Page 7 of April 5

His chest tightened. His mom raised her to be a survivor. But he knew another side of her.

Despite how tough it was for Katrina growing up, she was passionate about the club's strict rules. She craved the staunch loyalty of the people surrounding her. She needed the hardcore proof that people weren't going to leave her.

She needed unconditional love, and he was the only one she allowed to give her that.

For how close she was to his mom, she continually guarded herself, afraid she wouldn't be perfect enough for Mama Sue and would lose the one woman who devoted her life to her.

She loved Ruger and would fight to the death for her dad, but she woke up each day wondering if her dad was going to leave her again. Her insecurities were deeply hidden behind a wall of toughness.

Whether it was her mom abandoning her at birth or her dad going away to prison for most of her life, Katrina only gave her trust to one person. Him.

And he'd done her dirty.

He wouldn't have to look at his phone to see if time was dwindling. Ruger would come looking for his daughter. For his sake, his MC brother couldn't find Katrina in Jagger's room.

But damned if he wanted to let her sleep so he could sit beside her and watch her. Just for a bit longer.

He dragged his gaze from her full lips and collided with a warm and sleepy gaze the color of his favorite malt.

"Jag," whispered Katrina. "You came back."

As soon as the words left her lips, alertness returned to her eyes. She sat up and tossed his pillow to the other end of the couch.

"What the hell?" She stood, stumbling over his legs as she tried to put distance between them. "Are you just going to sit there and stare at me while I sleep?"

She wiped her hand across her mouth, scowling at him. Back on even ground, he pushed to his feet, unable to keep the grunt of pain from escaping.

"You're not supposed to be here." He stretched to his entire six foot four inches. "Ruger followed you."

"Figures." She shrugged. "My dad's a free man. He can do what he wants."

"Are you pointing him at me?" He refused to let her get away with arguing with him. "You, of all people, should know he'd rather kill me than find out what you're doing here."

She blew out her breath and approached him. He hardened in anticipation of her touching him, but she leaned over and scooped up one of her sneakers she'd kicked off in her sleep.

Bringing up her foot, she slid on the shoe and tied the laces. She walked around the couch and found the other shoe, dipping her head out of view. When she popped back up, she gathered her hair and looked around the room. The habit was so familiar to him that his gut ached from missing her. This was his room in Seaglass Cove. She'd never been here. There were no elastic bands for her hair that she'd left behind. There was no bandana for her to tie around her head. Nothing of hers to remind him of what he'd lost.

She let the mess of hair fall around her shoulders. "I would never sic my dad on you. You know that."

"Why did you come?"

"Because I have an aunt who I've never met before. A blood relative who I had no idea even existed before two weeks ago when my dad gave me the news." She scoffed. "Now, there's three of us in the Albright family."

"How long are you staying?"

"As long as I want." She looked around, patting the back pockets of her jeans. "I lost my phone."

He shoved his hands between the couch cushions and found her cell in the corner. Holding the phone out, he waited until she stepped closer and then hooked her neck with his other hand and brought her forward, claiming her mouth.

Her lips remained firm. He grabbed a fistful of hair and bent her head back until her mouth opened, and he thrust his tongue in.

Her deep moan vibrated his lips. He sampled what he'd already had. The craving to taste every inch of her grew.

His heart pounded. There was only one thing that came before Havlin Motorcycle Club, and that was Katrina.

But having her would get him killed. Maybe not today, but when his guard was down. When his men were preoccupied. Ruger would lay down his punishment.

It was easy to say he'd kill Ruger and get him out of the picture. Nothing would stop him from having Katrina with her father gone.

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