Page 28 of Pike
“Maybe one day you will, but not tonight.” He gripped my shoulders and guided me back inside the cabin. “Go take a shower. I’ll keep an eye on things until you’re done.”
I nodded absently but did what he said without thinking. The hot shower washed the blood away, but I felt no relief. I didn’t feel clean or refreshed or anything but cold and distant.
I killed someone else. Marcus. Victor. Ashley. Unnamed Biker.
There under the hot shower spray I finally dealt with my emotions, which was to say I let myself break down until the water ran cold.
Chapter Sixteen
Pike
Joining Chloe in the shower seemed like a good way to dump some of the adrenaline that coursed through my veins after the fight, after her emotions and dealing with the bodies. I stripped down and stepped inside but I froze at the sound of her harsh, body quaking sobs. I stood on the other side of the shower butt ass naked and listened as she fell apart.Because she’s a good person.
She was worried about being a killer, which was understandable. Most people don’t end up killing three people in their lifetime, but each and every kill was for survival and that was never something to cry about. She saved her life, probably Gemma’s and definitely my life.Fuck that.I pulled back the curtain and stepped inside, ignoring the soapy water that rushed over her curves and focusing on her face. “It’s okay,” I assured her through whispered growls and held her while she cried.
Chloe turned in my arms and buried her face in my chest, crying so hard I thought she might break a rib. She was hurting something fierce, and I wished I could fucking take it all away, wished I could shoulder this burden for her.
“Thank you, Chloe.” I kissed the top of her head while my hands rubbed soothing circles on her back. “Thank you for not thinking when you jumped in to help me even though I told you to stay upstairs.”
A watery laugh escaped.
“Thank you for saving my ass.” I held her until the hot water started to cool and her sobs turned to cries and then nothing but a few sniffles.
She pulled back to look into my eyes with a sad smile. “Thank you for rushing into danger to keep us safe. I don’t feel guilty about helping you.”
“Saving me,” I corrected.
Her smile brightened a little. “I don’t regret it, but what does it say about me that I’m so quick to kill?”
I kissed her forehead again, more for me than for her this time. “It says that you’re a fierce protector when it comes down to it. You chose survival every fucking time, that’s why you’re still here.”
She shook her head. “I think maybe you took too many hits to the head.”
I laughed and handed her a towel to dry off while I did the same. “Or maybe you’re too busy beating yourself up to see clearly.” I knew some of that was on me, I’d blamed her the loudest. “I think we both have been guilty of that.”
“No, I think you saw me clearly. Ashley was my fault. I shouldn’t have let her help me. Should have sent her far away from my messy life.”
“Weeks ago I would have agreed with you, but I know my sister, and there was nolettingher do anything. She was determined to help you,” I told her. “Felt guilty she hadn’t warned you about Marcus.”
She nodded. “She told me, and I told her it wasn’t her job to warn me. The truth was it probably wouldn’t have made adifference. Marcus was really good at hiding who he was until it was too late. He probably only acted that way with Ash so soon because she was a lot more outspoken and independent than I was. She never shrank away from the hard stuff and I’m guessing a lot of that had to do with you.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. Ashley and I had leaned on each other a lot growing up. I made her tough and she made me thoughtful, but I never thought of like that until now. “We should get dressed. The guys will be here soon.”
We were quiet as we dressed and headed downstairs to greet my brothers. Chloe put on a pot of coffee while I waited anxiously, wondering what the fuck was going on back in Steel City. Other than a few calls, nobody had called or kept me informed of much.
Tonight that would change. It had to.
***
When the Steel Demons arrived, we didn’t say much, simply got down to the business of disposing of the Ghost Riders who dared to fucking invade this space. It took more than an hour to break down and clean up everything, but two prospects left with Maverick to make sure nobody would ever find them.
The front door opened and there was Chloe looking timid and exhausted as she stepped out with a tray that contained coffee, sugar and milk. She came back out with another filled with coffee mugs and one more that held a variety of cookies, shrinking back visibly when the guys pounced.
“Hey, thanks Chloe!” Hawk flashed a smile in her direction. “This is just what I needed.”
She returned his smile and then quickly looked away. Her gaze met mine for a long moment before she turned and slipped back inside the cabin.
“How are things going?” Diesel stepped up beside me, his gaze followed mine to the door Chloe had just disappeared behind.
