Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Annabell

FOR THE LAST week I've had the men shadowing every move I make. The only time I'm truly alone is when I'm in my room upstairs or in the office working on the paperwork. Vault is with me every second of the day unless I hide in my room. That's the one place he won't follow me and it's the only time I can breathe easy. We sit in silence for the most part despite there being so much we need to say to one another. Honestly, I forgave him years ago for the way he acted and how he left me behind. Not once, but twice. Vault did what he had to do in order to finally mourn his loss and become the man he's meant to be. From what I've seen, he's even better now than when we were younger. There's a deeper strength to him that I've noticed. He doesn't rule this chapter of the club without including the men surrounding him in every decision he makes. There was truly no reason to bring me into church a week ago to let me know what was going on. He could've just talked to me after they decided what to do and made me follow his orders because he's the President of this chapter. I've seen my Dad do it more than once. So, Vault has definitely changed as a man and the way he runs things.

Doc told Vault he can get up and go where he wants now that the road rash is healed. I no longer have to clean and bandage his leg and arm. That was an interesting experience and always left me wanting more from him. Every time I entered his room, he was only covered by a thin sheet and he had no pants on. His entire leg would be exposed so I had room to work. Every day I saw the outline of his large, hard cock on display under the thin sheet. There was no way for him to hide that from me unless he put a pillow over his lap or something. I pretended nothing was going on as I did my work and left his upper arm alone as he always requested. It's not hard to figure out that injury has nothing to do with road rash and everything to do with a bullet wound. Vault wouldn't hide it from me if it were anything else. I know him well enough to realize that's the truth of the situation. So, I let him keep his secret because it's what he needed.

I've talked to my Dad and brother. For now, they're going to remain back home and let Vault and the guys handle what's going on here. Playboy is mad as hell that I made him promise me he wouldn't just randomly show up and throw his weight around here in Pine View. He needs to let the men here handle their business and protect me the best way they can. I had to tell Tank the same damn thing because he was ready to ride here with Playboy. My dad will always want to protect me, but he realizes Vault needs to make the decisions here in this chapter of the club as the President. If he believes he needs help protecting me, my brother and Tank will be the first ones he calls to make sure that happens. That's a promise he had to make them because it was the only way they wouldn't just randomly show up here. Now, I talk to all three of them every day so they know I'm alive and nothing has happened. It's something easy that I can give them, so I do.

Today I have to go to the garage and it will be another day where Vault is in my car with me. I've let him drive it. Once. He was like a kid in a candy store that day. Then, when we pulled up to Hound's he had to rub it in Chrome's face because he got to drive my baby and Chrome never will. I wanted to hand his best friend the keys just to prove that it's not a decision he gets to make, but I didn't. Instead, I laughed at them and made my way into the office to get my day started. The first thing I did was make a pot of coffee. It's the same thing I do every morning when we open. I start one in the break room and then a second one in the waiting area for any customers who might want one. I've also talked to Vault about getting soda and candy vending machines in here for them. It would give them something to eat and drink while they wait for their vehicles instead of leaving and walking around the city to grab something. Some people don't want to do that.

A knock on my door sounds just as I finish putting the last hair tie in my hair. I've got my hair braided in pigtails today. As I make my way over to the door, I tie one of Vault's old bandana's around my head to keep the small pieces of hair out of my face. They're getting just long enough that it annoys the hell out of me and I can't stand them brushing against my skin when I'm in the middle of something. So, wearing a bandana ensures they don't fall out and rub against my skin.

Opening the door, I find Vault standing there, the sling still holding his arm in place. His eyes run up and down my body in a way that causes heat to travel through me until it settles in my core and an ache starts building. This is nothing new when I'm in the presence of Vault and I have a feeling he knows that. It feels as if he's caressing me without even laying a finger on me. I've never experienced anything like it before. Vault's eyes meet mine and we get locked in a stare that removes the rest of the world from around us. For this moment in time, it's just the two of us and no one else exists.

"Are you almost ready to go?" he asks me, his voice hoarse as his eyes leave mine and travel once again down my body.

I'm wearing a pair of jean shorts that should probably be longer than what they are with a pair of sneakers on my feet since I'll be at Hound's. Today I've got a Phantom Bastards tank top on and it does nothing to hide the swell of my breasts with the bra I'm wearing. Vault's eyes linger on the exposed skin of my chest and he does nothing to hide where he's looking from me.

"I'm ready. I just have to grab my phone and keys," I answer him, my voice sounding breathy instead of steady and strong like I was hoping for.

