Page 81 of Property of Chaos

It’s okay for the other officers to do what the fuck they want and when as long as they answer the club’s call. But when the president goes offline for a few hours? Fucking all hell breaks loose.

And I bet they’d still say my fucking last name doesn’t have shit to do with it.

Bullshit.

TWENTY-NINE

VANESSA

The rustleof wind through the small trees in the front garden is a soothing balm. I roll to my back and sigh, lifting both arms to rub at my eyes. I lost track of time when I fell asleep, but it didn’t take much to drift off, thanks to a long walk along the river’s edge. It’d been weeks since I’d carved out the time for nature, and yet again, I chastised myself for leaving it so long.

My mind has never been clearer. Choices so obvious.

I move my legs apart and back together again, sweeping the bed’s surface for Murphy and coming up against nothing.Traitor.Likely out hunting field mice or perhaps keeping my stalker company.My stalker—shit.Eyes wide, I push up on my elbows and blink a few times to adjust my sight to the dark better.

Heart hammering at my chest wall, I work the room from left to right, squinting at the familiar shapes.Wardrobe, clothes pile, doorframe…

“Hi.” His rough baritone charges through the room like a whip crack.

The sheets fall to my waist as I scramble to a seated position, struggling to make out more than his wide profile at the foot ofmy bed. What little light the moon provides adheres to his paler features. Hands clasped before him, he sits on one of my dining chairs, elbows to his knees as he leans forward to study me.

I smack on my bedside light.Damn, he’s beautiful.

“How long have you been there?”

Chaos draws a deep breath, the intake loud in the space between us. “Not as long as I would like, but long enough.”

“Bad day?”

“You could say that.” He glances beside himself to the floor. “I bought you something.”

“Oh?” I lean forward a little, making out the rope handles of a paper bag.

“Yeah.” His gaze cuts back to me. “Not sure if I should give it to you, though.”

“Why not?” I smile. “I love gifts.” Hardly ever get them.

His lips roll, and I find myself staring at the hard line of his jaw. “It’s kind of a present for me, too.”

“Yeah?” I hitch an eyebrow.Now I’m curious.

Chaos leans back slowly, the chair creaking beneath him, as I untuck my legs from beneath the bedding and crawl down the mattress to the foot of my bed.

“What is it?”

He gestures to the bag with a tilt of his head. “Come find out.”

The fucking air crackles between us, charged with promise. I slowly stand before him, one leg after the other, gaze flicking between the bag and his impassive stare. With a gentle hand, I bend my knees a little and reach for the gift bag. It has no emblem, nothing to indicate what’s inside. Tissue paper embraces whatever he got us, the feathery edges tufting toward the opening.

“What’s the occasion?” I return to the edge of the bed and set the bag down to pull out the contents.

“Do I need a reason to treat you?” He tilts his head, a slight smile tugging at the very corners of his mouth.

Fuck my blush.My hair shields me as I stare down into the paper, fingers touching something hard and leather.

I tug the gift free, frowning at the tangle of leather straps and buckles. “What is it?” I turn to look at Chaos.

He sits with his legs wide, hands held before him, wrists turned up.

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