Tipping the foodinto the sink, she sank her hands in and started to wash them. She placed themon the clean drainer and waited to see how Betty handled them.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Didyou send your husband to talk to me?”
“Nah. Rancher has a tendency to do whatever the hell he wants. I didn’task for him to quit the club the way he did. He just wanted to start a freshlife for me. I was pregnant at the time and they’d just had an attack on the compound.It shook him up.”
Ally paused. “Really?”
“The clubhousegets attacked. Not all fights are at businesses. It was a long day becauseafter the attack, I got these pains. I’d never felt them before. The doctor putme on bed rest. I nearly lost the baby. Rancher blamed himself, of course. Tohim, you can’t have the club and kids.”
Ally wiped at herforehead.
“I never wantedhim to leave as I know there are times he worries, even now. At least we’re ableto do his for him. Lord is a good man.” Betty frowned and laughed. “I know it’sreally hard for me to say that in one sentence, but he is. Don’t get on his badside. Then you’re in real trouble. The club will always hold his loyalty.”
Ally took a deep breath.“Why are you and Rancher doing this? I’m not going to leave Lord.”
“I know it can be challenging,falling for a hard man. There is always goodness in them.”
She thought backto what she witnessed within the first twenty-four hours of being in Lord’s company.He’d killed a man, threatened her life, and then gave her a chance to earn herfreedom.
Do you even wantto be free?
Having sex withsomeone for the first time didn’t mean anything. Women gave up their virginity allthe time.
“I’ve upset you?”Betty asked.
“No. I’m …worried. I haven’t heard from him today. I know he only dropped me off yesterday,but I’m still concerned.”
What if the SkullNation attacked the clubhouse? Lord could be dying right this second and shewouldn’t know.
“Do you think Icould call him? Talk to him?” she asked.
“Sure. We’ve got hisnumber.” Betty wiped her hands on a towel and disappeared. Ally finishedwashing the last of the beans, followed by the pea pods when Betty returned. Shehad a phone in one hand and a number in the other. “We’ve never used thisnumber. I don’t know if it’s working. Rancher would be the best one to tellyou, but you could try it.”
She took the cell phoneand the number. “Thank you. Do you mind if I … go?”
“Of course. Goright ahead. I’ll still be working on these when you’re done.” Betty smiled.
Ally made her way tothe spare bedroom.
Calling Lord, wasit desperate? She missed him and the clubhouse. Even with all the people whocouldn’t stand her.
She typed the numberinto the phone and waited for a second before pressing the button to activatethe call.
Chapter Ten
They’d gotten afew leads. Lord knew where the Skull Nation VP was hiding out. The other clubhad spread out, trying to remain untouchable, invisible. They didn’t know howcapable the Straight to Hell MC really were. Once Lord got his hands on the VP,he’d torture him, make an example of the fucker. He’dlet him call for backup, then the real party would get started.
Their businessesup north had been cleaned up and he had extra men patrolling to ensure theirenemies didn’t try to infiltrate again. Lord wasn’t ready to hand over one ofhis cash cows on a silver platter. He’d die before he let his enemies get thebetter of his club.
Tank and Tarmachad been making bullets on their presses for the past few days straight. Theywere ready for Armageddon. The amount of lead they’d stockpiled was impressive.The boys were getting ready. They were riding out after sunset.
Lord sat in his office.Alone. He didn’t want anyone near him now. He needed to stay focused on tonight,but it was next to impossible when he kept thinking of Ally. She was supposed tobe temporary, not take over his whole world. No one had to tell him, eventhough he’d never experienced it before … he was falling in love. And his lovewas unlike any other man’s. It was deep and dark, had a life of its own. Justthinking of her made his entire body come alive. His heart would beat fasterand his gray mood would improve.
He was thinking ofstupid bullshit that he had no right to be thinking. Whatwould happen to her if he got killed? Who’d take care of her?
No one had ever puthim first. His childhood was a shitstorm that startedhis road into trouble and crime. But now Ally had become his everything. Helived and breathed for that slip of a girl and there was nothing he could do tobacktrack his feelings now.
His cell went off.Lord leaned back in his office chair, the hinge giving a slight squeak. It wasan old number he vaguely remembered. One he’d given to Rancher a long time ago.Why would he call from that number and not his new one?
Was there trouble?
He sat up straight,bringing the phone to his ear. “Rancher?”
The line was dead.
He tensed, his jawtwitching. A hundred horrific scenarios played in his head.
Rather than drivehimself crazy, he dialed back the number.
It kept ringing, stirringhis anxiety into overdrive.
“Hello?”
It was her voice.The perfect, musical voice of his little virgin. She was alive.
“Are you okay?”
Silence.
“Ally? Answer menow.”
“I’m sorry forcalling. I know it’s only been a day. I’m sorry,” she said.
“Why’d you hang up?”
“I didn’t want youto think I was being clingy. I don’t want to push you away more because itseems I’m already very good at that.”
“You’re not pushingme away, baby. I’m just keeping you safe. But, trust me, I haven’t stoppedthinking of you.”
“Really?” Moresilence. “When will I see you again? I keep thinking something horrible ishappening. I hate being here not knowing anything.”
“Soon.”
“I need you, Lord.”
The yearning inher voice only mirrored how he felt. How was he supposed to focus tonight with hismind on Ally and his cock hard for her?
He didn’t thinklong. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he said. “Meet me in the lane behindthe barn. Wear a
