all drinking and eating food from the grill, when Viking suddenly looked up. “Flame!” he called, and he winked at me. “Little One.”
Everyone went quiet again, and feeling the embarrassment of their attention, I curled into Flame’s side, his large strong arm coming around my shoulder to hold me close. I instantly felt safe.
Flame began walking us forward. The closer we got, the more the voices returned to their previous state.
“Maddie?” Looking up I saw Mae and Lilah sitting with Beauty and Letti. I waved. Flame glanced down and asked, “You hungry?”
I nodded against his chest and said, “I shall wait with Mae and Lilah.”
Flame’s arm seemed to tighten as though he was reluctant to let go, until Viking called his name. “Flame, put down your bitch for a fucking hot minute and come get your crazy ass some steak! You’ve fucking lost weight, and I don’t want the fucking responsibility of being the biggest meanest fucker in this club.”
“Don’t fucking worry, Vike. Tanner’s got that shit down anyway,” Tank said in reply. Viking began ripping off his shirt.
“We fucking doing this again, brother? I swear you keep saying this shit just to get me to strip. You getting hot for my pale ass? Beauty not giving you what you need?”
The brothers all started to laugh, and Flame reluctantly let go of me to walk to the grill. I turned to join Mae and Lilah, when I caught sight of AK leaving his cabin to my right. So overcome with gratitude for this man, I hurried to where he was walking, blushing as his face broke out in a smile. “Hey, Madds—”
I cut off his greeting by wrapping my arms around his waist. AK stilled. Unable to bear his touch for long, I stepped back, and with lowered eyes, said, “Thank you.”
AK crouched down, his face wearing an expression of confusion. “For what?”
I sensed the silent expectation from behind us. Edging forward I whispered, “For saving him. For giving him a family… for saving him so that someday he could save me.”
AK’s eyes widened and he swallowed. “He told you?” he asked, clearly taken aback.
I nodded my head. “He told me everything.”
AK ran his hand through his hair. “Fuck,” he exclaimed.
“He is… he is fortunate to have you in his life,” I added, then quickly turned away.
Suddenly, AK’s hand grabbed my arm. When my eyes shot to his, he pushed, “Is he good now, Madds? Is he fucking out of whatever hell he was in?”
Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw Flame watching AK’s hand on my arm. His fists were at his side, but he had not moved.
Stepping back, AK’s hand dropped away. “Almost, I believe,” I assured. Just as I gave my reply, the image of Flame sitting, staring at that hatch, with that particular blade wandered idly across my mind.
“Shit. That brother deserves to be rid of his past. Once and for fucking all.” AK smirked and remarked, “At least he’s got you now, Madds. At least he’s finally fucking got you.”
With that, AK joined his brothers. I saw Flame stepping forward to come to me, but I held out my hand and shook my head. “I am okay,” I mouthed. Flame stopped dead.
“Maddie?” I followed the sound of the voice, and approaching were Mae and Lilah. Mae gestured to a patch of grass away from everyone else and I sat down, Mae and Lilah joining me.
Mae glanced over her shoulder to Flame, then faced me again, smiling. “You are not returning to my home, are you?”
Blushing, I shook my head.
Lilah’s hand found mine. “I am really happy for you, Maddie. You deserve to be this happy.”
Tears pricked my eyes and I said, “I am.” And I looked up, my bottom lip quivering. “I am so very happy. And so is Flame.” Mae and Lilah shared my tears. Laughing with joy, I leaned over and gently placed my hand on Mae’s stomach. “Especially now that I am to become an aunt.”
“Aunt Maddie,” Mae whispered and she lifted my hand to her mouth, which she proceeded to kiss.
Then Mae asked, “Was he gentle with you, Maddie? I know it is not my business, but I do know you. I know you will not talk about it. But I just… I just have to know that he was kind.”
My heart stuttered at her question, but lifting my eyes I nodded, and whispered, “Yes. He was perfect.”
Mae’s tears hit the leather of her pants and she replied, “That is good,