Page 13 of August's Ride with Arrow

We both have plates of food, but when I only take small portions, he loads me up with even more. Then he grabs a couple bottles of water, walks out of the kitchen, and I follow behind him.

He looks over his shoulder to make sure I'm with him before heading up the stairs and then halfway down the hallway. When he reaches his room, he steps aside, letting me enter first.

“Why don’t you sit at the desk, and I’ll take the bed?” he tells me.

Taking my seat at the desk like he said, I set my stuff down. Then I take a deep breath before I begin my explanation.

“I'm sorry, I should have called. But Penny and Bridget put up a good argument to come to you. If you’re not okay with it, I can find some place to stay in Whitefish tonight.” I’m trying to make the rejection easier because I am so certain he's going to tell me he doesn't want me here.

He doesn't say a word. Instead, he sets his stuff down on the nightstand, walks over to me without stopping, and crashes his lips on mine. Putting my arms around him, I hold him tight. All the worry and fear I was experiencing just a second ago evaporates as he kisses me like he can't get enough.

After breaking the kiss, he sinks down to his knees in front of me, framing my face with his hands.

“I want you here more than my next breath. Without you in bed with me and my arms around you, I’ve been sleeping like shit. But it's not safe for you to be here.”

Without replying, I wrap my arms around his neck and hold tightly to his muscular body because I know this man will protect me.

“But on the other hand, I don't think it's safe for me to be without you anymore,” he says, pulling me into a hug so tight I can barely breathe.

A moment later, he moves back and kisses my forehead.

“You need to eat. While you do that, I'm going to explain what's going on,” he says. After getting his food, he looks over at me and nods towards my plate. Obediently, I pick up my fork and take a bite of whatever it is. I can't taste it because all I can focus on is him.

“First, I need you to promise that you will not leave this clubhouse or go anywhere without me,” he says seriously.

“I promise. But Arrow, what is going on?”

“Another dangerous MC Club has been trying to take over Mustang Mountain. We were in Sturgis getting help from some other clubs. My plan has always been to end Savage Bones and then come and get you. But now that you're here, I have no intention of letting you leave. If they so much as get a hint that you are with me, you won’t be safe on your own.”

“But I only have a week left on my vacation time and I only packed a bag for a few days,” I say, thinking out loud as my mind races.

“I meant every word, Kitty Kat. You're mine in every way, and I will take care of you. That means I need you here to make sure that you're safe.”

“Why don't you come back to Denver with me? You'll be safer there, and I have plenty of room in my apartment. I even have an extra parking spot for your bike,” I say, certain that I have found the solution.

He smiles, but shakes his head. “In a perfect world, I would have followed you from Sturgis to your home. Then we’d pack everything and bring you back here. If you really wanted to stay in Denver, I'd follow you, no questions asked. But right now, my brothers here need me. I can't abandon them.”

Of course, he can’t, and how could I even have thought to ask him to? At this point, I’m not quite sure what the answer is.

“Listen, we'll have my buddy Jensen talk to your boss. He is very convincing and diplomatic, and I bet we can come up with a solution. Maybe you could get more time off or they’d allow you to work from home. We can get Penny or Bridget to mail you some of your stuff, and I will pay for the shipping. Whatever else you need, we can take a trip into Whitefish for the day and get it for you. But right now, going home and leaving without any type of protection is just not going to happen. Now eat your dinner,” he orders.

Turning to my plate, I shovel another bite of food into my mouth.

I want to be here, I do, and part of me likes that he's taking control to make it happen. But a bigger part of me says, how dare he tell me what I can and can't do? I'm a walking contradiction, and on principle, keep swaying back and forth on whether I want to stay or I want to try to leave.

Before I know it, I've eaten all the food in front of me and Arrow is standing up with his plate.

“Are you full, or do you want more?”

“No, thank you. I’m stuffed, it was really good.”

“Let's take these plates downstairs. I need to talk to the President about you being here, and I'd like you to get to know some of the other girls.” He takes my plate from me and we go back downstairs.

Once we get to the kitchen, he sets the plates in the sink and his phone starts to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket and glances at it before turning back at me.

“Sit down and chat with some of the girls. I've got to take this phone call,” he says, looking over at one of the guys he was with in Sturgis. They seem to share an understanding look as they leave the room.

“Come sit down next to us. You know, we really thought it would be Crank or Motor Mouth finding someone in Sturgis, not Arrow. So we are absolutely fascinated and want to know how it happened,” the redhead says, sitting next to a blonde girl.

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