STELLA

“Don’t borrow trouble, Stells. My sister said Doctor Venghy is the best in his field. If he let you go for the weekend before doing anything considering your mum’s history, then that is a positive thing,” Vegas reasoned as she handed me a fruity mocktail. I wasn’t in the mood for alcohol tonight. In fact, all of us had non-alcoholic drinks in front of us. Even Rainn was drinking just juice and soda, and she was the biggest drinker of all of us.

“I know, I am trying, really. But mum passed away from cancer, and it has me really freaked out. Obviously, since I freaked out in the dressing room. I am so sorry I did that to you, Charlotte,” I apologised. It was supposed to be fun for her, and I’d turned it into a nut farm visit.

“Oh, pish posh. It was fine. Deck was so turned on from the photo of me in my lingerie that when we returned to the compound, he took me in the shower three times before the water went cold.” She laughed, fanning herself at the memory.

But that only made me more depressed. Would Booth want to touch my breast now that there was a lump? The thought sent a chill of dread through me.

“What if Booth is turned off by the lump? What if he doesn’t want to touch or kiss them anymore?” Oh, God, just the thought killed me. My breasts were his obsession—he could spend hours on them, and he had. He had made me come just from kissing and sucking them alone.

“Are you serious, girl? You need some major help if you think that man will stop touching you just because of that. Honestly, Stella, sometimes, you say the stupidest things.” Rainn admonished me.

“Yes, she does, and that was the stupidest thing she has ever said.”

I nearly fell off my perch on the barstool. I was righted by the strong hands of my man, but when I turned to look at him, his face was thunderous. Something had happened—more than my stupid mouth.

“What’s happened, baby?” I asked, but somehow, I knew Rogue was the one that had put that look of murder on Booth’s handsome face. His eyes softened just slightly at my use of the endearment he loved so much. I had used it in front of our friends a few times now, and he didn’t seem to mind at all.

Leaning down, he covered my lips with his in a soft, sweet kiss, moving down to my jaw and across to my earlobe, which he held between his teeth and gave it a gentle tug.

“I will spank your delectable arse for that comment, Honey. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever stop me from loving you or any part of you. We are in this together, Stella. Remember that, Honey,” Booth whispered gruffly so only I could hear him. Damn, my panties just got very wet.

His beautiful grey eyes told me everything his words weren’t. He was mine—body, heart, and soul. There was no disgust or regret in them. I sighed contentedly and leaned against his hard body, enjoying his warmth and strength, but his body was tense. He needed to be Booth, president of the Wounded Souls MC. I gave him one last chaste kiss on the lips and pushed myself to stand away from him, missing his heat straightaway.

“Together,” I whispered back and agreed with every word. “I’m fine, baby. The guys are waiting for you,” I said as I glanced over his shoulder at the others who had gathered in front of the pool tables in the middle of the room. Steel looked like he wanted to punch everyone in the room, and was that … was that blood on his shirt? Oh, Lord, what’s happened?

“Vegas, I need you to go and stay with Shiloh. I don’t want her coming in here. Understood?” Booth ordered. His eyes darted towards the hallway leading to the suite of rooms Deck and Charlotte occupied.

“I can go, Booth,” Mia argued, having seen Callie walk up to Steel and put her hands all over his chest until she reached the obvious bloodstains, and we watched her recoil. God, she was such a bitch. Poor Mia. I wasn’t sure how long she could put up with Steel’s indifference to her and his stupid obsession with her slut sister.

“No, sweetheart, I need you here,” was all he said before he gave Vegas a nod to go. Booth bent down and gave me one last kiss then took off to stand with his brothers.

“What’s going on?” Rainn’s question was directed at all of us, but none of us had a clue, but by the looks on the patched members’ faces, it wasn’t good. We moved to the couches so Charlotte had a more comfortable seat. I watched as Booth let out an ear-piercing whistle, grabbing the attention of the room immediately.

“You all know that Dundee was killed protecting three important people of this club. What you don’t know is the person responsible is still out to hurt the members of the club. Particularly the officer patches.” Booth stopped and looked at the bar. His eyes were frantic the minute he realised I wasn’t where he had left me. With everything that went down today and my meltdown, the man must be on a thin edge.

“Handsome, over here,” I called out to him, getting his grey eyes on me. His smile was relieved, and with a nod, he continued.

“Fifteen minutes ago, the arsehole we call Rogue, who is doing this to us, shot and killed Bullet.”

The room erupted in an uproar. My eyes filled with tears for the poor lost dog, but my first thought was of Shiloh and Steel. Shiloh was going to be devastated when she found out. And Steel looked devastated himself, but his supposed girlfriend wasn’t much support. I noticed she was making sexy eyes with some guy who worked at the gun shop. He wasn’t a member or a prospect of the club, but as an employee, he had access to the compound with permission and an invite.

“God, she is such a wanton hooker,” Rainn spat as she too watched Callie flirt while Steel was barely holding himself together.

Beside me, Mia was crying softly at the news. She had been with Steel when he bought Bullet. I saw Steel look over to where we were, his eyes seeking out Mia.

He was such a confusing man. One minute, he was ignoring Mia and flaunting Callie in her face, and the next, he was seeking her out, making sure she was okay like he cared about her. I didn’t know how Mia put up with it.

He mouthed to her, “Are you okay?”

Mia’s sobs grow louder, but she nodded her head.

Did all the members need their heads pulled out of their arses?

“I want all patch members to report to the war room after this for a roster of detail duty. Stella, Mia, Rainn, Teach, and especially Shiloh, are never to be left alone outside of these walls,” Booth boomed his command. He made eye contact with every male member of the club to be sure they all understood, but when his eyes made it back to me, I saw desperation.

“Nothing happens to these girls. Their safety is paramount. They are our number one priority. Always.” His words were for the whole room, but I felt the promise down deep in my bones. Booth would never let anything happen to me if it was within his power, and he would die trying if it was not.

“What about Vegas?” Charlotte questioned. She was trembling, but despite this, she was concerned for her friend, too.

“Sweetness, you five are the only ones he is after. Vegas is safe, but we will be vigilant with her, too. Don’t worry, Charlie. Darth won’t let anything happen to her,” Deck said, then turned to give the huge man a chin lift and received one in return.

How did they know what they were saying to each other? Was this something they learned when being taught how to pee standing up? Or was it a military training thing? I knew that Deck just said we were in danger from this guy, and I should be scared, but I wasn’t. For the last few years of my life, I had been a punching bag for the men in my family, and now finding a lump in my breast sort of helped put things into perspective. That, and I had already been through a harrowing experience at the hands of Rogue, so what more could he throw my way?

“Nothing will happen to Julie, Teach,” Darth’s promise sounded ominous, and I had no doubt he meant it, but they couldn’t promise these sorts of things.

My mum’s death had given me a dose of reality in a hurry. She’d promised me time and again that things were going to be fine, and she’d died horribly in the end. Her body turned on her, and she wasted away to nothing right before my eyes. Oh, God, I couldn’t go through that. Mum ended up helpless I had to do everything for her. She couldn’t even brush her own teeth towards the end. I would not put Booth through that. Damn, this wait for the specialist’s appointment was going to be tough.

“Honey, you still here with me?” Booth’s question pulled me from where my mind had gone. I was surprised to see the room had emptied.

“Huh?”

Booth laughed. “Okay, Honey, let’s go to bed. You’ve got one spanking coming your way, and I believe I have a blow job coming mine,” he said, lifting me off the couch and into his arms. God, I loved it when he carried me. He was so strong, and when he did this, he made me feel cherished. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned against him. Reality could go kick someone else’s arse. Tonight was for my man and me.