Her Valentine by Amanda Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

you?”  Maria asked wearing a calculating expression which confused Storm even more.  What was Maria’s angle?
    “Yeah, I’m club property.”  She said carefully, trying to figure out what would keep her safest.
    “Property how?”  Maria asked carefully.
    “Why the fuck do you care?”  Storm pulled in her courage.  Something wasn’t right.
    “Just answer the question.”  Maria spat, losing her cool demeanor.
    “I’m family and if you betray us Law will kill you.”  Storm hoped she was telling the truth.
    Maria laughed.  “I’ve known Law a long time.  He has never mentioned you so no, you are not family and he wouldn’t kill for a worthless little whore.  Pretty sure I’ll be safe.”
    “He has killed for me before and he taught me how to handle things just fine so maybe I’ll kill you myself.”
    Maria looked unsure.  Maybe she did know Law.
    “There’s a rumor of a little whore who slipped away from a powerful man.  He wants her back.  I think that would be you.”
    Storm adopted a bland look.  “You’d be wrong.  My dad is a member and I’m just hanging with you while they get some business done.”
    Maria lost her mercenary look and instead looked frightened.  Good.
    “Is that man your old man?  He’s dangerous.  I know who he is.”
    “He isn’t, yet.  What do you know about him?”
    Maria curled up in her chair like a satisfied cat.  “Nick Valentine is a murderer for hire or whatever his client wants him to be.  For the right price he will do anything.”
    Storm’s heart hit her shoes.
    Maria smiled.  “He’s meaner than Law ever thought about being.  He just hides it better.”  Maria stood and turned to leave the room.  “You should always know the men you bed better than they know you.  It’s easier to know when to cut their throats.”
    Then she was gone, leaving Storm with a maelstrom of unsettling ideas and questions.  What was she going to do?  How could she put her life in the hands of a man like the one Maria had described?
    She shook her head.  That wasn’t the man she knew Nick to be, but she had only just met him.  She had seen Law and the others play a smooth part before too.
     
     

 
    XXXX
    Storm had been up all night.  She was worried about Chester and the brothers and she was worried about Nick.  It broke her heart to think she might never see him again, never feel his touch.  She was in over her head with him and it had only been two days.
    The door flew open and there he was and beside him was her Papa.  They looked exhausted, but they were alive.
    “Oh God, are you alright?”  Chester rushed to her, his skin was a sickly grey and sweat covered his face.
    “I’m ok Papa.  What’s wrong?”  He fell to his knees beside the couch.
    “Flores got away.  He wasn’t there.  The bar is gone...I was afraid…”
    Storm’s heart filled until she thought it would burst.
    “I love you Papa.  I’m ok.  He isn’t here.”
    He cupped her face in his hands the way he had done when she’d been small and upset.  She saw then what she had missed so many other times.  He loved her.
    “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”  He pulled her close again as tears rolled down her face.  “You are my treasure Storm.  All that matters in this world.”
    His cough rattled his bones and Storm helped him sit down beside her.  She looked up to find Nick looking down at her with a look that mirrored Papa’s.  He held a bottle of water and nodded toward Chester. 
    Storm took it and uncapped it before handing it to him.
    “That man is her daddy isn’t he?”
    Storm looked up to find a little girl that looked just like Valentine, staring at her with wide blue eyes.
    “Yes sweetheart, he’s my daddy.”  She said as she looked at the little girl.
    “He was really worried about you.   He drove too fast.”   She sighed.  “Then my daddy drove too fast.  He was worried too.”
    Storm’s heart