Kellan (27 page)

“You sure?” the guy asked. He was tall and blond with a deep tan and deeper dimple.
 

“Yeah. It’s gotta be Colt and me and it’s gotta be final.”
 

Mac took my arm and led me into the back of Jeep. Before I could form another thought, Dex jumped in. Mac wasted no time. He jammed the steering wheel hard, squealing the tires as we tore out of the parking lot. I looked back. Everyone but Colt and Kellan was on their bikes and tearing off after us. I pressed my hand against the window glass.
 

None of the Devil’s Hawks were anywhere in sight save for the driver Colt had pummeled. The last thing I saw before Mac made the turn toward the highway was Colt and Kellan walking calmly toward the building; each had a lighter in one hand and what looked like a beer bottle in the other.
 

I turned; shutting my eyes tight I pressed my back into the car seat.
 

“You okay?” Mac said. He looked at me through the rearview mirror. “They hurt you?”
 

Dex turned around and reached for me. His hand was warm where he touched my knee.
 

“Nice to meet you, Mallory,” he said in a deep but kind voice. “You figured out I’m Dex.”
 

I opened my eyes and smiled. “Yeah. Thanks.” My eyes flicked back toward Mac. He shot me a wink in the mirror.
 

“He came,” I whispered, my heart pounding in my ears. “You all came.”
 

“Hell, yeah, we did,” Mac said. Dex squeezed my knee.
 

“But all of you?”
 

A look passed between Mac and Dex. “Yeah. That’s how it works, Mallory. Someone messes with one of us, they get us all.”
 

“One of you?”
 

Mac laughed. “Yeah. You. Haven’t you figured that out yet? You’re one of us, darlin’. You think you can handle that?”
 

I smiled past the lump in my throat. I blinked back tears as I looked out the window and behind me. There were two riders on each side of us, one right behind. In the distance, I could see two more riders speeding to catch up. Colt and Kellan. And behind them, the warm glow of flames where the Devil’s Hawks clubhouse used to be.
 

Chapter Twenty Seven

Kellan
 

My girl looked shaken, but strong when I pulled in behind the Jeep. But her step was sure when she got out and came to me. I pulled her into my arms and told her I’d never let her go. I couldn’t wait until it was just the two of us again. But she was safe and whole and back at the
Den
. She said she didn’t need a doctor. She just needed to see Mitch and Justin and they needed to see her.
 

Mitch tore across the parking lot and into his sister’s arms, nearly toppling her over. Justin walked out slowly, his hands shoved in his back pockets. He caught my eye over Mallory’s head and gave me a nod. Mallory peppered Mitch’s face with kisses for as long as he’d let her before he started wiping his face. She tousled his hair and put her arm around him.
 

“Can we see Dad now?” Mitch asked. God, it was late. Nearly midnight. But I understood the kid’s need. Now that everyone was safe and sound, he wanted to draw his family close. It’s what I wanted too.
 

Mallory questioned me with her eyes. Smiling, I nodded. “Yeah. We’ll drive you out there first thing in the morning. They won’t let you see him until then, Mitch. You okay with staying the night here?”
 

Mitch nodded. Mallory mouthed a thank you and walked into the
Den
with him. They’d stay in the rooms upstairs. As much as I wanted to get Mallory alone, that was going to have to wait. I needed to settle things with the club first.
 

Jase was already at his car. He gave a nod to me across the parking lot and another to Colt. He left without asking what happened. That was for the best. Without him, tonight could have gone way different. I wouldn’t forget that. Not ever. Then I turned and went back into the building. The rest of the club was already in the back room waiting.
 

The meeting was short and sweet. Everyone was still keyed up from what happened at the Hawks house. God, it had been so quick. And smoother than any of us planned for. No one got hurt.
 

“They just flat out weren’t expecting us to act as quick as we did,” Colt said.
 

“I think you’re secure for at least a good while,” Sly said. “A little birdie told me someone tipped off the Monroeville cops. That’s one more thing this club owes
your brother, Colt. They ought to find some interesting shit in the rubble of that clubhouse.”
 

“I’m not worried,” Colt said. “The Hawks will move off. Maybe not forever, but long enough so we can get our shit established without interference now.”
 

Sly nodded. “I’m still going to send some extra muscle your way for the time being.”
 

“What about the head of the snake?” Brax said.
 

Sly and Dex exchanged looks. “For now, you let us handle that. You’ll get the first call if anything else heads your way. But like Colt said, you should have some peace for a while now.”
 

Peace. I knew it was a relative term where the Great Wolves were concerned. And after tonight, everyone at this table knew there would be times we’d have to play things old school. And everyone at this table would be ready when it happened again. For now though, I’d take the peace we’d earned.
 

The meeting broke up after that. We said our goodbyes to Sly and Dex, offering to let them crash here as long as they wanted. They were both anxious to head out and I understood that too.
 

I went upstairs to find Mallory. She’d taken the bedroom across from mine. The door was slightly open and I peeked in. She was out cold, sleeping peacefully on top of the bed. She hadn’t even taken her shoes off. Mitch was right beside her, tucked under her arm and snoring. It made me smile.
 

I tiptoed in and slid off Mallory’s shoes, then Mitch’s. I grabbed a blanket from the closet and draped it over them. We might be in for another long day tomorrow but for tonight I was damn glad to have the two of them safe, whole, and under my roof.
 

Chapter Twenty Eight

Ned seemed like a different person when we got there. Bright, alert. Mallory didn’t want to tell him anything about what had happened in the last twenty-four hours but he seemed to know something had changed.
 

Mitch sat on the edge of his bed and Mallory hung back by the wall. I gave Justin a nudge and the two of us walked out of Ned’s room to give them some space. It gave us a second to talk anyway.
 

