Mated To The Cold Hearted Alpha
Chapter 97

Hycinth

As the highest ranking member, Tommy, the Grimm MC’s Sgt. in Arms, rode point with Leroy by his side. Luca and I followed behind him with the Enforcers surrounding us and Frank positioned at the back.

Keeping my head tucked down in the back of Lucky’s neck, I clutched his torso tightly. Eyes squeezed shut, I let the familiar rev and vibration of the motors block out my chaotic thoughts. I had no idea how to explain to them what had happened to us.

Two hours later, we pulled into a diner. Lucky slowed and eased the motorcycle to a stop. Climbing down from behind him, I desperately worked to pull myself together, swiping my thumbs over my damp cheeks and smoothing hair out of my face. As we walked together into the diner, Lucky kept his body positioned slightly in front of mine. His frame was locked tight, stretching to his full height, chest puffed out, presenting himself as a formidable deterrent to anyone who might make the mistake of coming near me.

The diner was a traditional affair, complete with a neon sign letting us know we’d arrived at Big Al’s Diner. Rounded corners made the building appear more like an oversized vintage train car than a rectangle brick and mortar restaurant.

Entering the restaurant just ahead of us, Frank held the door open for me. Sharply intelligent blue eyes met mine. “Good to see you again, Abby.” The warmth and ease in his expression were in prominent contrast to his rough exterior appearance, tatted bald head, long beard, and burly muscles, kind of like the soft chocolate center inside a hard candy shell.

“You too.” I tried to muster up a small smile as we walked past, but I wasn’t sure I’d been successful.

If he noticed my less than welcoming response, he didn’t react.

Inside the diner, a long row of booths lined the exterior windows opposite an equally long stretch of high backed stools facing the sleek, polished-steel countertop to accommodate the many patrons. who frequented the establishment alone.

Without a word of coordination, Tommy and Leroy joined Luca and me at a booth toward the back, while the other bikers spread out around us, forming a protective perimeter.

A pert blonde waitress strutted to the table, small notepad, and pencil in hand. H*p popped out, she eyed Tommy with open interest, snapped her gum and asked, “So, what’ll you boys have to drink?” I disregarded the fact she didn’t include me in her address. The men outnumbered me eleven-to-one, so it made sense she just went with the generality.

Under normal circumstances, Tommy would have been amused and enamored with her overt attention. At the very least, he would have flirted shamelessly with her, even to my embarrassment at his unrestrained vulgarity, but not now. Now, this was business, not pleasure and he barely looked up from the menu before grunting, “Coke.”

The drink orders proceeded around the table and then to the rest of the group before she tottered off behind the counter.

Pressed securely between the wall and Lucky’s imposing frame, I stared unseeing at the laminated menu. The idea of putting anything into my stomach made me want to gag.

Leroy sat across from me with Tommy facing Luca. Neither paid any attention to me until after the waitress returned with drinks and collected our orders. Once she was gone again, Tommy leaned forward and held Lucky’s gaze. “Okay, Whiskey, what the f**k? First, I watched you get kidnapped by some big motherfuckers, then I can’t replace you and don’t hear anything for several weeks, and now, out of the blue, you need a ride home?”

Well, that about covered it.

“It was a…family misunderstanding,” Luca chose his words carefully. He’d explained to me earlier that neither Tommy nor Leroy saw any of the wolves shift into their fur forms. So at this point, our half-beast sides were not a part of the discussion.

“Family?” Tommy repeated flatly, sitting back in the booth. “That’s one hell of a family.”

Luca rested his arms on the table, tension pulling the muscles in his biceps tight. He nodded hard, not willing to elaborate.

Brows furrowed in contemplation for a moment, Tommy turned to me. “What’s your real name? Cuz I’m pretty sure it ain’t Abigail.”

“Hycinth,” I murmured softly. “But you can still call me Abby if you like.”

“And you were on the run…from your family?”

I tried not to cringe at the reminder of the relationship between Leander and me. Swallowing thickly, I nodded.

“But that’s over now. They let us go,” Luca interjected. “We appreciate your help, man. We didn’t have anybody else to call.”

“Of course,” Tommy blew off their assistance as though it weren’t any big deal. “So, you going to tell me your real name too?”

“It’s Luca,” Lucky replied quietly.

Tommy eyed him for a moment and then grunted dryly, “I gotta be honest, it’s a damn shame it ain’t Whiskey.”

Lucky grinned, flashing pearly white teeth. He always loved his alter ego. “I’d actually prefer if you still called me Whiskey.”

“Easy enough,” Leroy acknowledged.

The waitress returned, precariously balancing several plates on her outstretched arms. Rattling off meals, matching them with patrons, she quickly unloaded the food onto the tables in front of the correct person.

Everyone began to dig into their meals of greasy burgers and fries. I picked at the barbecue in front of me, moving it around on the plate more than actually eating.

Leroy took a drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Why were you runnin’?”

Lucky finished chewing the bite he was working on and swallowed. “It was a misunderstanding.”

A muscle in Tommy’s jaw twitched. He didn’t like Luca’s answer. “My help comes with some rules. First and foremost, you tell me the truth, so that I know what I’m dealing with and my boys don’t get hurt due to my ignorance. The fuckers that took you were dangerous. They weren’t playin’ around. I’m gonna need a little more than a misunderstanding.”

Luca’s hand curled into a fist. I put mine over his and spoke before he could, “It was an ex-boyfriend.”

Tommy took another bite of his burger and chewed. “Yours or his?”

Lucky’s eyes widened. “What the f**k?”

Tommy smirked.

Leroy added to the mix, chuckling, “You always were a pretty thing.”

“F**k you,” Luca scowled.

“Always makin’ promises you can’t keep,” Leroy ribbed him.

“Mine,” I answered, attempting to steer the conversation back on track. “I, we…,” I stumbled around my words, “It just didn’t…work out.”

“So, after going through all the trouble to kidnap you, now, Romeo’s just gonna let you walk away?” Tommy asked skeptically.

“Yes. He’s done…with me now,” my voice hitched..

Tommy set his hamburger down and swiped the napkin across his mouth as he studied me for a long moment. No doubt, he could read my torn expression and knew I was trying hard not to cry.

“And you’re so sure you’re done with him?”

His intuitive question hit me like a punch in the stomach.