Page 9 of Hansel
Pope didn't mean for his words to hurt but they cut into me like a razor. Even when I knew there had been other women in Hansel's life since I had left, I didn't want to hear about it. And I sure as hell didn’t want to see it.
Even seeing him with a date had been agony.
“He is here with a date.”
Pope laughed. “You don't need to worry about that anymore. Louisa won't be hanging around him anymore. Me and Sylvie…well I'm not one to kiss and tell so...” He made a show of locking his lips tight and throwing away the invisible key.
“Well it's nice to see you are a gentleman, Pope. But then I always knew you were.” I ran my fingers through his hair idly.
Pope's eyes darkened. “Gretal… You know I would be anything you want me to be right?”
His words were a soft caress but they made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I had known Pope for years. And never in that time had he ever said something so inappropriate. It was strange that he had said it now.
“I know.” I had to keep my wits about me. There was a traitor in the Sons’ midst, a man who was murdering women in cold blood. And I didn't know who I could trust. “But right now I want you to dance with me.”
Chapter Six
Hansel
I stayed away from her. It was hard, but I never stopped watching her. Whether she was my wife or not didn't matter. She was Gretal, and I would always have her back. But, God, it was hard watching her dance with everyone but me. Flirt and laugh with everyone but me. It was almost too much and I couldn't even escape back to my room and lose myself in another woman.
Whilst Gretal was there, whilst she needed me, there would be no other women.
If by some long shot she gave me another chance, there would never be another woman. Not ever again.
I was glad when Monster and Angela finally left. It meant that the party was winding down. Gretal would go back to her room, she would lock the door and be safe. Or as safe as she would ever be seeing the job she had been asked to do. I would be able to close my eyes and rest, maybe if I was lucky, grab a few hours’ sleep.
Fang might think there was a traitor in our midst, but I couldn't believe it. These were my brothers. Men I trusted with my life. If there was a killer then it was from Gio’s organisation, not ours. I was sure of it.
So, inside the clubhouse she would be safe.
As soon as Monster and Angela left, I followed after them. I needed some space to gather my thoughts, to lay in the darkness of my room and just be quiet. I knew Monster did the same regularly and it seemed to work for him. He managed to keep himself under control and not go ape shit on everyone. And I couldn’t blow up on anyone and blow Gretal's cover.
Everyone trusted her, they loved her.
Jesus. I flopped down on my bed face first. Not bothering to lock the door behind me and groaned. Of course everyone loved Gretal. They all cared for her. But no one loved and cared for her more than I did.
She was mine.
She always would be, whether or not she ever came back to me.
I slipped under the covers fully dressed. I couldn't be bothered to take my clothes off. I couldn't be bothered to do anything but lay there and think about what a fuck up I was.
I’d had everything I ever wanted in my life and I had screwed it up just like I always did.
“Hansel.” The blankets lifted slightly and a small body slipped in next to mine. I stiffened, not quite believing what I was hearing.
Gretal’s perfume filled my lungs. Not overly sweet, but feminine and delicious. Just like she was.
“Are you awake?” One small hand ran up and under my shirt, warm fingers sliding across my muscles.
“What are you doing here, Gretal?” I couldn't open my eyes. If I did and she was looking at me with the lust I could hear in her voice. I would take her hard and fast and everyone would hear it.
“I didn't want to be alone.” Gretal's cheek came to rest against my back. Her arms encircled my waist so she could meld her body to mine. “No one saw me.”
“I wouldn’t care if they did, Gretal. But there's at least ten beds you could have crawled into tonight. Why mine? To torture me?”
“Because yours is the only bed I want to be in Hansel.”
