Page 55 of The Oath We Take

“In that case,” Dad says, “I’m sure you won’t mind, what did you say,willingly volunteering, to cover his work at the ranch for him while he does this. I hear he covers for you a lot anyway. Maybe you should return the favor.”

“Everything okay?” Atom says, walking over.

“Your dad was worried that looking out for Ember was distracting you from your work at the ranch,” Butcher says. “He reminded me that anyone at the club would be willing to step up and take your place. So, I suggested he do your work.”

Atom’s easygoing expression turns steely as he looks at his father. “A word. Outside.”

“Can talk later, Son.” He moves quickly into church and out of Atom’s way.

“Fucking now,” Atom says.

“I’ll take care of it,” Butcher says, placing a hand on Atom’s shoulder. “While I want to punch your father in the face, he’s right, and I respect you do also have a job to do. We’ll build a schedule, starting tonight.” Dad steps into church.

“I don’t want a slew of different people in my house, Atom.”

“I know. Let me see if I can sort it out. Wait for me to run you home.” His words are gruff, but as he walks by me, arms by his side, to follow his father and president into church, his fingers reach out and brush mine.

If anybody saw the action, they wouldn’t think anything of it. It was so quick and light. But the way his fingers curled around mine for just a moment was enough to reassure me.

It’s a dangerous game we’re playing, but I don’t want it to end.

17

ATOM

“You’re going to get them, aren’t you?” Ember asks that night when we’re finally alone at her apartment and out of sight of the club. There are worry lines on her forehead, and I run my index finger over them to smooth them.

“You know I can’t talk about club business with you.” We’re sitting on the bed in the spare room, fully clothed.

Ember bats my hand away. “No. You and me, we don’t do the ‘club business’ bullshit. Especially when it involves me, and you might get hurt.”

“Can’t leave what they did unchecked or leave you unprotected.”

She huffs, her bottom lip out in a pout. “I don’t want you to go.”

I put my hand behind her neck and tug her close so her lips mold to mine. I’ve never really thought about dating and bases. Usually, my mind has been on the quickest path to fucking. Maybe that was because, in the past, it was the only thing I needed from the woman I was with. But with Ember, I feel like I want to make every moment count.

If I’m honest, I want into her pussy something fierce, but there’s also a different kind of special in having a woman you can just talk to.

“Doing nothing isn’t who I am, Em. And I’m gonna kill those fuckers for coming here and threatening you.”

She smiles softly. “I thought you weren’t meant to tell me club business.”

I kiss her again, only this time, I bite gently on her lower lip and run my hand up over her breast. She’s wearing a lacy lemon bra beneath her sundress that I catch sight of periodically when she moves.

It’s driving me to distraction.

But I can feel the peak of her nipple beneath the cotton and lace as I rub my thumb over it.

“It’s not club business. It’s a promise to you that I’ll always kill any fucker who thinks they can threaten you. No one will ever hurt you and live.”

“That shouldn’t be romantic,” she says. Her lips brush mine as she speaks. She wiggles across me until she is sitting astraddle my thighs. I revel in the fact I get to hold her lush curves as she does so. I slide my other hand up the hem of her dress, my rough palm stroking her silky-smooth thigh. “And I still wish you were staying home, safe with me.”

When I reach her panties, I allow my thumb to drift lightly over her mound. Her mouth opens slightly, and she sucks in a breath.

“Don’t let me drive off knowing you’re sulking. It’ll break my heart, and you’ll be really sad if I come back dead.”

She raises an eyebrow at that, even as her hips tilt back. I know what she’s seeking…pressure on her clit. “Don’t even joke about dying.”

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