Page 35 of Falling Hard

Lynx got back on the bike and drove into the compound.

“Nothing,” he replied, parking his bike right out front. He got off and gave me a hand, taking my backpack from me as we walked up the steps leading to the front door.

“Well, fine then,” I grumbled, scrunching up my nose in annoyance.

When the front door of the clubhouse was opened, there were three levels. The main level had the living area, kitchen, game room, and bar. On the right side was a large wooden door that led to the room the members held all their meetings—or as they liked to call it, church—in as well as Uncle Hammer’s office. The second floor consisted of bedrooms for visiting guests, and the third floor, which was completely off limits to everyone, contained Uncle Hammer and Emmie’s bedroom. Dad and I didn’t come to the mother chapter very often, and over the past few years, Uncle Hammer had come to us.

Looking around, I noticed Uncle Hammer’s office light was on, and grinning like a fool, I took off toward his office, barging in with no regards to the fact that I was supposed to knock first.

“Uncle Hammie, your favorite niece has arrived to brighten up your day!” I shouted obnoxiously. I laughed as he jumped out of his seat and spilled the glass of bourbon in his hand.

He looked up at me and scowled.

“Argh, dammit, girl, didn’t your father teach you any respect? You don’t just come barging into a man’s office. I could have shot you.” He growled as I skipped over to him and wrapped my arms around him tightly, standing up on my tiptoes to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“Aw, you wouldn’t shoot me. You love me too much! Plus, who else barges into your office at this time of day as loudly as I do!” I said with a giggle. I took a step back to get a good look at him. “Geeze, Uncle Hammie, you’ve gotten even grayer since I saw you last!”

He sat back down, and I planted myself on his lap. His short, peppered hair, which was pushed back from constantly running his hands through it out of frustration because Uncle Hammer was known to have a temper on him, had gotten even whiter on the sides since I saw him last, even his stubble was lighter.

“I blame you girls for that. The two of you combined will be the death of me one day,” he grumbled. “Now what are you doing here, Libby? No one told me you were coming. Who brought you? You’re meant to be heading to the estate, not that I’m complaining,” he added quickly as I pouted and smacked his shoulder.

“Ouch, you wound me, old man, and here I thought you would be excited to see me. I’m going to my room to cry a little,” I said, getting up off his lap and dramatically placing a hand over my heart. I headed for the door, then stopped and grinned at Lynx, who was propped against the doorframe.

Lynx rolled his eyes at me.

“Hey, not nice. No eye rolling at me!” I pouted and slapped his chest playfully, and in return, he smacked my ass, causing me to squeal.

The sound of glass breaking made me jump. Hiding behind Lynx, my eyes wide, I looked back at Uncle Hammer, who was going visibly red and cursing as he shook off his wet and bleeding hand, the glass of bourbon now laying shattered on his desk.

“Libby, out,” Uncle Hammer growled, “and shut the damn door.”

Glancing up at Lynx, he didn’t even look at me as he nodded his head, causing me to relax slightly. I rushed out of the room, closing the door behind me.

Worried, I pressed my ear against the door, straining to hear what exactly they were saying or, should I say, what Uncle Hammer was shouting, which was getting louder and louder by the second.

“That’s my goddamned niece out there. What do you think you’re doing with her? You were told to escort her to the estate, and it sure as hell looked like you were doing a whole lot more than that. Don’t think I didn’t catch the way you looked at her. She’s a good girl, and she doesn’t need to be exposed to your lifestyle. Does she know who the hell you are? What you do for the club? The kind of danger you’ll put her in? I won’t stand for it. You stay the hell away from her, you hear me?” Uncle Hammer shouted. A loud bang, presumably Uncle Hammer’s fists hitting the desk, caused me to jump a little. “I won’t tolerate any of this. You’re a hell of a man, Ghost, and I respect you a lot, but you do shit most men couldn’t stomach, and Libby can’t handle that kind of life.”

“You know it’s not good to eavesdrop, Libby. You might hear things you’re not ready to hear,” a voice said calmly from behind me.

When I yelped a little too loudly, all the yelling coming from Uncle Hammer’s office ceased immediately.

I felt the color drain from my face as I spun around slowly, eyes going wide as I came face-to-face with Grit. My body went entirely numb, and my mind went blank as I barely registered the office door swinging open with such force it cracked the door.

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