Page 9 of Haunted By the Storm
Once he's gone, I sit back down across from Storm. "I need to know something before I agree to any of this."
He waits, silent.
"Are you dangerous?"
The question hangs between us. He doesn't answer immediately, seeming to weigh his response.
"Yes," he finally says, his honesty surprising me. "But not to you or your daughter."
I study him, looking for any sign of deception. "I've spent eight years building a stable life for Emily. The last thing I need is to invite chaos into it."
"Sometimes chaos finds you whether you invite it or not," he points out. "Eric's already disrupted your life. I'm just offering to help you deal with that disruption."
He's right again, which is starting to annoy me. "If, and that is a big if, I agree to this, we need ground rules."
He nods. "Name them."
"Emily comes first, always. If at any point she feels upset or confused by your presence, you're out."
"Agreed."
"No club business in my house. No drugs, no weapons where Emily can find them, no... women coming over."
A slight smile quirks his lips. "Wouldn't be much of a boyfriend if I was bringing other women around."
I ignore the flutter in my stomach at his smile. "This is just for show. Just until Eric backs off."
"Crystal clear," he says.
"And Blaze mentioned someone staying with us, but I don't think that's necessary?—"
"It is," Storm interrupts. "If Eric's been watching your house, he'll know if I'm just stopping by occasionally. For this to work, he needs to believe I'm a permanent fixture in your life."
I close my eyes briefly. The thought of sharing my space with this intimidating stranger makes my pulse race with anxiety. But then I think of Eric's threat;I'll be seeing you both soon,and I know I can't take any chances with Emily's safety.
"Fine," I say, opening my eyes to find him still watching me. "But you sleep on the couch."
He dips his head in acknowledgment. "Whatever makes you comfortable."
"I'm not comfortable with any of this," I admit. "But I need to keep Emily safe, and if pretending to date a biker is what it takes, then I guess that's what I'll do."
"You could do worse," he says, that slight smile appearing again.
Despite myself, I feel a reluctant smile tugging at my own lips. "I could definitely do better."
He actually chuckles at that, a deep, rumbling sound that somehow makes him seem less intimidating. "Fair enough."
"When do we start this charade?" I ask, already dreading it.
"Right now," he says, rising from his chair. "Pack a bag for you and Emily. You're staying at the clubhouse with me while Blaze installs the security system here."
I start to protest, but he holds up a hand. "Just until the system is installed. Then I'll move in here, like we discussed."
Before I can ask any questions, Emily's excited voice echoes from the living room, followed by Blaze's deeper tones. I sigh, accepting that my life has just become infinitely more complicated.
"Let me talk to Emily first," I say, heading toward the door. "I need to prepare her."
Storm nods. "Take your time."
