Page 14 of Thor

“I took the day off.”

“W-would you like to hang out for a little while I unpack?”

“Love to, Maddy.”

She smiles and waves her hand to the bed, telling me to take a seat. I prop myself up on the headboard and watch as she begins to unpack her clothes. “So, tell me how you joined the MC?”

“Umm, after I left, I kind of just went where the wind took me, you know? One night I was at a bar and Smoke was there, drunk off his ass.”

“Who’s Smoke?” She scrunches up her nose.

“He’s the founder and original president of the club and Viper’s dad.”

“Oh okay. So, you met him at this bar, and he asked you to join?”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “Not quite. It was the anniversary of his best friend’s death and he got completely hammered. After he left, something told me to make sure he took a cab and didn’t try driving himself home. I followed him out and two young punks were out there, trying to rob him. I helped him and he gave me his phone. Told me to call Viper. The rest is history.”

Maddy nods while still placing her clothes into the dresser. The next few hours go by with us catching up. We keep things light, but it feels good to be talking to her again. When I left all those nights ago, it was like I left a piece of me with her.

My phone beeps and I pull it out to see a text from Cara.

Cara: Dinner will be served in ten minutes.

Placing the phone back in my jeans, I sigh and get off the bed. I’m not ready to leave this room yet, but I keep reminding myself I have to take this slow. I don’t want her to feel pressured. “Dinner is almost ready at the clubhouse. You hungry?”

“Starved,” she says, hopping off the bed and grabbing her shoes. We walk to the clubhouse in silence but this time it isn’t awkward. As soon as we step into the dining hall, Madison groans beside me. “Oh my God, it smells so good in here.”

I nod with a grin. “Anytime Cara, Sara, and now Bianca get into the kitchen, we all know we’re about to eat good.”

Bianca is a professional chef and Cara and Sara had years of cooking, learning from their mom and nana. The girls run the two restaurants the club owns and we’re making a killing. I take Madison’s hand and lead her to the line where the brothers arepiling their plates. Looking over at the whiteboard, I read the menu the girls made. Herb roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, roasted carrots, sautéed brussels sprouts, and homemade dinner rolls.

“I’m in heaven,” Maddy whispers beside me. Laughing, I let her go before me to make her plate. Once we’re finished, I walk us over to a table where Dice, Gunner, Big Red, Doc, and Capone are sitting. Once I’m seated, I feel like I have made a big mistake sitting here. All of them have mischievous grins and I know they’re about to fuck with me.

“So, got any embarrassing stories about Thor?” Gunner asks.

The guys laugh and Madison watches me with a teasing smile. “You remember that night at the lake?” she asks me.

I gasp and sit back stunned at the audacity of her. “Woman, you promised to take that night to the grave!” I scold her.

Madison starts to giggle, and I can’t help smiling back at her. That was not my finest night. We were sixteen, playing truth or dare. Maddy dared me to jump in the lake. It was the middle of February, and it was forty-five degrees outside. When I came out of the water, my dick had shrunk to the size of a cocktail shrimp. I panicked and thought my dick wouldn’t grow back. Needless to say, Madison laughed until tears fell from her eyes that night. I swore her to secrecy that that moment would never be repeated.

The guys watch us with knowing smiles on their faces. Once Maddy stops laughing, she places her hand on my shoulder and smiles up at me. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Oh, come on, you have to tell us now,” Gunner whines.

“Sorry, if you want the story, you’ll have to get it from Thor.”

When Gunner turns to look at me, my answer is immediate. “Not a chance in hell, brother.”

The guys at the table break out into laughs and Gunner promises to get me drunk enough to tell the story. The rest ofdinner is great. I never thought Maddy would be here but now that she is, I don’t know if I’ll be able to let her go again.

Chapter Nine

MADISON

“No bite, Duke,” a soft voice says beside me. I don’t even remember falling asleep. This mattress feels like a cloud. I haven’t slept this good in years. Knowing I didn’t have to worry about Thomas had my body instantly relaxing the minute I laid down last night.

A rumbling growl has me popping my eyes open immediately. As soon as I set sights on what caused the growl, my entire body freezes. Two enormous Great Danes are standing over me. They’re baring their teeth while examining me like I’m their next meal. Liam is in between them, watching me with curious eyes. He doesn’t seem the least bit scared of the snarling animals.

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