Annihilation Road (40 page)

He forced his attention onto the departure of the Diamondbacks, making certain all of them really left, minus Brandon, who was still on the premises. He counted them and then handed them off to Mechanic and Transporter. The two were already in positions to make certain no one backtracked. Once the Diamondbacks were off the property and their Harleys were thundering down Highway 1, he broke the rifle down, put it in the case and started to descend from the roof.

Joseph Arnold was standing on the cement planter tucked back in the shrubbery with his cell out, obviously trying to get photographs of Seychelle. He clearly had the type of cell phone capable of taking night photos. He hadn’t
approached Seychelle, but he wouldn’t stop with his obsessive need to connect with her in some way.

Savage slipped off the roof and into the back meeting room to secrete the case with his rifle where it was easy for him to get to if needed. The door was open to the outside, leaving just the screen when he walked down the hall. He caught sight of Sabelia in one room, curled up in a chair, an ice pack on her face, Preacher’s jacket over her. He kept walking. The sight of a woman’s bruised face sickened him. Triggered him. He was the kind of man who could easily hunt down and kill someone over that shit. And the man wouldn’t die easily. Better to stay out of it. Preacher was handling it.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into with a man like Savage,” Shari’s voice cut through the night, making Savage wince. “Look at you.” She sounded sneering. Full of contempt. “He keeps coming back to me. He likes my mouth. Does he like yours?”

Savage cursed under his breath and slammed the flat of his hand against the screen, opening it. He’d lost Seychelle once because of this bitch; he wasn’t losing her a second time. She had total confidence in herself in most areas. In fact, she had no problem going her own way when she wanted to—she just smiled and nodded when he said no, and she did it anyway. But not when it came to him and their relationship. She was very hesitant and unsure of herself. They hadn’t gotten to lessons on oral sex. He knew her. She would be very self-conscious about that.

He walked up behind Alena and Seychelle, slung his arm around Seychelle’s neck and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Let’s get out of here, babe. I’m wiped.” He felt her stiffen. Resisting. He bent his head, his teeth nipping her earlobe. “This is one of those times we talked about when you just come with me without arguing.” He whispered it, his lips against her ear.

Seychelle didn’t answer him, but she didn’t stop him when he slid his hand down her arm to shackle her wrist.

“You coming, Alena? You look tired, honey.”

“I think I’ll call it a night too,” Alena conceded.

“Run away, baby,” Shari hissed under her breath.

Savage had turned Seychelle around and they’d taken several steps toward the back door. She stiffened and started to turn back. He locked his arm around her.

“Keep walking.” He made it an order. “She’s done here. You won’t be seeing her again. I don’t know how she got in. I told them to keep her out.”

“She probably blew the doorman,” Alena said, laughing.

Seychelle ducked her head. “Yeah. She brags about how she’s really good at that. Savage might be able to tell you. Just how good is she?”

“Let it go, Seychelle.” He sounded harsher than he intended.

He could catch the emotions of every member of his club, even Destroyer, but Seychelle could close herself off to him when she wanted to. She was doing it right now. He glanced at Alena. She looked up at him and shook her head, warning him he was in trouble. He already knew he was. Seychelle was tired. Most likely exhausted after using her gift for so long. She hadn’t had a single break once the Diamondbacks had arrived. The meeting took longer than expected.

He caught up her jacket and was extremely gentle as he helped her into it, wrapping his arms around her as he zipped it up, pulling her body into his, her back to his front. “I’m sorry this took so long. You were amazing, Seychelle. You held everything together for us. Things could have gone to hell fast a couple of times, but you kept everyone calm with your voice.” He brushed kisses on her temple, over her ear, to her neck. “I was so fucking proud of you.”

Her gaze shifted back to him, but she didn’t smile. She just nodded to Alena and started toward the door. Savage
caught her hand, holding on to her, letting her know that no matter what, they were a couple, and she wasn’t leaving him again over Shari. He detested that he’d made such a mistake, allowing his needs to overcome his usual careful planning that ensured he didn’t make mistakes with his choice of partners. He’d banned Shari, but she’d managed to get in. Seychelle had said it was fine, but clearly it wasn’t.

