Page 8 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

It had been a week since I laid eyes on Braelyn.

It had been tough to wait. I’d been informed through Bull’s conversations with Rage that she’d flown to South Carolina shortly after arriving back in Georgia.

He didn’t know any details, just that it pertained to her work.

Chaos hadn’t gone with her, although he was impatiently awaiting her return.

I’d been tied in knots trying to decide whether to take a chance and tell Braelyn how I felt or let it go.

The thing between her and Chaos made me hesitant to say anything.

I didn’t want him or her to know of my infatuation with her if she didn’t return it.

No way did I want to be placed in that position.

Bull had been great about keeping me informed and encouraged me to speak to her when she returned. I’d passed on his offers to talk about my feelings and what I planned to do. I wasn’t the kind of guy who discussed his feelings with others.

It was Saturday night. I’d thought about staying home but knew I needed to get out and socialize with my brothers.

If I didn’t, they’d be asking questions.

That was why I was sitting at the bar in our common room, having a beer.

Predator and Stalker were with me. We’d been talking about what we worked on this week.

I was the manager of Warriors’ Abodes, the club’s apartment building.

Predator worked for our security company, Salvation Security.

Stalker was involved in helping Demon with Warriors’ Haven, our refuge for abused women and children, though we occasionally took in men.

They’d just begun to expand it by providing housing and services to veterans.

That came about due to Saylor, Player’s old lady.

Saylor was a disabled veteran. She’d been blinded in an explosion while a Marine.

She worked with a lot of veterans at the VA and told of the homeless situation and their struggles to acclimate when they got out, which led to us deciding to help by adding to Haven.

They had a separate area to avoid alarming the women and children.

Many of them were terrified of men, and it was all we could do to get them to be okay with us on the premises we provided them.

It seemed we’d all been swamped this week.

Luckily, it had slowed down now that the week was ending.

I didn’t realize Bull had entered and was coming up behind me until Predator turned his head and greeted him.

“Hi there, Pres. You should join us for a drink.”

I glanced back as Bull replied, “Thanks, Predator. I’ll have to take a rain check on it, but I’ll do it soon. I came to see if I could borrow Loki for a few minutes.”

His expression was calm, but it didn’t reassure me. Why would he need to speak to me? Was he about to offer to listen again? To stop him if he was, I smiled.

“I’m good, Bull. I hope it’s about something new,” I hinted.

“It’s both. I need you in my office, Loki. Five minutes,” he said abruptly before turning his back on me and walking off.

I was surprised. It wasn’t like him to be rude. Being on the clock, I hurried through finishing my beer and then told Stalker and Predator I’d see them later. They nodded and waved me off. Walking down the hallway to Bull’s office, I thought about what he said. What did he mean by both?

As I drew near his open office door, I heard the murmur of voices. What the hell? I quickened my steps and stopped at the door, only long enough to knock loudly before entering. He was expecting me, so there would be no waiting in the hallway. The others would have to shut up and leave.

“I’m here,” I announced unnecessarily.

All eyes landed on me. Standing there was Tank, our VP. Payne, our enforcer, Bear, our treasurer slash chaplain, and Player, our secretary. Why were all of the club officers here? Had I walked in on a confidential conversation? If so, why was the door open?

“Whoa, sorry, I didn’t know you had a meeting. I’ll just go back to the common room. Let me know when you’re free, Bull.”

As I pivoted around, Bull’s words froze me. “They’re here to listen to our discussion.”

I swung back to face him. “What do you mean? Pres, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“It is now. Someone shut the door, and everyone, take a load off. We’ve got shit to talk about. Loki, this is a safe bunch. As officers and your brothers, we’re here for you and can be trusted not to talk about your business. I hadn’t planned to do this, but circumstances changed,” Bull stated.

Payne got the door, leaving me to find a seat.

I slowly sank into a chair close to the door rather than Bull’s desk.

The others scattered to find one. There were more chairs due to our president’s four-person table in there, plus the two in front of his desk.

When we were all seated, I saw Bull studying each of us.

He didn’t appear happy. It was his biker persona, not his loving old man, father, and friend expression.

My gut tightened. I got a bad feeling about whatever Bull was about to say.

