Thunder (Hell's Handlers MC #10) - Lilly Atlas Page 0,119

forced herself to meet his gaze.

The look he gave her was one of disbelief, but he let it go. “Hey, I was thinking maybe later we could go talk to Copper, clue him in about your ex-husband.”

When her jaw dropped, he held up his hands in surrender, Emmie’s pants dangling. “You don’t have to give him any details, but it’d be good for him to know a little of what we’re dealing with in case the fucker ever shows up.”

Her arms dropped, and she blinked to keep the tears from falling.

“What?” Thunder’s eyebrows drew down in concern.

“You said we.”

Thunder curled a hand around her thigh and pulled her close. “Baby, I told you, you have the protection of the club. And of course, I said we. Your shit is my shit now, which means it’s the club’s shit.”

She shook her head so hard, the room spun. “No. My problems can’t be the club’s problems. They’re…my father and husband are extremely dangerous. And crazy when confronted. They’re well trained and have access to an armory of weapons. I can’t put that on you or your club. I won’t. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to one of you.”

“Babe, we’re dangerous.” He winked. “And crazy.”

It was probably meant as an attempt to lighten the mood, but the joke failed. Somehow, she needed to convey the severity of this to him and get him to agree to keep her personal problems away from his club. “Look, if my father or my husband connect you to us, they won’t ask questions. They did it to my mother.” She sighed. “My mom had an affair with a man outside our community. When my father found out, my mom ‘disappeared’ and the man she slept with was killed. Brutally and publicly. They beat him to death in the center of our compound. I was a kid. It was—”

“Shit, Mak.” He yanked her close and held her tight. “I am so sorry that happened to you, but we aren’t your mom. We’re a strong group. You wouldn’t believe some of the training and experience our guys have.”

He wasn’t listening. He didn’t get it.

She gripped his upper arms and shook. “They’ll burn down your clubhouse or something insane like that. All they care about is the people of their community. Everyone else is expendable to them. My husband is crazy and my father is crazier.”

He didn’t appear remotely fazed by her impassioned plea. “Ex.”

“What?”

“Ex-husband.”

Oh shit.

They stared at each other. Mak wrung her hands, twisting the shirt she still held. “Um, Thunder, he’s not my ex-husband. I’m still married.” The last part came out in a whisper.

He stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“I—w-we ran. Literally ran in the middle of the night. Divorce wasn’t possible. Technically, I’m still married. This is why the club can’t get involved. It’s too messy. Too complicated.” She had to steer this conversation back around to what was important.

“You’re still fucking married?” He shoved to his feet and stormed into the kitchen. “I need a fucking drink.”

“Um, all I have is beer and wine,” she called as she rushed after him.

“Fucking married,” he mumbled as he yanked a beer out of the fridge. He flipped the cap off with his keychain then downed the entire thing in five swallows.

Mak stood there, shoulders slumped and chest heavy. Now what?

“This bullshit is pretty much exactly why I avoid relationships,” he spat out as he slammed the empty bottle on the counter. “People just fucking lie and cheat and tear each other apart.” He gripped the edge of the small island, head hanging between his shoulders. “You know how many times angry wives showed up at the brothel crying and shattered because they found out their husbands were our customers?”

The threat of impending tears thickened her throat. “I’m so sor—”

“You know,” he went on as though she hadn’t spoken. “I was gonna tell you I fucking loved you today.”

Oh, God, her heart pulsed with a deep ache.

He lifted his head, staring straight at her. The anguish in his gaze tore her heart in two. Hurting him cut her worse than she’d imagined.

The first tear fell free.

“My whole life has been full of cheaters and liars. They came to fuck my mom. They come with a fist full of cash to fuck me. It’s all a big game to them. They don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves.” He shook his head, then in a mocking voice, said, “‘Look at me, I’m married but, I can still blow the