“I’ll make it happen, Lord.”
He paced back and forth, still fuming. The image of Ally injured and crying kept invading his thoughts, making him feel like a failure. Making him want to kill. She’d made him smile last night. Made him feel like a real fucking person and not a broken monster. That was a feat in itself.
Even though she made his cock hard just being in the same room as him, he was content just to watch a movie with her. Why hadn’t he claimed what was his? She’d agreed to the deal.
Because he respected her.
Wanted her for more than a plaything even though that was the deal.
She was a good girl, and his own fucking club was destroying her innocence.
“I’m trying to understand,” said Brick. “You hated that girl, wanted her dead before you even met her.”
“Shit changed.”
“Yeah, I get that. But what changed exactly?”
He didn’t want his men to think he’d gone soft. And the last thing he wanted was a fucking therapy session. “She’s a virgin. It got me to thinking about the future. I’m forty. If I wait forever, I’ll never have an heir.”
“Okay,” said Brick. “So this is about knocking her up?”
“It’s not.” He grabbed a new shirt out of his drawer and pulled it on over his head. What he needed to do was check up on Ally and the doctor.
“So, she’s off-limits?”
Lord stopped dead in his tracks. “You’re just getting the idea now? No one fucking looks at her.”
He was usually on friendly terms with his VP, but not today. His mood was in the shitter and it wasn’t going to change until Ally stopped being scared of her own shadow.
There was a lot to deal with at church tonight. Top on his list was ensuring Ally’s safety and reminding everyone of his rank in the club. Next was dealing with the Skull Nation bullshit weighing him down. They thought they were smart, probably thought he was cowering as they methodically took over his businesses up north. That was where they were wrong. Lord would make his move and it would be remembered for generations when he did.
As he walked the halls, heading to the infirmary, several brothers and whores tried to kiss ass. They knew what was coming. The devil was pacing in Lord’s heart, and that was never a good thing.
He ignored them all.
In the blink of an eye, one girl had taken precedence in his life. He couldn’t believe it himself.
Lord pushed open the door without knocking. Ally was still up on the examination table, a white sheet covering her body. He’d already brought down a full change of clothes before heading up to his room earlier.
“What’s the damage?” he asked.
“Nothing’s broken,” said the doctor, scribbling notes in a file. “But she has some mild ligament damage that will take time to heal. She’ll be bruised for a while. The colors are already starting to peek through.”
A wave of relief flooded him. He’d do everything in his power and spare no expense making sure she returned to perfect health. “You’re certain? You gave her a full exam?”
“I was very thorough, Lord, just as you asked.”
He nodded. Ally wouldn’t make eye contact with him. Lord wasn’t good at coddling or kissing ass, but he knew what he had to do. He’d been an asshole to this girl, and her only sin was being the daughter of a rat.
Richard Prixman was the last thing on his mind. Ally was his problem now. He no longer saw her as an enemy or loose end to wipe out of existence. No, he saw her for what she was—a gorgeous woman he wanted to keep. Not for a week or a month. Forever.
The doctor packed up his travel bag and tipped his hat as he made his way to the door. He’d add the visit to his monthly bill. He was a familiar face around the club. The brothers were always getting themselves into scrapes, and they didn’t visit hospitals whenever necessary.
Awkward silence set in immediately once the doctor closed the door behind him.
“I need to get dressed,” said Ally, still averting her gaze.
“Okay, so get dressed. I brought you clothes, remember?”
“Can you wait outside?”
He huffed and had to stop himself from laughing out loud. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.” Lord walked over to the examination table where her legs were now dangling over the side, the sheet pulled up high. “Despite what you think, I wasn’t involved in any of this. And our deal is still in full effect.”
“So, your own club members beat me half to death and humiliate me, but I’m still required to be your sex slave for God knows how long?”
He shrugged a shoulder.
She continued. “Oh, right. The alternative is getting murdered by you for my father’s lack of loyalty.”
At least she had some fire. He’d hated seeing her broken and afraid to speak.
“You have a good memory. Now get dressed,” he said. “Or you can walk to my room naked, if you prefer.”
She glared at him and it made his cock firm up. In his world, women never challenged him, and he found her little tantrums arousing. If she wasn’t so banged up, he’d spank her ass. Within minutes, she’d managed to pull on the shirt and sweatpants without exposing an inch of skin. He did notice how she cringed when lifting her arms over her head. That deep-seated rage started to boil up again, but he pushed it down. He needed to show Ally his softer side, if he even had one, and keep his anger in check. His club members would be schooled tonight, and he sure as hell didn’t mind showing those responsible his darker side.
“I’m ready.” She stood in front of him now, trying to put on a brave face. He saw right through her. Ally was hanging on by a thread.
He held the door open and followed her out.
Tarmac approached them from the opposite end of the hallway, Righteous close behind him. “Boss, we need to talk.”
“We will. Tonight, in church. Unless it’s life or death, I don’t want to hear about it before then. Understand?”
Tarmac nodded, but Lord knew something was brewing with the Skull Nation. He was eager to deal with those motherfuckers himself, but Ally was going to come first. There was always a rival banging on their doors, but only one of her. He had to start doing things right and make amends if he wanted a future with the busty little blonde.
Ally stared at the ground until the brothers walked past them. One day, she’d walk these halls like a queen, her head held high. Just the thought of it made his world feel whole, so he knew claiming her had to be a good decision. His intuition always steered him in the right direction.
After entering his bedroom and closing the door, Ally turned to face him. “You can’t protect me, Lord. You can’t be by my side every minute of every day. This will only happen again,” she said. “So, your end of the deal is already null and void.”
He combed both his hands into her hair, gently securing her head so she couldn’t look away. “Today was never supposed to happen. I plan to make sure every single member of my club knows my intentions. No one will ever lay a finger on you again. I promise you that.”
Her eyes were flooded with unshed tears. The girl was stubborn. But he’d been an asshole, and he knew it.
“You can’t make that promise.”