Splinters of You (Retired Sinners MC #1) - Anne Malcom Page 0,100

a lot of my vision, the man who had just walked into my home like he owned the place was pretty darn big too. He was wearing motorcycle boots, slightly mud-splattered. Black jeans, muddied at the bottom but otherwise clean. The top part of his body was what interested me, though, since he was wearing a leather cut.

With a patch that mirrored Saint’s tattoo.

Hence Saint still being tense.

One of his brothers had come for a visit.

“I’m not here to kill you,” the man said, voice still light, friendly. From what I could see, he didn’t look the least bit friendly, with a huge beard that somehow suited him. Ditto with the shoulder-length hair and the dark, angry-looking eyes.

“Forgive me if I don’t take you for your word, brother,” Saint replied, calm, as always. “But considerin’ you’re still wearin’ your colors, and the price on my head, I’m gonna stay right where I am.”

The man sighed, then leaned slightly so he could make eye contact with me. He smiled. “Magnolia. I’m a huge fan of your books.”

“You do not talk to her. Do not look at her,” Saint growled, yanking me closer so I was all but pressed into his back. His voice was not even now. I wanted to struggle out of the grip because I was starting to get pissed at this whole “woman stand behind man” thing, since it seemed we were gearing up for a conversation and not a battle. Saint had already expected this, hence the tightened grip.

“You want to break my arm just so you can prove you’re able to protect me?” I hissed. He didn’t let me go. “Because I’m guessing this guy here is packing, and unless you can deflect bullets with that knife of yours, he’s got the upper hand. So how about you let go of me, since my hands are worth millions, and I won’t have to break something equally valuable of yours to get you back?”

Saint didn’t let go immediately because he was that guy. But he did let go.

I made sure to step out of his grasp and beside him, if not slightly in front of him to prove a point.

The new man smiled, wide and easy. It didn’t look at home on his harsh face but it was somehow genuine.

“I like you.”

I didn’t smile back. “I wish I could say the same. But considering you walked into my house without so much as knocking, made my boyfriend go into hostile threat mode, and seem to be part of the motorcycle gang that wants him dead, I’m gonna have to say I’m not a fan of you. As a first impression. I haven’t complied a complete opinion. I don’t judge a book by its cover.”

The man continued smiling. I would even say he beamed. “You know, I’m tempted to drag this out a little just so I can get a tongue lashing from Magnolia Grace. I really am a fan. And I will tell you, you’re living up to all the hype.” His eyes moved quickly up and down my body. Not in an insulting way, but somehow respectfully appreciative. “And your photos do you justice, but who says you can’t have beauty and brains.”

“Men,” I replied. “To brainwash women into thinking they have to be pretty and dumb or ugly and smart.”

He shook his head. “Priceless.”

“You wanna start talkin’ or you want me to break your fuckin’ face?” Saint asked conversationally. His tone was back to normal, but anger was etched into every part of him.

To be fair, the danger had not passed. Not by a long shot. Just because that man could smile easily and knew how to carry a conversation didn’t mean he couldn’t shoot us in cold blood.

His smile disappeared as quickly as it came, proving me right. He moved his attention to Saint.

“I see living in nature hasn’t evened you out much,” he muttered. “I’m not in the club anymore.” He paused, looking down at the leather. Then slowly, purposefully, he shrugged it off, leaving it in the crook of his arm. “Been uneasy about this patch for the longest time, but I’ve been stuck. Mom got sick. Had to put her into a home. Couldn’t leave her. And if I left the club, they’d go for her without a thought. Shitty excuse to stay, doing things I’ll burn in hell for, but that’s my business.” He paused again. “Mom died a couple weeks ago. Been getting shit together to disappear, then caught