Page 13 of Property of Indiana

No, but another girl would’ve been their victim. They were looking for a female, any one would’ve served their purpose that night. While it was horrific, you survived and have Elodie,my mind whispers.Someone else might not have been able to overcome that assault.

“No, it’s not,” he snaps. “You have me, Icer, and the rest of the Kings at your back, Zoe. Once you’re claimed, there’s no going back and not only did I claim you and our little princess, but so did Icer, and the club unanimously agreed.”

“I know that now, Harrison. But when I came back, I was under the impression I’d be on my own,” I digress.

And why wouldn’t I think that way? Ever since my parents kicked me to the curb, I’ve been on my own. Even with my grandparents’ help, it was still up to me to pull up my big girl panties and move forward. They didn’t know how to handle what happened to me, so they swept it under the rug in some ways, but they lovedmeenough to make sure I got the help I needed because they knew they weren’t capable of dealing with it. I don’tbegrudge their feelings since they come from a generation that didn’t talk of such things. At least they were there for me and Elodie when she came along. Unlike my parents who definitely talk out of both sides of their mouths. They spewed compassion and love toward others less fortunate, but when their own daughter was brutally raped and ended up pregnant, that was too much. At least when they found out I was expecting, it was done via a phone call since I’d already moved into Memaw and Pepaw’s.

“We’ll get back to that soon,” he says, pointing his finger at me. “I want to know what brought you back.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about that,” I honestly tell him.

“No secrets, remember,” he points out. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

A giggle leaves my lips. “Sometimes you talk like an old man with your sayings.

“Heard that one all my life from my mom,” he conveys. “Anyhow, I stepped up and claimed you as mine. And before you start freaking out on me, I plan on us taking our time and getting to know one another again, as adults, before permanently branding you.”

“Branding me? Like cattle? I don’t know how I feel about that, Harrison.”

“I mean patching you, Zoey. An old lady wears her man’s property of patch on her own cut.”

“Property?” I sputter. “That’s not much better.”

“It’s the highest regard a woman can have in my world. It means more than a piece of paper documented at the courts stating you’re my wife.”

“Explain the whole old lady thing while we’re at it. I’ve read about that in books, and I’m not sure I like being referred to as one,” I harrumph.

“What kind of books?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows. “Are they sexy ones?”

“You want to know if I read smut, Harrison? That’s awfully bold of you.”

“Tell me, Zoey.” He’s bouncing on his seat like a kid who’s been taken to a candy warehouse and told to grab as much as his arms can carry. “Do you like the things they do between the sheets? Can I read one?”

“You want to read my smexy books?” I quizzingly ask.

“Smexy? That’s a new word, I’ll have to look up the meaning,” he smirks.

“You do that. But we’re off topic again, Harrison. I’d rather us get this conversation out of the way than to keep splitting it up into various sections.”

In a lot of ways, it’s like there’s been no time lost between us, because we used to do the same thing when we were younger. We’d start off on one topic then veer to the left or right. Eventually, we’d circle back to where we began, but today’s talk is far too important to fall back into old habits.

“So the old lady thing? Like I stated, it’s the highest honor given to a woman. It means you're like a precious gem. You are untouchable and it's well-known that we’ll fight tooth and nailto keep you from harm's way. Others know that if they touch a single hair on your head it's a declaration of war. It’s the best way to keep you safe from the Onyx Dragons, Zoey.”

“But even that’s not a guarantee, is it, Harrison?”

“Unfortunately, it’s not. Not every gang or club has scruples and honor seems to be a thing of the past. Most won’t fuck with kids or old ladies, but there are some who simply don’t care. They consider them collateral damage if they’re attacking their enemy.”

I shudder as scenes from books I’ve read flood my mind. Could Elodie be targeted? What about me? I know I’d also go down swinging, but I’m smart enough to realize that going against a grown man is likely futile.

“Say I accept this old lady thing, what does that mean for you and me in the long run?” I probe, wanting nothing to come back later down the road and bite me in the ass since I’m ignorant to anything that isn’t fiction.

“I’m not sure where your mind goes when you think of that title and seeing as I haven’t read these books you have, I can only take a guess. You won’t find me cheating on you, you won’t ever have to wonder what I’m doing behind your back. If I’m going to do something, I’m straight forward and will tell you. Unless it’s club business, then it’s something I can’t share. That won’t be a case of I don’t want to, it’ll literally mean that only the members of the Kings can know. I’ll never keep you in the dark as long the knowledge I give you doesn't put you in danger.”

“But there’ll be times when something is about me that I won’t be told about. Am I getting that right?”

“That’ll be very rare, Zoey. Listen, I know this is all happening quickly, and we are just now reuniting after years of separation, but this is the best case scenario when it comes to the protection of you and Elodie.”

“So you keep saying,” I mumble. “A lot has happened to me, Harrison. Things I’ve just started comprehending and dealing with. I don’t trust people easily. Not anymore. And this is nothing against you, but you fall into that group of people too. Even if I still feel a bond with you, I don’t trust it because I don’t trust my instincts anymore. I made one mistake and let my defenses down and look how that turned out.”

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