Page 6 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

Entering the clubhouse through the rear door, I meandered through the hallways to the common room area.

I could’ve gone to Bull’s office, but I needed a glimpse first, assuming she was there.

Numerous people called my name out. I returned their greetings with nods, chin lifts, or a wave.

A swift scan of the common room showed that Bull, Braelyn, and Chaos weren’t there.

Briefly, my mind went to the thought that the latter two might still be in bed together, but I shoved it away.

Before I could go to Bull’s office, Payne caught me.

Jayla and their son, Storm, were with Ilara, Ryker, and River at a nearby table.

River and Ryker were Bear and Ilara’s twins.

Those three were a handful. They sure made you wonder what they’d be like when they grew up.

More than one of us had told Payne that naming his son Storm was guaranteed to make him a wild one.

He laughed and shrugged. He didn’t seem to be worried about it.

With so many settling down, one right after the other, it had left the club with a bunch of kids aged six and under, except for Easton and Belle.

Easton was Tank’s oldest, whom he adopted when he married Brynlee.

Belle was adopted when Joker claimed her mom, Raina. Easton was ten and Belle fourteen.

Joker was already losing his mind. Belle looked like her mom, and that made her beautiful.

Boys were noticing, and it was the older teenage boys who had paid the most attention.

He’d informed her she wasn’t allowed to date until she was thirty and only then if he went along to chaperone.

She’d stormed out of the clubhouse when he said that, wailing she’d die an old maid.

“Where did you disappear to last night? One minute, you were here, and then the next, gone. Is everything alright, brother?” Payne asked in concern.

“I had to sort some shit out, but I’m good. I’m supposed to meet with Bull at eleven. Have you seen him?”

“He was here not long ago. Try his office. I haven’t seen Jocelyn or the twins yet.”

“Thanks, I will. See you in a bit,” I told him. He gave me a chin lift and then moseyed back to Jayla.

I went to Bull’s office, and I was in luck. The door was open, and he was seated behind his desk, talking to Rage. When they saw me at the door, Rage stood up.

“We’ll talk more later. Hey, it’s good to see you back. I hope everything turned out okay. See you later,” Rage told me as he passed me. He squeezed my shoulder as he went by.

“Thanks. I should be out soon. We need to catch up.”

“We do. I’ll be around,” he said before he exited and shut the door behind him.

“I hope I didn’t run him off,” I told Bull.

He pointed to a chair across from his desk. I sank into it. “Nah, we were just bullshitting while I waited for you. You look tired. Rough night?”

“You could say that. I didn’t get much sleep, but I did do a lot of thinking. Thanks for letting me skip out.”

“Loki, you and I talked when you came here and asked to prospect. Outlaw shared your history with me, and we discussed it. I haven’t pushed you on it since, because I figured when you were ready, you’d talk, or it wouldn’t be required. However, last night, you were stressed. Care to tell me why?”

“Haven’t you guessed?” I asked. Bull usually knew shit before any of us even were aware of it. It was like he had some kind of ESP.

“I’d like to hear from you before I say anything.”

I sighed. “I’ve been struggling, Pres. It started several months ago when we went to help out Wrath, and then it was brought up again when we helped Bones out.

I wasn’t expecting it, so I was taken aback.

I worked to convince myself that it was nothing.

I’ve been able to fool myself, sorta, that it was true until yesterday.

Then it hit me in a big way, and I was having trouble sticking to what I thought I’d decided and wanted. ”

“Go on,” he prompted when I paused. He wasn’t going to let me off easy.

“I found myself attracted to Braelyn Hill when we were in Eatonton earlier this year. I’d heard her mentioned but never met her.

When I did, I have to say she knocked me a bit on my ass.

I chose to ignore it. After all, who wouldn’t be sexually interested in her?

I came home and worked to forget her. Then, when I saw her again, I was struck by how much I still desired her, and how it was more intense.

Again, who wouldn’t want a woman like her in his bed for a night or two?

“However, she’s Rage’s daughter and Wrath’s sister for all intents and purposes.

They both are super protective, and I’d go as far as to say the whole club is.

She’s their princess. I would never do that.

It would be an insult and feel like I was betraying our friendship with them.

Again, I didn’t act upon it. I came home and tried to ignore those urges and not think about her.

“Yesterday, when she arrived with them, I was excited and nervous to have her here. I said a brief hello and then got the hell away from her. I kept my distance, but it didn’t help. Then I saw something that made me…” I couldn’t put words to it.

“Infuriated? Wanting to beat a friend? Tempted to tear her away, throw her over your shoulder, and walk off with her?” he asked. There was a slight twist of amusement to his mouth.

I snorted. “Yeah, that about sums it up. I didn’t like seeing Chaos’s arm around her after she arrived.

But later, he had her pinned to the wall, and I almost went over and told him to get the fuck away from her.

