Page 14 of Saint

I awake to find myself alone in Saint’s magical bed. There’s a note on the pillow next to me. ‘You looked too peaceful to wake. Call me when you need a ride home’

Works for me. Pulling on one of Saint’s shirts, I decide to have a good look around. This place is beautiful but I haven’t really had a chance to investigate. In the middle of the cabin is a large wood burning fire surrounded by a circle of stone a couple of feet high and flued up to the ceiling. This would easily heat this place to summer like temperatures in the middle of the coldest winter I imagine. The cabin is basically one large space but with bedroom and bathroom closed off. Even though there’s a front door on the outside, I can’t see one on the inside. Weird… In the back left corner is a newly renovated kitchen. All navy blue cupboards and marble benchtops with a long bench top big enough to work and eat at. Opposite that is a small laundry area and the bathroom. Again, both new and modern and well appointed. The bathroom features a very grand looking tub that I’m going to have to try out. My little place doesn’t have one and I just love a long soak! The bathroom is two way with another door that connects to the bedroom.

The front half of the cabin is floor to ceiling French doors all the way across and the views over the lake are to die for. The left hand side is a very comfortable lounge area with a couple of huge overstuffed dark coloured couches, heavy timber coffee table and of course, the obligatory big TV on the wall. And when I say big, I mean huge. It must be an eighty inch TV. The bedroom is to the right hand side. In the middle looking out at the lake is a king size bed. Dark timber with dark linens and the softest, warmest covers with lots of pillows. There’s matching bedsides and a dresser that has a large mirror behind it and on the walls are a couple of charcoal drawings of wolves, framed in light coloured oak. The view out of the doors is just beautiful and I can understand why he chose floor to ceiling glass doors. Waking up to this was sensational.

The doors lead to the covered deck out the back. It’s the same size as the cabin again, with a large timber table which seats 12, plenty of comfy armchairs and couches and an outdoor kitchen area with a grill and benchtop that has a sink with running water and a small fridge underneath. Looking back into the house, the doors are covered in a reflective coating. You can see out but not in. Just as well I think to myself reflecting on the past forty eight hours.

I decide that the deck looks like the perfect place to waste a morning and head inside to make a cup of tea. It would seem he has acquired a kettle in the last twenty four hours and it’s plugged in next to the coffee machine. I make a mental note to thank Kitty for that too. Taking my cuppa out to the deck I settle into one of the armchairs and pull out my phone to Facetime with my son Ink. It’s probably time I told both the boys about Saint.

We have a long conversation and surprisingly he takes the news fairly well and promises to tell Axel for me. I’m holding the phone up pointed at the lake to show Ink the view when Saint walks around the corner.

“And this is Saint.” I say pointing the camera directly at him “Saint, this is my youngest son Ink. Say hello.”

“Ink” he says giving him a chin lift “Nice to meet you.”

“G’day Saint. Nice to meet you too. Mum’s just been telling me all about you and showing me the view from your cabin. Nice place mate.” They chat for a couple of minutes before Saint hands me back the phone and I say goodbye, promising to be in touch soon.

“And here I was worried you’d be pacing about chomping at the bit to get home” Saint says sarcastically, rolling his eyes “looks like you managed to find something to do.”

“Yeah well, what can I say? You wore me out last night and that big ol’ bed of yours is super comfy which encouraged me to sleep in and then I find you’ve gone and bought me a kettle. It would have been rude not to use it.”

“All true. So are you staying or you want a ride back to yours? Or we could take advantage of the fact that you’re barely dressed” he says hopefully.

“I’ll hitch a ride thanks. Stuff to do” I say with a grin “I’ll just throw on some clothes.” As I get dressed I ask him why there’s no front door on the inside of the house.

“Security feature” he says vaguely “I’ll explain later.”

With that, I’m deposited onto the back of his bike and delivered home.

Saint

The days go by in a bit of a blur, turning easily into weeks. My world has been turned upside down by this tiny woman. Fucking perfect and fucking distracting and I spend way too much time thinking about her. I spend my days taking care of the workshop and club business and my nights are spent with her in my arms. She doesn’t have a job and also doesn’t seem to need for money. Her days are spent paddling and cooking as far as I can tell along with drinking at Dublin’s after she’s done paddling. The new clubhouse is finally ready and we’re due to move everyone back in a day or two and I can’t wait to have everyone back together again. I’ve been missing the sense of family that the clubhouse brings and am looking forward to a club run and party this weekend to celebrate moving back in and Reign coming home. He’s been itching to get out of hospital, driving the nurses and everyone else crazy. It’ll be good to finally have him home

Out of the blue Dublin calls. “Prez, better get down here. Something’s got your woman spooked and she’s ready to run.”

“Run? Run where? Slow up. What the fuck are you on about?”

“Just get down here. Meet you out the front of Jade’s.”

I’m on my bike and moving in a matter of seconds. It only takes me five minutes to get to Jade’s and I find Dublin standing out the front waiting for me with his arms crossed like he’s waiting for trouble to arrive.

“What the fuck brother? What’s happened?”

“Saint, all I know is that she was sitting at the bar having a drink. Her phone rang, it was one of her boys. Next thing I know she’s hung up, yelling she’s gotta go and she ran the fuck out of the bar at the speed of light. Makes no sense but she’s in a hell of a state.”

I push past Dublin signalling him to stay right where he is and to be on alert. Opening the door, I find Jade in flight mode. She’s shoving stuff in her backpack and muttering about fuelling up the bike. Her hair is wild, flinging all over the place and her face is panicked. I walk up behind her, saying her name quietly, trying to calm her and grab her shoulders to settle her down. And she drops to the floor and screams, seriously screams. Instantly I have her in my arms, stroking her hair, forcing her to look at me.

“Jade, it’s me Saint. Open your eyes. You’re safe. Stop struggling and look at me” I almost have to yell the last part at her. It takes her a good minute to calm enough to realise she’s safe and in my arms before she settles and about another thirty seconds for her to hit the panic button all over again. There are tears in her eyes as she starts to babble.

“Oh my God Saint. I’m sorry, so sorry. I can’t stay. I want to stay and love you but I can’t. He’s coming for me. I’ve got to get out of here. I can’t go back.”

I still have a hold of her and while I can feel her panicking and struggling I won’t let her go.

“Dublin! Get Smoke and Bull down here. I’m not sure how big the threat is but I want this place covered. Get it done now.”

Then I turn my face back to Jade. “Calm the fuck down beautiful! Who’s coming? And what the hell does he want with you? You have to tell me what’s going on. I’ll keep you safe. I promised you protection remember? Just talk to me.”

Eyes wide she starts to explain “Ranger’s coming. The boys told him I’d found someone and he went apeshit. He thinks I should belong to him.”

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