Page 11 of Storm

“What?” he demanded.

Kade looked toward Steele. “Are you going to tell him?”

Steele chuckled and shook his head. “Nah. We’ll wait for him to figure it out on his own. Just like we had to.”

Confused and annoyed, especially because he couldn’t see Brook any longer, Storm flipped them off and then stomped to the kitchen while his so-called friends burst into laughter.

And they calledhiman asshole.

FOUR

BROOK

Brook couldn’t stop thinking about Storm. His scent lingered in her mind, clean yet rugged, with a hint of leather and something uniquely him—something that made her head swim every time she caught a whiff of it. Then there were his eyes, dark as midnight, almost black, yet smoldering with an intensity that pierced right through her. The way he had looked at her with those eyes, a mix of curiosity, danger, and something deeper, had left her breathless, as though he could see deep into her soul. She didn’t want to admit it—not even to herself—but she was just as curious about him. There was a quiet magnetism between them, an allure that tugged at her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to push them away.

It was entirely possible he wasn’t single. Just because his woman wasn’t there didn’t mean he was without one. Although, if he did have someone in his life, Brook felt sorry for them because she was pretty sure he’d been flirting with her all night. Even Daddying her slightly with how he had prepared her plate of food. She’d started sweating a bit when Atlas asked her what she wanted to eat. In the moment, she felt stupid for not being able to make a choice. It was embarrassing. But Storm steppedin and took care of things. He helped in a way that wasn’t what she’d expected from him.

After she’d accidentally spilled the beans about him buying a house, Brook had been sure he would yell at her. Or, at the very least, tell her boss. Instead, he’d met her apology with gentle words and forgiveness. Storm might be a bit grumpy, but she was pretty sure there was something a little more gentle underneath his exterior.

“I can’t wait for cake!” Carlee squealed, wiggling in her spot on the floor as they played Barbies. “I asked Bear for an Oreo cake with extra frosting.”

Now that was something Brook could get on board with. Extra frosting. Her pudgy tummy and jiggly thighs didn’t need it, but her heart did, and that was the most important organ. Yep. She’d go with that.

Brook dug through a box of Barbie shoes, looking for the match to a stiletto that no one in real life could ever actually wear. “Wow, a man in the clubhouse who bakes? And an amazing cook? Gabriel’s dinner was delicious. Even the carrots and they’re not usually my favorite.”

Carlee giggled. “They’ve started figuring out ways to make vegetables taste delicious because they got tired of us not eating them.”

That was sweet of their Daddies.

“What did you and Storm talk about at dinner?” Ivy asked.

Brook shrugged. “Nothing, really. I was nervous and ended up blabbing about being an introvert. He probably thinks I’m weird.”

Eden snorted. “With the way he kept his eyes on you the entire time, I’d say he was too busy falling in love to think anything bad about you.”

She burst out laughing at Eden because that was just ridiculous! She’d just met the man. Until dinner, he hadn’t known her name.

“You might need to get your vision checked because he wasn’t looking at me likethat,” Brook replied.

What she didn’t say was that there was no way in hell a man like Storm would ever be interested in a woman like her.

Molly nibbled on her bottom lip, looking around nervously. “I don’t know. I kind of agree with Eden. Storm definitely seemed different at dinner. Quieter. Softer. Not the same brooding, hard-edged guy we’re so used to seeing around here.” Her tone carried a mix of disbelief and wonder, as if the change in Storm’s demeanor was as fascinating as it was unsettling.

Brook frowned. “Is he usually mean?”

She didn’t like the idea of that. If he treated her friends badly, she’d… well, she’d do something about it. Probably not herself, but she wouldn’t hesitate to tell one of their Daddies because she could tell none of those men would allow anyone to be mean to their Little girls, even someone in the club.

Harper shook her head. “No. None of the men here are ever mean to us. Storm is just… grumpy. Like when you think of The Grinch, Storm is like him but times ten. But he’s nice and does kind things for us sometimes.”

Hmm. Why was he so grumpy? The question tugged at the edges of her thoughts, persistent and curious. Had something in his past shaped him into the brooding, closed-off man he appeared to be? Or had he always been that way, carrying an air of restless intensity like a second skin? Had he always been someone who didn’t’ enjoy being around lots of noise? She didn’t know why she cared. It wasn’t her place to wonder, and it was certainly none of her business. Storm was just a stranger, someone who had momentarily crossed her path. After tonight, their lives would drift apart like ships passing in the dark.

And yet, the thought of never seeing him again left an unexpected pang in her chest, a dull ache she couldn’t quite explain. It was ridiculous—completely irrational—but the idea of his dark eyes and gruff voice becoming nothing more than a memory felt... wrong. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the melancholy settling over her, but the sadness lingered, quiet and stubborn, like a question she couldn’t find the answer to.

“Happy birthday to youuuuu!” everyone finished singing.

Carlee beamed, and Brook was pretty sure if she grinned any wider her face would split in two. It was sweet. She loved seeing her friend so happy and loved.

As soon as Carlee blew out the candles, Atlas pulled them from the frosting. He dropped them onto a small paper cake plate and then scanned the table. “Shit, I forgot a knife. I’ll be right back.”

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