“Kadence, a word, please,” her brother says.
I’m about to deny the asshole but Kadence says in an icy voice, “Fuck you, Rowen. You’re dead to me.”
Rowen’s eyes carry sadness for a brief moment before it’s gone. I shouldn’t be intrigued but I find myself asking, “Prez, are the old ladies inside?”
Weston nods. “Harlene and Mayven, the rest will be here within a half hour.”
I place a kiss on the top of her head and whisper, “Go inside, doll. I’ll be right there.”
She glares at her brother but disappears inside. I spin on my heels and face Rowen who is still standing right next to his VP.
“You and I, a word,” I sneer and don’t wait but stalk a few feet away from the clubhouse.
Rowen saunters my way and crosses his arms in front of his chest when he reaches me. “You’re my sister’s old man now?”
“She’s always been mine,” I simply state.
I would like nothing more than to bury my fist into his throat and keep hitting the fucker until he’s no longer breathing, but this asshole is my woman’s brother. No matter how angry she is at the idiot or the fact she just stated he’s dead to her.
“All I wanted was for her to be kept safe and protected. With our folks both dead she had no reason to stay connected, and you and I damn well know you can’t cut out a connection if you were once the president’s daughter…and now the president’s sister. Making her an old lady would have kept her close and protected. Cannon has always shown interest in her, it seemed like a good choice.”
Fuck. He’s right and yet so damn wrong. And Cannon was never a good fucking choice.
But in the end, it doesn’t matter. “Sounds like your wish was still granted. She’s my old lady and with it she’s protected. I would say you can have some form of contact, but she’s pretty pissed and hardheaded. You blew your chance of gaining her trust and maintaining a connection.”
“Cannon seemed like the right choice: he’s always wanted her,” Rowen repeats and rubs the back of his neck and sighs.
“Always wanted to rape her you mean.” I whisper the words low enough for only his ears.
His eyes flame with hatred. “What?” he snaps.
“Didn’t know that little fact, huh? Not to mention, the fucker was the one who led those two idiots right to her a few weeks ago. She could have died that day when they came at us with guns blazing. My sister was there too and her old man. That’s the kind of fuck-up you wanted for your sister? Your sister who has every reason to say her brother wanted to whore her out to one of his brothers. Did you ever fucking put yourself in her shoes, asshole?” My chest is heaving and it’s fucked-up because I can always contain my emotions but I seem to fail when anger surges through me at the thought of what my woman had to endure.
Rowen nods. He looks defeated and deep in thoughts.
I should walk away but I surprise myself when I tell him, “I have your number. I’ll be sure to text you pictures when our first kid is born and any others after that. Do you understand? She’s mine. For-fucking-ever. No one will harm her or so much as make her feel like an object needing to be tossed around to be displayed since it would fit somewhere else better. For fuck’s sake, man. What the hell were you thinking?”
I don’t wait for an answer. I couldn’t care less. But I probably shouldn’t have risked one final glance at his eyes because they are filled with pain.
“Take care of her.” His words trail behind me.
I raise my hand and give him a one finger salute. “A million times better than you did, that’s for damn sure.”
I would like to add the fact that this woman is mine to damn treasure, something no money in the world can buy. And when you realize you actually love someone it’s then you understand the value of having something precious in your life.
But it leaves a bad taste in my damn mouth about the fact Rowen accepted the deal. Meaning he took the money and the property I told Weston to offer him in exchange for Deranged Hounds to fuck off and leave Kadence alone. Weston mentioned there was a slight change in the deal and I’m itching to find out what the change was.
First, I need my woman in my arms so I can breathe her in to obtain some sense of calmness. Stalking into the main room, I quickly scan my surroundings and see Kadence sitting at a table along with some of the women and Joaquin. With determination I close the distance and drag her into my arms to kiss the fuck out of her.
When the both of us come up for air, I nuzzle her neck and murmur, “You good?”
“Yeah,” she sighs in contentment.
A little thrill flows through me and I pull back to cup her face and lock our eyes. “Stay with your friends, I’ll be right back. I need to have a word with Weston, okay?”
Thank fuck the smile is back on her face and she rejoins the women. I turn to head for church but my sister is right in my face. I expect her to blow up about the fact I took her friend and withheld information–leaving her to worry about Kadence–but instead she launches herself at me to hug me close.
“Thank you so much,” she gushes.
I wrap my arms around Mayven and hug her tight. I’m not much of a hugger and she knows
