, my hands going under the supple leather and drawing him closer.