Vault steps back by the time I get to the doorway once again. He doesn't give me much room to move around him though. As I turn to lock the door behind me, my body brushes up against his and I can feel the hard length beneath his jeans as it pokes into my ass. Still, neither one of us move away from the other one. It's like we're building up this tension between us until it has no choice but to explode and burn us both up from the heat of the inferno. Today is honestly the first time we've touched that wasn't an accident and I don't know what to feel about this change in our current situation.

My hands are shaking when I lock the door and I almost drop the keys a few times before I can even get them in the lock. Vault doesn't take his eyes off me as he looks down over my shoulder. Finally, I manage to get them in the lock and turn them before pulling them out once again. I slide my phone in my back pocket when I manage to pull my body away from his and turn to look up at him. Vault is staring down at me with hooded eyes and a smirk on his face. Yeah, he knows exactly what he's fucking doing and I can't say that I hate it.

Together we walk down to the common room where Valor, Chrome, Red, Crab, and some new guy I've never seen before is waiting for us. I'm instantly filled with tension and my eyes don't ever leave the new guy. Vault has to grab my arm as I almost trip down the stairs. He stops me from moving and steps down in front of me so I can no longer see the guys sitting around a table together.

"What's wrong?" he whispers as he leans in closer to me. "Why are you so out of it all of a sudden?"

"Who's that guy sitting with Valor and the rest of the guys?" I return, keeping my eyes locked on Vault's muscular chest.

"It's a new Prospect who will be workin' at Hound's with us. What's goin' on, Angel?" he answers, still not turning away from me.

"I don't know. The second I laid eyes on him, I got this horrible feeling deep in my gut. You've all always told me to listen to my gut and it's telling me he's not here for good reasons. His eyes are taking in too much of the clubhouse in a way that tells me he's memorizing everything about the common room. Who looked into him?" I tell Vault as he makes me look at him and only him.

"Okay. I'm not gonna take him with us. I'll have Valor make up some excuse and leave him here at the clubhouse. Buzz will be here all day. You haven't met him yet because he tends to stay locked in his room with the computers. I'll tell him I want him to shadow Buzz today instead. Valor is gonna need help at the security company and that can be the first step to findin' out what he'll need to do to help Valor out by monitorin' the properties they have put systems up on. Give me a second to get rid of him. Why don't you go in the kitchen and grab us both a cup of coffee to go while I take care of this?" he says, not looking away from me while simultaneously motioning for his brother to follow him.

With a nod of my head, I step out around Vault and keep my head down while moving the rest of the way down the stairs and toward the kitchen. I don't stop moving until I'm in front of the coffee pot and grabbing down two of the cups with lids so we can take our coffee with us this morning. I listen as the girls talk and they get the same creepy feeling from the guy as I do. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Though, I wouldn't dare give them the satisfaction of agreeing with them because of the way they chose to come at me when I first got here. If they were polite and nice, we'd have a very different relationship. Now, they can kiss my ass.

I don't leave the kitchen until Vault shows up in the doorway. Making my way toward him, I hand him his cup and we head out. The guy is no longer in the common room and I take a deep breath before releasing it. We all head out and the guys surround me in a way that puts Vault and me in the center of all four men going with us to Hound's. This is my new normal and I know it's just one more way they're trying to be sure no one gets close to me. Even behind the locked gate of the compound.

Another new change is bullet proof glass is being installed on the inside of the gate. That way no one can pull up in front of it and shoot at anyone who's in the parking lot. It not only protects me, but also protects all the men and the Prospects who are the closest to the gate every hour of the day. Right now, Martin and George are each out here for twelve hours at a time in order to make sure no one gets close to the gate. Valor has made sure there are cameras up, pointing all around the clubhouse so they'll know immediately if anyone gets too close and remains hanging out in the area. Vault is making sure they aren't taking any chances with my safety and while I appreciate it, I need to have some space. It's not something I'll ever tell them though. I've been through this enough at home to realize they're going to do what they feel is best and I have to roll with the changes until this is over with.

Getting in the driver's seat of my car, I let Vault close the door behind me before he makes his way to the passenger seat. Once we're both in, I start the engine but don't make any move to pull out of my parking seat. The guys will surround my car and keep it that way until we pull into Hound's and I'm parked at the end of the building where my car is hidden from view. Vault and Valor have been taking me in the rear entrance instead of the front with the rest of the guys so I'm not seen by anyone unless they come inside the waiting area where my desk is. Then I have Vault at my side and one of the others if he has to go to his office for a call or the bathroom. It's all taken care of so I'm never left unattended.

