Outside the Lines (Sons of Templar MC #2.5)(29)

Hansen’s hands worked over me, lathering soap into my body, cleaning the outside. I let him, staring into space, only seeing my hand on the trigger. His face exploding.

I barely noticed when he turned off the water, wrapped me in a towel. Lifting me like a baby he walked us into a sparse bedroom. He set me down and pulled a tee over my head, yanked some jeans on, and placed me carefully on the bed, wrapping me in his arms.

I snuggled into his body, trying to get as close as I could, trying to think of only that, focus on nothing else while my mind shut down.





Blood. I jerked awake, sitting up quickly and inspecting my hands with panic, expecting them to be drenched in blood. From the dim light in the room, I saw they were clean. On the outside anyway.

“We good?” I heard a tight voice ask from beyond the closed door.

I moved my head to see the rumpled space beside me. The rumpled empty space.

“Yeah, we’re good. No one heard the shot. Got the body taken care of quickly. Clubhouse is clean,” a voice clipped.

“Thank f*ck,” Hansen’s relief was evident, even through a wooden door.

“Yeah. That shit could have gone a whole other way. Pure f*ckin’ luck it worked out the way it did. Your woman endangered the club,” the voice was cold. I recognized it as Grim’s.

“She was f*ckin’ faced with the man who ruined her life. What the f*ck did you expect? Told you it was a bad idea to bring him anywhere near the club,” Hansen’s voice was full of anger, but it was quiet like he was trying not to wake the sleeping murderer in the next room.

There was a pause. “I didn’t expect her to come in at that particular moment. And I sure as shit didn’t expect her reaction to put a bullet in his brain, calm as anything,” the voice said dryly. “Fuck, despite myself, I find myself impressed by the bitch’s boldness. Maybe not her timing, nor her forethought. But any other female in that situation, most likely turn into a sniveling mess or run. Your woman turns straight to vengeance. Born to be an Old Lady. Ruthless one at that. Better make sure your cock doesn’t stray.”

I jerked at the words.

“Yeah, don’t think anyone thought f*ckin’ Macy would be the one pulling the trigger on that scumbag,” Levi’s voice interjected. “I agree, might not have been the best timing, but the girl deserved her revenge. Fuckin’ proud she was strong enough to deal it out.”

There was silence. Hansen didn’t voice any pride or praise at the fact that I’d ended someone’s life.

“You stay here for tonight, just so we make sure this shit can’t lead back to us. Then bring Macy back to the club, make sure your f*ckin’ gun’s out of reach,” Grim added with something close to humor.

I lay there as they all murmured goodbyes. I stared at the ceiling, not knowing what to do with myself. How to even begin the process what I’d heard. The fact all the guilt and sickness I felt seemed to have disappeared. Instead, I felt a weight had been lifted.

The door creaked open and Hansen silently closed it. I felt the bed depress as he moved to lay down and gather me in his arms. I knew he knew I was awake, but I didn’t speak for a second.

“So I’m not going to be arrested for murder?” I deduced my tone flat.

The arms around me tightened. “No babe,” he promised. “Club’s taken care of it. You won’t be going anywhere.”

“Remind me to send them a thank you card. Box of chocolates. Or a case of Jack Daniels,” I muttered.

Hansen said nothing.

“That something the club’s done before? Clean up bodies?” I asked.

“Once or twice,” Hansen told me, to my surprise.

Even that vague answer was more than a woman normally got. Then again, he probably didn’t think of me as his woman anymore.

“Do you think I’m disgusting?” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Hansen flipped me, covering my body completely. “Why the f*ck would you say something like that?” he asked, in a tight tone.

“Because I killed someone,” I whispered. “Shot someone. Right in front of you. I’m sure murderess isn’t something you want your Old Lady to be? You’ve already got reformed whore on the list,” I continued.

Hansen jerked. He reached to turn on a lamp beside us. I squinted slightly until I got used to the light.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

I did as he ordered, expecting to see hardness, detachment in his eyes. Instead, his face was soft, his eyes looked at me the very same way they did that morning when he made me breakfast. When he changed my world.

“You promised not to use that f*ckin’ word in reference to yourself again. I’m tempted to put you over my knee right now, but I’ll delay.” His eyes searched mine, swimming the depths of my soul. “Nothing will ever make me think of you as anything less than you are,” he promised. “And what you are, is magnificent.”

“But I shot someone,” I argued. “Right in the head.” My body jolted slightly at the memory.

Hansen’s face didn’t waver. His hand gently traced my lips. “Yeah, babe. You shot the piece of shit who tried to rob you of everything good in your life. Who took two loving parents away from a little girl. The man who didn’t succeed, thank f*ck, in taking away your light, your goodness…” he paused. “You exacted revenge. You gave him what he deserved. And trust me, baby, he deserved to eat that bullet.” His brows furrowed. “Did I want you to have to be the one to deliver it? No. I meant what I said when I wanted to protect you from everything I could. I’m f*ckin’ in awe you found it in yourself to bring him to justice. But I didn’t want you to have to do it. Wasn’t too keen on the time and place either,” he added with a small twinkle in his eye.