by S. Nelson
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
“Don’t say that or I’ll want another one later.”
“Uh-uh.” I pressed my mouth to his again. “You need your rest. I need you back in tip-top shape so you can make good on your promise.”
“You drive a hard bargain.”
I walked with him into the bedroom and tucked him in, placing a cool washcloth on his forehead because he was still running a fever.
Leaning down, I pecked his mouth. “Now get some sleep.”
“Where are you going?”
“Downstairs for a little bit while you rest. I’ll be back up later to check on you and see what you want to eat.”
He looked at me like he wanted to ask me something but then thought better of it. “Okay.” I walked to the door. “Zoe?” I turned around to face him. I didn’t think I’d ever tire of just being able to look at him. “Thank you for helping me. I love…” He paused for a few seconds before finishing. “Love that you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
5
Words couldn’t describe the gratitude I had for Zoe. She didn’t have to stay here with me while I recovered, or make sure I was fed or give me that sponge bath the other day. But she did, without question.
She’d been staying in the guest bedroom at night, afraid she’d either disturb me as I slept or knock into me and hurt me. No matter how much I tried to convince her otherwise, she wouldn’t budge.
“I’m going to wash your bedding while you take a shower.” She snatched my spare pillow and tugged off the case, yanking off the fitted sheet directly afterward.
“I guess I’m taking that shower now.” I chuckled, lifting myself into a sitting position before swinging my feet over the edge of the bed. My fever broke early this morning and I wasn’t experiencing as much pain as I had been, taking my pills faithfully. Addy had been by last night to check my wounds and she affirmed I was healing nicely, clearing me to shower as well. Hence, Zoe’s eagerness to get me in there so she could take care of the bedsheets.
“What do you want for lunch?” she asked, moving around to my side, waiting for me to stand so she could finish removing the rest of the bedding.
“You don’t have to make me anything.”
“I want to. Besides, you need to eat more than you have been.”
“Luckily, my appetite is coming back. But I can scrounge up something for myself. Don’t worry about it.”
With the sheets folded in her arms, she cocked her hip and raised her brows, pursing those delectable lips at me in faux annoyance. “What do you want to eat?”
“You.” She rolled her eyes and smiled, continuing to stare at me. “I think all I have are eggs.”
“Eggs it is. Now go take a shower.” She gave me a kiss, then disappeared from my room. I watched her walk away and still couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have met her, then for her to be interested in me was another blessing.
I’d had my share of women but none of them compared to Zoe Casteel. They didn’t even come close. Only one other time in my life did I think I was in love, but those feelings were diminished compared to what I felt for Zoe. I wasn’t gonna say I loved her, but I wouldn’t deny it either. To myself, at least. We hadn’t known each other long and I sure as hell wasn’t gonna confess those types of feelings anytime soon. I didn’t want to scare her off with my intensity.
I came off as formidable. I was often told this throughout my life, especially as I got older, and bigger. My father was of average build and stood at six foot even, and my mom was a small-statured woman, so I had no idea where my size came from, but I wasn’t complaining. No one messed with me, and tatting up my neck with the skull seemed to deter even more people from approaching me. I never had trouble with getting women, though. My size and ink intrigued them. Even turned them on.
It seemed I had the best of both worlds.
Guys moved out of my way and women ran toward me.
Then my entire world changed when I laid eyes on a gorgeous redhead at a ten-year-old’s birthday party four weeks ago. The beauty just so happened to be Roman’s sister… and Ryder’s daughter. I noticed her as soon as she strode into the backyard and couldn’t stop staring the entire time, even after Ryder warned me to stay away.
I caught her in the hallway outside the kitchen an hour later and we talked for a bit. I wanted to pin her against the wall and kiss her senseless, but I restrained myself, barely. We exchanged numbers and I didn’t wait, calling her late that same night.
And here we were. Her staying with me and taking care of me after having been shot twice.
My shower took longer than normal because I had to take extra caution washing around my injuries. On top of that, I was still on unsteady feet and face-planting out of the tub wouldn’t be such a great thing right now.
After I finally dressed, donning a simple white tee and a pair of athletic shorts, I meandered downstairs and found Zoe in the kitchen. Her back was to me when I approached, but she knew I was there. Then again, I had a heavy foot.
My eyes were glued to her ass when she bent over to retrieve a fallen spatula, the pink yoga pants she wore fitting her like a second skin.
“It’s almost done.” She looked at me over her shoulder, her eyes doing a slow sweep over me and darkening. “I can bring this up to you if you want. You should be lying down.”
“I can’t lie in bed anymore, especially since you won’t join me.” She didn’t say anything, but I caught her smiling as she turned back around. “Smells amazing.” Pulling out a chair, I took a seat.
“I made you a three-egg omelet with cheese and the two slices of ham you had left in the fridge.” A glass top clanked shut over the pan, and two seconds later, she was next to me, running her fingers through my damp hair. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. I could see she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath her white camisole, and it was all I could do to restrain myself from stripping it off her and feasting on her tits, which were right in my line of sight since I was sitting.
