When she does move, it’s not to go around me, but rather to walk straight up to me. Her chest is almost touching mine before she stops and tilts her head back, her eyes finding mine and holding their gaze.
“Don’t run,” she announces.
I blink, my words somehow unable to form. “They’ve all run from her, Baby. Every single man that should have been there for her has run away. Don’t be like them. Be better.”
“She deserves better than me,” I rasp, low enough that Lea won’t hear me from across the room in her bed.
Gracie shakes her head. “You’re an idiot. All of you are. Knowing she deserves better, that makes you capable of being the man for her. Don’t fuck it up,” she snaps before she breezes past me, slamming the door behind her when she’s gone.
“Mom’s right,” Lea calls out from the bed.
My feet become unstuck and I sway my way over to her, sinking down in the chair beside the bed. I’m afraid to actually climb up inside the bed, scared that I’ll hurt her. For being so goddamn strong, right now she seems incredibly fragile.
“She is?” I ask.
Lea hums, reaching her hand out and taking mine. She laces her fingers with my own and I can’t help but look down at the two. She’s pale and soft, delicate. I’m weathered, tan, large, and calloused.
We’re so different, I wonder how it can ever really work.
“It will work because I love you and you love me,” she states.
My eyes snap up to hers. I’m sure that I look pale and terrified from her observation, but she’s not fucking wrong. I do love her. Loved her since she was a kid. That love changed, no longer do I love the kid that she was, platonically. Now I love the woman that she’s become.
“Lea,” I warn.
She shakes her head. “You’re capable of being the man that I need. I already know that you’re the man that I want.” She smiles.
“Thought you were pissed at me for Chardonnay?” I ask.
Lea’s eyes narrow at the mention of the other woman’s name. She sighs, trying to pull her hand out of mine, but I tighten my grip and don’t let her.
“I am pissed about her, about the whole situation. I still love you though, you jackass.”
My lips turn up to a slow grin and she rolls her eyes. “Come to bed you drunk mess,” she orders.
“Don’t wanna hurt you,” I grumble.
Moving my hand from her hold, my fingers find the mark on her shoulder, my mark. I trace the lines of my name, wondering if I really fucked it all up, or if I did the right thing?
“I’ll heal,” she whispers and I have a feeling she means that in more ways than one.
Standing from her bedside, I rip my clothes off until I’m naked. She giggles from her bed. “It wasn’t an invitation, Baby. I’m still hurting,” she says, a smile lighting up her face.
“Sleep naked, Tiny. Always have.”
“Oh,” she breathes.
“But if you gave me the green light, I’d be all over that sweet pussy.” I smile, throwing her a wink before I crawl into the bed next to her.
Lying down at her side, I wrap my arm around her middle and arrange her gently below me. I’m careful not to lay too much on top of her, but fuck, I need to feel some of her body beneath my own.
Inhaling her scent, I close my eyes as I wrap my hand around the side of her tit, using my thumb to rub circles on the underside of her soft flesh.
LEA
I sigh at the feel of Baby’s thumb caressing the underside of my breast. If I could pick a moment to freeze in time, it would be this one, right here. I sigh, turning my head so that I can touch his neck with my mouth.
“Lea,” his voice rumbles.
“Tell me, why did you keep it from me?”
“Chardonnay?” he asks, his voice sounds tired, halfway asleep and his words are no longer slurring.
“Yeah.”
He sighs, pulling me a little tighter against his body, as if what he’s going to say will push me away so he wants to ensure that I’m close.
“In the beginning, I was willing to accept that my life would be miserable and that I would stay with her. It was for the club, always for the club. She had ties to someone who could put us all in prison and she was using those ties as leverage,” he explains.
I gasp, but he continues. “Then, I wanted out. I’ve been spending months feeling trapped, feeling like there was no way out of the mess without causing problems with the club. When I saw you, it all became clear. I had to get rid of her, because you were who I wanted.”
“That was selfish,” I point out.
