Page 9 of Shadow

Camilla bit down on her lower lip, searching his face for something—reassurance, perhaps.

“Was I … no good?” she asked hesitantly. At that moment, wearing nothing but that robe, she looked incredibly vulnerable to him.

“Not at all,” Shadow told her. “But you’ve been through hell. The last thing I want to do is take advantage of you.”

Shadow reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Camilla’s ear, his touch lingering against her skin for a fleeting moment. Despite what he felt toward her, he knew he had to respect her boundaries and give her the space she needed to heal.

It was hard to tear himself away from her and leave the room, but with a heavy heart, Shadow finally forced himself to step back. He flashed her a strained smile, before he turned and left.

Shadow rode back to the MC clubhouse in a somber mood. Today’s events had also left him exhausted. He wanted to unwind with a couple of beers at the bar before calling it a night. He had already ordered his drink when Rooster tapped him on the shoulder.

“Breaker wants to see us,” Rooster told him.

Nodding in acknowledgment, Shadow took a sip of his beer before following Rooster to Breaker’s office.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Breaker would be angry with them for getting sidetracked from the original mission. It was a distinct possibility.

As they approached Breaker’s office, Rooster knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Breaker’s voice called out from within.

Well, at the very least, Breaker still sounded sober.

Breaker listened intently as Rooster and Shadow recounted their version of the events that transpired during the mission.

His expression remained impassive, but his piercing gaze seemed to bore into Shadow as he spoke.

“By not sticking to the mission objectives, your actions might’ve led to the death of yourselves and others, if the Reapers’ reinforcements had arrived,” Breaker said.

It was a harsh reality check, one that Shadow had anticipated, but it still stung to hear it spoken aloud. Shadow knew Breaker to be fair, but he also knew their actions had put everyone at risk. However, he firmly believed they had made the right choice in rescuing the women, even if it meant deviating from Priest’s orders.

“We took a risk,” Shadow admitted. “But it paid off. Rooster and I might’ve questioned Priest’s authority, but if he found the women first, he would’ve done the same and rescued them.”

Breaker raised an eyebrow at Shadow’s bold assertion.

“That’s your stand?” he asked.

Shadow nodded firmly. If given the chance, he would make the same decision again without hesitation.

As he defended his actions to Breaker, his thoughts drifted to Camilla. He wondered if she was sleeping peacefully in her room or if the traumas of her past haunted her dreams. Her words echoed in his mind, particularly the comment about being accustomed to bad men. It struck a chord with Shadow, leaving him with a lingering sense of unease. What had she meant by that?

“Very well, I’ll take your words into consideration, but for now I need to put you two on probation,” Breaker said.

Beside him, Rooster let out a low groan of frustration, but Shadow remained composed, accepting the consequences of their actions.

“Since you two were prospects, it’s been hammered into your brains that we follow a certain chain of command in the club,” Breaker reminded them.

Shadow wasn’t disappointed by Breaker’s decision. In fact, he respected it and understood the necessity of holding them accountable for their actions. If Breaker let this incident slide, it could set a dangerous precedent within the club. The other bikers might think it was okay to question authority. Shadow and Rooster needed to be set as an example.

“I understand the reasoning for your actions, but my decision is final,” Breaker concluded.

It was a dismissal, and Shadow and Rooster exited the office. Rooster looked slightly dejected, and Shadow couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for dragging him into this mess. Shadow gave his shoulder a pat.

“Come on, let me treat you to a beer,” he suggested, hoping to lift Rooster’s spirits.

They ended up having a few drinks and playing cards with the other bikers. But as the night wore on, exhaustion crept in, and soon they found themselves bidding farewell to each other and making their way to their respective rooms.

“Thanks for the drink, Shadow,” Rooster said.

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