Page 11 of Savage Temptation (Savage Reign #2)

What I see inside has my mouth gaping open. Jagger steps inside and starts filling his pockets.

I throw my hands up. “Whoa. Excuse me. What do you think you are doing?” There has to be enough weapons in the hidden compartment to take down a small army.

“What I have to do in order to protect my family.” Storm isn’t looking at me as he speaks.

Charli huffs and grabs a box of tissues. “Boys will be boys. And yours is out for blood, as he should be. Here take this. And let me tell you something, young lady.” Charli gets in my face, cutting off my view of Jagger arming up.

“Your family, too, chica. So don’t go getting in your head that you aren’t.”

“Thank you, Charli. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She stuffs the box of tissues under her arm and cocks a hip like she’s got more to say.

“We all think of you as family. Right fellas?” Everyone sounds off, and it works to distract me from what Jagger is doing.

“I have a change of clothes in my room if you want to not look like a junkie,” Jinx offers, before throwing herself into a comfy sofa pushed up against a large bookcase that looks new. Charli’s handy work, no doubt.

Charli pats my cheek, pulling my attention back to her when I need to stop Jagger from doing something that will get him killed. He looks like he has every intention of going hunting alone and well, no. That's not gonna happen.

“Tears are just part of being a family. We hurt when our loved ones hurt.” Charli dabs at the tears smearing the smokey eye makeup she has going on.

“We don’t fault you for anything so get that outta your head right now.

We don’t stop being family just because problems come up.

Family isn’t here to judge you and make you feel bad.

We’re here to help dust you off. All you have to do is trust us to step up for you.

” Charli comes up and puts the book in my hand. “You’re never alone.”

I nod, unable to really find my words at the moment from all the emotions coming at me all at once.

“Now that you are back, we have a book club going with our girl, Arabelle.”

And just like that, it’s like I never left.

“Put those words in your noggin and be here Friday, honey. You will thank me for this one. Reaper knows the author says she writes spice like her fingers are blessed by Aphrodite herself.”

Over her shoulder I see Jagger take his Savage cut off and slip into a shoulder holster that provides a place for him to carry a weapon under each arm. He loads up before slipping his cut back on.

“Did you catch the title?”

Charli taps the cover of the book with a cherry red nail and I have no choice but to pay attention.

My lips form a big O. I turn the book around and catch the title plastered over a swath of sculpted man muscles.

“Oh, that is hot.” I raise my eyes to find Arabelle looking at me expectantly and then I realize why.

“Oh. Yes! For sure. Yes! Count me in.” I can’t explain it, but my heart suddenly feels like it can beat again.

Like I have a place in this world where I belong after all.

Jagger comes over looking like a one-man army with a whole new expression I’ve never seen on his face before. Under all the grit and determination to avenge me, there’s a new level of love swimming in his eyes.

Not just love, but unconditional love.

A slow smile spills across his mouth and I’m gifted with a soft kiss to my lips. “Everyone is happy to have you here, just like I said.”

I slip my hands beneath his cut and flatten my palms over his pecs. I’m after the steady rhythmic beat of his heart and only feel calm when I feel it against my touch. “And you?” The warmth of our recent time on his bike and the welcome home he gave me, fills me.

He presses his forehead to mine and for a moment my world narrows down to just us once again.

“My world is complete. We’ll talk about you not trusting me to protect you later.”

I grimace. “And what about me protecting you? Is that not acceptable?”

His head is already shaking before I get all the words out. “No.”

That one-word answer grates against my nerves.

Heat of a new kind boils up. “Jagger Malone.”

“Storm, she’s not back fifteen minutes and you’re already riling her up.”

My ire fades. “Storm?”

“Your man found his club name because of you.”

That’s Elias, also known as the Beast. You can imagine the kind of muscles the man has to merit a name like his. All his man muscle is just about as jacked up as Jagger’s. He doesn’t say much, preferring to listen rather than join in long conversations.

Two other crew members, Cipher and Venom, who look as badass as their names suggest, come up and grab me around the waist one at a time.

I squeal and wrap my arms around them as they twirl me around before putting me back in front of a scowling Jagger.

All three men have long hair. Cipher and Venom have theirs pulled up or held back in a braid, while Jagger's is loose. I wonder if they share hair tips and conditioner. I’ll have to ask sometime.

“Stop man handling my girl, you heathens.”

Venom waves Jagger away. “She’s not just yours, brother. Get used to it. We finally have our little sister back.” Venom ruffles my hair while Cipher steps back and considers my mussed costume. “Wicked look you got going on there. You look like a big yellow bird having a gothic life crisis.”

I know they are trying to lighten the mood and it’s working. I no longer feel like melting into a puddle of tears.

Cipher is talking about my ruined makeup and the black smudges of grime I picked up from the alleyways I sprinted through.

I wince. “All part of the life experience of running from a murdering mob boss slash lunatic. I just finished a show at the theater and didn’t even have a chance to grab a pair of shoes before…” I let my words fall away. It’s not been my finest night.

Jagger’s reassuring arm comes up and wraps around my waist. He pulls me back, cocooning me in his warmth. “You’re beautiful. Stunning. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

His kiss proves his point.

I’ve been so wrapped up and encircled by my family I don’t realize another man is pushing through the crowd until he’s standing beside Reaper.

