Page 175 of Beyond the Blue Horizon

She wavered, clearly not wanting to leave his side, but she climbed off his lap and slinked for the bar, no question trying to act the part.

Confident.

Like she belonged there.

The rest of the Owls knew well enough that she wasn’t up for grabs. That any one of them would lose their hands if they even thought of touching her.

Didn’t mean all the fuckers didn’t leer at her as she went, the innocence she emitted making them rabid.

Theo wished he wasn’t such a pussy and would do something about it. Claim her the way he should if he was going to bring her around here.

Once she was out of earshot, Trent heaved out a sigh, dude’s dark glare sweeping the bar once again before he quietly muttered, “Pretty sure dear old dad is the one who’s about to put that knife in my back.”

Cutter, Trent and Jud’s father and the club’s president, was the most vicious motherfucker Theo knew. Psycho had gutted a prospect simply because he thought he looked at him wrong, though Theo imagined he was just sending the message that he would gladly do the same to any one of them if they didn’t fall in line with his commands.

Commands that had gotten more and more twisted through the years.

Jud stirred in agitation, dude burly as fuck and all kinds of terrifying. He fisted a hand on the tabletop, all too ready to goon the warpath. “Not sure what he has planned, but I swear I can feel the treachery rolling off him every time I get in the same room with him. Eyes gleaming as he counts down our days.”

“You know we stand by your side, no matter what,” River offered low, making sure no one else could hear.

“Yeah. I know it. And we might need it. Just…be sure to keep your ears out. You hear anything, let us know. We need to anticipate when he makes his move.”

“Of course, brother,” Theo said before he took a sip of his drink, eyes tracking Scarlett who was at the bar.

Irritation bristled across his flesh when Toga sidled up to her side, grinning his pompous grin as he leaned back against the bar, sipping from a beer bottle as he said something to her that Theo could count on as being perverted.

“You gonna put a property patch on her or what?” Trent grunted, seeing the same.

A stir rolled through Theo’s crew. Their own uncertainty crawled around them. Theo had insisted that Scarlett stay at their house like she belonged there, the woman always attached to his side, while he kept a twenty-foot-high wedge between them.

Apprehension buzzed through Theo, and he took a sip of amber liquid, letting the fire glide down his throat like it could burn away the rejection.

The half-truth came out anyway. “Don’t think I’m quite there yet.”

Kane huffed in criticism. “Then you need to cut her loose, man. Girl’s fuckin’ gone for you, and you’re over there toying with her.”

Anger pinched Theo’s brow. “I’m not toying with her.”

River canted his head. “Then what?”

“I…I don’t fuckin’ know.” Theo scrubbed a palm over his face. “Only thing I know is she’s my responsibility.”

“Bringing her here doesn’t seem like a wise way to go about it.” Trent emphasized the point with a lift of his chin.

Theo sighed. “I know.”

“You love her?” Otto pressed.

Fuck.

He wanted to say yes.

Claim it.

Force himself into feeling something that he couldn’t.

Because he did love her, but not the way Otto was suggesting.