Page 154 of Burning Ember

“Griz said he’s got a thing for redheads. And probably thinks he’s got a shot since she’s not claimed.”

Smoke wasn’t the only fucker eyeing my girl last night. Plenty of brothers were watching us. But something about Smoke makes me twitchy. I don’t want that crazy fuck anywhere near Ember.

I think about not having Ember there tonight. But at the same time, I don’t want to leave her anywhere unprotected either. Better with me at the clubhouse than somewhere else alone.

“I’ll be there.” I hit end and pocket my phone, close the distance between Ember and me and wrap my arms around her. She leans back into me.

“Who was that?”

“Edge. He’s wants us all at church tonight.”

Ember looks at me over her shoulder and gives me a perplexed expression.

“It’s a meeting we have at the clubhouse in the chapel.” When she still looks confused as fuck, I chuckle and explain, “The room I told you was off limits and only for brothers.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, listen, there’s another party afterward. It won’t be as out of control as last night, but I’d like it if you’d come.”

“Okay.” She nods.

“Good. And one more thing.”

She leans forward and peaks into the black bag. She playfully asks, “What. You don’t have Dana’s remains or her skull in here too, do you?”

I shake my head but inside cringe. No, the one skeleton I keep hidden isn’t Dana’s. And that secret is one I’ll most likely carry to my grave with me.

She places her palm over her mouth. “I’m sorry that was awful of me.”

“Honestly, babe, if the boys wouldn’t have pried me out of the room she was sleepin’ naked in with another man, there’s a good chance I would have killed her.”

Doll whispers under her breath, “I just might too if I ever meet her.”

I squeeze her tight to me. “See, you’re gonna make a great old lady. Which reminds me.” I pull my necklace over my head and place it over hers. She picks up the HOC medallion and studies it. “Is this like in high school when your boyfriend gives you his letterman jacket so he can let all the other jocks know you’re taken?”

I smile as I kiss her temple and run my lips down to her ear. “Yes. Only I’m lettin’ the other jerks know you’re taken.”

Before we leave, and a few minutes before the first raindrops fall, I burn the black bag.

All the items that used to be inside, we keep.

Ember seems to think I’ll need them. Someday.

Never knowing what lies ahead is one of the scariest things we face as we go through life.

EMBER

Leaving the restaurant doorway, we run across the parking lot toward his truck. Me with Mav’s cut over my head, him ushering me with his hand on the small of my back. The curses he’s spitting out behind me have my smile spreading wider. By the time we get to where the truck’s parked, we’re soaked through to the bone and I’m laughing.

Instead of going to the driver’s side, he jogs beside me to the passenger door. I yell, “No, just get in.” But he completely ignores me and opens my door.

Warmth flows through me at the gesture.

When we stopped at the hospital and he spoke to Cap as if he were awake, I nearly melted on the spot. And watching him from across the table moments ago, eating his lunch, lick his fingers, and stare heatedly at me, had me nearly crawling over the table to kiss the hell out of him.

I’ve been unable to shut off this ache to be closer to him all day. The tether on my self-control is non-existent. I think I lost it somewhere in-between last night and this morning. Most likely, in Mav’s bed, or when he sprawled me out on the kitchen island and fucked me senseless.

A heavy dose of lust hits me every time I look at him, every time he touches me, and every time we kiss. I mean, he’s standing before me now with his shirt sticking to every sculpted muscle and rain dripping from his impeccable jaw and chiseled features. He’s looking down at me, his golden eyes hooded, while rain pelts both of us. The electricity sparking in the sky is nothing compared to the energy buzzing between us. It’s a steady burn that’s been lingering beneath my skin, crackling and kindling, and growing by the hour, it ready to explode if given the chance to.