by Erin Trejo
“You’re safe. They won’t touch you.” Aria pulls back, her eyes full of tears.
“Are you serious?” Nodding my head, she slams her mouth over mine. Her kiss is hot and passionate. I want so much more of this.
“My dad?” Pulling back, I swallow hard.
“He’s mine. Cambridge wants to make sure he’s dead. Your dad sold you out to them. Made it look like the shit was all on you.” Her eyes fill with tears before I see the fire burning in them.
“Make him pay, Roc.” She says. That’s all I needed to hear. I set Aria on her feet before I walk toward Dana.
“I want you to stay here, just until we get shit taken care of. After that, you can go home safely.” I can see the relief in her eyes. She doesn’t like it here and honestly; I want that cock-blocker out of my room.
“Thank you, Roc. For everything,” Dana says. Nodding at her, I don’t do the thank you, and shit.
“You’re welcome here any time.” Her laughter makes me smile.
***
I left Aria and Dana in the pool before grabbing some beers. With my feet kicked up on the table in front of me, I watch my girl swim and smile. That’s all I want for her. I want her to be happy.
“She’s a good girl, Roc.” Devil sits down next to me, grabbing a beer.
“Yeah, she is. That’s the way I want to see her all the time, man.” Devil grunts his agreeance. Taking a long pull from my bottle, I keep my eye on Aria.
“You will. We’ll get that asshole and she’ll be ok.” Devil isn’t really a man of words. He doesn’t say a whole lot that makes sense but he has a good heart. He’s a straight up Devil, that is one thing I know.
“You wanna talk about Angel?” I ask. Devil grunts before leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Why does this shit bother you so much, Roc?” Glancing over, I shrug.
“Cause, I want to see you happy. I see the look in your eyes when she’s around.” Shaking his head, he takes a drink.
“She just rubs me wrong, man. I don’t get it either. It’s like somethin’ comes alive when I see her.” I know that feeling far too well.
“Shit, I get that. It’s how it is with her. What’s stoppin’ you?” Turning my head, I look over at him.
“The obvious. She’s fucked half the club, Roc. That shit isn’t gonna work out.” Shoving out of the chair, Devil walks away.
I watch him go. I don’t say anything to him. I can see he’s waging a war within himself. So, what, she’s been a club whore for years? That doesn’t mean she can’t change. I’ve seen it happen. Some of these girls are just looking for love. Some just need that extra push and someone to hold them. They aren’t much different than we are. We walk around here fucking as many girls, as they do guys. I drag my gaze from the disappearing shadow of Devil, back to Aria. Her gaze is locked on me. The fire that burns inside of me sparks to life. How can her look do that to me? How do I deserve that? Dana says something to her, pulling her gaze from mine, but only for a moment.
“Hey, Roc.” Angel walks past in a swim suit leaving very little to the imagination.
“Hey, Angel. Got a minute?” Turning around, she smiles and nods.
“I just wanted to ask you about Devil.” She looks at me with so much questioning in her eyes.
“What about him?” Swallowing hard, I hate to get in the middle of this.
“Do you feel anything for him?” Angel watches me briefly.
“I don’t want to talk about this.” Angel walks away as I blow out a breath.
“What’s wrong with her?” Aria asks as she walks toward me, wrapping a towel around her body.
“I pissed her off. Asked things I shouldn’t have.” Grabbing the towel, I pull it off her body as she whines.
“Give me that!” She whines. Shaking my head, I grab her and pull her against me.
“So, what did you ask her? About her, and Devil?” My eyes drop to hers. Her lips curl into a smile like she has all the answers.
“How is it, that you know shit before I do around here?” Aria smiles before chewing on her lip. “Are you gonna tell me?” I ask once more. Her smile fades only slightly.
“No. That would be rude.” Pushing up on her toes, she presses a kiss to my lips.
“So, you talk to Angel?” I ask. Shaking her head, she grabs the towel away from me, wrapping it around herself once more.
“Devil, then?” Aria starts to walk away from me but I don’t let her. I follow along behind her like a little puppy.
