Page 106 of Property of Yak

I watch as she starts to get ready. I don’t take my eyes off of her. This could be the last time I see her. I refuse to tell her how dangerous this really is. I plan to come home, but I know as well as anyone that it only takes one bullet to end a life.

I won’t let Aragon have her, even if it means he takes me down with him.

Pushing the dark thoughts from my head, I hold my hand out to her. She grabs it, holding on for dear life.

Looking out the window, I see a cop car down the street.

“Does your dad have someone watching you?” I ask her.

“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

I nod. “We should take your car. That way they don’t see you leaving with a man. Less of a heads-up for your dad.”

“Okay.”

I lead her into her garage and help her into the passenger seat. Then I round the car and get into the driver’s seat.

As we leave the house, I go away from the cop. Doesn’t stop him from following us, though. He keeps his distance, falling off as we get closer to her dad’s place.

“Shouldn’t I stay with you?” she says in the silence.

“No. I need you to be safe.” I pull her hand to my lips to kiss it.

“I feel safest when I’m with you.”

Pride fills me at her statement.

“I know, but the situation I am going into is going to be intense. There will be guns and fighting, and if you are there, I will be more worried about you than what is going on. I won’t be able to focus, which will make me reckless. I’ll make a mistake, Angel. A mistake that could cost me my life or, worse, your life. I won’t risk it. I feel you are safest with me too, but not tonight. Please promise me you will stay at your dad’s.”

“Why do you have to go? Can’t you send the others? Tell them you need to stay with me. To protect me. Please don’t go put yourself in danger.”

I smile sadly, staring out the window. “I would love to do that. Trust me, I don’t want to be leaving you, but Julie, how can they respect me if I lead them into danger only to flake out at the last minute? Those are my brothers. One of them is actually my damn brother. I can’t ask them to walk in there and go to war without being willing to be on the front lines with them. I’m not a coward, and I wouldn’t be the man you fell in love with if I didn’t go help them. I’m doing this for us. I want to eliminate the threat so that we can live our life in peace. Please tell me you understand.”

I’m pleading with her now. I need her to let me walk out that door. If she begs me to stay, I don’t know if I can walk away.

She sniffles. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t know how to go on without you.”

“I know, and I will do everything in my power so that you don’t have to figure it out. I’m coming back to you. I’m tough as hell, and I have a whole lot to come back to. You trust me, don’t you?”

I glance over at her, hating the devastation on her face.

I look back to the road, finally pulling into her father’s driveway.

“I do. With all my heart and soul,” she finally whispers.

“Good, then trust me to handle this. Your old man is pretty fucking amazing if I do say so myself.”

She giggles, wiping her tears. “You’re going to single-handedly pay for my next vacation with that potty mouth of yours.”

“I will do so willingly.”

She sighs. “Okay. Let’s go introduce my biker boyfriend to my police chief dad at two in the morning. This couldn’t possibly go wrong.”

I smirk at her. “That’s the spirit, Angel.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX