Avenging Angel by Naomi Porter

28

Madeline

My mom almost squeezed the air out of my body as she hugged me goodbye. It reminded me of when I’d go on tour with the church choir for a few weeks during my high school summers. She’d tell me to call and tell her goodnight the whole time I was gone. Said she needed to hear her baby’s voice and to wish me sweet dreams. She had tried to hide it, but I knew she had tears rolling down her face every time.

I squeezed her back, trying to swallow down the emotion in my throat. “I love you, Mom. Thank you for coming.” I should’ve made more of an effort calling her when I went off to college. Maybe if I had called her every night, I wouldn’t have gotten together with Dane. But then, would I have met Storm?

“I love you too, sweetie. Keep in touch. I want to know how you and my grandbaby are doing.” She kissed my head. “And Storm too.” She pulled back, her blue eyes searching mine. “He loves you dearly.”

I smiled, tearing up. “I love him dearly too.” My chest got those all too familiar flutters when I gazed over at my love. “He’s incredible.”

Storm winked at me while talking to my dad. God, he melted me.

“I can see that.” She smiled. “I didn’t want to ask in front of Storm, but do you think you’ll get married?”

“Yes. When? I’m not sure. I guess after he proposes, we’ll decide. Knowing him, he’d want to run off to elope.”

Mom gasped, covering her mouth. She’d dreamed of my wedding since I was a little girl.

“Don’t worry, I want a small wedding. Although, the whole club would probably be there.”

She raised her brow. “Well, I hope they’re on their best behavior.”

“Storm will keep his brothers in line.” I hoped he would, anyway. My parents were nice to everyone today, but that didn’t mean people screwing in front of them was something they’d appreciate. Nor would I, at my wedding.

I suspected she wasn’t thrilled about my new life and I couldn’t blame her. Before Storm, I would have never considered getting involved with an outlaw biker. I was a law-abiding citizen. I’d thought dating a deputy was a good thing. Boy, was I wrong! Storm was a thousand percent a better man than Dane.

Stop. I forced thoughts of Dane from my mind.

“We should get on the road.” Dad came up behind us and opened his arms to me. “Love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

He helped Mom into the car and shook Storm’s hand. “Take care of my girl, son.”

“Yes, sir. Drive safe.” Storm tugged me into his arms after they got on the road. His hands rubbed my back, dipping low to my butt. “How are you doing?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Good, all things considered.”

It’d been a long, emotional day. All I wanted was to be with my protective, loving man.

“I’m ready to be alone with you.” He swept me off my feet, cradling me in his arms. Could he hear my thoughts, the way he always knew what I wanted? Knowing Storm, probably. “How does that sound?”

I sighed dreamily, staring into his peaceful gaze. “Perfect.”

“That’s my girl.”

The clubhouse was loud and rowdy as we passed the bar, heading for the stairs. A couple of his brothers made out hard and heavy, tucked into corners. My parents left in the nick of time. The usual naughty activities of the Knights were underway.

Storm jerked his chin at Lynx, who stopped at the staircase to let us go up first. Lynx had two kittens with him. The guy was rarely with one woman at a time.

Eminem blared through the speakers with “Not Afraid.” My lungs burned and emotion bubbled in my chest. I tightened my grip around Storm’s neck. AJ always seemed to be listening to Eminem while guarding me. I’d bet he was his favorite musician.

“Know what you’re thinking about, Angel. I don’t want you sad tonight, baby. Let’s put AJ to rest.”

I nodded, eyeing Hero’s door. He and Tara hadn’t shown their faces after she took him to his room. I assumed she was still with him. Couldn’t hear anything as we passed.

Storm stopped at our door. “Grab my keys.”

I reached my hand down into his pants pocket and fished out the key chain. I unlocked the door and locked it after Storm kicked it closed.

He set me on the edge of the bed. “How’s my Angel really doing?” He knelt at my feet, removing my brown boots with the cross on the front. My aqua blue socks came off next.

“I’m okay, I guess.” Twisting my lips because we both knew I was lying, I cradled his gorgeous face in my hands and kissed him.

I was uneasy knowing he was leaving on the run. I wasn’t ready to be separated from him for a week. We’d only been apart once since we got together and that was the night before we discovered our real identities. Storm had assured me I would be safe with all the Hunters accounted for. Some were locked up in the county jail, and some were dead.

“Talk to me Angel,” he said against my mouth.

“I’m terrified something will happen to you.” There, just tell him straight up.

He pulled me into his embrace. “I won’t lie to you, baby. These runs are always risky. It’s not like it’s a joy ride. If Hero was stable, I’d let him handle it with a crew of brothers. I can’t take the chance right now. I wish that wasn’t the case.”

I knew it. My gut had been gnawing at me over this the last few days. “Dammit, Storm.” I held onto him for dear life. “I can’t lose you. I won’t survive it.”

“Yes, you will. If I don’t make it back, you’ll live on for our baby.”