“Since when, do you talk to Devil?” I snap slightly. Aria rolls her eyes at me over her shoulder.
“I don’t talk to him, Roc. It was once.” Now I’m getting aggravated. What the hell are they talking about? When was this? Grabbing her arm, I stop her in the hallway, spinning her to face me. Her eyes snap to mine and hold there. I can’t tell what look she has in her eyes, but it isn’t normal.
“Why are you pulling on me like that?” She looks afraid as she speaks. My hand slowly drops from her arm.
“What are you doin’ talkin’ to Devil?” Asking her again, I need to know. Aria huffs out a breath before looking around.
“You sent me with him, Roc. Remember? Did you think we would sit in silence the whole time?” Why does it bother me that they talked?
“Are you jealous? Is that what this is?” Her eyes dance with amusement. Is that what this is? No–fucking–way.
“I don’t think so.” Brushing past her, Aria laughs. I open the door to the room and she follows me inside.
“Rocland James Bishop, are you jealous of Devil?” When she calls my whole name, I turn to look at her. The amusement still dances in her eyes. It’s beautiful.
“Not even a little. He can’t do what I can do.” My body heats from the inside out. Aria licks her lips, that smile still on her face.
“What is it you can do, that he can’t?” Taking a few short strides toward her, I grip her hips in my hands. Slamming my mouth against hers, I yank the towel off her body once more.
Chapter 26
“This. He can’t do this.” Stripping her of her bikini, I lift her in my arms. My dick slides perfectly into her. Aria wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me closer to her. My lips travel over her shoulder and up her neck as she moans.
“Can he do this?” I ask, thrusting into her roughly. She tilts her head back and moans. Her eyes are closed and her neck's exposed to me. I lick and suck at her delicate flesh savoring the taste of her sweat slicked skin.
“Can he?” I want an answer. Growling against her, I pump into her harder.
“No! No one can do this but you!” Aria screams. Fuck, that’s what I wanted to hear. Maybe I was a little jealous. With Aria pinned against the wall, I rotate my hips. Feeling myself deep inside of her is like a gift sent from God. I don’t deserve her, but I can promise you, I can’t let her go either. Aria’s fingers tangle in my hair, her lips falling to my neck.
“You feel so good, Roc.” Those few words slam into my insides. My heart feels like it wants to explode.
I grab her ass in my hands, spreading her a little more. Getting all the way into her, I thrust harder. Our sweaty bodies slide in unison. She’s a perfect match for me. Her nails dig into my skin the harder I thrust inside of her. Feeling her pussy clench, I know she’s on the edge already. It never ceases to amaze me that I can get her there so quickly. Her legs tighten around me; my body tenses up. Just as I feel her cum, I explode along with her. My dick jerks inside of her, filling her with all of me. Aria cries out her release before letting her head drop to my shoulder. She stays there catching her breath, as I do the same. I never pull out of her, walking us toward the bathroom. She feels too good being this close to me. Slipping out of Aria, I set her on her feet in front of the shower. I reach in, turning it on to warm it up. When I glance down at her, she looks lost.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes jerk back to mine quickly.
“I don’t know.” I know she’s lying to me right no
w. I grab her, pulling her into the shower with me. Her back is pressed against my front, water falling over the both of us.
“Talk to me.” My hands move over her body, caressing her soft skin. Her body shivers as my fingers trail over her stomach.
“Is it weird that I feel a little bad about my dad?” Shit, I knew this was going to happen. I knew she would feel like this, I just didn’t want to admit it.
“It’s not weird, he’s your dad.” Blowing out a breath, I’m torn once again. I don’t want to hurt her but I won’t let him, either.
“I don’t know how to fix this, Aria. I can’t make you choose between us.” My hands still on her stomach before she spins in my arms.
“Ask me, Roc.” Looking at her in confusion, she gives me a half smile.
“Ask me to choose.” The smile's gone. My heart slams in my chest. I don’t want to.
“I don’t want to.” Shaking my head, she pokes me in the side.
“Ask me.”