“What are you eating?”
“A plain omelet. I used the other two eggs you had. You have nothing else to eat in this house. I really need to go to the grocery store.”
“Can’t we order takeout?”
“Sure. But how long do you think it’s gonna be before we get sick of that?”
“I never do.” Takeout was mostly what I consumed since I didn’t cook, choosing the healthier options from whatever restaurant I called because too much grease and fried food made me feel like shit.
“Well, I like to cook.” Jackpot. “I’ll have one of the guys pick me up and take me.”
“I don’t think so.”
“What do you mean? I thought I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere without someone.” She tilted her head, continuing to play with my hair.
“You’re not. But I’m not having anyone else go with you. Can’t you call up somewhere and have them deliver the food?”
“Sure. But I always end up picking up a few extra items, and I won’t know what they are until I get there myself.”
“I’ll go with you.”
I didn’t trust anyone to watch out for Zoe except me. Even when Stone and Addy took her to see Ryder, I was going out of my mind with worry the entire time she was gone, even though Stone would protect her with his life if necessary.
“No way. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Yes I am,” I responded quickly.
“You need to rest.”
“I’m done resting.” She parted her lips to argue and I pulled her face down to mine, pressing my mouth to hers. Zoe straightened back up and stared at me, the slight narrowing of her eyes telling me she was agitated with my stubbornness. “Besides, I have to go to the clubhouse, and I need you to take me there since I shouldn’t be driving yet. Then we can stop at the store when I’m done.”
“Why do you have to go to the clubhouse?” She walked away from
me to check on the food, removing the lid and turning down the burner. Drawers opened and closed as she searched for plates, mugs, and silverware. I could’ve told her where everything was located, but I was too mesmerized with watching her move around my kitchen.
“Because Marek called me before I came down here and asked if I was up for it and I said yes.”
“You should’ve said no.”
“I can’t really do that. We got a lot to discuss, and besides, I’m doin’ better than I was. Your dad is gonna be there too,” I added.
She poured two cups of black coffee and placed them on the table, one in front of me.
“Yeah? And how is that gonna work? Me showing up there with you?” She retreated, returning with two plates, the delicious aroma making my ravenous stomach grumble.
“He knows we’re together. What’s he gonna do?”
“You obviously don’t know my dad.”
“I do. And I know he’s gonna give me a hard time, say some shit, but it’s not like he’s gonna hit me or anything.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” she replied, taking her seat next to me. “He’s not crazy protective over me like Stone is with Riley, but he can still be unpredictable.”
“It’ll be fine.” I cut off a piece of the eggy goodness with the edge of my fork and lifted it to my mouth. “Trust me.”
We ate in silence for the next several minutes, neither of us knowing exactly what would happen once Zoe and I showed up at the clubhouse together.
6
Sitting in the passenger seat of my ol’ beat-up truck was odd, but being able to glance over at Zoe anytime I wanted, for however long I wanted, was an advantage.
“I’m surprised you know how to drive stick.” I reached over and rested my hand near the top of her thigh.
She wore shorts and a white tank top with detailing around the sleeves. I hadn’t paid attention enough to describe it because my eyes were pinned to her chest when she first came downstairs. She wasn’t exposed, but the shirt fit her like a glove, accentuating one of her best assets. Then when she turned around, and I got a glimpse of her ass in her light blue shorts, I almost decided against going outside my house.
Zoe wasn’t wearing anything obscene, but her clothes showcased her body perfectly without being provocative. I’d explored every inch of her; therefore, I thought every other red-blooded man could picture what she kept hidden beneath her clothes.
The truth was Zoe was all class. From the tip of her red head to the bottom of her manicured toes.
“My dad taught me when I first learned to drive, but I haven’t driven one in years. It takes me a minute to get used to whether it’s a standard H or not.” She shifted gears once we pulled off my road.
I’d managed to find a house at the end of a dirt path a few years back. My closest neighbor was a mile away, which was what sold me on the place because I enjoyed my privacy. That and the large front porch.
“The clutch sticks a bit when switching to third. Just so you’re aware.”
“Thanks for the tip.” My eyes roamed over the length of her, and without realizing, I squeezed her leg. “I don’t think it’s fair for you to tease me while I’m driving. What if I get into an accident?”
“I’m not doin’ anything.”
“Your hand is on my leg.”
“So?”
“What if I had my hand on your leg, near your dick, while you were driving? Don’t you think you’d be a little distracted?”
I couldn’t tell if she was irritated with me or simply asking me a question. “Yeah, probably.”
“Then kindly remove your hand.” The corner of her mouth twitched, but when I didn’t budge, she swatted at me.
“I’m injured, woman. Don’t add to it.” I withdrew my hand and placed it on my leg.
“Oh, please, like anything I could do would hurt you.”
“You’d be surprised.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could think better of restraining them. Thankfully, she didn’t comment on my odd response, shifting into third easier than I thought she could, given the slight stick with the clutch.