"He won't be in the clubhouse for very long. Buzz is gonna grill him while we're gone and find out what his real purpose for wantin' to join the club is. He's also gonna run a more thorough background check on him so he can figure out what he's lyin' about. You need to always tell me, or one of the other guys, when you get that kind of feelin'. Proud of you, Angel," Vault says, lifting his hand as if he's going to place it on my thigh before clenching it into a fist and laying it back on his own leg.

We finally pull out of the compound and make our way toward Hound's. Chrome is in the lead and I let him set the speed as Valor is on my side with Red on Vault's side of the car and Crab behind us. We're in a tight formation as we make our way through town on the nearly deserted roads. There's never a lot of traffic this early in the morning from what I can tell and it makes it easier for Valor and Red to be on either side of my car.

"I'm not gonna keep something like that to myself. Valor and you alone would know something is going on based on my body language alone. You've all known me for so long and can tell the slightest shift in any mood I have. That's why you picked up on it so easily this morning when we were coming downstairs. I can't promise you that I'll always go to one of the other men, but Valor, Chrome, or you will definitely know when I get one of those gut feelings," I promise him as the music from one of my many playlists plays softly in the background of the car to fill the silence.

It's not exactly an uncomfortable silence, but it's not as easy as what we once had either. Vault and I are still dancing around one another and I have a feeling it's going to remain that way until we have our talk about everything. Then, and only then, we might finally be able to find some kind of new normal between the two of us. I don't want to lose him from my life completely, but we can't keep doing this shit either. Not when he's constantly surrounding me.

Work was very exhausting today. We weren't that busy and I had to find stuff for myself to do in order for the day not to drag by any slower than it already was. When I wasn't helping a customer, I cleaned the entire waiting area from top to bottom. Then I rearranged the shelves again and dusted everything off. I made sure all the clothes were folded or hung up and where they needed to be. Vault moved what he could with one arm because he knows I'll yell at him for using the arm that's in the sling. Valor went out and got us all lunch today from the same BBQ place I went to the first day I worked at Hound's. I love their food and would eat it every single day if I could get away with it. Today I tried the baked chicken with salt potatoes, grilled asparagus and corn on the cob. She threw in extra rolls for us and knows I'll devour most of them. I may have ordered those and nothing else once or twice when the guys have gone out to get lunch from other places.

"When we get back to the clubhouse, can you not get right to work in the office today?" Vault asks me shortly before we close up for the day.

Turning my attention to him, I take in his closed-off appearance. He's sitting on a stool at the counter and his body is curled in on himself. Vault won't look at me and I know he's waiting for my response to his question.

"Is there any particular reason why you don't want me going straight to work in the office?" I return, putting the cleaning supplies away and moving closer to him.

"I think it's time we have that conversation we've both been avoidin'. We both have to be able to move on one way or another and that's the only way it's gonna happen," he states, finally looking up at me and letting me see everything he wants to hide.

"What do you mean by move on one way or another?" I question him, not sure where his head is right now because it's been so long since we have talked about anything personal.

"I mean, we're either gonna move on together as we always used to talk about. Or, we're gonna decide to be nothin' more than friends. I know what I'm hopin' for, but it all depends on you, Angel. I've got to make amends to you and Valor and I'm not sure how to go about startin' it all. But, I know this conversation is a step in the right direction," he says, his voice low as Valor enters the room and brings a work order over to me.

With a nod of my head, I let him know we can talk. Valor points out a few notes he made on the work order about other things he found that need to be fixed. I'll call the customer now and see if they want to leave the car here for the additional repairs or pick it up in the morning when we re-open. Valor leaves us alone once more to clean up the bay he's been working in while I make the call and Vault starts closing up the rest of the garage. He goes through every room and makes sure the windows and doors are locked. As I talk to the customer, I close out the register for the day and get it ready to hand over to Vault so he can lock the deposit up in the safe overnight. Valor will turn it in tomorrow morning when we open.

After getting off the phone, I grab my things and stand behind the counter as I wait for Valor and Vault to return. Like when we get here in the morning, I'll be taken out the back door to my car and the rest of the guys will leave through the front. Nerves fill me as Vault and I wait in my car for everyone to get on their bikes and surround me once again. My mind fills with thoughts of what I truly want to happen between Vault and me once we have this talk. For so long all I've wanted is him and no one else has ever compared to him. I have a feeling that's never going to change. So, maybe I should let myself have what I've wanted for years because I know that he won't ever hurt me again. If there's one thing I can say about the men I've chosen to surround myself with, it's that they learn from their mistakes and aren't likely to repeat them again in the future.