Page 20 of Property of Azrael

“Oh, fuck.” Their riotous laughter only grows louder. Loud enough that the bartender draws her finger to her lips to hush them.

“Keep it down. This is a hotel bar, not a dive bar.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Orion apologizes as their laughter finally settles to low chuckles.

“You’re so fucked, man. You like this girl. I could see it a mile away. Normally, you wouldn’t bat a fucking eye at someone on the side of the road, but as soon as you got close to her, it was written all over your face.” Fox brings his beer up to his lips and shakes his head. “I get it. I’d eye fuck the shit out of her too, but you know how this ends. Nothing good comes from getting attached to anyone in our club.”

Asher stiffens next to me. Without a word, he shoves away from the table and disappears into the hotel.

“Look what you did, asshole,” I growl. “Asher doesn’t need another fucking reminder of what he lost—what we all lost. Her not being here is a daily reminder of how we didn’t protect her.”

Fox slinks silently back into his seat. He crossed a line, a big one, and he fucking knows it.

“I’m sorry, Az. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s not me you should apologize to, you stupid ass. Bringing up Kennedy is a shit move, and then comparing her to Hallie? You’ve lost your goddamn mind.” Slamming down a twenty, I shove away from the bar and order, “Fix this.”

Without another word, I spin on my heel and head back to the room. Stepping inside, I find Hallie in the same position, sound asleep, not a fort pillow out of place. Moving quietly toward my bag, I snatch it up, toe off my riding boots, and head into the bathroom to change. Normally, I’d sleep naked, but with Hallie on the other side of pillow mountain, I can’t. I opt for a pair of my boxers, and shove the rest of my clothes into the bag. Returning to the main room, I sit at the edge of the bed and peer over at her.

Her dark hair is loose, spread out like a halo around her head. She’s curled up on her side, with her toes poking out of the bottom of the sheets. Even asleep, she looks like an angel. An angel way out of my league. I reach over to touch her, but pull my hand back when she makes the slightest move.

I can’t get attached to her. Being close to me would put her in a lifetime of danger. Our club may not be publicly known, but that’s not the case with our enemies. I can’t let her become another Kennedy. She’s safer away from us.

Shifting off the bed, I move over to the small chair in the room. With everything that’s happened, sleep won’t come easily, and my thrashing is only going to ensure that her night is just as interrupted. I just need to calm my mind.

Pulling out my phone, I realize my browser is still open to one of Hallie’s book listings. Clicking on the e-book, I notice the mention of being able to read it in an app. Once I have it downloaded and set up, I purchase the first book. Knowing I will not sleep anytime soon, I might as well see just how much of our lifestyle Hallie really knows.

HALLIE

Morning comes far too soon.The sun’s rays wrap around me like a warm blanket, the heat a welcoming feeling after yesterday’s cold ride. A ride that will continue on today to Houston. To MMM, and away from Azrael.

I stretch out my limbs, breaking up the stiffness from a long night’s sleep, when my fingers graze over something that’s smooth at first, but becomes rougher. A rippled edge dances under my fingers. It moves at an even pace, up and down...

No. No. No. No.I force my eyes open and gasp. The feeling isn’t the pillows or the mattress, but of Azrael’s naked chest. Seeing that his eyes are still closed, I sigh in relief. I can move, and he’ll never know. I slowly pick up my hand, pulling it away from his muscular stomach, all the while ignoring the hardness nestled against my inner thigh, which is thrown over his pelvis.

How the hell did this happen?I put up that pillow wall to keep us separated. How did I get over on his side of the bed? How did he become my goddamn pillow?

I go to shift my leg when his strong hand clasps around it. Peering up, I’m met with Azrael’s dark gaze.

“Good morning,” he rasps in a deep voice. “Looks like you violated the terms of your pillow fort.”

I recoil from his warmth, back over my smashed pillow form, while dragging the blankets up and over my shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Smiling, Azrael stretches his arms above his head and locks them behind it. The movement accentuates the work he’s put into his well-toned body. His chest is wide, with tattoos over his collarbone and down his chest. His arms are also covered down to his wrists. He stretches again, allowing me to take him in further. “You okay over there?”

“I, uh… Yes,” I stammer, my eyes drifting lower before quickly diverting away. “How long were you awake, exactly?”

“Didn’t really sleep.”

Oh, shit. “So you were awake while I was invading your side of the bed?”

Azrael shrugs, and my face reddens immediately. I’d been so careful, or so I thought.

My body is a fucking traitor.

“I was occupied.”

“With what?”

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