Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1)(77)
Author: Katie McGarry

“Are you supposed to wave or something?” I whisper. When Olivia raises an eyebrow, I curl my hand and tilt it side to side. “Like the queen does on TV?”

She laughs. The loud one. The one from when we first met that scared the hell out of me and, this time, I can’t help but giggle along with her. She squeezes my fingers, releases them, then cups my face as she leans over and kisses one cheek and then another.

“If I’m the queen, then you’re the princess, and this is your kingdom.”

When she lets go of me, Cyrus calls out, “Reign of Terror!”

“Hoo-ra!” is the answering rumble.

“Reign of Terror!”

“Hoo-ra!”

“Reign of Terror!”

“Hoo-ra, Reign of Terror!”

Someone applauds and the entire yard bursts into noise. Both Eli and Oz are grinning at me. I can’t help the silly and shy smile forming back.

“This is your family,” Olivia says to me. “If you learn to love us then you will forever have our love in return.”

I think I am falling in love and that love would belong to Oz. I search for Oz again and I spot him just as Eli slings an arm around his neck and leads him away from me and into the clubhouse.

“Come on,” Olivia adds. “We have a ton of work to do and not enough time to do it.”

Oz

I TOOK A quick shower in the clubhouse’s bathroom, changed clothes and now I’m bounding up the stairs to Church. Hook’s at the door and opens it the moment he sees me. This is nothing like the last time I was invited in here. Each man at the table peers at me as I walk in and it’s not with the look they had last time, as if I were a man strapped in the electric chair.

I don’t know what the hell just happened outside with me in the middle of it, but whatever it is, it’s good and I’m walking on air. There’s no doubt I’m becoming a prospect today and odds are I’ll be working for the business, as well.

Cyrus owns the seat at the head of the table and my eyes flicker to Eli, who sits on his right, and then Dad, who sits on his left. Neither of them gives anything away with their blank expressions. I’ve never seen a guy receive his cut before. It’s a private ceremony during Church.

“We’re having a party tonight,” announces Cyrus.

My muscles go stiff. “Where do you want me to take Emily?”

“She’s going to be here for it,” says Eli. “At least until we send the families home.”

It’s club rules: no kid at the clubhouse after eight at night. This brotherhood is family-oriented, but it’s still a motorcycle club and the partying can get fucked up and crazy.

I pop my neck to the side to release some of the tension. I’ll overstep my welcome by speaking out of turn, but this involves Emily and it’s already hard not to lash out like a pissed-off bear. “What about her safety? You said that the Riot was thirty miles north of here last night. And if that’s not an issue anymore, then remember how pissed you were at the funeral home at the idea of people knowing she was around? We bring in strangers and news will spread that your daughter is here.”

That the girl I love is staying here.

The girl I love.

My heart beats hard as the realization plows into me. Last night, I said I was falling, but I was dead wrong. The falling did happen, but it happened over time. Happened without my knowledge. I love Emily. I am in love.

And the girl I love is in danger.

The gun in the holster at the middle of my back grows heavier. Cyrus asked me weeks ago if I had the balls to do what needed to be done. When it comes to protecting Emily, hell yeah, I own a pair.

Cyrus eyes the board and after a few nods from several guys he casts his gaze to Eli.

“The Riot either knows she’s here or they don’t.” Eli shrugs as if he doesn’t care, but there’s something off about his movements. A rigidness that tells me he’s hiding something. “They haven’t made a grab for her since the motel and because of that I think she’s safe. While I love Emily being here, her dad called this week and he wants her back in Florida.”

His words slam into me. “She’s heading home?”

“It’s been over a month. She has a life and it’s time for her to return to it.”

Jeff wants her home. They’re throwing a very public party. I pinch the bridge of my nose as the puzzle pieces click together. “You’re using tonight to see if anyone will make a grab for Emily.”

“We’ll have people on her,” Eli says. “We’re considering this a trial run of what will happen when she returns home.”

When she returns home… It’s the second time he’s said it and each time my heart clenches with the words. “Does the Riot know Emily’s here? The truth this time.”

There’s silence and when no one answers I search my father’s face. When he won’t look away, I have my answer of yes. I suppress the urge to scream. Even when I’m patched in, unless I’m on the board, there will be things that will never be my business.

“If they know she’s here, if you think it’s possible the Riot will make a grab for her, why send Emily home? Isn’t she safer where we can protect her?”

“Not your place to question my decisions,” Eli says in a low warning. “Especially when it involves my daughter.”

I nod and Eli nods back that he’s cool with me even though I spoke out of turn. Eli loves Emily. He would never intentionally put her in harm’s way.

My arms flex as I straighten. “I got her back. She trusts me.” She cares for me. “We’re friends.” I’m in love with her. “She won’t question me being stuck to her side.” As long as she doesn’t mind me stripping her naked in my mind the entire time. “No one will touch her.” And if they do I will snap their fucking necks.

The man who’s been my surrogate grandfather sizes me up. “You screwed up a few weeks ago when Eli asked you to watch over Emily.”

“I did.” When I stood in the same spot I am now, the gravity of what I had to lose almost crushed me. But now that I’m in love with Emily the reminder causes a lethal combination of fear and anger to swirl into a storm. “I swear I’ll never let her or Eli down again.”

“We know, son. All of us have watched you over the past few weeks and you’ve done everything we’ve asked you to do and more. You’ve stayed by Emily’s side, kept her safe and somehow gained her trust. Through that she’s spent time with Olivia and—”