“Bull, we can see you’re worried. Tell us what’s up. And how does it relate to Loki?” Tank asked.

Tank and Bear were old-guard bikers in the club. They’d been with Bull for years and were his closest friends. Bull and Bear were in their fifties, while Tank was in his late forties. There was nothing they didn’t know about the biker lifestyle. They’d lived it all.

“I had a call from Wrath not long ago. He apologized for calling late and on a weekend. He knows everyone is chilling. However, it couldn’t wait.”

As Bull paused, my body stiffened more.

“What happened?” Bear asked.

“It seems that Braelyn came back from a weeklong business trip. That’s why she had to leave so unexpectedly last weekend. Anyway, she returned not long ago, and Chaos went to her place with dinner.” Bull chanced a swift glance at me before continuing. My fists tightened.

“They were talking and getting ready to eat when she showed him a gun. She had it stuck in the waist of her pants. She’d answered the door with it.

When Chaos questioned why, she claimed it was because she was a woman alone, which made sense.

But he knew it was more than that. He pushed her until she confessed that sometimes, people she helps put away are upset and blame her. They could send people after her.”

“Someone is threatening to harm her?” I snarled as I stood.

“It’s a bit more than that. The word is he’s trying to get out of jail.

He wants his trial to be changed to a mistrial.

But that’s not the part they’re worried about, or why Wrath called.

It seems this man has a long reach with lots of associates, and he blames her for his incarceration.

She was the prosecutor for the DA’s case against him.

It seems this prisoner might’ve put her on a hit list,” Bull tacked on. He was watching me.

“WHAT!?” I roared.

Without thinking about it, I flipped the table in front of me on its side.

I took two steps forward before I was grabbed.

I tried to shake the hands off, but Payne and Tank weren’t about to let me move.

It barely registered that I’d moved toward Bull, and they were protecting him.

I had no intention of hurting our president.

“Let go. I’m not trying to hurt Bull,” I muttered.

“Ease off. He’s upset, but it’s not at me,” Bull told them.

Tank was the first to remove his hands, then Payne. They didn’t go far, but I noted that Bear and Player remained alert.

“Can I ask why Loki is so upset? I mean, I get that Brae is being threatened and possibly on a list. We have to help keep her safe, but Loki’s reaction is excessive,” Bear stated.

When I studied them, they all wore expressions of satisfaction.

I knew I’d have to confess, which wasn’t me.

I kept my shit private, but being in this family, I’d learned that wasn’t always possible.

Bull didn’t say anything. He was leaving it up to me to decide whether I’d share and, if so, how much.

At least with this bunch, they were all men who had claimed a woman.

They loved them. If anyone could help me figure out my feelings for Brae and what I should do about them, it would be them.

“I’ve been waiting to talk to her since last weekend. She left before I could. Bull has been trying to help me sort out shit. That’s why he asked me into this meeting, right?” I asked him.

Bull nodded. “That’s right. Knowing what I do, I thought it would be best to inform the officers and you about this. Of course, we’ll talk to the rest of the club and find out who is willing or can help.”

“I’ll go down and guard her,” I stated.

“So, we’ve got another brother who’s found his one and is anxious to claim her,” Tank said, grinning.

Payne spoke up before I could slow Tank’s roll about the claiming part. “Are you ready to stake a claim, Loki? Or is it something else? If you want sex, I’m not seeing Rage and Wrath handling that well or allowing it,” he warned.

“No, it’s not just sex. What it ultimately will be, I’m not sure. That’s why I wanted to speak to her,” I tell them.

“What’s the deal with her and Chaos? They seemed awfully chummy,” Payne added.

My anger at the memory of them surfaced.

I scowled. “I don’t know. It’s possible that they’re in an established relationship, even though no one mentioned it, and she isn’t wearing a property cut yet.

If that’s the case, I don’t feel right interfering or telling her I’m interested in her.

However, if it’s casual, then I need to take my shot.

I don’t want to regret anything,” I explained.

“I think you need to tell her, no matter what. If Chaos truly wants to claim her, he needs to put the cut on her, which he hasn’t. Let her know how you feel, and she can decide who she wants,” Player said.