Page 8 of Satan
Sure, he was my protector, my Dom. Sure, I knew healwaysknew best. But sometimes, I wanted to protect him, too.
So, as we took our seats next to each other at that big wooden table in the chapel where we held club meetings, also known as church, I didn’t tell William I felt nauseous that I was being targeted by an entire club for what he did to my piece of shit father. I didn’t tell him I could feel an anxiety attack climbing up my throat and tightening my chest. And I didn’t tell him that I wasscared. Scared forhim. Because Iknewhow William operated, and he’d put himself in the line of fire before heeverallowed someone to come after me.
The thought of losing William made meterrified. I wasnothingwithout him. Ineededhim. He was my rock. The reason I felt like I was worthy of anything. Hell, he was the sole reason I got up each morning.
If not for him, I probably would have killed myselfyearsago.
“What’s going on?” Hyram asked as soon as he walked into the room, not even bothering to sit down before he started speaking.
I glanced at William, and I swallowed thickly when I found him already staring at me, his eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed. I quickly yanked my gaze away, keeping my expression schooled into one of calm. He had enough weight bearing down on his shoulders. I could handle my emotional upheaval.
I jumped, sucking in a sharp breath when William’s fingers suddenly wrapped around the back of my neck, his fingertips digging into the sides. Immediately, my shoulders dropped, his tight grip overtaking some of my anxiety. Malik met my gaze across the table, a frown pulling at his lips, but there was also a knowing look in his eyes.
If anyone in this clubhouse understood my need for William to own me, it was Malik. William was a doting Dom. Sure, he liked to fuck me like I was nothing more than a piece of ass he paid for, but he was loving and tender afterward, always taking extra care of me. Rurik, Malik’s husband, on the other hand? He truly was a monster—a psychopath that had to mask himself to pass as somewhat normal in regular society.
“Rico called me,” William rumbled, his hand never loosening its grip on my neck, even as I leaned back in my chair to take some strain off my tense back. “Apparently, Reynold Jasperkept doors open for the SDMC to transport cargo in and out of Mexico. With him dead, their doors are closed, which means no access anymore. My guess is people are spooked.”
“Targeting you, eh? Or targeting Chet?” Rurik asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He was dressed in his usual attire of a black button-down shirt and slacks just as dark. Every inch of exposed skin, apart from his face, was heavily inked with intricate tattoos that had to have cost him tens of thousands of dollars to have done.
“How the fuck did anyone find out?” Malachi asked. “We weren’t followed.”
“I was spotted,” William explained. “Rico was informed, said his informant wants to avoid someone else getting hurt in all of this bullshit after what happened to Malik.”
Rurik’s eyes darkened at the reminder of his husband being shot when the SDMC hired a hitman to take out the Russian Bratva’s Pakhan, Anatoly Balakin. Malik had seen what was happening at just the right moment—or the wrong moment, if you asked Rurik—and shoved Anatoly aside, taking the shot for him.
It damn near killed Malik, and Rurik went fucking feral, putting a literal chain around Malik’s neck that was held closed with a padlock. The padlock had a tracker inside of it, allowing Rurik to watch every single move Malik made. Rurik changed the tracker every thirty days, so healwaysknew where Malik was. Even now, that thick chain was wrapped around Malik’s neck. I hadn’t seen Malik without it since the moment Rurik wrapped it around his neck while Malik was unconscious in the hospital.
Every time I saw it, I wondered what it would be like if William collared me. We’d never discussed it, maybe because I wasalready his husband, something William had made sure of mere weeks after stepping into my life. But sometimes, I wanted to ask if it was a possibility for us—for me to wear William’s collar around my neck like Malik wore Rurik’s.
“The SDMC is—what?” Nolan, the club’s vice president—aka VP—asked, looking at William with hard, dark eyes. Nolan was former military, had served with Malachi overseas, and they both knew Shaw, the mother charter’s president, and Konrad, the mother charter’s VP, from their time in the service. “They’re targetingyou?”
William shook his head before massaging the muscles along my neck. “Chet,” he answered. “But I’m not ruling out I’m a possible target.”
I sank my teeth into my tongue, willing myselfnotto freak the fuck out. William had survived much worse. He’d worked for Rico foryears, doing shit much more dangerous than this. But it still didn’t quell the urge to grab William and run for shelter somewhere far, far away from here until the others could take care of the Savage Dreams.
I knew even if I suggested it, William wouldn’t go for it. He never ran from his problems. He faced them head on with a sinister smirk on his face,daringanyone to fuck with him.
I was pretty sure he was somewhere on the sociopathic spectrum.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Hyram growled, thrusting an inked hand through his dark hair. “I want you to fucking lay low, William. That goes for Chet, too. Anyone who knows anything about you knows Chet is your weakness.” I grimaced. Ihatedbeing his weakness, even if William always tried assuring me that it wasn’tthe terrible thing I thought it was. “I’d like you two to lay low somewhereawayfrom here, but?—”
“No,” William said, his tone ringing with finality.
Hyram clenched his jaw, glaring at William. William’s face never changed, always remaining cool and impassive. Rurik cleared his throat and leaned forward, steepling his fingers together. William broke eye contact with Hyram first, looking at the Russian man, who was just as powerful as the Pakhan himself. Hell, he was the Pakhan’s second in command—practically his best friend.
“I’m with Hyram on this,butif you are adamant about staying here, the compromise is that I increase guard presence on the grounds.” William’s gaze went flinty and cold. He hated people around that he didn’t know and trust because of me.Alwaysbecause of me. Rurik glanced at me before he looked back at William. “You can personally vet them, look over their employee files and their background checks, and create the team you want. I understand needing to protect what’s yours.”
William’s shoulders relaxed a fraction, and he dipped his chin in agreement. I barely resisted blowing out a breath of relief. A higher guard presence on the clubhouse grounds would keep William safe from the SDMC. I knew Rurik was doing it from a place of pure selfishness—the need to keep Malik safe—but I was grateful nonetheless and happier than ever that we had Rurik on our side.
“Why am I even president?” Hyram griped, throwing his hands up in the air. “None of you listen for shit.”
“Selective hearing,” Malachi deadpanned, making Hyram glare at him. Malachi just shrugged.
“I just want my milkshake and fries,” I blurted, needingsomethingelse to focus on now that I didn’t have to worryasmuch about William being taken out by someone in the Savage Dreams MC. I wasn’t afraid of dying myself, but losing William? Life without him wasn’t a life at all.
Malachi burst out laughing. “Not getting that now, bro. Lockdown. You know what that means, yeah?” He grinned at me. “Don’t run outta lube, or you’re fucked.”
I huffed. “I’m getting my fucking milkshake and fries. I waspromised.” I sounded like a petulant brat, but I was tired all over again and stressed. I wanted cuddles and what I’d been promised.