He’s also wearing a cut. While the Savage Reign crew emblem is a skull and fanged viper, that man’s cut features a skull with its mouth hinged open and fire engulfing it.

That means he’s from a different crew of bikers but has to be friends with Reaper to be here. Meaning, I’m safe.

And that is when it hits me.

“He looked just like you.”

A pair of gray eyes move to meet mine. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry. Where are my manners? I’m Emilia.

I’m sorry I didn't see you in the room. You don’t know me, but I think I met your doppelg?nger tonight.

” I quickly go into telling them all about the Russian who was meeting with Oliver and the other guy who was wearing another cut with yet another different biker emblem.

I was so focused on Oliver I glazed over everything else.

I quickly correct my error causing another round of scowls on the men’s faces.

The man puts a hand to his chest. “Ares, malyska . And nyet . I think you must have met my brother. You are lucky to be alive. He’s not known for his kindness toward anyone he can’t control.”

Ares stands with his arms crossed over a broad chest. White cotton defines all the hard muscles he sports beneath all that material and a leather cut. Like the rest of the men in the room, he has on biker boots and jeans.

My brows shoot up and I’ll be honest my knees give a little, making me sway. Jagger’s hold on me keeps me from stumbling.

“Then I’m lucky indeed because I was less than five feet from him. But I think he was occupied with the biker and Oliver. He didn’t care about a burlesque singer.”

Ares considers me before he turns to Reaper. “My brother, this is no surprise. But I didn’t think he would show his face so soon.”

“And why am I not surprised the Vultures are in on this.”

That’s Reaper.

“Vultures?” I ask anyone with the answer.

“Yeah. A rival crew who tried to strong arm me into letting them use my bookstore like they are using flower shops.” The disgust on Arabelle’s face makes my heart hurt for her. “They are filthy animals and scum of the earth who will do anything to gain power. Their goal is to take out the Savages.”

“And now we know who is backing the Vultures and Oliver. My brother has been busy.”

That’s Ares. He looks to Reaper who looks to each of his brothers. I’m getting a strong sense that something bad is brewing.

“It seems your brother got his hooks into willing men. Oliver has senators, congressmen, police and feds and everyone in between in his pocket or under his thumb. The Vultures bring the firepower, I assume.”

Jagger nods, looking tired and pissed at the same time. “Yes, and that makes me anxious.”

Ares and Reaper step away from the group and I turn my attention to Jagger when his phone rings.

Jagger pulls it out and immediately goes on high alert. He’s silent a minute, taking in information, no doubt.

“Copy that, Bourbon. You got him? Good.”

I hit him with a puzzled look which has Jagger holding up a finger for me to give him a second.

“I’m on my way. Hold the delivery boy there until I get there.” Jagger hangs up and Reaper comes over with all the crew in tow.

I rake my gaze over him. “Hold who?” I ask. “What are you up to and where are you going?”

Jagger’s chest expands when he takes a deep breath.

“I sent Bourbon a text for him to track down the flower boy after I made the call for your sister. You hinted at trouble with flowers. I remembered a boy in the pool of people the police were questioning back at the club this evening. Flower boys at the lounge are a little odd, but I was more focused on the three bodies. Now I know how they overdosed.”

Chills scale my entire body. Hair raises on the back of my neck.

“You’re right. That’s a helluva detail to recall.

So do you think he can help you find Oliver before he finds me?

We can take the fight to him first. Yeah, I can get behind that if this guy has the intel.

We can call the detective and get everyone involved.

” I pull the card from my top. I don’t have a single day of target practice under my belt, but I refuse to sit back and be some weak damsel.

Jagger holds a hand up. “Slow down a second, baby. You are not putting yourself out there for him to play target practice with. Bourbon’s hunt was a success.

Yes. He found the young man who delivered flowers to the ounge after the police let him go.

I’ve got a few questions for him. That’s all.

We start small before showing our hand.”

I purse my lips and bite the inside of my lip to keep from causing… “You know what? No. I don’t believe you for a second since you’re armed like a tank. You’ll get answers and then go hunting, which will get you hurt or killed”

The bastard actually has the audacity to smile at me. Like I revealed his plan, but he has no plans of changing a damn thing.

He turns to Reaper. “You good with the plan, Prez?”

Reaper nods. “Keep us in the loop. Find out if he knows how they are getting Euphoria into the city. It has to get here somehow before those fuckers can put it in the flowers. Call in support if you need it.”

“Copy.”

I hear Jagger acknowledge his president’s orders, but the man I love has other ideas.

“Oliver doesn’t play by the rules,” I throw out when Jagger tries to walk toward the front door. That pulls him to a stop, his keys dangling from his fingers. He’s not trying to be rude or hurtful. I know he wants to keep me safe, but I’m done having my control taken away.

“He’ll find me one way or another. I’m safest with you, Storm.” His new name feels nice rolling off the tongue.

“You have to stay here. This is where you are safe.” He threads his fingers through my hair and pulls me in for a kiss. Everyone suddenly has somewhere else to be. Okay, so that is how this is going to play out. I see I am left to fight this battle alone.

“I’m going to find out what this kid knows alone and…”

“The hell you are. Not without me.” I take his keys and head for the door. “There’s no damn way I’m sitting this out like a scared little girl. I want my life back, I have to fight for it. I’m good with that.”

And that is how I land in the middle of the Voodoo Lounge at the stroke of midnight with a flower boy in tears.