Page 13 of Legacy
Maybe it was the please that did it. Whatever it was, he stopped mid-punch and looked at me. And it felt like for the first time he actually saw me. Heaving himself to his feet, he pulled me into his side, tucking me against him protectively despite the threat having been neutralised since it was bleeding on the floor.
“I won’t repeat myself again, Tristan.” The calm was back in his voice. But somehow that was worse. It sure as hell was scarier.
Tristan sat there, his lips and teeth stained with blood. Despite it making him wince, he grinned. “Oh, I’ve received your message, loud and clear.” Ungracefully, he clambered to his feet. Leaning forward, he would have touched me with his outstretched hand if Legacy hadn’t stepped slightly in front of me. His final words were a promise that echoed in my head. “I’ll see you around, Kate.”
Chapter Eight
Legacy
I took her home, despite wanting to take her to the clubhouse. She dug her heels in and refused. I could have taken her there and ignored her wishes, and I probably should have, but she was shaken up enough as it was. Home was her safe space. At least it should have been. I wasn’t so sure anymore. Tristan Hunter had a boner for her. That was crystal clear. The polite way of describing it would have been an infatuation, but there was nothing polite about the Hunters.
And there was nothing polite about what I would do to Tristan if he went near Kate or Conner again.
Although I had warned him both with my words and my fists, I knew deep down that it wasn’t over yet. I couldn’t understand how Kate had even caught his eye. I suspected she didn’t either, but the whole thing felt like a set-up. Like they had threatened Conner, knowing she would go rushing to his defence. It sounded like something Tristan would do based on his reputation. But how had Kate even ended up on his radar? It’s not like she ran in the same circles.
One thing was for certain: she hadn’t seen the last of Tristan Hunter.
He wouldn’t give up.
That meant I had to make sure she was safe. She and Conner.
I wouldn’t forgive myself if I let anything happen to either of them.
“Is that one of yours?” Kate's voice broke through my melancholy thoughts. I had been so busy trying to work out what to do to keep them safe that I hadn’t even paid attention to the roar of a bike approaching.
Reinforcements.
Pocket had come through for me.
Raising my eyes to her back, I took her in again. She hadn’t changed her clothes, but the wedged heels she had been wearing had been kicked off. Taking in her slim back and flaring hips, I fought back the urge to groan.
Has she always been that beautiful? But I already knew the answer to that. Yeah, she had. I just hadn’t allowed myself to think about it. She had been Paul’s woman. She would always be Paul’s woman. I shouldn’t ever look at her like I was.
But it was like my eyes couldn’t keep from looking.
Letting the curtains fall back into place, she turned to me. Her eyebrow was raised in a silent question.
Heaving myself up, I went to stand behind her. Reaching past her to twitch back the curtains, I took stock of the company. “Yeah.” I didn’t move as I watched not one, but two bikes, pull up to the curb. Pocket had come through alright and he had brought Duke with him. I recognised their bikes instantly. Duke’s was especially unique thanks to the ultra realistic mural painted on it.
“Yeah, they are Sons. You can trust them.” I let the curtain fall. But I didn’t move. I liked the feeling of warmth radiating from her body. It was comforting. What would it feel like if I pulled her into me? If I wrapped her in a vice-like embrace so her ass was pressed against me? Would she let her head fall back against my shoulder, or would she stiffen? I knew I would stiffen. Already I could feel myself twitching against the denim that covered me.
“You invited the Savage Sons to my house?” She didn’t turn to me.
“Yeah. They aren’t uncivilised savages, you know, and I don’t want you to be alone when I go to collect Conner.”
That made her turn. “You’re going to get Conner?” She sounded confused.
“Yep. If you won’t come to the clubhouse, then me or one of my friends will be shadowing you pretty closely until this is all over. Tristan will get bored sooner or later,” I lied. There was no way he would get bored, not now that I was on the scene. Me getting involved might have just made things worse.
“Is that necessary?”
“Yes.” Hands on her shoulders, I turned her, my fingers flexing against her skin as I squeezed. “Look at me, Kate.”
She did what I asked. Her chin and bottom lip trembled. She didn’t look like she was going to cry, but that wobbling bottom lip told me she was struggling.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promised, trying my best to keep my smile as authentic as I could. She knew me well enough to know when I was lying, but I wanted to at least try to put her at ease. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to look after you and make sure you are both okay. Even if that means I don’t leave your side.”
Her eyes widened. “You mean you’re going to stay? Here?” Wildly, her eyes moved around the room, like a trapped and cornered animal that was looking for an escape route. “With me? Like in the night? Sleepover and…and…”
