Page 39 of Bullet

“This was the first weekend since Heather and I split that Lili wasn’t asking when she was going home. Look, if you don’t want Stormy, I do. As a friend. I’m not interested in getting her into bed. Bullet, when I want to get my dick wet, I’ll climb onto Jinx.”

I released a heavy exhale. “Stormy is going to be here for a few weeks.”

“Good,” he said and took another sip of coffee. “Because your girl knows ballet dancing and how to do girl hair, so if she wants to spend the night sleeping with my cyclone of a kid, hey, I’ll ride out to the jobsite and sleep on a dusty cot. Last night, she wasn’t in the room for Lili. She didn’t say shit, but if I had to guess, she was in my room after you disappeared with Scarlett.”

I didn’t want to be reminded.

“Daddy.” Lili came into the chapel, rubbing her eyes.

“Mornin’, Lilibug. You about ready to go back to your mom’s?”

“Stormy is going to help me train my toes.”

I glanced down at her bare feet. “What’s wrong with your toes?”

“They don’t point.”

“Another day. Stormy has stuff to do with Bullet. Go get your things and say goodbye to Stormy.” Steele swallowed the last of his coffee. “Can I use the hearse again to take her home?”

I nodded and watched the hallway, waiting for Stormy to join us.

“After the way she looked last night, I’m guessing you’re going to have to go to her.” He chuckled. “Notyourtypical female.”

No, she wasn’t. I wanted to go talk to her, but not until Steele left. Contrary to what came out of her mouth, Stormy and I had unfinished business.

The door popped open. Rogue strode into the chapel and headed to the coffeepot. “Blade and the guys should be here in a few minutes.”

I pushed away from the table. That would give me time to talk to Stormy. After I poured her a mug of coffee, I passed Steele and Lili in the hall. She skipped along in her worn ballet slippers, holding her dad’s hand.

I paused at the door to our room. Would she be inside or still in Steele’s bed? After a soft knock, I opened the door. Stormy sat on the bed, staring out the open window. She glanced at me.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” She turned back to stare out the window again.

“We need to talk.” I closed the door, stepped into the room, set the cup of coffee on the dresser, and then leaned against it.

She clasped her hands in her lap. “I don’t want to fight, and we don’t seem to be good at communicating.”

I chuckled. “I think we both have some blame in that.” I’d wondered what I’d say, what I’d do, if I ever found her. Never had I considered I’d find her in bed with Bristol. I growled and rolled my shoulders.

We stewed in the silence growing thick and heavy between us, both wondering what the other was thinking. My thoughts were clear. I didn’t want her with Steele, yet, there wasn’t a scenario where I ended up with her.

She might’ve been dancing at the Landing Strip, but she didn’t belong there any more than she belonged in the MC. It didn’t take a genius to see the girl was cut from cashmere, not cotton.

I sat next to her on the bed. “I’m out of my comfort zone with you, Stormy.” Nervous energy crawled along my spine, my gut clenched, and I spoke my truth. “Got two types of females in my life. Old ladies of my MC brothers and whores.”

Her head snapped up, and a slow smile curled her lips. That was the first one she’d had for me. I felt the impact in my gut, then my groin. But that seemed to be my M.O. around Stormy. I wanted to protect her, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to fuck her either.

“You don’t fall into either of those categories.”

“I don’t understand all of this.” She waved her hand toward the door. “The bikes, girls, and guns.”

“I’m not sure I can explain it to you. For me, family isn’t blood. It’s choice. And I choose my brothers in the MC every fucking time.” I pivoted on the bed, facing her directly. “In a few minutes, we’re going to meet with the board. They need to knoweverything. If you got questions about that night, about all this shit, don’t be afraid to ask.”

“I’m not hiding anything.” I thought she’d say more. It seemed as if she wanted to. Her pulse fluttered beneath the smooth skin of her delicate neck. Her throat moved with a nervous swallow. “I’m sorry about last night.”

What did she have to apologize for? She hadn’t tried to block thoughts of me by fucking Steele. She hadn’t used him the way I’d used Scarlett.

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