His intention was never to hurt Seychelle emotionally. Already he could see he was failing her. She paused at the door of the bar and turned back.

“Fatei, thank you so much for looking out for me. I really appreciate it.” She gave him her high-wattage smile.

Savage noted that the smile didn’t light her eyes. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and just hold her, but there were too many interested eyes on them. Too many people looking at his woman with speculation. He didn’t make the mistake of hurrying her. He waited until she was ready to leave. Her fingers tightened around his, and she straightened her shoulders before she once again started for the door.

“You going to stay mad at me all night?” He paced beside her down the stairs, keeping her body right up against his.

“Yes.” She didn’t look at him.

They walked in silence to his Harley. She put her helmet and gloves on while he straddled the bike and started it up. Hand on his shoulder, Seychelle took a careful look around. Savage knew that not only were Shari and her friend watching them, but Arnold was concealed in the bushes and Brandon Campbell had come out of the bar to follow at a distance. She got on as if she’d been doing it for years, fitting perfectly behind him, wrapping him up as if he were her Christmas present. She laid her body against his.

He took the shorter route to Highway 1 and circled away from Sea Haven. She tightened her arms around him, her palm pushing into his belly in protest. She wanted to go home. He was taking her there, just not to the one she
expected. He dropped his gloved hand over hers to try to comfort her. Loving her was easy. Keeping her safe was proving to be something else altogether.

Savage had always thought that because it was easy for anyone to see he was the kind of man no one ever fucked with, he would never have a problem with anyone threatening his woman—not unless his club went to war. It had never occurred to him that if he did find a woman who would put up with his proclivities, she would have the kind of voice that would compel men to be obsessed. When he agreed to her singing with the band, the only thing he’d worried about was her gift of healing. Never once had he worried that those hearing her voice might hear the lure of a siren’s call.

He turned off the highway to once more take a road that led toward the ocean and the very back side of Caspar. Slowing the motorcycle as he drove along the thick stone wall that surrounded part of the estate, he pressed the button on his key chain to open the gate so that when he approached, they could just ride through.

The estate was behind iron gates set between thick stone pillars. At the end of a long drive, the house had the luxury of an ocean view on two sides, as well as landscaping and woods on the other two sides. Savage felt protected and away from everyone. There was plenty of space between the house and the trees, so no one could just creep up on him, not to mention he had put in a state-of-the-art security system.

The house was elegant and built solid. It was an A-frame house, with forty-inch beams in the south section and thirty-five-inch beams in the north part. Savage liked the height of the ceilings. He liked space, and the house gave the feeling of that with twenty-five-foot ceilings.

He rode up the long drive to a carport that was in front of the garage. Again, he opened the door to the garage from his key chain so he could ride straight in and park. Seychelle sat there in silence for so long he didn’t think she’d get off. He
waited. Not saying a word. Letting her think about it. Finally, she put one hand on his shoulder and swung off, removing her helmet. She stood there waiting while he joined her.

Savage put his arm around her and walked her out of the four-car garage so she could look at the house. The estate was eight and a half acres. Complete privacy, something he needed at all times. Something they both would need. They were surrounded by beauty and serenity. It really was an exceptional piece of property.

“I bought the place recently. Czar wanted all of us to put down roots here. I wasn’t sure it was worth me buying a house, but I liked this one for a lot of reasons. When I met you, I called the agent up and asked him if it was still on the market. You don’t like it, you just say so, Seychelle. We’ll sell it and find one you do like.”

He walked her around to the impressive front. The entire façade was made of cobblestone. The front door wasn’t just any front door. It was huge. Custom-made. Thick wood, twice the normal size and arched. She stood silently staring at it and then looked back at him. Her eyes were wide. Very blue. She looked a little shocked.

“You really bought this house, Savage?”

“Yes.” He reached around her to unlock the door using a series of numbers on the keypad. “I knew it would be perfect for us. But, like I said, you don’t like it, we’ll get something else. It’s three bedrooms, four bathrooms. The master bedroom is just about everything we could want. I love the decks and the views.” He found himself smiling. “I sound a little like the real estate agent.”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted.

