Page 39 of Moonlight & Mayhem

“That wasn’t a discussion,” Tempest insisted.

“Fine,” Chris grumbled. Mayhem wondered if she’d actually follow orders.

Chrome spoke from the wall. “I’ll stay with her to keep an eye on her.”

Chris’s head snapped toward him. “No, you won’t.”

Chrome shrugged. “I’m free.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Chris spat.

“Never said you did,” Chrome insisted.

“Then why offer to stay with me?” she asked.

Chrome’s smile was slow. “Maybe I like your personality.” Chris stared at him. Hell, everyone else stared at him too. Mayhem bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

Moon elbowed Mayhem beneath the table, and he leaned toward her. “Is this a mate problem?”

“Shut up,” Moon whispered.

Chris pointed at Chrome. “You annoy me.” He grabbed his chest, feigning hurt, and Moon giggled.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a mate problem,” Moon said under her breath. Mayhem laughed, and Chris glared at him.

“You want to die tonight, Mayhem?” she asked.

“Doctor says I’m not allowed to die,” he said, looking at Moon.

Moon nodded. “He isn’t allowed to die,” she agreed.

Tempest smacked the table. “Enough.” The room settled again, but just barely. “We move carefully,” Tempest said. “No one rides alone. Nobody leaves Baltimore without telling Chris or me.” Chris nodded.

“Silverfang follows the same rule,” Howler said. Mayhem started to object, and Howler looked at him. “Especially you.”

Mayhem sighed. “Of course.” Moon squeezed his hand, and he looked down at his arm. The black veins were almost invisible, and that should have reassured him, but it didn’t because every improvement in his body seemed to be tied to Moon. And every page of that journal suggested getting closer to him would put her in greater danger. It felt like a trap, and he hated that he needed her close enough to keep himself alive. But he needed her far enough away to keep her safe. There was no winning. Mayhem had always found a way to win, and this time, he wasn’t sure there was one.

Church broke twenty minutes later. Dark Chaos members returned to their posts, and Silverfang spread out through the clubhouse. Chris disappeared with Tempest to check the perimeter, and Chrome followed. Mayhem watched him go, and Moon seemed to notice.

“What are you looking at?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he lied.

“That wasn’t nothing,” she countered.

“Your VP has a problem,” he mumbled.

Moon looked toward the hallway. “Is her problem Chrome?”

“Yep,” he said. “I’m not sure if I should be more worried about him or about her.”

She shook her head. “Chris would eat him alive,” Moon insisted.

“Chrome might enjoy it,” Mayhem said, bobbing his eyebrows at her.

Moon made a face. “Please stop.” Mayhem laughed harder, and pain stabbed his side.

He grunted, and Moon instantly turned serious. “Sit,” she ordered.