Page 37 of German

It was then I decided.Maddy would have to choose for herself.Stay with Hammer.Or come with me.As wrong as it felt to leave her behind, it felt even worse to strip her of her free will.And that wasn’t even factoring in what her father would say once Pipe called him and told him about the near abduction.My Club Brother would know exactly how to describe the event and ease Framingham’s fears, but it would still doubtlessly rattle the man.

Either way, Maddy couldn’t stay at Coldwell Manor for much longer.She was going to have to be relocated to a Club safehouse.Whether that was with me, or with Hammer, would be entirely her choice.

Maddy was startled awake and her blue eyes popped open.As soon as she sat up, she looked around the room.When her gaze settled on me, she relaxed.That one simple action made my heart contract with a very deep emotion I wasn’t ready to name yet.

“You’re here,” she said, a small smile gracing her lips.

“Always,” I said, my chest tight.

Her smile deepened.“I know.”Stepping out of bed, she padded over to me.Sitting beside me on the couch, she asked, “Did you talk to your Club about what happened today?”

“Yeah,” I said, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth.“My Brothers are going to do some digging and figure out who the man was that attacked you.”

Maddy cocked her head to the side.“How can you do that?We don’t even have a picture of the guy to give them.”

I smiled darkly.“My Brother Pipe can get the coffee shop video footage and trace him through one of the stills.”

“They’ll just hand it over to the Club like that?”she inquired.

I snorted.“He doesn’t intend on asking.”

“Wow, remind me never to mess with your Club,” the beautiful woman teased, curling her legs under her perfect little rear end.Her face became serious then.“That’s good news, right?”

I nodded slowly.“Yeah.It’s good news.Pipe should know the dickhead’s name and his whole life story in a day or so.”

She searched my gaze for further information.“So, if Pipe can find the guy who attacked me, why do you look so sad?”

To everyone else, I was hard to read.A fucking mystery.After a few days with this beautiful girl, and I was a goddamned open book.“The Club needs me somewhere else, Maddy.”

Maddy’s face fell.“You’re leaving me?”Her breath began to make her chest rise and fall at an accelerated pace.“If it’s about money, German, I’m sure my father will pay it.Just name your price, and…”

Leaning forward, I placed my hands reassuringly on her shoulders.“It’s not about money, Maddy.The Devils are here to protect you.That hasn’t changed.I just need to tie up a few loose ends in Arizona.It’s a part of my job with the Club.My friend Hammer is going to come down here and help out.It’ll only be for a few days, but I’ll be back once I handle my business with the Raiders.You’ll like Hammer.He’s a redhead, too,” I teased, playfully tugging a strand of hers as I spoke.

Maddy’s beautiful face remained panic-stricken.Before I could even offer her the second option, she asked, “Can’t I come with you?”Her eyes grew shiny and bright with unspent tears.“I won’t be any trouble, I promise.I’ll stay quiet.I’ll do whatever you want me to do.I travel light and I can help you with whatever you need along the way.”

My fucking heart broke at her frantic pleas.I didn’t want to leave her behind, and she was terrified to be left.Despite the vast difference between the two of us, Maddy and I were so similar.There was something so eerily familiar between us, it was like looking in a two-way mirror sometimes.Call it soulmates.Call it whatever you liked.I didn’t need labels.But it was there.And I couldn’t unsee it.Or unfeel it.

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.“You sure you want to do that, Baby Girl?You sure you want to go with me?”

Nodding frantically, Maddy smiled so brightly it lit up her whole face.“Can I?”

“It won’t be like the parties you’re used to,” I warned, fighting the urge to pull her into my lap.“Club parties are pretty raw, Babe.”

Maddy snorted.“You don’t know rich kids.I don’t know if you’ve heard, but money doesn’t buy class, German.”

I laughed at that.“Yeah, I’ve heard that a time or two.”

“So I can go?”she repeated, her hands steepled together like she was praying.“You won’t leave me behind?”

“You can go,” I said, giving in to the desire to hold her when she pitched forward in my arms and whooped with glee.

Feeling not just my joy, but my johnson rising, I reluctantly pulled back.“We have to leave tonight though.We’ll make a stopover in Monet at a motel, then we’ll continue over Nettles in the morning.”

“I thought you said we couldn’t take any of the cars from the garage?Is your friend Hammer coming to drop one off?”she asked.

I shook my head.“We’re taking my bike.”

Her face clouded over with confusion.“Where will all of our luggage go?”

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