If she’d appeared upset or scared, I would’ve.

Afterward, they were attached at the hip and seemed to enjoy each other’s company.

I overheard a couple of Pagans talking about them.

They weren’t surprised and mentioned being puzzled why no one from the other clubs had tried to hook up with her.

It riled me up more. When Braelyn and Chaos disappeared into the haunted house last night, I was about to break until Betty came up to me. ”

“What did Betty say?” he asked when I paused.

“She said she’d hoped I’d be the one. I asked the one what, and she said to be with her daughter. After she walked away, I couldn’t stop it from running through my mind. That’s when I came to ask if I could leave. I had to get myself straightened up. Thinking like that wasn’t me.”

“Loki, you’ve done an outstanding job since you joined.

You took your duties as a prospect seriously, and you continued as a brother to do it.

Like your brothers, you’ve had your share of women.

And for the most part, everyone knows it’s never anything more than sex.

Or it is until it isn’t. It changes when one of us meets the woman he knows should be his. ”

“I’ve seen it, and you guys say you knew, but how? How can you be sure you’re not about to make the biggest mistake of your life? What if you’d already met the woman who was supposed to be yours and lost her? You loved your first wife, Amy. What made you take the chance with Jocelyn?”

“I did love Amy, and I will always have a place for her in my heart. She was my first love and Harlow’s mom.

If she hadn’t died, then I believe we would’ve probably gone the distance.

However, she didn’t, and I went years thinking I would never love another woman.

Jocelyn proved me wrong, and I’ve found a forever love with her.

It’s more mature and enduring. Diablo said essentially the same thing about Jauhnna.

“You were damn young when that situation of yours happened. Did you love the woman? Maybe. Or maybe you thought you were in love. And if you’d stayed together, it could’ve ended anyway, possibly badly.

Don’t make the mistake of letting the past dictate your future.

If you do, you’ll end up alone and unhappy.

If you think Braelyn could be a forever woman to you, then you owe it to both of you to at least talk to her about it. Find out how she feels.”

“But she’s with Chaos. You saw them. I don’t want to interfere and fuck up something that might be the real deal between them.”

“Then you have to make a decision. Take the route of least resistance, leave it alone, and let it run its course between them. Or you tell her where your head is at and give her the choice to decide whether she wants to try a relationship with you rather than him. You said you thought most of the night. What conclusion did you come to?”

Taking a deep breath, I told him. I worked not to cross my fingers.

“I want to talk to Braelyn. I have to see whether she and Chaos are deeply invested in each other. If not, I’ll ask her if she’d be willing to see if we could take a chance at it.

I’m not saying she’s my old lady, but I don’t just want sex and then be done.

And if I did, Wrath and Rage would murder me. ”

Bull chuckled. “They would, and I can’t say I’d blame them. Well, I’m glad you decided to do it. However, I’m not sure how soon you’ll be able to speak to her about it.”

“I guess I can wait until after the weekend and not do it while she’s here with him.”

“That’s not what I meant. Braelyn is gone.”

“What do you mean she’s gone?” I snapped as I sat forward in my chair.

His eyebrow hiked up, and I hastily apologized. He might be older than me, but I had no doubt Bull could give me a serious beatdown. “Sorry, Pres, I didn’t mean to bark. Where did she go?”

“After you left, she got a call. She was asked to come back to Marietta for her job. They needed her back there ASAP, so she left last night.”

“What the hell? They let her ride off alone in the middle of the night? Did she make it there?”

“They didn’t let her go alone. You should know Rage and Wrath better than that. She didn’t want anyone to miss the rest of the weekend, but they insisted, so she had an escort. And they did arrive.”

The way he was watching me, I knew who it was. “Chaos went with her.”

“He did.”

“And is he coming back or staying there?”

“According to what Rage said before you came in, Chaos decided to remain there in case she needed him. He didn’t like the idea of her being alone in Georgia, with them hours away.”

“Son of a bitch! Well, I think that answers it, Pres. If he’s doing stuff like that, they’ve got to be heavily into each other.”

“So what does that mean? You’re not going to ask her?”

“Hell, I don’t know,” I muttered.

“Well, I suggest you think about it, but Loki, don’t take too long.

If Chaos and Brae aren’t together, you could give him time to make it happen, or for another man to sweep in and take her.

What would you feel like if she ended up with some other guy, and you had a chance but were too afraid to take it? ”

I knew I’d be pissed, and so did Bull.

“I hear you, and I’ll make up my mind by the end of this week.”

“Okay, then I think we’re through unless you want to talk. Let me know if you want to discuss this or anything else.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know if I do.”

I stood up, and so did he. Bull came around the desk.

He shook my hand and slapped my back as we went to the office door together.

He and I had guests to see, and I wanted to find out if there was anything I could do to help today.

Staying busy would be best. First stops, the common room and kitchen, then out to the grounds to see what needed doing.