Avenging Angel by Naomi Porter

4

Storm

“What the fuck you mean she left?” I bent at the waist, hand on my hip, my heart about ready to burst from my chest. I never wanted Madeline to leave the compound. She was mine. Bore my mark. The Dirty Hunters were still around, hiding like filthy roaches. We hadn’t found their nest. She was in danger.

“You didn’t say she couldn’t leave, and we’re not technically on lockdown,” Raul explained in the kitchen. Tina sat beside him at the island, along with Track. Thank God no one else was around to witness my rage. Especially Sugar, after the way I treated her last night. The fear and confusion in her eyes had killed me. I hurt too much over Madeline to give two fucks about my aunt.

“And you didn’t think to tell me she left?” I clenched my fists. Idiots. They should have told me.

“No. I didn’t.” Raul held a stoic expression.

“You said you needed time. That’s what she’s giving you.” Typical Track, trying to be the voice of reason. “Let her be with her friends and brother while you pull yourself together.”

I stalked back and forth. “She’s supposed to be here!”

“You kicked her out of your bedroom,” Track bit back.

“It was her bedroom, too.” Tina tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. “She’s really hurting, Storm. You just ran off and then Track sent a message she wasn’t welcome in her home.”

I glared at her. “Have you spoken to her?” I tightened my fists, hating myself for making my Angel feel unwelcome in her home.

Tina sighed, drumming her nails on the island. “Not since last night.”

“And?” I clamped down on my back molars, ready to blow any second.

“And what? How about you get over yourself and talk to her?” Tina scooted off the barstool. “I’m not your personal messenger. Call your woman if you want to know how she’s doing.” Tina sighed, shaking her head as she left the kitchen.

You could’ve heard a pin drop after Tina handed me my ass. I deserved her vexation. I didn’t like it, but she was right. I should call my woman. I was just too damn afraid to find out she hated me.

“There you have it. Go talk to her.” Raul carried his coffee mug to the sink. “Need me for anything else? Looks like I’ve gotten you plenty angry this morning.”

“No,” I grunted.

“You know how to find me.” My VP left the kitchen, probably to chase after his wife and kiss her. I knew what that felt like now. That feeling of not being whole when I wasn’t with my girl.

Fuck, I missed my woman.

I growled, putting my elbows on the counter and my face in my hands. I wasn’t worth shit without Madeline. How did I get to this point? A poor fucker who couldn’t eat, think or breathe without his woman in the building, safe in his care?

A throat cleared. “Wanna go for a ride?”

I grunted at Track.

“I’ll wait for you outside.” He gripped my bicep, his black eyes bore into mine. “At least text her. You didn’t see her last night after you left. Her tears broke my damn heart.”

I raised my head to look at him.

“You’re a lucky son of a bitch, Storm. If I had a woman who cared half as much about me as Madeline does for you, I’d feel like the luckiest asshole in the world. Your woman was out of her mind with worry. She begged me to find you.” He put his hand on my back. “She’d go to the ends of the earth for you.” He exhaled, digging his hands into his jean pockets. “I envy what you have with her.”

“I’m scared, man,” I told him honestly. “She doesn’t know I’m the one who killed Tommy. When she finds out, she’s going to hate me.” I gripped my stomach as it churned.

“It was an accident. How many times do we have to go through this?” A growl rumbled in Track’s chest.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I knew Track was tired of my same old song and dance. Couldn’t help it. I was fucked up over Tommy’s death.

Track exhaled a frustrated breath. “What happened to Tommy was an accident. Maybe Toby told her the truth. Has she tried to call or text?”

“Yeah.” I dropped my head into my hands again.

“Today?”

I raised, putting my hands on my hips. “A text this morning asking me to call her.”

His intense expression relaxed as if he was relieved she’d called. “There you have it. Call her.”

“What if she doesn’t know? I can’t go through all that with her.”

“Maybe she does know, and she still wants you.”

“I’ll text her.” I removed my phone from my back pocket.

Track laughed, leaving the kitchen. “Pussy…”

Whatever. I still needed time to process all this shit. I just preferred to do it with Madeline in the building.

Storm: You weren’t supposed to leave. You need to come back.

Madeline: Are you going to talk to me?

Storm: I’ve got a lot of shit in my head. I need time.

Madeline: I’m not coming back until you agree to talk to me.

Goddamn stubborn woman!

Storm: My mark is on you. You’re my property. I want you here!

Madeline: Don’t go all caveman on me. I assume you mean in the guest room?

Storm: Yes. I need time.

Madeline: No

Fuck! If she was here, I’d paddle her ass for defying me.

Storm: Come back, and we’ll talk this evening.

Madeline: I’ll think about it.

I just might explode. This woman would be the death of me. All I could do was agree and pray she came to the clubhouse later.

Storm: I’ll be out til 5

I trudged out to my bike. Track was on his, talking to Hero. Madeline didn’t reply to my text. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t piss me off even more. If she didn’t come home today, I didn’t know what I’d do. Probably go haul her ass home like a caveman. I rolled my eyes.

For the next couple of hours, Track and I kept to the outskirts of town. Out on my bike, with the wind blowing in my face, taking in the scenery soothed me. The only thing I could think about was Madeline’s tears. I hadn’t seen her cry much in the last couple of months. It killed me that she was crying over me.

Toby texted, wanting to meet for lunch. I didn’t feel like I had a choice. He’d come all the way here to talk to me. Wasn’t right to blow him off even if it was tearing my soul apart, finding out about Madeline. We needed to talk about the various security projects the club needed. Toby had a tight schedule.