Page 2 of Tempest

My fingers twitched, aching to reach for a cigarette, anything to occupy my hands and calm the storm raging inside me. But I couldn’t risk losing sight of her, not even for a second.

Then it happened. Kasen leaned forward, her delicate hand brushing against the man’s arm. It was casual, probably meaningless, but it sent a jolt of electricity through my body. My vision tunneled, narrowing to that single point of contact.

“Jesus Christ,” I hissed, my heart thundering so loud I was sure the whole damn street could hear it.

The bike beneath me vibrated, responding to the tension in my body. I forced myself to breathe, to loosen my death grip on the handlebars. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Kasen, from the easy way she touched that man.

It shouldn’t matter. Itdidn’tmatter. But try telling that to the green-eyed monster clawing its way up my throat.

My mind raced, weighing options. I could storm over there and show this nobody who he was dealing with. But the consequences…

“Fuck,” I muttered.

Tank would rip me apart if he thought I was sniffing around Kasen. No one dared touch his triplets. Hell, I hadn’t even been aware any of them had been on date before. Did he know where his precious daughter was right now? Who she was with? Would he approve of her being with someone like this kid?

But the sight of her, laughing and carefree, made my blood boil. What if this guy wasn’t what he seemed? What if Kasen was in danger? He didn’t look like he had enough muscle to do much harm, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t the brains behind some sinister operation.

I flexed my fingers, fighting the urge to reach for the knife at my belt. “Get it together,” I muttered to myself. “You’re the Sergeant-at-Arms, not some lovestruck teenager.”

The title sat heavily on my shoulders. I had responsibilities, a duty to the club that came before everything else. Even my own wants. Even Kasen.

But as I watched her lean in closer once more to the stranger, something primal roared to life inside me. My protective instincts warred with club loyalty, leaving me frozen in indecision.

“Goddamnit, Kasen,” I whispered, my voice rough with emotion. “What are you doing to me?”

I kept my eyes locked on Kasen and her companion, cataloging every gesture, every laugh. The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The slight tilt of her head as she listened. I was gathering intel, I told myself. Nothing more.

Suddenly, Kasen’s gaze swept across the street. Our eyes met, and the world seemed to freeze. Electricity sparked through the air between us, charged with unspoken words and hidden desires.

Her eyes widened slightly, recognition flashing across her face. I saw her breath catch, saw the slight tremor in her hand as she reached for her drink.

“Tempest?” I saw her mouth my name, barely a whisper.

For a heartbeat, I forgot how to breathe. Then the moment shattered as her companion said something, drawing her attention back. But the damage was done. My resolve crumbled like ashes in the wind.

Did she know? Could she feel this magnetic pull, this invisible tether drawing us together? I couldn’t confront her now, not with that unknown bastard sitting there. But later… later, I’d get her alone. I’d make her explain what the hell was going on.

My mind raced, plotting out scenarios. I’d catch her leaving the cafe, or maybe outside her place. Somewhere private, where I could let this simmering rage and confusion boil over without risking the club interfering.

With a sharp inhale, I made my decision. The Harley roared to life beneath me, a beast awakening. The engine’s growl matched the storm of emotions churning in my gut -- anger, jealousy, desire, all tangled up in a knot I couldn’t unravel.

I cast one last look at Kasen, committing her face to memory. Then, with a twist of the throttle, I peeled away from the curb, leaving nothing but the echo of thunder in my wake.

The wind whipped past as I tore through the streets, my mind a chaotic mess of conflicting thoughts. Kasen’s face haunted me, her wide-eyed look of recognition burned into my retinas. I pushed the bike faster, harder, trying to outrun the storm inside me.

The clubhouse loomed ahead. I pulled in, killing the engine with a savage twist. The sudden silence felt oppressive.

“Yo, Tempest!” Thunder called from the picnic table. “You look like you’re about to murder someone.”

I ignored him, striding toward the clubhouse door. “Where’s Tank?” I growled.

Thunder’s eyebrows shot up. “Inside. Everything okay?”

I shouldered past him without answering. The cool dimness of the clubhouse interior did nothing to calm the fire in my veins. I scanned the room, zeroing in on Tank’s hulking form by the bar.

“We need to talk,” I said, my voice low and tight. “Now.”

Tank’s eyes narrowed, assessing. He nodded once. “So, talk.”

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