Page 10 of Greedy Grizzly
I tracked Storm’s heavy steps as he moved from one end of the meeting room to the other side. The wooden floors creaked under the weight of his muscular body. The pictures on the walls shook as if an earthquake was rolling through.
Steeling myself behind my desk, I prepared for anything as I watched Storm’s frustration transition from simmering into violent boiling.
He wasn’t as hefty as Boxer and Ire, but he was thicker in the middle and thighs. Being happily married and a father, he had packed on extra pounds from eating all the baked treats Angel made. They say happiness made you gain weight, but I wouldn’t necessarily say he was happy. Storm was a beast. Someone I would never betray if I wanted to live to see my next birthday. Was it possible for a beast to be happy?
I eyed him while pondering the thought…
It’d been a rare day when his brows weren’t pinched together and his jaw wasn’t tight. For years, he had carried the weight of the world on his shoulders after the OG prez, his uncle Matt, had passed away. All Storm had ever wanted was to make his uncle proud and to protect his club brothers. But there were many more people he had to worry about now; innocent wives and kids.
Hiswife.
Hischildren.
Angel and the kids were Storm’s everything. They were his lifeline and the only link to his humanity.
The responsibility a president shouldered was often too great for one man. That was why he had a VP and a counsel, but Storm rarely asked for help.
“Christ! I feel it in my bones. This dude is right under my fuckin’ nose!” Storm hissed through his teeth, not speaking to anyone directly. So knowing Prez as I did, I kept my mouth shut. He didn’t want a reply from me. He was just unpacking his thoughts and processing them.
The “dude” was RJ, who’d been mentioned in a letter Storm had received last year. For all we knew, it could’ve been a prank from one of our enemies. Or a scorned woman…
Carla came to mind. The fake blonde Storm had used for his own pleasure had been in love with him, even knowing he’d never claim her. From what I’d heard from Libby, Storm wouldn’t even kiss Carla. He just fucked her and demanded blowjobs.
But hey, Carla was a Kitten. And being a club girl was a job. The chicks knew the drill before they signed on the dotted line to be a KLMC Kitten.
No promises had been made.
The terms were clear and specific.
So when Madeline entered, or rather re-entered Storm’s life, Carla had lost her shit at how hard and fast Storm had fallen for his “Angel.” Of all the men to claim a woman, no one ever thought Storm would. He’d been hard as nails and a grumpy bastard for as long as I’d known him. But he softened for his Angel and kids.
I recalled how much Carla had hated Maddy. She’d even fabricated a scene to manipulate Maddy into believing Stormhad cheated on her. It had been a huge mess and Prez could have lost Angel forever. Luckily he hadn’t, but Storm had taken swift measures and kicked Carla out of Minnesota. Lynx and some prospects had left her on the streets to fend for herself, per Storm’s orders. Messing with the prez’s woman came with a stiff punishment.
But a scorned woman would do anything to get back at the man she loved, like sending a threatening note. Wouldn’t she?
“I know my old man is connected to this. The fucker screwed around on my mom all the goddamn time when I was young. He must’ve left his dick unwrapped one too many times. Fuck! I gotta keep Angel and the babies safe.” He snapped his mouth shut and a few stress-filled seconds passed before he said, “I mean, keepeverybodysafe.”
Okay, so maybe Carla wasn’t behind the note.
But I knew what he meant about keeping everybody safe. He’d get no judgment from me or any of our brothers for first thinking of his wife and children. We would feel the same about our old ladies and kids.
When we were all single, nobody had mattered more than each other. The brotherhood in the club had been solid and unbreakable. It still was to a degree. Though things had changed the past several years, with the addition of wives and babies, the club would always come first for the Knights.
For me, I’d always protect Libby above anyone else. As the sentiment registered in my mind, Toby’s face flashed behind my eyes… I’d protect him too.
“When Toby arrives, I want the two of you working on this. I won’t accept anything less than you finding this motherfucker!”
“What?” I choked out. Shock must have appeared on my face. Why else would Storm shoot me a confused glance? “Nevermind.”
I was more confused than ever. Prez knew Toby was coming? His knowledge made me feel worse.
He cocked his head. “Something happened between you and Toby?”
I focused on my monitor. Nothing was between me and Toby. “Did you ask him to come out?”
“Nope. He let Angel know last night he was coming. Said he might be staying awhile.”
My throat constricted. Toby had told AngelandLibby about his visit before me. This situation was insane. Had I been reduced to shit on the sole of his expensive loafers? Had I been an after-thought? At the very least, I thought we were friends. Friends didn’t treat each other this way.Think you know a person…
