Page 16 of A Biker for Noelle
I feel the vibe in the room change. The men exchange glances, all of them with the same angry expression.
You don’t hurt women.
And you damn sure don’t fucking hurt kids.
“I want eyes on Noelle and her brother until we know her troubles haven’t followed her to Ember Falls. No one touches her or the kid. Got it?” I exclaim, and my brothers collectively nod without hesitating.
With the club backing me, we will keep Noelle and Zack safe.
And I won’t rest until she and her brother can breathe easy again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Noelle
What did I just do?
I panicked—that’s what happened.
I impulsively confessed to shooting my stepfather.
As my brother and I hide here in Ember Falls, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If we’re caught, I face imprisonment while my brother is forced back to his father’s care. I’d sooner face any fate than allow that to happen.
I abruptly get up, leave the table, and jog upstairs into Torin’s bedroom. After entering, I slam the door closed. “Jesus Christ, Noelle, what in the world were you thinking.” I sit on the edge of the bed and stare at my trembling hands. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and will my racing heart to settle before I send myself into a full-blown panic attack. Now is not the time to lose control. For my sake and Zack’s, I have to remain level-headed. I need a new game plan. Maybe we should leave. My thoughts are scattered all over the place. “Dammit,” I hiss, resting my elbows on my thighs and dropping my head into the palms of myhands. If we leave, Zack will be devastated. I promised we’d stay in Ember Falls. Besides, it’s not like I have the money to leave. I don’t even want to think about how much it will cost to fix my car.
As thoughts of leaving overwhelm me, Torin’s face pops into my head, and an unexpected ache settles deep within my chest. I hardly know the man, but somehow, the thought of never seeing him again has me choking back a sob. Maybe it’s one-sided, but I can feel a connection between us. His eyes soften whenever he looks at me, and the gentle rumble of him calling me baby gives me butterflies. It’s also how he handles my younger brother with so much patience and understanding. Something Zack has never experienced with his own father. I see the spark in his eyes whenever he’s in Torin’s presence. He had no issues settling in so well downstairs, around all the men. It is heartwarming.
I don’t know much about bikers or motorcycle clubs, but everyone operates like a normal family unit should. Torin’s mom is exceptionally welcoming, and her attitude toward us eases my nerves.
A knock on the door interrupts my mental breakdown, and I jump to my feet as Torin enters the bedroom. I scurry over to where my suitcase is lying on the floor and begin rummaging through it, acting as though I am busy. “Hey, I was just about to take a shower.”
Torin remains silent. I peek over my shoulder to see him standing with his hip resting against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His face is relaxed.
“Noelle,” he rumbles my name, and I fight to ignore my body’s reaction.
“After arriving here this morning, I was exhausted and just crashed. I don’t even remember falling asleep,” I tell him.Why?I don’t have a clue. Jesus. Now, I feel like a ramblin’ fool.
“Baby, look at me,” Torin urges.
There it is—the one word that seems to be my undoing. I can’t help it. I do as Torin says, and I look at him. By the way his lip twitches, I’d say he’s amused by my ramblings.
“I got shit to do, but I’ll be back later to pick you up for work.”
I blink up at him. “What?”
“Work, baby. We’re on tonight. Unless you’re not up for it.”
“No!” I rush out. “I mean, I want to work. I need to, actually. I need the money to find Zack and me a place to stay and get my car fixed.” I start to ramble again but stop when I notice Torin has lost the amused look from moments ago.
“We’ll discuss that later.” He stands there, arms crossed and rigid, looking every bit irritated.
Not knowing what to say, I agree, “Oh… okay.” Things turn awkward when Torin continues to stare at me.
Thankfully, after a few seconds, he speaks, “Zack is good. He’s in the kitchen helpin’ Ma make brownies. With a kid around, she’ll be bakin’ shit all day.”
I smile. “Zack has a sweet tooth, so he’ll be in heaven with your mom. Tell her if he gets to be too much to send him up here with me. Can Zack come to hang out with us at the bar tonight? I know it’s not an ideal place for a kid, but it will take me some time to figure out where he stays while I’m on the clock?—”
Torin doesn’t let me finish before he interrupts. “Ma already volunteered to watch him.”