“Who do you choose, Aria?” My voice barely comes out. If she doesn’t say me, I don’t know what I’ll do.
“I choose you, Roc. I would always choose you. You saved me in more ways than one. You kept me safe when I needed it. He wanted me dead, you want me alive. I love you.”
***
Aria lies on top of me on the tiny couch in the room. Dana snores softly in the bed, or so I thought. I couldn’t bring myself to leave them alone tonight.
Not after what she said to me. She loves me. That’s something I never thought I’d have. My fingers roam up and down her back. Her breathing is even and soft. She’s sound asleep.
“I never knew I wanted anything like this before. I never knew it was possible. Not bein’ wanted most of my life has made me who I am. Havin’ someone love me is strange, but I can’t help but feel it, too.” I say the words, knowing she’s asleep. She can’t hear me and that’s the way I need it to be right now. I’m not sure what her reaction would be if I told her to her face. She says she loves me, but that could change after her I take care of her dad. I don’t know that my heart can handle her breaking it. I don’t know if it would ever heal.
“She really does love you. You should tell her that when she wakes up. Her and her dad were never that close. I know she likes to think he could change back to the way he was, but he won’t. She deserves to be happy, and you make her happy, Roc.” I startle at first until I realize Dana heard it all.
“Thanks, Dana. That means a lot to me.” She doesn’t say anything else. I hear the bed shift, knowing she went back to sleep. I let what she said play over in my head. My chest tightens as it sinks in. After all this is done, she will fully be mine. She will be my responsibility. She will be mine to take care of and watch out for, to keep safe.
She holds a piece of me that I don’t think she realizes she has.
“I love you, too.” Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I close my eyes. I never thought I would be able to have this but now that I do, I don’t want to let it go. I drift off to sleep with visions of Aria floating through my dreams. I don’t know how long I’m asleep but when I feel something warm wrap around my dick, it stirs me awake. Prying my eyes open, her perfect body sits on top of me. She moves slowly, her fingers traveling over my chest. My body shivers under her touch. A shuddering breath escapes my lips.
“What are you doin’, darlin’?” I ask her huskily. Her eyes slowly open, beaming down at me.
“I’m loving you.”
Chapter 27
As perfect as the last few days have been, it’s now time to figure out this Tomlin shit.
“We know where he works. You been in there more than once unnoticed, grab him and go.” Ghost says with a shrug like it’s no big deal. Ideally, that would be how to do it.
“I can’t just drag him out of his office.” I say. Devil chuckles.
“No, you call him; tell him you are offerin’ up Aria. He’ll come out for that. Meet him in that alley.” Dragon doesn’t look up from his phone as he speaks. He has a solid plan; I already know this.
“Bring him here?” I ask. Dragon finally looks up at me.
“That’s on you. Will your girl lose her shit if he’s here? If she will, we take it somewhere else.” Scrubbing my hand over my face, I sigh. I don’t want to hurt Aria any more than she already has been. It’s hard enough on her knowing that he set her up. Having him here and in her face might push her too far.
“I’ll talk to her.” Devil says. I don’t know how much of that shit I like.
“I’ll talk to her. You call Tomlin.” He says again. My insides react to every word he says. I don’t like this little bond they have formed. That whole jealousy thing is killer. I could rip his throat out right now and not think twice about it. But Devil’s my brother. He wouldn’t cross me like that. Nodding my head, I shove off the chair and head outside. I need to be free and clear of everyone. Telling Tomlin, I’ll give him Aria is going to be the biggest lie I’ve ever told. He won’t touch her, she’s mine. Sliding my phone out, I dial his number.
“Rocland. Finally come to your senses?” His voice grates on my nerves. I don’t want anything to do with him, but fuck!
“You could say that. I can’t afford the war over her.” His laughter on the other end of the line pisses me off. Motherfucker thinks he won.
“I would assume not. Bring her to me.” I want to laugh. I want to tell him to fuck off but I can’t.
