Page 9 of Devil's Haunting
CHAPTER 4
HAMMER
I’ve been away from my woman too long. I can feel it in my bones. There’s a pull in the middle of my chest and it tugs at me and calls me back to Laiken. It’s something I can’t ignore, the siren song getting louder every moment I’m away from her. Knowing she has been alone in that huge house, the one which makes the hair on my arms stand on edge, hasn’t helped at all.
I need to get back to her because there’s no way I’ll be able concentrate or think straight until I see her again.
If I hadn’t seen my brothers fall hard and fast for their women, I would be more concerned about what I’m feeling about Laiken. It took one look, from where I’d broken through the porch, and I knew she would become my everything. But since they paved the way and proved to me it can be just that quick and feel just that reckless, I’m not running scared.
Fuck no. I’m more than ready to wrap her up in my arms andnever let her go.
How the fuck I found the woman meant to be mine at a job site, one practically falling down around her, after she just arrived in New Orleans is a shock, even to me. But there she was. A fucking vision.
An angel.
My Mischief-maker.
Because there is not a single doubt in my mind that she is exactly that. She’s about to blow into my life and leave a wake of destruction, fun, and color in her wake. And beauty. So much fucking beauty.
Going on the tour of the house with her was interminable. Everything in me wanted to pull her closer and wrap her up in my arms, but I knew I couldn’t. Not yet. She was teetering on the edge of making a break for it and I had to tread carefully.
The house needs a lot of work; I won’t be able to sugarcoat it. I’m more than a little worried about the cost of it all. I might have enough in my account to cover everything needing to be done. Something tells me my stubborn woman isn’t the type to accept me stepping in on her behalf and taking over. No, she’d pout and throw a fucking tantrum if I even tried.
I try and shake off the jittery feeling in my chest as I haul my duffle bag over my shoulder and make sure my room at the clubhouse is locked up behind me. I don’t make eye contact with anyone as I step through the common room. The very last thing I want right now is to be stopped and questioned about what I’m doing and where I’m going.
I almost let out a groan of annoyance when someone steps in front of me. I look up to find Apostle looking at me curiously. Idon’t rise to the bait and simply arch an eyebrow in question. If he has questions, he can ask them, but the last thing I’m going to do is encourage his bullshit.
“You’ve been gone a while, brother,” Apostle rumbles.
“You know I had that consultation,” I point out since I know he’s more than aware.
Even though Apostle outranks me in the club since he’s an enforcer, I’m above him at Devil’s Construction. It works for us because the business never suffers when he has club business to take care of.
“Yeah, how’d that go? Is it worth even doing the renovation work?”
I give him a hard look, but he’s not at all bothered by it and stares back at me while waiting for an answer. “Most of the work will be restoration, but some things need to be reworked. It is,” I pause to look for the right word before sighing, “extensive.” When he only arches an eyebrow I shrug and admit, “I’m not sure it’ll be worth it in the end, but she seems determined to have the work done. It’s possible she’ll feel differently after getting the estimate.”
What he doesn’t need to know is that I’ll be taking quite a bit off the total for my woman. I’ll be doing most of the work myself, and after all the hours I’ve logged and money I’ve brought into the business, we can afford to take a hit on this job.
“She, huh?” There’s a knowing glint in his eye that makes me want to punch him. I hold off, but just barely.
“Don’t be an asshole,” I growl the words, the warning clear in my voice.
“Oh,” he holds out the word and wiggles his eyebrows, “is it like that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I deflect.
It’s not as if I’m unwilling to tell everyone about Laiken, but part of me wants to keep it quiet for right now. I want to enjoy it, this beginning part, and not have it be out amongst the brothers. Those assholes can be huge gossips, even worse than the women. I don’t need them talking about me and my woman too early.
It could ruin everything.
I need Laiken to get comfortable with me first and trust this connection between us. The rest of it will happen when it is supposed to happen. It’s not like I’ll keep my club and my woman apart, that shit won’t work, not in this life.
Apostle barks out a laugh and pulls my thoughts away from Laiken. I’ve never been closer to killing him than I am in this moment.
“I’m sure you don’t,” he taunts me. The way he’s looking at me makes me want to squirm, but I stand tall. When he tilts his head, he eyes the bag on my shoulder. He juts his chin toward it and asks, “What’s up with the bag?”
Damn it.
