Page 43 of Tempest

“Hey,” I said softly, pulling her into my arms. “We’ve got this.”

She nodded against my chest. “I know. It’s just… I’m not ready to leave our bubble.”

I understood completely. This beach house had become our sanctuary, a place where we could just be us without the complications of the outside world.

“Me neither,” I admitted. “But we can’t hide forever.”

Kasen squared her shoulders, a determined glint in her eye. “Then let’s face it head-on.”

I grinned, pride swelling in my chest. This was the woman I’d fallen for -- fierce, unafraid.

As I stood by my bike, my eyes were drawn to the ocean, its endless expanse a stark contrast to the confined world we were about to re-enter.

“One last look?” Kasen’s voice was soft behind me.

I nodded, feeling her hand slip into mine. “It’s been one hell of a week.”

We stood there, the salty breeze whipping around us.

“You okay?” Kasen squeezed my hand.

I turned to her, drinking in the sight of her windswept hair, her eyes bright with a mix of apprehension and hope. “Yeah. Just… processing.”

She nodded, understanding in her gaze. “It’s a lot.”

“Understatement of the fucking year,” I muttered, then sighed. “But I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, except the part where you were kidnapped. That I could have done without.”

Kasen leaned into me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “But I think it brought us together. It gave me the final push I needed.”

“And here I thought by coming with me, you’d already agreed to be mine.” Honestly, I knew what she meant. For her, things had been moving too fast. Then she’d been kidnapped, thought she’d never see me again, and it made her realize moving fast wasn’t always a bad thing.

We stood there for a moment longer, the crash of waves a steady rhythm. Then, with a deep breath, I stepped back. “Time to go.”

The ride was silent, the tension palpable. I could feel Kasen’s anxiety radiating off her in waves. Hell, I was feeling it too. The club, Tank, the potential shitstorm we were driving into -- it all loomed large. I hadn’t even told Savior yet that I’d claimed her.

The road stretched out before us, an uncertain path. But for the first time in a long time, I felt ready to face whatever came our way. With Kasen by my side, I could take on the whole fucking world if I had to.

Chapter Thirteen

Kasen

The rumble of the bike echoed off the clubhouse as Tempest and I rolled to a stop. My heart hammered against my ribs. This was it. No turning back now.

I swung my leg over the seat, boots hitting gravel. Curious eyes peered from shadowy corners of the lot. Wary glances darted our way. Yeah, I’d known we were screwed before we got here. This only proved it.

Tempest’s hand found the small of my back as we approached the entrance. His touch steadied me, but my palms were slick with sweat. My dad would be furious. I just wasn’t entirely sure which of us he’d be the most angry with.

The heavy door groaned as we stepped inside. Conversation died instantly. Dozens of eyes locked onto us.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath.

His body coiled tight, ready to spring into action if needed. Although, he’d promised he wouldn’t hurt my dad.

A sea of leather-clad bodies parted. My father’s imposing figure cut through the crowd like the prow of a ship. Tank. The ex-Sergeant-at-Arms. And despite his age, he hadn’t lost much muscle mass. I knew he was still really damn strong. His presence filled the room, commanding and undeniable.

My throat went dry. “Dad, I --”

He raised a hand, silencing me. His eyes, hard as steel, bored into Tempest. Okay. So he was furious with the man beside me, and not his precious daughter. Part of me felt relieved, but I was suddenly much more worried about Tempest than I’d been before.

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