“I’ll meet you in the alley in two hours.” He grunts before the line goes dead. I drop my head, letting out a breath. Stupid fucking asshole. I can’t believe that anyone would want to kill their own kid. That’s not something my mind wants to wrap around. I mean, look at her. She’s perfect, full of life, and to him, she’s a liability.
He brought that on himself, though. He dabbled in the illegal aspect of life and took her along for the ride.
Fuck, I’m doing the same thing. It hits me harder than I thought it would but I shake it off. She’s mine. There is no way around that. She knew what I was when she stepped foot in my room.
Yeah, she’s mine.
I head back inside with a lot of things running wild in my mind. If things go wrong, shit could get bad.
“You call Cambridge?” Dragon asks. Glancing over at him, I nod.
“He’ll be here when we get back.” My insides tighten. I don’t like having this many assholes in one place at time. Running my hand through my hair, I look to the left to see Devil walking back toward us.
“That other girl is a smartass,” Devil says pointing over his shoulder.
“She is. Thank fuck she can go home soon,” I say. Devil nods with a smile on his face.
“Heard that!”
“She’s good with it goin’ down here.” Devil says as he walks past like it’s just another job on another day.
“Ask me, Roc. Stop lookin’ at me like that.” He snaps. I know he must see the look on my face.
“No. I trust you.” He spins around, his eyes coming to meet mine.
“You should. She was havin’ a rough time when we left. I was just tryin’ to make her calmer. She has a good heart and honestly, she gave me a lot of insight into myself. It wasn’t nothin’ more than two friends talkin’,” Devil says in all honesty. Nodding my head, I know Devil would never do that to me. I’m just a little unsure of how I feel about everything.
“I’m glad you were there,” I tell him. Devil slaps a hand on my shoulder giving me a quick smile before disappearing out the front door.
“Let’s get this shit goin’.” Ghost shoves off the counter where he’s been leaning the whole time. Nodding my head, I go down the hallway toward my room. When I step inside, my heart explodes. She’s just so breathtaking. I stand there watching her make the bed in awe. It’s like she’s always belonged here.
“Stop staring at me.” How can she know I’m staring?
“I can’t. We need to talk.” Tossing the pillow to the top of the bed, she turns to look at me, tears falling
down her cheeks. A few short strides and I have her in my arms. Holding her as close as I can get her, I let her cry.
“You don’t have to be there. I’ll figure this out.” Her sniffles rip me apart.
“It’s not that. I mean, it is, but it’s not. I know why you have to kill him, Roc. It’s just, he’s the only family I have left. Like real family.” Sighing into her hair, I pull back, looking into her eyes.
“That’s not true. You have Dana. Most importantly, you have me. You have the club. I didn’t plan on havin’ anything in my life, Aria. You showed up and that shit changed. Don’t for one second think, that I’m lettin’ you go. I can’t.” The tears fall harder. I don’t know if I just messed up saying that to her. I don’t know if she wants to be here with me. Those are not thoughts that have gone through my head.
“I love you, Roc.”
***
My hands are covered in sweat. I don’t like having Aria anywhere near this fucker.
“Roc, calm down.” My eyes jerk to hers. She gives me a sad smile that breaks me.
“I hate him, Aria.” The little giggle that escapes her makes me smile slightly. I roll my shoulders, ready to get this part of our lives over with. I don’t know what the future has in store but I’m ready for it.
“Nice to see you, Aria.” My stomach rolls when I hear his voice. There’s nothing I’d like more, than to kill him right here, and now.
“Is it?” Fuck, this girl is going to make me hard watching her smart off to him.
“It is. I’ve been wondering when you were going to come back.” Aria laughs a sick, twisted laugh.
“You want to kill me. Your friends want to kill me. They want to kill me.” Nodding over her shoulder at me, I have to suppress a laugh.
“You have begun to get older and learned things that you have no business learning. You’ve become too much of a liability, Aria.” I don’t miss the gasp that escaped her throat.
“Can we save the family bondin’ shit for at home? You got my shit or what?” I growl. Tomlin glances past Aria, to me. With a grin, he pulls an envelope from his bag, holding it out to me.