Page 31 of Empower

“Tick. Fucking. Tock.” Ripper growled.

Tank grinned, “Three seconds are up.”

Then Ripper grabbed one of the boys by the collar of his shirt and started to drag him from the clubhouse.

Tank threw a punch just right, knocking the second guy out, then he bent, grabbed the guy by his boot, and dragged him away.

Red tilted his head at the last guy, “You wanna save my fists and walk out on your own?”

The boy nodded, then ran after his friends, but not before Storm said, “Behoove them to never come back.”

Red nodded, then looked at me, and winked.

“Precious?” I looked up at Storm.

“You asked me the last time, now, it’s my turn. Come dance with me?”

I didn’t bother to look at Raine, not when I nodded, stood up, then placed my hand in Storms and followed him to the makeshift dance floor.

“You okay?” he asked as we danced.

I nodded, “Yeah. I’m perfect.”

I caught sight of Raine’s hair as Tank spun her on the dance floor then I grinned and leaned my head on Storm’s shoulder, “Fucking perfect.”

I felt his body loosen at my words.

Almost as if an anvil had been lifted from his shoulders.

And for the rest of the night, if we weren’t dancing, if Raine and I weren’t gabbing, I was sitting with Storm.

Once people started to leave and a few brothers took women to their rooms we all gathered around the fire pit.

“You warm enough?”

I looked up at Storm and nodded.

He winked then took a pull from his beer.

My dad stepped around my chair, then leaned down, and whispered, “I’ll be in my room tonight. You’ll be, okay?”

I smiled up at him, and nodded, “Yeah, I’m about to head home anyway.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head, “Okay. Love you, baby.”

I smiled, “Love you too, Dad.”

It was almost an hour later when Storm walked me to my truck.

He opened the door for me, then whispered, “Text me and let me know you made it home. Okay?”

I nodded, then I threw caution to the wind, stepped up on my tiptoes, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Smiling, I climbed into my truck at the stunned look on his face.

I giggled.

Which caused him to narrow his eyes. “Text. When you get home.”