Page 10 of Viking
My protective instincts kicked into overdrive.A three-year-old sitting in a car outside a motorcycle club compound, possibly in danger if what I suspected about Kris’s death was true.
“You should bring her inside,” I said.“It’s safer here than out there.”
Karoline hesitated, then reached into her purse and pulled out a folded paper.“Kris left me a letter,” she said, her hands trembling as she pushed it across the table.“With his will and Athena’s guardianship papers.He told me to find you.Said you’d understand, that you’d help us.”
I unfolded the letter, recognizing Kris’s handwriting immediately.The sight of it sent a fresh wave of grief through me.“He said if he died on a mission, we might be in danger,” Karoline continued, her voice dropping to just above a whisper.
I unfolded the letter and began to read, my blood running colder with each line.Classified missions.Potential danger.People who might think his family had information they didn’t.All of it confirmed what I’d feared when I first saw Karoline standing at our gate.
Kris hadn’t just been military.He’d been deep in the kind of covert operations that left widows and orphans with no explanations, just flags and empty platitudes about service to country.The kind of work that made enemies who didn’t distinguish between targets and their families.And now his sister and daughter might be in the crosshairs.
I folded the letter back up and met Karoline’s anxious gaze.“Kris was into some heavy shit,” I said bluntly.“If he thought you might be in danger, there’s a good reason.”
“I don’t understand any of this,” she admitted.“It sounds crazy.Like something from a movie, not real life.But…” Her eyes filled with tears again.“But Kris wouldn’t have sent me to you if it wasn’t real.He trusted you.With me.With his daughter.”
The weight of that trust settled on my shoulders, heavy but not unwelcome.I’d failed Kris in life, letting our friendship fade when he needed me most.I wouldn’t fail him in death.“We need to get you both somewhere secure while I figure this out.”
Relief washed over her face, mixed with lingering fear.“Thank you,” she whispered.“I didn’t know where else to go.What to do.”
“You did exactly what you should have,” I assured her.“And, Karoline?I promise you this -- as long as you’re with me, nothing is going to happen to you or that little girl.Nothing.”
The fierceness in my own voice surprised me.But I meant every word.
Sunlight caught the copper strands of her hair, creating a halo effect around her face.Her lips, fuller than I remembered, pressed together in a determined line despite the fear in her eyes.Even exhausted and afraid, there was a quiet strength in the set of her chin, in the way she met my gaze without flinching.
I knew I needed to talk to Savior or Saint about this, but… Karoline needed me.I’d deal with the fallout later.Wouldn’t be the first brother to do something stupid, doubted I’d be the last.
“You’ll stay here,” I said, coming to a decision.“Both of you.Under club protection.”
“Here?At the motorcycle club?”Her eyes widened as she glanced around.“I can’t just move into a biker compound with a three-year-old.I have a job, a house --”
“A house with an address that anyone can find,” I cut in.“A job where you’re exposed every day.This isn’t a request, Karoline.If someone is looking for you, those are the first places they’ll check.”
She fell silent.I wondered if she was recalling her earlier words about how Kris wouldn’t have sent her to me if this wasn’t a serious situation.“So, you’re saying I need to quit without notice?”
“I know it’s not ideal, but yeah.For the sake of your safety, and Athena’s, that’s what you need to do.I have a house on the edge of the compound,” I continued, gentling my tone.“Private.Secure.You and Athena can stay there until we figure this out.Then, if you need help finding a job, we’ll do our best to find a spot for you either at your current preschool or a new one.”
“And how long will that take?”
I met her eyes directly.“I don’t know.But what I do know is that Kris was like a brother to me.That makes you and Athena family.And I protect my family.No matter what.”
Something in her expression softened, a flash of the girl I’d known appearing in her woman’s face.“Kris always said that about you.That you were the most loyal person he’d ever known.”
The words hit me like a physical blow.Loyal?I’d been too caught up in club business and my own problems to maintain the connection that had once been as necessary as breathing.
“Let’s go get Athena,” I said, standing abruptly to hide the emotion threatening to overwhelm me.“She shouldn’t be outside the gates any longer than necessary.”
Karoline stood, gathering her purse and the letter.As we walked back toward the main gate, I positioned myself slightly in front of her, a habit born from years of protecting what was mine.
“The guys might seem rough,” I warned as we approached the gate, “but they’re family too.They’ll help keep you safe.”
“I’m more worried about Athena,” Karoline said.“She’s barely spoken since I got her.She’s terrified of strangers.Of men, especially.I only discovered that about her when we stopped for gas along the way, and food.”
I slowed my pace, turning to face her.“I won’t let anyone scare her.Including me.We’ll take it slow, let her adjust at her own pace.”
Gratitude flashed in Karoline’s eyes, and she reached out impulsively, her hand resting briefly on my arm.The contact, innocent as it was, sent an unexpected jolt through me.Her fingers were slender, pale against the dark ink of my tattoos, and I found myself wanting to cover her hand with mine, to provide the reassurance she clearly needed.
“Thank you,” she said softly.“For helping us.”