Savage took her hand as he opened the door. She was trembling. He really wanted her to like the house. It was nearly five thousand square feet of space if you didn’t count the outside decks, just the inside living quarters. He liked space. He even needed it.

The door opened to reveal the living room with the teak
plank floors from Indonesia. The fireplace was impressive, massive, made of stone, and went from hearth to ceiling. Three enormous arched windows provided the tranquility of the ocean from one long panoramic view and one side observation. Like most of the high-end houses in the area with a lot of glass, the windows were self-cleaning, a must for a man like him. He didn’t want a lot of people around, even housekeepers. The furniture Lana had chosen for him included two low-slung leather couches, wide and slouchy, very comfortable, inviting, in a dark charcoal to go with the stone on the fireplace. There were two matching armchairs as well.

The living room opened onto a deck, as did several of the other rooms. The master bedroom had its own private deck and courtyard. The decks were wide and covered, with ornate posts rising every four feet to the roof from the railing. They were solid just like the house. There were no neighbors, and he could bring Seychelle outside with him when the mood struck him. When the sea was as turbulent as he felt.

The rooms inside were all warm wood or thick carpet, with high ceilings and gas fireplaces. The bathrooms were spacious and had heated tiles along with deep tubs and very large showers. The kitchen was large and boasted top-of-the-line appliances and marble countertops. There was a long island in the center of the enormous space. The kitchen opened into the breakfast nook and dining room but also out onto the deck.

She stood in the center of the dining room, looking around her without speaking.

He threaded his fingers through hers, his thumb sliding over the back of her hand as he led her out to the deck. “You don’t like the house.”

She tilted her head up to his immediately. “I
love
the house. I love the location. It’s beautiful here, Savage. How could I not love it?”

He brought her knuckles to his mouth and kissed her
gently. “Tell me what’s wrong, then. I brought you here because I thought you would want to see something special. I bought the house for you because to me, you’re this special. Gorgeous. Like this spot. This house. If I could have found something more spectacular for you, I would have.” It was true. He’d give her the moon if he could—if that was what she wanted.

She gave him a little half smile. “When I’m nervous, I fall back on the things that are familiar to me. My house. My bed. Where I like to sit, where my crystals line up.”

“Why are you nervous, baby? I know you’re upset over Shari, but I’m not sure why. I thought we put that bitch to bed.” He did his best not to growl. That would come later, when he was enumerating her sins. Right now, this was her turn. He was listening to any concerns she had.

She tugged at her hand until he reluctantly let go. “I feel more in control in my own home,” she admitted. “I can talk to you about anything.”

He didn’t take his eyes from hers. “It shouldn’t matter where we are, Seychelle. You should feel as if you can talk to me about anything anyplace. What did I do to make you feel as if you couldn’t?”

She bit at her lower lip and then frowned. “I’m just more comfortable talking about difficult subjects in my bed with you.” She sat on the wide railing, one hand on the column. The wind caught at her hair, blowing it around her face. “Shari had a few interesting things to say to me tonight.”

Savage forced himself to stay silent. Shari was a huge thorn that didn’t seem as if it was ever going to go away.

“She said I wouldn’t be able to satisfy you because I had no idea what I was doing. And actually, she’s right. I don’t know what I’m doing, and that sucks.” Her lashes fluttered.

Those long feathery lashes that got him in his cock every time. She looked so utterly vulnerable when her lashes swept down like that. He wished they were on her bed as well, where he could stroke his hand down her bare leg.

“I could feel you taking on Alena’s pain when Pierce came in. You somehow bled the worst of it away so she could function. I doubt she’s aware of it.”

Savage wanted to shut that topic of conversation down fast. There was pain in her voice. Real awareness. She knew without a single doubt that he took on Alena’s pain. Alena’s righteous anger and rage at the childhood traumas were too much for her at times, so he took it on. It was impossible to continue to handle betrayal after betrayal after the childhood Alena had suffered. Savage was aware Alena was so very fragile deep inside, where no one could see beneath that thin shell she presented to the world. The cool, beautiful woman always in control. That woman wasn’t real.