Page 37 of Her Avenging Angel

She frowned at him. “You just got me boots and a helmet. This is too much.”

“No, it’s not. Just open it.” He wanted to rip it open and put it on her but knew better. He took a seat in the recliner that he’d had moved in for her and waited. Her brows drew together, and she sent him an unhappy look then lifted the lid off the box. She frowned down at the box for a moment, as if she wasn’t sure what she was seeing.

“Pull it out and take a look,” he encouraged.

Taylynn lifted the leather vest from the box and held it up, her wrinkled brow and the wide-eyed look let him know she knew this was significant, but he wanted to make sure she knew exactly what it meant.

“I know you’ve been around MCs for a while now, but the Demons were more than a little fucked up and I want you to know this doesn’t mean ownership. I want you to wear it, but only if you want to. It’s not a leash, It’s a claim. To most men in clubs, old lady is the same as wife and that,” he pointed at the colors she still held up, “is as good as a ring. Not only does it tell anyone who sees it that the Angels will protect, defend and avenge you, but it tells them that I’ll be gunning for them specifically. Turn it around.” He stood and went to her. “See here,” he pointed out the big rockers on the back that said ‘Property of’ on top and ‘Raven’ on the bottom with the winged, haloed skull that was the Angels’ emblem in the center. “It says it on the front, too,” he showed her the patch on the upper left side that told anyone in front of her who she belonged to. “It’s important that you wear this, not so much when it’s just the Angels’ around, but if there’s anyone who’s not part of us, and after this long you know all the Angels. But this will let any visitors know you’re not a mama. That you are someone they had damned well show respect to. Some day soon I’ll fuck you wearing nothing but this, and it will be so hot. But right now you’re hungry. So put some clothes on, wear your colors and let’s go get something to eat.” He bent and planted a quick, hard kiss on her mouth. “I’m going to get some clean clothes then I’ll be back. If you’re still naked we might not make breakfast.”

He left, going next door to his own room. In there he kicked off his dirty jeans and tossed them in his laundry pile, before heading for the bathroom. After using the facilities, he washed his face and took his time, knowing Taylynn would take longer to get dressed than he usually did. After finishing in the restroom, he got dressed and pulled on the boots he’d grabbed on his way out of Taylynn’s room, then went back for her, grabbing his colors off her dresser where he’d put them when he’d stripped the night before and shrugged into it. Taylynn wasn’t still sitting in the middle of the bed, so there was progress. Water on in the sink in her bathroom told him she hadn’t given up on him and gone in the other room on her own. Not wanting to rush her, Raven took a seat in the recliner where he’d been earlier and waited.

Several minutes later the water shut off, then he heard movement for another minute or two before the bathroom door opened.

“You’re back,” Taylynn said, a smile spreading across her face.

“I told you I’d be back. You about ready?”

“We’re just going in the other room?”

“That was my plan, unless you’re getting tired of what the boys make and would rather go find a diner.”

“No, here is fine. It’s going to take me some time to get used to not having to worry about being seen. I’ll get used to it, but it will take a little while.” She stepped into her canvas shoes, then picked up her colors and shrugged into them. “Do I look okay?”

“You look amazing, little one. Come on before I forget that you’re hungry and strip you down again.” He hooked an arm around her waist, tugged her close for a quick kiss, then guided her to the door.

As they stepped into the main room, Raven could hear several of his brothers talking. He let Taylynn step into the room ahead of him, hoping his brothers would see what she was wearing and react appropriately, she needed a bit of a boost at the moment, as she looked a little uncertain, as if she didn’t know how to act with his name on her back.

She stepped into the room, with Raven not more than a step or two behind her. As they stepped into the room, everyone went silent. Then clapping began and was soon joined by wolf whistles and shouting.

“Way to go, prez!”

“Looking good there, Taylynn!”

“About damn time!”

Since everyone was happy and not cranky about it, not that he’d expected them to be, Raven didn’t bother figuring out who said what. The grin on Taylynn’s face was enough for him.

“How about you grab us a table and I’ll pour us coffee and bring it over?” she said.

“One of the prospects can bring us coffee.” He didn’t want her too far away, not for any longer than he had to let her go.

“I can get the coffee, it’s already made. They can cook. Besides, I don’t want to wait for my coffee.”

“Go ahead, little one, I’ll grab us a table.”

She headed behind the bar and he turned to where several of his brothers sat around a couple of tables that had been pushed together.

“Got room for two more?”

“We’ll make room.” Panther reached over and pulled another table to join the other two then moved his chair so he sat at the new table. Several others did the same until there was room between Jersey and Diesel for the two of them. Raven turned and grabbed two chairs from another table, spotting Taylynn as she picked up two mugs. He couldn’t help the smile on his own face as he turned around and set the chairs down.

Before he had a chance to sit, glass shattered and chaos seemed to fall around them. It took a moment for the ratatat-tat-tat of gunfire to fill the room. He spun trying to get to Taylynn and was tackled to the ground. A heavy body on top of him. He struggled. He needed to get to her, to make sure she was safe.

More glass shattered, splinters and chunks of debris rained down on them, and Raven continued to try to get out from under the weight that lay on his back.

He didn’t know how long it lasted. It felt like hours before the bullets stopped, but was likely no longer than a minute, two at most. Then silence. The weight on his back eased and Raven pushed himself to his hands and knees then stood. He turned and found it had been Diesel who had knocked him down and pinned him. Raven was tempted to hit the other man for keeping him from going to Taylynn but checking on her was more important. He turned back toward the bar, hoping she’d still been behind it and that the heavy oak had protected her from whoever had done this. They’d have to figure that out but not until after he made sure everyone was okay.

He was halfway to the bar when her head popped up behind the bar. His knees went weak with relief but he didn’t stop moving. By the time Raven reached her, Dax stood beside her.

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