Page 24 of Dusty and Dented (Fallen Angels MC #2)

A ndy climbed the stairs and headed for Dagger’s bedroom, wondering if she was doing the right thing or if she should insist Dagger take her home so she could deal with her past coming back to haunt her on her own.

Wouldn’t it be better if she let the Angels stay out of her trouble?

How would she feel if Tony, or one of the men he sent, killed one or more of the Angels?

What if she got Dagger killed?

That thought made her breath catch in her throat.

The tears that recently seemed so close to the surface pooled in her eyes.

She blinked rapidly to keep them from spilling over.

Reaching Dagger’s room, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

She stared at the bed for a moment wondering if she was being selfish then stopped herself before climbing in.

Instead, she went into the bathroom and after using the facilities, she stared into the mirror at her reflection.

Her eyes looked sunken, and her skin was paler than she remembered.

She shook her head and pushed away thoughts of things she could do nothing about as she pulled down a washcloth, wet it and washed her face.

It only took a couple of minutes, but it helped her feel worlds better and gave her the energy to push away the doubts that had been plaguing her mind on the trip upstairs.

When she’d finished, she stepped back into the bedroom and found that Dagger had returned.

She wondered for a moment how he’d managed to get in without her hearing him, but decided it wasn’t important.

“There you are,” he said as she stepped into the room. “Are you okay?”

She nodded but didn’t say anything as she moved closer.

She let her eyes skim over him, making sure he wasn’t carrying anything that would get in her way, then she moved in and pressed her face against his chest, her body against his as she wrapped her arms around his waist. His arms came around her and she took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of leather, soap and she wasn’t sure what else, but it was what she’d come to associate with Dagger.

Odd how it had happened so quickly, but the feeling of his arms around her, combined with his scent did something to calm her that little else had in a long time. Not even Travis had been able to calm her this quickly or easily.

“You sure you’re all right?” The concern in Dagger’s voice made her pull back enough to look up at him.

“I’m good. I just needed a hug. I needed to feel you holding me and breathe you in.”

He scowled down at her for a moment, but it didn’t strike her as an unhappy scowl, only that he was trying to figure out what she meant. Andy buried her face against his chest once more and took one last deep breath before she released him and stepped back.

“What’s the last thing you remember before you left?” she asked. Talking about the movie was safer. She didn’t want to talk about her feelings, and she didn’t think he wanted to listen anyway.

He stared at her for a moment, as if the sudden change of topic took his brain a moment to catch up. Then he told her what he remembered about what had been happening in the movie. Andy had seen the movie enough she knew exactly where that was.

“I didn’t last long, did I?” she asked as she picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

“No, but I didn’t mind. You needed the sleep and I had something I needed to do.”

“Do I ask about it, and the blood all over when you came back, or do I just let it go?”

“You can ask, but I can’t tell you.” He gave her an apologetic look.

“I figured as much,” she said with a sigh. It was probably something to do with the men who’d kidnapped her. How else would they have known that they’d been hired to take her specifically and that it hadn’t been something having to do with the club.

After what had happened to Travis, that was what she’d assumed.

Now, though, knowing it had been because of her, because of her stupid choice to get involved with Tony, it made her wonder how far Tony would go to make sure her leaving didn’t make him look bad in front of his friends.

Though, she didn’t know if ‘friends’ was the right word.

He didn’t have what she would consider friends.

He had associates, he had people he did business with, and he had minions.

Toadies that did his bidding because he either paid them, scared them, or both.

“Here, before it gets warm.” Dagger held a bottle of beer in her direction.

“Thanks.” Andy took it and tipped it back, taking a couple of swallows before she wedged it between her thighs and turned her attention back to the screen as she tried to find the spot in the movie where he’d left.

“Where do you want me?”

Something in Dagger’s voice made her stop what she was doing and look over at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You want me on the bed with you? Or I can sit over here if you’d be more comfortable that way.”

She frowned at him. What would make him think she didn’t want him beside her? Why was he asking this now?

“Here is good,” she patted the bed beside her, “but if you want to sit over there, that’s fine too.

” She watched him for a moment while he went to the recliner and sat, but he sat on the edge, not like he was making himself comfortable.

Satisfied that he would be joining her on the bed once he was done with his boots, she turned back to the TV and finding the right spot.

“Are we sitting or lying?” he asked a couple of minutes later.

“I’m sitting, at least for now. Do what makes you comfortable.

” She turned her attention back to the screen knowing that if he watched her like she wanted to do to him, then she’d be self-conscious and uncomfortable, and she didn’t want to do that to him.

After a moment the bed dipped. She kept her eyes on the screen but couldn’t help being aware of every move he made.

After he’d settled and hadn’t moved for a couple of minutes, and she’d found the spot in the movie he’d told her he’d last seen, she turned and looked at him.

“Ready?”

“Sure.” He gave her a smile that was more curved lips than teeth.

It made her think that she was getting his real smile, not just an expression used to be friendly.

She hit the button to start the movie, then leaned back against the headboard and found that Dagger had wrapped an arm around her back.

She took a deep breath and let it out with a rush as she relaxed into him.

His hand curled around her hip and Andy let her head fall against his shoulder.

She was more comfortable and at peace now than she could remember being in far too long.