Page 16 of Haunted By the Storm
"Storm!" she exclaims. "Did you come to watch the movie with us? It's about dragons!"
A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe for a few minutes, kiddo. I need to talk to your mom first."
Emily nods, returning her attention to the screen, where a cartoon dragon swoops across a mountain range. Storm gestures toward the kitchen, and I follow him, keeping Emily in my line of sight.
"We've set up round-the-clock security," he says, keeping his voice low. "Two brothers outside at all times, plus cameras on all entrances. No one gets in without us knowing about it."
Relief washes over me, though I try not to show it. "Thank you. I know this is a lot of trouble?—"
"It's not trouble," he cuts me off. "It's what we do."
There it is again, that same assertion Eda made. It's what they do. As if taking in a terrified single mother and her daughter is just another day in the life of an outlaw motorcycle club.
"Have you heard anything about Eric?" I ask, unable to keep the fear from my voice.
Storm's expression darkens. "Not yet. We're looking into him, trying to figure out what he's really after."
"What do you mean, really after?"
He leans against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "Men like him don't just show up after eight years wanting to play daddy. There's something else going on."
The thought sends a chill through me. "What else could he want?"
"Could be money. Could be revenge for something. Could be he's just a sadistic bastard who gets off on causing fear." He shrugs. "We'll figure it out."
I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the room. "I just want him gone. I want my life back."
Storm's eyes soften slightly. "You'll get it back. I promise."
I want to believe him. But promises are easy to make and so much harder to keep.
"I should check how the security system installation is going at your place," he says, straightening up. "Will you be okay here for a bit?"
I nod, though the thought of him leaving sends a spike of panic through me. "We'll be fine."
He studies me for a moment, his blue eyes seeming to see right through my brave front. "I'll be back in an hour or two. If you need anything, anything at all, just ask any of the brothers. They all know you're under my protection."
Under his protection. The phrase should make me bristle; I've spent years taking care of myself and Emily with no man's protection required, but instead, I find it oddly comforting.
"Okay," I say simply.
He hesitates, like he wants to say something else, then just nods. "I'll see you later, then." He turns toward the living room. "See ya, kiddo. Enjoy your movie."
Emily waves without looking away from the screen, completely absorbed in her dragons. Storm gives me one last look before heading to the door, his footsteps surprisingly quiet for such a large man.
Once he's gone, I lean against the counter, exhaling slowly. Being around Storm is... intense. He fills the room with his presence, making it hard to think clearly. And there's something about the way he looks at me, like he's trying to figure me out, that makes me feel simultaneously exposed and protected.
It's unsettling.
I shake off the feeling and return to the living room, settling on the couch beside Emily. She immediately snuggles against me, her small body warm and trusting. I press a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.
"Mom?" she asks, her eyes still on the screen.
"Yes, baby?"
"Are we on vacation?"
I consider how to answer. Emily knows something is wrong. She's too perceptive not to. But I've tried to shield her from the worst of it. She doesn't know about Eric or why he's a threat. She just knows we're staying somewhere new for a while.
