Page 9 of Their Property
We parked and shut our bikes off. The tall, white building loomed over us like a ghost in the eerie silence.
“Looks like the ambassador’s already here.” T-Bone nodded at the armored SUV we had parked next to. It definitely looked like one of Governor Vance’s vehicles.
“Do we, like, knock on the door? Just go in?” I couldn’t stop eyeballing the front doors with their intricate carvings and ornate handles. Government buildings in Four Corners were open to the public, but this place gave off a distinctVIPs only, no peasants or bikersvibe.
“Let’s just go in.” T-Bone was already ascending the steps. “We’re gonna be working here. Shit,livinghere. Fuck them if they don’t want us treating this place like we own it.”
Munin resettled on his shoulder with a soft caw as he pulled one door open, moving aside to let me and Grudge through. My first step inside echoed all the way up to the high, vaulted ceiling. Yeah, definite creepy church vibes.
A couple of men in suits turned around when we entered, taking us in like we were the mud they scraped off their shoes.
“Hey, what’s up?” T-Bone said to one of them, which almost made me palm my forehead and groan. Formality and decorum were not his strong suits. “We’re the bodyguards for the new ambassador.”
No one said anything as I turned to survey the rest of the open foyer. My eyes almost passed over the young woman, figuring she was someone’s assistant. But recognition struck me hard, and I did a double-take. Then my eyes locked onto hers and I couldn’t tear them away.
A feather could have knocked me over. This simply could not be. What wasshedoing here?
Those wide blue eyes, pouty lips that I’d fantasized too often about kissing, that windswept blonde hair that created such a beautiful, messy halo around her face. She was just as stunning as when I’d last seen her over four years ago.
Kyrie Vance, the daughter of the Four Corners’ governor.
And the only woman I’d ever failed to get out of my mind.
THREE
KYRIE
Ididn’t know how long we stood there staring at each other. I was too shocked to speak, and apparently so were the Sons.
“T-Bone,” I finally breathed, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You grew your hair out.”
The tall Viking of a man dropped his gaze, huffing out a soft laugh as he ran a hand over his head. “Yeah, guess I did.”
His head had been shaved the last time I saw him. I guess I never expected him to have a full head of hair, but the thick brownish-blond strands suited him. It made him look younger and contrasted with the dark brown beard peppering his jaw.
“It looks good.” I swallowed, my tongue feeling thick and numb inside my mouth. “You all…look good.”
Dyno stared at me with a dark gaze I couldn’t interpret. He was just as tall as T-Bone, but slimmer with a graceful, willowy build. His warm medium-brown skin, prominent cheekbones, and long black hair hinted at the Indigenous ancestry he told me about all those years ago. He still shaved the sides of his head, but this time his hair was in a long braid over his shoulder rather than the topknot I’d seen before.
And Grudge. My eyes fell to the silent man who’d helped me to my feet and rushed me to safety back in Blakeworth. He was the shortest of the three, but was still imposing enough to tower over Nathan and Mr. Willis. Long, dark hair and a beard that touched the top of his chest, hid most of his face. But his dark brown eyes were the most expressive of the three bikers, wide and full of emotion at the sight of me.
The same emotion bloomed in my chest and sent fluttering sensations into my stomach. I recognized it aslonging,as missing someone so much that even when you get used to being apart for years, seeing them again awakens a storm inside you.
“This has to be a mistake,” Nathan’s voice cut in, shattering the illusion that these bikers and I were in our own little world. “These…mencannot possibly be Miss Vance’s bodyguards.”
Grudge looked at him with a distasteful sneer, then reached into his cut to produce a folded letter. I recognized my father’s seal stamped on the outside. He waved it in front of Nathan’s face mockingly, but then T-Bone shocked everyone in the room.
“You’re right. It has to be a mix-up.”
Everyone turned to stare at him, Grudge and Dyno with disbelief, the other men with relief.
“Glad you agree Mr., uh, T-Bone.” Nathan frowned at the road name patch on T-Bone’s leather vest. “I’m glad we could settle this civilly. Now, if you would see yourselves out—“
“Wait!” I barely raised my voice, but it echoed off the floor and walls. Now all eyes were on me. “Can I have a word with the Sons in private, please?”
“Thewho?”
“Us.” Dyno gestured to himself and his fellow bikers. “We’re the Sons of Odin MC.”
