Page 10 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

God, my head hurts, and I was so drained. I felt like I could sleep for a week. After a difficult week, I was now dealing with my club family, who were up in arms over the possibility that someone would hurt me.

When Chaos strong-armed the truth out of me about the risk of Cedric having a crony try to hurt me for revenge or that he’d have a stranger do it for money, I thought his head was about to explode.

I attempted to prevent him from calling Wrath and Daddy Rage.

It was impossible. They lectured me over the phone for an hour before they gave up. Or I should say, I thought they did.

I tried to kick Chaos out after he called them, but he refused to leave and said if I wanted him gone, I had to call the cops. I was mad at him, but not that mad. I’d argued with him about how he overreacted. He kept working to get the name of the prisoner. I refused to tell him.

Two hours later, I was invaded by Daddy Rage, Wrath, and Mom. It was almost midnight. I should’ve known they’d come. It was a miracle they were the only ones who did. We bickered for two hours back and forth over my stubbornness, as they called it. Or more like bullheaded bitchiness as Chaos did.

Mom had even pulled out the tears. As much as it hurt to see her cry, and I knew she was scared, I couldn’t. They’d lose their minds if they had any idea who Cedric Alves was. And the Pagans tangling with Cedric’s bunch was a disaster of epic proportions. I wouldn’t risk them that way.

Eventually, they gave up. But they didn’t head home.

They went to stay the night at a nearby hotel.

I didn’t have room in my apartment for them.

Chaos ended up staying again in my guestroom while the three of them stayed at the hotel.

I hadn’t objected since I knew he’d lie outside my door if I did.

I didn’t want him to be cold and miserable.

He was being a friend even though I didn’t want him to protect me.

I’d dropped into bed not long before three in the morning.

They were at my door by eight-thirty, and their demands, lectures, and begging started again.

It was ten o’clock, and I was ready to scream and pull out my hair.

I was opening my mouth to tell them they had to leave when there was a hard pounding on my door.

I’d seen Wrath on his phone, but it wasn’t unusual, so I hadn’t asked who it was.

The sound told me it had to be a big, overprotective man on the other side.

Who from Lake Oconee had he gotten to come here?

And why? If he, Daddy Rage, Chaos, and Mom couldn’t convince me, who did that leave?

“I’ll get that,” Wrath said, coming to his feet. I stood and followed him.

“Wrath, I’m gonna kill you. Which poor brother did you drag here from Lake Oconee? There was no reason for that. I can tell you right now, no matter who it is, I won’t change my mind.”

“I didn’t get anyone from home to come here, Ms. Smartypants. And we’ll see about not changing your mind,” he said with a curl of his upper lip.

“Goddamn it, Wrath, you have no right…” My words melted away when he yanked the door open, and I saw Loki standing there.

I didn’t know what to say or do. I stared at him in shock as he stared back.

I swore he wore a mixture of determination and something else on his face.

His arms were crossed over his massive chest. His leather jacket was zipped up. I was tongue-tied.

“Thanks for coming, man,” Wrath told him.

My dead-to-me-now brother stepped back to allow Loki inside. I stumbled back. Loki’s arm flashed out and snagged my lower arm to prevent me from falling on my ass like a moron.

“Are you alright?” he asked in that slightly gravelly voice that made my body buzz.

“I’m fine. What are you doing here, Loki? Please tell me that Wrath didn’t ask you to come down here to be some kind of bodyguard,” I pleaded.

Wrath shut the door as he listened to us. The others had come over to stand nearby. I didn’t look at Chaos. If I did and he started his game bullshit, I’d strangle him.

“It’s good to see ya, son. How was the trip? Any trouble?” Daddy Rage asked. He smiled at Loki and shook his hand.

“It’s good to see you again, too. The ride was great. No problems. Betty, it’s wonderful to see you,” Loki told Mom.

She smiled and walked up to hug him. I watched him return it.

A niggling of envy filled me. I was jealous of my mom being hugged by him.

I needed to get my head examined. Just because she was freely in his arms and he could barely stand me wasn’t a reason to be upset with her.

With their greetings out of the way, Loki faced me. I got back to the point.

“If Wrath didn’t ask you to come, who did?”

As I asked, I had to prevent myself from glowering at Chaos and Daddy Rage. It had to be one of them. Knowing Chaos, he would think this would help his chances of winning the game. I had news. There was nothing that would do that.