I’d bought this white, mid-nineties Chevy pickup from a guy five years ago. It could use some work, but it ran well, the interior was clean, and there was only one spot of rust near the bumper. I didn’t care about vehicles as much as some of the other guys, all my money going into my Harley, which I rode most of the time.
“Have you given any thought to how you’re going to handle my dad if something happens once we get there?” Zoe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, swallowing nervously when I didn’t answer right away. Her fingers wrapped tighter around the knob of the shifter, her chest expanding quicker than seconds before.
“Everything will be fine. Like I said, it’s not like he’s gonna come at me.”
“And like I said before, you don’t know that.” A small crease formed between her brows during the silence that followed. But there wasn’t anything I could say to ease her worry because I couldn’t predict the future. Ryder could choose to threaten me in front of his daughter or wait until we were alone to warn me off. Or there was a third option. He could keep his mouth shut. Although bets were not on the last possibility. Now, if it had been Stone, I had no doubt the man would come after me, not caring at all about my injuries. But Ryder wasn’t Stone, and I prayed with every mile that brought us closer I wasn’t wrong.
Physically, none of the guys were a match for me, given my size, but I still wouldn’t strike Ryder back if he hit me. One, because he was one of the older members of the club, thus deserving of respect. And two, he was Zoe’s dad, and a physical altercation between us would be disastrous on all levels.
When she finally pulled up to the gates, I leaned over and pushed the remote clipped to the visor, sitting back in my seat quickly before I started something we couldn’t finish.
“You can park over there.” I pointed toward the row of bikes on our right, Tripp backing into his spot as we passed. There was one other pickup truck in the lot, belonging to Trigger.
He couldn’t ride anymore because of an injury to his hand awhile back. Plus, he was old, and his coordination wasn’t what it used to be, which was more detrimental on a hog than tucked inside a truck.
As Zoe and I exited, a car pulled up next to us. Braylen was behind the wheel with Ryder in the passenger seat. I stood by my bumper, waiting for the confrontation once he slammed his door shut.
At first glance, he looked better than he had the last time I saw him. His color was good and although his walk was slow, I would’ve never known there was anything wrong with him.
Zoe walked up next to me and stood so close there was no mistaking we were together, had he not already known. I waited for her to put her hand in mine, but she never made the move.
“Honey.” Braylen was next to her husband in the next second, tugging on his arm when he took a step toward me. “Not now.”
“When, then? When he knocks her up?”
“Dad!” Zoe exclaimed, a flush covering her cheeks. I wanted to tell him off for embarrassing his daughter, but she spoke before I could say a word.
“What Brick and I do is none of your business. I’m gro—”
“Grown. I know!” he shouted, his mouth curving into a snarl. “You keep tellin’ me. So start actin’ like it. Nothing will ever come of you two together. You’re wasting your time.” A vein thickened in the center of his forehead when he snapped his attention to me. “And I warned you to stay away from her.”
There wasn’t any justification I could give Ryder for pursuing Zoe. I defied his warning, going against the unwritten rule of the club not to mess with someone from another member’s family, but I couldn’t go back now. I was in too deep. I’d deal with whatever consequences arose. I just hoped whatever happened didn’t push her away from me, making her regret her decision to be with me in the first place.
I’d seen the strain Kaden and Riley being together caused for Stone and his family. N
ot wanting that to happen to Zoe was a perfect reason to walk away, but like I said… I couldn’t.
Call me selfish, but I refused to give her up.
Tripp moved next to Ryder, clasping his hand on the guy’s shoulder. “How about we go inside and calm down?” Then he shot me a look, warning me to stay silent with a flick of his eyes.
Braylen whispered something to her husband when he didn’t look like he was gonna budge from his spot, guiding his hand to her stomach. He took a few breaths before grabbing her wrist and gently pulling her toward the clubhouse and away from the three of us left standing there.
“Not smart, Brick,” Tripp chastised. “Not smart,” he repeated, following Braylen and Ryder inside.
I clutched the back of my neck in a feeble attempt to soothe my tightened muscles. As if I didn’t have enough to fuckin’ deal with, now I had a pissed-off Ryder to contend with, not that his reaction surprised me.
“Don’t worry about him.” Zoe’s fingers trailed over my forearm, and down my wrist until our hands clasped together.
“Easy for you to say. I have to sit at a table with him for God knows how long.” I could handle Ryder, but I’d much rather spend my energy on all things Zoe. There was nothing I wanted more right now than to be back at my place, locked away with her for the foreseeable future. Even as my grand delusional wish transpired, I realized it wasn’t feasible. A threat loomed over the club and we had to figure out how to deal with it before any more of us got hurt.
“You comin’?” Ace peeked his head out and shouted to me across the lot. “Prez is waitin’.”
“I’ll be right there.” I didn’t get a chance to say anything else to Zoe before she trudged forward, pulling me with her.
“Better not keep them waiting or somehow I’m sure I’ll get blamed.” She looked up at me and smiled. “Ignore my dad if he starts in on you. I don’t want you to say something that’ll make things worse.”