Tears filled my eyes as I reared back and shoved him hard in the chest. “Fuck you! You better come back to me. Don’t talk like you might not. Don’t.” I hit his chest again. And again. Storm didn’t budge. He flexed his solid wall of muscles, letting me beat out my frustrations. As my small fists hit his chest it was like he absorbed my fears. Slowly I calmed as his strength seeped into me. I can do this… be strong for my man.

“You know I won’t lie to you. I will do everything possible to return, but I can’t promise you I will.”

I covered my face and cried, shaking my head. So much for being strong. I hated feeling emotionally unstable. Weak and vulnerable. Even if I had a good reason, it wasn’t okay with me. I needed to be able to handle the MC life or Storm might decide I wasn’t fit to be his old lady.

Stupid girl. You know he loves you. He’ll never let you go. My insecurities were getting the better of me.

“Angel… Look at me.” His deep voice soothed the ache in my chest. “I have something to ask you.”

I sniffled, lowering my hands. “What?”

He presented the most beautiful, sparkling diamond solitaire ring. “Will you marry me?”

More tears streamed down my face but this time they were happy ones. I smiled, nodding into his devilishly handsome face, in awe—taken wholly by surprise when just seconds ago I was battling self-doubt.

In his typical, low-key form, there wasn’t a big romantic speech. Nothing poetic. Just him on his knee, staring at me with those gorgeous stormy eyes, so full of love and admiration—and a cocky curl on his tempting lips.

“Is that even a question?” My heart sang as he slid the ring onto my finger. My childhood crush just asked me to marry him. Dreams really did come true.

“Gimme the words, Angel. I need to hear them.”

I dropped onto his lap, throwing my arms around his neck. “Yes, Kaleb, I will marry you.” Everything we were talking about before this moment faded away as our lips connected.

Storm raised to his feet with me in his arms and put me on the bed, breaking our liplock. Without a single word, his heated gaze seared my skin like he was about to ravage me. He was so damn sexy as he removed his clothes—broad chest and corded muscles everywhere. I eyed the club’s patch tattooed on his bicep. There was nothing sexier than this fierce man… the president of a motorcycle club, who loved me. Me.

I was his world just as he was mine.

“You gonna leave that dress on, or do I need to rip it off your luscious body?”

I shivered at his warning tone. He turned me on every minute of every day with his deep, husky voice. Climbing onto my knees before him, I smiled mischievously. “Do what you need to do.”

His eyebrows raised. “I’ll buy you a new dress.” At the neckline, he ripped the fabric all the way down to the hem. The sound made my skin prickle with excitement. Storm tossed my shredded garment aside, and his hot hands were on me. His fingers glided over my legs, torso, and breasts, teasing and driving me wild with the lightest of touches.

I sighed, giving myself over to him. “I love you,” I told him, gripping his large shoulders and dropping my head back.

He kissed my stomach. “Love you too, Angel. Love you both.” He unhooked my bra and licked my nipples, showing both equal attention. I almost collapsed from the sensations spiraling through my body. My nipples had been super sensitive, even painful at times, when he sucked on them. It enhanced our lovemaking—that sting of pain propelling me into deeper levels of climax.

Storm gazed into my eyes, lowering me to the sheets. “I want to get married right away. As soon as I get back from the run.”

I flashed a face-splitting grin. “I’d love that. But I’ll need a few weeks to put something together.”

“Sugar and Tina can help. Whatever you want or need, it’s yours. All I want is to be your husband as soon as possible.”

Jesus, he nearly made me weep the way he loved me so completely. “I want the same, baby.”

He settled between my legs, entering me. We groaned as I hooked my legs around the backs of his thighs, taking him in deeper. He lowered his mouth to mine, inhaling me into his lungs with each lash of his tongue. This was my favorite place to be, under his massive body, with his huge, thick cock inside. Feeling his heart beat in time with mine, connected body and soul.

This was my heaven—both of us surrendering to each other.

Storm drew his cock out until only the tip graced my opening, then thrust back inside, going balls deep. He repeated this air stealing move, making love to me while we kissed.

Lifting us both into the clouds, he increased his tempo until we shot off together.

I clawed at his back as he dug his fingers into my hips, holding me just where he wanted me. He released my lips, dropping his forehead to mine, panting.

“You’re everything to me, Angel. Everything.” His head lifted and his platinum eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Goddamn, I love you so much it hurts.

I played with the base of his neck the way he liked. Emotion bubbling into my throat. “You’re coming back to me, right?”

“Not even the Reaper could stop me.” He dropped a kiss on my lips, then slipped out of me.

After cleaning us both, Storm took me into his arms, holding my head against his heart. His fingers skated over the tattoo just below my neck… his mark. “Let’s get some sleep.”

I wouldn’t ask him to promise to come back because he wouldn’t be able to give me the words I wanted to hear. Still, in my heart, I knew he’d return. There was no earthly force strong enough to stop my all-powerful Storm. Nothing and no one could keep my fierce man from his baby and me.

I took comfort in that.