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I try to turn my face away from him, but he holds steadfastly to my chin. “You came to the right place, Kitty Cat. I’ll protect you. Me and my guys, we protect what’s ours.”

“Yours?” I murmur. “But I’m not yours.”

His lips lift into a smirk. “Ah, Kitty Cat, that’s where you’re wrong. You’ve always been mine. Always.”

Chapter Eight

Tornado

She deserves better than me…but I don’t think I can be that selfless. She’s mine now. -Tornado

Silver’s house is next to the large wooden cabin that serves as our clubhouse. His home is a large, dark A-frame structure with a wide deck and a red door. It looks like a family home, not the home for a roughened military man who leads a biker club.

I swing my leg over my bike and watch as Cat takes in the sight. She looks confused, as if her imagination doesn’t fit with the picture before her. I get it. It’s what I thought too when I was eighteen and first met the Silver Snakes. They’re so tough on the outside, but there’s a core of softness there too. Silver at heart is a family man. He would do anything to protect his little sister Elsie.

I knock on the door with one hand while holding onto Cat’s hand with the other. I can feel her hand shaking so I squeeze it, trying my best to comfort her. She stiffens when Elsie answers the door.

“Tor!” the teenager shouts and throws herself into my arms. “It’s so good to see you. You didn’t come to the picnic the other day. I told Sil that we needed to…”

She chatters on and I smile indulgently at her, while attempting to pull back. Cat’s hand has gone slack in mine. “Elsie, you’re choking me.” I laugh heartily.

The tiny brunette finally pulls back. “Oops, I got too enthusiastic,” she wrinkles her nose, “as usual.” Her gaze slides to Cat. “And you’ve brought a girl.” She claps her hands together. “Oooh, Tornado has a girl with him. How exciting!”

I laugh again.Elsie is always entertaining.“Yep, I sure do. This is Catherine, Cat as I call her.”

Elsie grabs one of Cat’s hands. “Omg, I hope you stay around. We need more girls around here. All I see is guys, guys, guys. I need a girl to talk to.”

Cat looks a bit overwhelmed, but she smiles softly. “I hope I get to stay awhile.”

My heart warms in my chest.God, I hope she stays forever.

“Elsie, move aside. They’re here to see me.” The gruff voice startles all three of us.

Silver appears in the doorway, towering over his little sister. His cold blue eyes scan all of us and if I didn’t know him, I wouldn’t see the slight thaw in those eyes when he looks at Elsie. “Go in and do your homework. I know you’ve got a math test Monday.”

Elsie scowls. “It’s the weekend, Sil. Ugh.” She stomps off, giving us a wave over her shoulder. “I’ll see y’all both when I’m let out of homework prison!”

Silver rolls his eyes and gestures inside. “Come on inside to my office, guys. I suppose we have a few things to discuss.”

Cat stiffens again beside me, and I send her a reassuring look.I know Silver will help us.

Silver leads us back to his office and tells us to have a seat. The club logo is painted on the wall behind him, the winding snake appearing a little more intimidating than usual behind the desk of the large, tattooed man.

I glance around the room, taking in what Cat sees. Besides that snake logo, it looks like a normal room. But Silver…Silver is a big man. And he is a terrifying presence if you don’t know him. Both of his muscled arms are covered in tattoos and his face looks like it’s carved from granite. He has to be tough, to handle the twenty or so men that follow him.

I can sense Cat’s fear. But I know Silver. I know he’s only going to help us.

“Catherine Scott, it’s nice to meet you.” He steeples his fingers on his desk. “Tornado has told me some of your history, but I want to hear everything from you. I know of your dad,” he says in a hard voice, “and I know of the reputation of the Scott family. I know his ties to the Brewer family and all they represent.”

Cat squirms in her chair. She bites her lip and then sends me a look ofwhat have you brought me into.I nod at her.

“You can trust Silver, honey. He’s on our side.”

Silver looks back and forth between us. “Catherine, Tornado says that you’re his. That means you’re a part of our family here. We take care of our own. You will be protected on this land and beyond from now on. No one will touch you.”

He says it with such finality that I feel Cat let out a long sigh of relief. She believes him. Silver emanates an aura of no-nonsense. The man doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean.

“Tell us what happened, Catherine, and I’ll see what I can do. We’ll be ready if anyone comes, I promise.”