Page 27 of Savage Obsession
Arabelle nudges a mug of coffee into my hands, and I accept its warm comfort. After I take a sip I add, “That’s the truth. We just improvise. And pray.”
Charli, the Savages mother hen and book connoisseur excuses herself and comes back with a pan of something that smells like gooey cinnamon goodness and pure happiness. She wipes her hands on a dishtowel and glances at the book I placed on the padded bench beside me. I didn’t know if I would be put in a corner and left to entertain myself so I brought a book. It’s one I picked up from Venom’s place about a biker who buys a bride because he needs her help to destroy his enemy.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus, I knew you’d fit right in!” she throws me a wink and nudges my shoulder. “That’s a good one. I like it when he takes her in the shower. Steamy as fuck and I’m not talkin’ about the hot water, baby. If you ever want to hide, just come to the Broken Chapter. I’ll set you up with more romance and we can use the backroom for a read-a-thon.” She grins, eyes twinkling behind her glasses.
Arabelle snorts. “Charli is our local dealer. Books, cookies, and unsolicited advice.”
The other women laugh, and I join in. For the first time in so long, it feels good just to let the sound out without earning insults or jeers from harsh men looking to tear me down just because I want to be happy. It feels like exhaling after years of holding my breath.
Venom appears at my shoulder, smelling like wood chips and sawdust. He’s been out cutting wood and clearing away dead trees that fell during the snowstorm. He’s wearing another Hensley, dark jeans and his usual biker boots. His arm snakes around my waist, his grip casual but iron-strong. He bends to press a kiss to my temple.
“You settle in okay, snow angel?”
I lean into his touch. “Yeah. I think I could get used to this.”
Charli reaches out and pats my hand making me miss my mother. I fight back a wave of emotions and force the tears to hold. “You did good, Venom. You did good.”
I can feel the love she has for me and it makes my heart marvel at how someone can be so open and welcoming to a stranger. It also makes me grateful. I can’t do more than offer a water smile back and she takes it with one of her own.
My heart is full and I want to soak in this light and love all day long.
Venom’s fingers curl at my hip. “I did, Charli.” He turns his lips to my ear and whispers, “You’re part of the family now. I’m never letting you go.”
Heat flushes my skin and I wonder if anyone can see how desperately I want this man. Not just sexually, but in every way possible. A soul-deep need to have him in my heart and life roots in my bones.
I pick out a few wayward chips of wood from Venom’s long hair and press my forehead to his. “You know, I think I might be obsessed with you, too.”
Someone clears their throat behind us, cutting off something Venom was about to say back. We turn to see Phantom in the doorway. He’s the only one of the crew who hasn’t grown his hair out. Dark brown tips play over the collar of his cotton T-shirt. It’s freezing outside, but the man doesn’t seem to be phased by the cold. Something else is bothering him.
Dark circles smear the space under his eyes, a deep shadow covers his jaw and his hair is a mess. Like he’s run his hands through it a million times since the sun came up. He’s holding a battered laptop in one hand and a manila folder in the other.
“Sorry to crash breakfast.” His voice is low and tired, but his gray eyes are soft when he looks at me. “Willow. Good to see you back among the living. Venom likes to keep his treasures to himself.” He walks in and does the shoulder bump thing with Venom before taking a seat next to us.
“Thanks to you, we’ve got enough on your father’s operation to finally make some moves. I’m going to find Reaper after I grab a coffee. Nothing is final, but from the video you provided we have faces and dealings going down. We just have to make sure, like you said, another snake doesn’t slither in before we can burn the nest. That’s Reaper’s department, though.”
The room stills, and everyone grows quiet. The feeling of relief, hope, and the bone-deep worry feels like a heavy blanket over the room. Now the danger really starts.
I swallow harshly, my heart tight. I don’t want to be the cause of anyone getting hurt but I know what comes next. “And my father?” I’ve wanted to ask since the night the Savages took him, but I also didn’t want to know the answer. Being a daughter to a man like him isn’t easy.
“He’s not dead, but I’ll be honest with you. He’s not playing ball the easy way. I don’t want to lie and pussy-foot around the truth here. Pardon my French, sweetheart.”
I nod, brushing his comment away. “He never wants to do anything the easy way. He earns the karma he receives. All the deaths that are on his hands have to be paid for somehow. I feel wrong saying that but I can’t take his actions on my shoulders.”
“No, you can’t, snow angel.” Venom kisses my temple, and it calms the hurt and sorrow bubbling up inside.
“Did you make out anything about the guys with the snake tattoos?”
I’ve been curious about them ever since I saw them. “They’ve never come to Vulture territory before.”
Phantom sighs and drags a hand over his face. “We have names. To us it looks like they very well may be the new players in town trying to move in. But nothing is concrete yet. We’ll know more after tonight.” His gaze meets mine and there’s a flicker of respect there. “You did good, Willow. You did more than most when placed in your shoes."
I don’t know what to say, so I just nod, the words sticking in my throat. These men, this family are about to risk everything to clean up a mess my father made. And the guilt, the fear, the need to see them come home safe, lands like a rock in my chest.
Reaper strides in and throws me a wink as he takes a hot cup of coffee Arabelle offers. By the set of his jaw, something is wrong. He has his phone to his ear and his permanent scowl takes a darker turn.
Venom tenses beside me. “What’s wrong, Prez?”
The rest of the crew walks in behind him. Everyone grabs buns and coffee while they wait for their president to fill them in. My father never worked like that. He never talked in front of the women living at the Vulture compound. He didn’t respect them enough. The Savages are different.