He snorts. “No fuckin’ shit, Lea. I’m selfish.”
“And now?”
“Chardonnay is gone, the rest of the shit we’re working on.”
I’m quiet for a moment, closing my eyes and thinking about what he’s just told me. It’s more of an explanation than he has to give me.
As his Old Lady, he doesn’t have to tell me shit, this is club business and that would be explanation enough. But he did, and that does something to me, that softens my heart just a touch.
“So, what does the future look like, now that she’s gone?”
Baby’s fingers move from my breast, traveling up my shoulder and then gently wrap around the front of my throat as he shifts to look down at me. My eyes find his, and I suck in a breath at the intensity that radiates from them.
“The future will be as it should always have been, Lea. It’s you and me, Tiny.”
“Will it? And who else? Because you have no problems fucking anything in a skirt and I can’t live like that.”
Baby’s intense gaze, darkens. His jaw tightens and I watch as a muscle jumps in his cheek. His fingers grip my neck with a little more strength before he releases it completely and sits up, running his hand through his hair.
“Know what I’ve done, Lea. If you’re going to constantly remind me about it, then maybe I should leave.”
Shaking my head, I push myself up so that I can lean my back against the headboard. “Stop threatening shit, Mitchell. I just want your word that you’ll be faithful. That you’ll be respectful of me, even when you don’t have to be. I know you don’t have to, but it would be nice if you wanted to.”
“Fuck,” he groans. I watch, unable to breathe, as he turns to face me. “I want to be, Lea. I want to be everything.”
“You’ll try?” I ask.
He nods, his eyes wide, never leaving mine. He reaches for my face, his hands cupping my cheeks and he dips his chin so that his lips brush mine, keeping them there against my own.
“For you, Lea I’d do anything. Whatever you need from me, it’s yours, including this.”
Tears fill my eyes and I’m unable to keep them from running down my cheeks. Baby moves his mouth and kisses each of my tear-stained cheeks before he lifts his head and looks down at me.
“You forgive me?” he asks.
My lips turn up into a trembling smile and I shake my head once. “I’m willing to give it a try, a real try. I don’t forgive you, yet. It’s going to take time and I’m going to need to see proof.”
“You’ll forgive me, Tiny.”
Nothing else is said. Both of us slide back down onto the bed. Baby wraps me in his arms and within minutes, his soft snores fill the quiet room. My eyes close and darkness takes over, except this time it’s a warm and fuzzy darkness, instead of something scary and overwhelming.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
BABY
Pulling Lea’s warm body closer to mine, I inhale her scent, fucking grateful that she’s next to me and alive. She sighs, wiggling her ass against my bare cock. I grunt, pinching my eyes closed, trying to keep from rolling her onto her stomach and fucking her within an inch of her life.
I know that she’s sore, she has a few bruised ribs and no doubt her arm still hurts. However, her injuries don’t stop me from sliding my hand down her stomach, beneath her panties and feeling her wet cunt between her thighs.
�
��Mitchell,” she breathes.
Slipping two fingers inside of her, I grind my palm against her clit, my mouth sucking her neck. She spreads her legs, hooking one of her feet behind my thigh to give me more access before she arches her back and pushes her ass even more against my cock.
“Fuck,” I growl against her neck.
Sucking on her flesh, I sink my teeth into her skin and begin to move my fingers faster. My other hand I wrap around her chest and pluck one of her hardened nipples.
Her entire body trembles beneath my fingertips. I grin against her neck, enjoying the way that I affect her.
When she turns her head to the side, I expect her to kiss me, what I don’t expect is for her tongue to slide across my entire jawline. I let out my own moan at the sensation, turning my head slightly to capture her lips.
With our mouths touching, my tongue fucking her in tandem with my fingers, that’s how we stay. I inhale her exhales, swallow them down along with her moans of pleasure.
Lea rips her lips from mine with a long moan. Her body trembles and I feel her pussy flutter around my fingers until it clamps down as she comes. I growl, releasing my fingers, and aligning my cock with her opening.