“You sure she’s safe now?”
 

I nodded. “The less you know the better, but yeah. She’s safe.”
 

“Hmm. There was a report on the news that a biker hangout got burned to the ground last night. Two men ended up in the hospital. ATF got called in. Turns out there were a bunch of stolen guns in the place after all the dust settled and the flames burned out.”
 

“That so?”
 

“Yeah.”
 

“Wouldn’t know anything about that. I run a clean, legit business right here in Lincolnshire.”
 

Justin nodded.  “She loves you.”
 

I smiled and looked down. I cocked my head to the side when I looked back up at him. Justin leaned against the wall and crossed his arms in front of him.
 

“I love her too,” I finally said.
 

Justin nodded. “Okay. Can you promise me shit won’t get messy like that around you again?”
 

I chewed the side of my lip. “No. I can’t. But I can promise you she’s safe with me.”
 

Justin smiled. “I kind of figured you’d say that. Well, then, I guess that’s all I can ask. She’s made up her mind about you, I think. That is if last night hasn’t made her come to her senses. I told you, she’s stubborn like that. What about him?” He gestured with his shoulder toward Ned’s room.
 

“Well, that’s gonna be
up
to him. I gave Mallory some brochures. There’s a place I can get him into. Up in the U.P. It’s called
Heroes Helping Heroes
. They specialize in getting guys like him straight and on the right path.”
 

“You don’t think it’s too late?”
 

I shook my head. “As long as he’s still breathing. You think there’s a chance he’ll go?”
 

“I don’t know. He looked different just now. Clearer than I’ve ever seen him. And she said he listened to you the other day more than he’s ever listened to her or other family. Maybe you’ve got the magic touch.”
 

I shrugged. “Nah. I just know a little about the kind of demons that might be chasing him.”
 

Mallory opened the door and stepped outside. Her eyes were red from crying and I went to her. She put up her hands.
 

“No. It’s okay. It’s more than okay. Kellan, he said he’ll go. To that rehab place you found. He’s already made arrangements with his doctor. They’re releasing him in the morning and he’s getting on a plane.”
 

She stepped into my arms and I rested my chin on the top of her head, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. Justin caught my eye and smiled.
 

“It’s not a magic fix,” I warned her. “But it’s a good sign.”
 

“I know. But I’ll take what I can get.”
 

We stayed at the hospital for a little while, making sure Ned had everything he needed. When we left, Justin took Mitch with him. His mother wanted to make the kid a home-cooked meal and smother him for a few days. It was a good plan. He needed it.
 

And it meant I got Mallory all to myself. We didn’t say much on the ride over to my place. She just stared out the window and kept her hand on my knee. She stayed silent like that after we got home. She took a shower and I waited for her, climbing into bed.
 

We’d gotten so close but the last twenty-four hours might just be enough to make her come to her senses like Justin said and want to stay far away from me permanently. But she was here now so I took it as a strong positive.
 

She came out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway naked, her skin glistening with beads of water where she hadn’t quite toweled off. It was late. Moonlight poured through the window and shadowed her in blue. She smiled and crawled into bed beside me. I held her tight and close and didn’t know if I’d ever be able to let her go again.
 

“You sure you’re okay?” I asked her for the thousandth time.
 

Mallory nuzzled against me, resting her head in the hollow near my shoulder. She practically purred her answer.
 

“I shouldn’t be. I should run for the hills. But somehow, I can’t imagine being anywhere other than right here, Kellan. I think that means I’m hopeless.”
 

I laughed; brushing the hair away from her face, I kissed the top of her head.
 

“You came for me,” she said, her voice soft. “I can’t believe you all came for me.”
 

I pulled my head away a little and hooked my fingers under her chin.
 

“What are you talking about?”
 

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. “I know what you risked. What you’re still risking by doing that. What if the cops come after your club?”
 

I shrugged. “You don’t have to worry about that. And they won’t. That’s all you need to know.”
 

“Kellan. There’s something bad about that club.”
 

I couldn’t help laughing at her comment. “Well, yeah.”
 

“No.” She sat up and drew her knees to her chin. It was a defensive posture that tore at me a little. “No. I mean. They didn’t talk to me much. And I didn’t see anyone other than those two creeps who were with me in the back room. At least not until the end.”
 

“They are never going to get near you again,” I said. I had to fight to keep my voice from rising.
 

She put up a hand. “I know that. That’s not what I mean. I wanted to tell you but everything’s been so crazy. They kept saying things about handing me over to some Russians. One of them threatened to, you know, do things to me. I think it
was just talk to scare me. Other than throwing me in the van, they didn’t really hurt me. But they were going to give me to whoever these Russian assholes were and they referred to me as merchandise. Kellan, those guys were into something bigger than just messing with your club.”
 

I blew a breath out hard, trying to fight back the urge to smash something again. They wouldn’t come near her. As long as there was breath left in my body, those assholes would never touch my girl or my brothers again. But I couldn’t tell her more than that. There was trouble brewing bigger than just the threat to my club. And it might get a lot worse before we made it better, but that was a fight for another day. For now, I needed to trust that Sly and Dex knew what they were doing. The day they needed help from Lincolnshire, I’d be there.
 

For now though, the threat had passed. My club was safe and so was my girl.
 

“Baby. I swear I’ll never lie to you. But there are going to be some things I won’t be able to tell you. This is one of them.”
 

That little crease formed between Mallory’s eyes. I held my breath while she thought about what I said. If she wanted out, it would have to be now. It would tear my guts apart, but I couldn’t pretend what happened to her wasn’t because of me. She put a hand over her mouth and blew out hard before she finally looked back up at me and my heart stopped.