Page 13 of Banner

I open my mouth to speak when I’m interrupted by Pop.“Sophia, my girl.Let me introduce you to your new family.”

“Be a good girl, Sophia.”Banner’s words make my belly flip and warmth fills my cheeks.

“Okay,” I answer softly.Banner dips his head and presses his lips to mine.When he pulls away his eyes are filled with desire and I’m secretly thrilled to be able to elicit the reaction.

“Sophia, this is Link, the club’s VP.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, smiling up at the large Native American man standing before me.I would not have pegged him as being the second-in-command of a 1%er motorcycle club.The mohawk haircut and animated cartoon tattoos covering his arms don’t exactly say ‘man in charge’.

“Are—” Link is cut off when the clubhouse door is thrown open, and Alessio storms inside.

“Where is he?”he shouts.Alessio’s eyes are wild and filled with rage.

Instinctively, I step closer to Pop.

He looks down at me and frowns.“Sweetheart, you never have to be afraid of him again.”

“Are you sure?”I whisper.

“Look,” he nods behind me, and I spin around, my dress swishing out around me.Banner and his men enter from a side door and he looks pissed.His eyes dart in my direction, softening slightly as he scans me from head to toe.

My chest warms.How can a man who barely knows me show more concern for my well-being than my own blood?

“Alessio!”Banner shouts.

My brother spins around and points his finger.“You!What have you done with Gio?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”Banner says convincingly.

“Don’t fuck with me, Banner.”

The room goes deathly quiet.Banner turns his head in our direction and holds my stare, the threat loud and clear.“I told all of you what would happen if you touched a hair on my woman’s head.”

Woosh.All the air leaves my lungs as I see the truth shining in his eyes; he took Gio’s life because of me.No—forme.

Banner nods to the bikers standing closest to the door and they surround my brother.His face turns red with rage as they drag him out.“You’ll pay for this!”

‘I have to handle something.’Banner’s words before we came inside echo in my mind and it’s then that I realize he’s swapped out his designer suit and dress shoes for a pair of blue jeans and his boots.He’s rolled the white button-down shirt up to his elbows, uncaring of the blood splattered across the front.Blinking rapidly, I start to see my husband with renewed appreciation, and suddenly I feel lighter than I have in days.

“Sophia.”He’s watching me with concern.“Wanna go home?”

“I do,” I answer softly, meaning the words more now than I did earlier.

He smiles.

There’s no doubt in my mind Banner’s the monster everyone fears, but this changes everything.The Butcher ismymonster.

He’s proven his word is his bond, and I trust he’ll keep me safe.

Chapter5

Banner

Without another word to anyone, I link my fingers with Sophia’s and pull her behind me out the back door.“You doing okay, baby?”I ask, looking around the lot for my bike.

“What happened to Gio?”she asks quietly.

I stop in the middle of the lot and look down at her.This day has been such a whirlwind, I can’t believe I haven’t even taken a fucking second to admire how beautiful she looks in her white dress.

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