“No one asked me to come,” Loki stated.

“Then mind telling me why you’re here?” I asked. I wasn’t sure I believed him.

Loki gruffly replied, “I came because my president heard you have a problem. I thought I could lend a hand.”

I threw my hands in the air. “Yeah, I bet. Well, here’s the news flash.

I don’t need a babysitter. I won’t go to the clubhouse in Lake Oconee and hide.

And I’m not telling anyone the name of the individual.

And I don’t want anyone poking around trying to find out.

I don’t talk about my cases. So why don’t you all go home?

I have shit to do today before I go to work tomorrow,” I snapped. I was at the end of my patience.

“We’re not leaving you here alone! You can bitch and argue all you want, but it’s not happening. Let’s sit and talk about this like civilized adults,” Daddy Rage suggested.

He headed toward the small living room. I had a sofa and a comfy recliner in it.

Chaos had brought a chair from the kitchen into it earlier.

He walked off to grab another. Rage and Mom ended up in the recliner.

She sat on his lap. Wrath sat in the kitchen chair already there.

I sat on the couch, and lo and behold, Loki did too. Chaos set his chair next to Wrath’s.

“Don’t sit there and stare at me. I meant what I said. I’m not going to let someone run me out of my home. And you can’t have his name. I know how you are. No,” I stated firmly to all four pairs of eyes.

“We’re not asking for the hell of it, sweetness. We need to know who to prepare adequately to protect you,” Chaos told me.

Mom, Rage, and Wrath all nodded in agreement. Loki’s mouth tightened. I sighed.

“And I appreciate how you took time out of your lives and busy schedules to come here, but it wasn’t necessary. I’m careful. I have a gun, and I’ll stay alert. He’d be beyond stupid to try to have anyone touch me.” I added confidence to my tone.

“Why are you as stubborn as your mom? Goddamn woman almost drove me to drink when I first found her. We know you’re tough. Look where you come from and what you lived through. But it’s our job to watch over you when things get dicey,” Rage argued.

“I appreciate it, but it’s hardly dicey.

There’s no proof that C—I mean, the prisoner has asked or hired anyone to harm me.

I think it’s all boasting on his part. He has to talk big to try to bolster his reputation in prison.

If he doesn’t, others might try to harm him or take over his spot,” I explained.

“That might be true, but we can’t risk it, Brae. How do you think we’d feel if we didn’t take precautions and you were hurt or worse? I’d never be able to live with the guilt,” Chaos said.

“I love that you feel that way. Can’t we just agree to be observant and cautious? If there’s definite proof of a hit or I spot someone acting suspiciously, we can revisit this,” I suggested.

I hated that Loki was witness to this. As much as I tried not to get distracted by him, it did no good. All I wanted to do was soak him in. Rage, Chaos, Mom, and Wrath kept debating among themselves.

I was about to yell at them all to shut up when Loki yelled, “It’s time to let me talk to her!”

Loki’s command got their attention and mine. What did he think he could say that would make me change my mind?

“Please do,” Mom said to him.

“I need to speak to Braelyn alone. I know you’re all concerned, but whatever you’ve been saying hasn’t convinced her. There’s more than this that I need to speak to her about. Would you give us a couple of hours?”

I blinked in surprise. What did we have to talk about? Why would it have to be done in private?

“What can’t you say in front of her family?” Rage asked.

I was taken aback when Mom elbowed him and hissed, “Hush, let’s go. I’ll explain later.”

Wrath eyed Loki through narrowed eyes, and my buddy, or I should say my ex-buddy, Chaos, sat there smirking at me. When no one was looking, he winked and mouthed, Here it comes.

I gave him the middle finger and mouthed, Fuck you . He didn’t know what he was talking about. My response made him grin.

As they rose reluctantly to leave, I racked my brain. Could the Warriors have somehow found out who I was up against? If so, how? If they had, why would Loki hesitate to tell the others? Unless he wanted to let me know first. The more I thought of it, the more I felt that was the reason.

At the door, I was hugged by each of them. Chaos was the last one. He jerked me into his arms, lowered his head, and whispered in my ear, “Make sure not to attack him until after he declares himself. If he doesn’t, I’m kicking his ass,” he grumbled.

“You’re insane. He’s not declaring any such thing. Go. You need your head examined. No matter what you say or do, the game is won by me. See you next week at the shelter,” I goaded.