Thrusting inside of her from behind, I try as hard as I can not to fuck her hard. Pinching her nipple, I tug on it one last time before I grip her full tit with my fingers, holding her so that her shoulders are against my chest.
“Shit,” she sighs. “Fuck.”
I chuckle, gritting my teeth as I slowly slide in and out of her tight heat. She hasn’t come completely down from her climax yet, she’s warm and tight, like a fucking glove around me.
Burying my face in her neck again, I thrust in and out of her, controlling every single move that I make so that I don’t cause her any pain. She whimpers, moaning as she arches her hips, taking more of me.
“Touch yourself, I want to feel you come again,” I whisper against her ear.
“Mitchell,” she breathes.
I think that she’s going to resist, but then I feel her fingers graze my balls before they move to her clit. It’s my turn to tremble against her. Lea lets out a cry as her fingers work between her legs. I decide that soon, I’m going to watch her bring herself to release, it’s going to be goddamn glorious too.
“I’m so close,” she calls out.
She doesn’t have to tell me, I can feel her cunt flutter in a warning that she’s close. My own balls draw up, my back tingles and I bite down on my lip knowing that I’m close, trying to hold back before I empty inside of her.
“Oh, God,” she shouts.
Her pussy clamps down, her thighs shake and I thrust deep inside of her one last time before I empty my balls deep in her body. I don’t move, keeping myself deep inside of her, my cock twitching as her pussy pulses around me.
“Love you, Tiny,” I mutter against her skin.
Her arm lifts, and she wraps her fingers around the back of my neck. I pull her a little closer toward my chest, enjoying the way she sighs when I do.
“I love you, Mitchell,” she whispers.
“Mine. You’re mine, and I’m never letting you go,” I warn.
It’s a warning too, because like it or not, she’s fucking stuck with me now. I would have gone. I was going to go, walk away from her and the brotherhood that I love so much just so that she could find her happiness.
But last night she told me that she still loved me, that she wants this. I can’t walk away from her, not after that, not anymore. She’s fucking stuck with me now, whether she likes it or not, and fair fucking warning, I don’t think she’s going to like that shit one fucking bit.
LEA
Everything hurts, but at least I don’t feel like I’m dying anymore. After he made love to me, Baby helped me clean up in the shower paying close attention to my pussy, so close in fact, that he made me come with his mouth.
I shiver, imagining him on his knees, the water pouring down on him and his eyes focused nowhere but on mine. It was the sexiest moment of my life.
“What happens now?” I ask.
Baby is half dressed. He’s wearing his jeans and pulling his socks on his feet before he slides them into his boots.
“Nothing for you, Tiny. You stay here and let me and the brothers deal with what’s to come,” he announces.
I hate that. I want to help, I need to help. Some of this is my drama and I want to stop anyone else from getting hurt.
Baby shakes his head, sinking down onto the bed next to me. He reaches out and wraps his fingers around my thigh before he gives it a squeeze.
“This whole thing will be over soon. Trust me, trust the Devils, we’ll get it all done and then this moment, this drama will be nothing more than a bad dream.”
“Until the next one comes along,” I say.
He chuckles, squeezing my thigh again before he releases it. “Until the next one comes along,” he agrees as he stands to his feet, his hand falling away from my thigh.
“I got you handled, Lea. Just stay here and stay safe,” he murmurs.
I nod, lifting my eyes up to meet his. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Martel is evil, I could sense it,” I warn.
His lips twitch into a smile before his face disappears as he slides his t-shirt over his head and tugs it down his torso. I watch as he slides his cut on, then makes his way over to me again. Instead of sitting down next to me, he holds his hand out and I slip mine into his waiting palm.
Baby gently pulls me to my feet and I tip my head back to look up into his eyes. Both of his hands cup my cheeks as he stares down at me.
Slowly, he tilts his head to the side and lowers his face until his lips brush against my own. Then he rests his forehead against mine, closing his eyes when he does.
