Page 26 of Slash
"And you?" Nicole tried to keep the neediness out of her voice and failed spectacularly. "Will you be here too?"
“Where else would I be? You think I'd leave you to face this alone?" Something in Slash's expression softened, and he pulled her against him, backing her against the wall. "I'm not going anywhere, little girl. You're stuck with me. My brothers will run any pertinent errand that needs done.”
Relief flooded through her, followed immediately by arousal as she became aware of how thoroughly he'd caged her in. Hisbody was solid against hers, all hard muscle and controlled strength. "Good. Because I don't think I can do this without you."
"You could," Slash said seriously, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. "You're strong enough to handle anything life throws at you. But you don't have to. Not anymore. You've got me now."
"My Daddy," she whispered, testing the word again, watching his eyes darken.
"Careful, little girl," he warned, his voice dropping to a growl. "We're not alone here, and I'm already fighting the urge to show you exactly what calling me that does to me."
"What does it do to you?" she asked, feeling bold despite everything.
His hand slid into her hair, gripping just tight enough to make her gasp. "Makes me want to bend you over my knee and turn that pretty ass red for breaking my rules. Makes me want to fuck you until you're screaming it. Makes me want to keep you forever, mark you as mine so thoroughly that everyone knows exactly who you belong to."
Nicole's breath came in short pants, her body responding to his words, his touch, his proximity. "Slash?—"
"But first," he continued, releasing her and stepping back, leaving her aching and empty, "we keep you safe. Priorities, baby girl."
As she settled into the room and waited for everyone else to arrive for the meeting, Nicole found herself thinking about the difference between running and being protected. And for the first time in her life, she had someone she could trust and submit to, in all the ways that mattered.
That made all the difference in the world.
CHAPTER 9
NICOLE
She'd found it hard to sleep last night, tossing and turning until the sheets felt like restraints. Every creak of the building made her heart race, every distant motorcycle engine had her checking the window. The digital clock had mocked her—12:47, 1:23, 1:58—until she'd finally closed her eyes around two am, exhaustion winning over anxiety.
It was past eleven when she made it downstairs, her body heavy with the kind of fatigue that sleep couldn't cure. The rest of the morning had been deceptively ordinary, but underneath the normalcy, her nerves hummed. She felt like she was on pins and needles, her skin too tight, her breath too shallow. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting for the shoe to drop.
The kitchen smelled of fresh coffee and bacon grease and sounds of domesticity that should have been comforting but instead felt like a facade. Nicole had almost let herself believe in the ordinary again. She held her cup of coffee tightly as it warmed her hands in the clubhouse kitchen, the bitter-sweet taste grounding her in the present moment. Kayleigh sat at the large wooden table, her tongue poking out in concentration asshe colored with Emilee, purple crayon gripped in her small fist. The normalcy of it made Nicole's chest ache.
Laughter spilled from the Spartan women as they swapped stories, their voices rising and falling in familiar rhythms. Several of the Valhalla women had come to visit in the last week. Their men had meetings with the Watchmen officers as their women hung out with the littles. Nicole met many of them, and had instantly taken to them all. The community here in Grand Ridge was amazing and unlike any small town she’d ever visited. People here seemed to truly care about each other. Tank's wife was describing his attempt at cooking dinner last night, complete with dramatic hand gestures and spot-on impressions that had everyone cackling. These women had seen darkness, Nicole could see it in their eyes, the way they held themselves, but they'd found light again. Maybe she could too.
Savannah pulled her into a warm hug that smelled like vanilla and lavender, holding on just a second longer than necessary. "You okay?" she whispered, and Nicole nodded against her shoulder even though they both knew it was a lie.
It was amazing watching Savannah with Savage. The massive biker's entire demeanor shifted when she entered his orbit, like a guard dog recognizing its person. He was very similar to Slash in many ways—the constant vigilance, the way his hand found the small of Savannah's back without looking, guiding and protecting in equal measure. He was protective, doted on her, and brought her coffee without being asked. When Savannah reached for something on a high shelf, Savage was there before she could even stretch, his hand briefly squeezing her hip. He swatted her butt whenever Kayleigh wasn't around, earning a glare that fooled no one.
Nicole was so grateful for how they curbed some of their dynamic behaviors around her daughter. The bikers who could probably kill with their bare hands became gentle giants,censoring their language, hiding their weapons, transforming the clubhouse into something that felt safe. Almost normal.
Almost.
But Slash—Slash hadn't let his guard down for a single second since the text came in.
His gaze tracked every window like a sniper checking sight lines, cataloging exits and entrances with military precision. When someone walked past outside, his hand twitched toward where she knew he kept his gun. He lingered near Kayleigh like a shadow with teeth, never more than ten feet away, his presence a constant reminder that danger still existed beyond these walls. Even when he appeared relaxed, leaning against the counter with his coffee, Nicole could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw muscle jumped every time a door opened.
She'd tried to lighten the mood earlier, sliding up beside him and bumping his hip with hers. "You know she's safe here, right?" Nicole had teased him softly, keeping her voice light. "All these guys around? The security? You're being overprotective."
The look he'd given her could have melted steel. His eyes had darkened to storm clouds, and he'd answered with a grunt and a warning look that said,Don't test me, little girl.The possessive edge in his gaze, the way his hand had briefly gripped her waist—firm, claiming—sent heat flooding through her despite everything.
She'd flushed and smiled, ducking her head to hide the way her body responded to his dominance, not realizing how fast that smile would shatter. How quickly her whole world would tilt on its axis.
It happened in seconds. Maybe less. Time fractured into before and after.
Nicole was drying dishes beside Tater, the warm water having turned her fingers pruny. She was listening to him tell a story about his first time on a motorcycle, how he'd crashedinto his mama's prize rose bushes. It was comfortable, these mundane moments that made her feel like maybe they could have a real life here.
Kayleigh's voice piped up from across the room, sweet and innocent. "Mommy, can I go outside and get my elephant? I left her on the picnic table yesterday and she's probably lonely."