“I got a handle on Martel, trust me when I say that you don’t need to worry about him,” he murmurs.
I nod, deciding not to warn him any more than I already have. He’s a big boy, a very big one, I snort to myself at that thought.
“Okay,” I say, deciding not to share my little joke.
“Come downstairs with me, let’s get something to eat,” he offers.
Smiling up at him, I bite my bottom lip and begin to shuffle behind him. My ribs hurt, so I can’t take quick or even normal steps, but I try as best as I can. Thankfully, Baby doesn’t comment, and he allows me to just go it on my own.
The clubhouse is full of people and I pause at the sight of them all moving around the bar area. I blink when I see Ginger, Hayden, Whitley and the rest of the Old Ladies milling around, carrying trays and bowls of food.
“Baby?” I ask, tipping my head to the side to look over at him.
He’s grinning, his eyes bright blue and sparkling gorgeous. “Consider it your get well soon, welcome home party,” he chuckles. “Ginger decided she was planning it last night when we were all out looking for you, she needed something to do or some shit.”
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Not just family because you’re Gracie’s kid anymore, Lea. You’re an Old Lady now. They’re welcoming you into the fold,” he offers.
Tears fill my eyes and he shakes his head, his lips tipped into a grin before he dips his chin and touches his mouth to mine.
“Knock that shit off,” Skinner growls.
BABY
Lifting my head, I watch as Lea turns to him and as if it’s all in slow motion. Her hand falls from mine and I focus on them, and only them, as she wraps her arms around him in a hug. He’s frozen for just a moment, then his arms wrap around her as well.
“Not too tight,” I warn.
Skinner loosens his hold on her but still cradles her against his chest. I can’t hear him murmuring to her or what she says back to him. I watch in silence, feeling like an interloper, but not quite sure if I give a fuck or not.
I jump when I feel cool fingers against my forearm. Turning my head, I dip my chin to look at who is next to me. I don’t know who I expected, but after last night, I’m a bit su
rprised to see that it’s Gracie.
“So, you’ve decided to stay?” she asks.
I clear my throat. “It wasn’t ever a decision I needed to make, just one that Lea needed to agree to.” I shrug.
“Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep.” She laughs softly.
“I’d give her whatever she wanted, Gracie. If she wanted me to leave yesterday, I would have, and I would have hated every second, but I would have left.”
“I know my daughter.”
Lifting my hand, I run my fingers through my hair, my gaze leaving Gracie to go in search of Lea. She’s not hugging Skinner anymore, but they’re standing close and practically whispering to one another.
“She’s not very smart and stubborn as fuck.”
Gracie snorts. “She’s smart, Baby. You know that she is.”
“Not if she wants me at her side, that right there is proof she ain’t.”
Gracie hums but doesn’t say anything right away. “That makes her loyal. Sometimes loyalty can make you feel like an idiot. But if you’re loyal to the right person, then you’ll never feel an ounce of that.”
“Difference between Fish and Skinner, huh?”
“Yeah, and my daughter knows who deserves her loyalty and love, and who doesn’t. She sees inside of you that you deserve it, Baby. Don’t be Fish. Don’t make her regret giving her loyalty to you.”
“Gonna try my fuckin’ hardest not to, babe,” I say, meaning every fucking word of it, too.
Lea slowly makes her way back to us, a watery smile playing on her lips. Without asking her if she’s okay or if she needs to rest, I gently reach for her and tuck her into my side. She leans heavily against me and I know that she needs to rest.
“Go sit with your mom and I’ll bring you some food. Still hate eggs?” I ask.
She licks her lips, tilting her head back and her lips turn up into a bright smile. “I do,” she says softly.
Gracie comes to my side and we transfer Lea’s weight over to her. I watch as the two women make their way over to a table. I can feel Skinner’s presence behind me, but I can’t take my eyes off of Lea until she’s safely seated in the chair.
Mixed with Trouble: A CASH BAR NOVEL Page 17