Fighting off duty was frowned upon, luckily, I wasn’t in any part of my uniform otherwise this arsehole could see that I did some time.
“Gabe,” a low warning came from Grill. He, Bastian and Cole were directly behind me now, at my back if I needed them.
Loosening my grip on Kyle, I nodded my head a fraction in acknowledgement to my men, getting in trouble for this arsehole was not worth it, for Devon though? Any day of the fucking week.
“He isn’t worth it Cap,” Kodah called out to me.
My team always had my back no matter the mission.
Unceremoniously, I released Kyle and pushed him backwards, spitting at his feet.
“This is private property, you aren’t welcome here,” I said to all four men, glaring daggers at all of them.
“I want my —”
“DAD!” My sweet Pixie’s voice shouted at my left. Whipping my head around, my eyes landed on her gorgeous body, standing rigid with shock and looking very pissed off.
Oh, fuck a duck! I had hoped to get rid of the mess before she finished work. Glancing quickly at my watch, I noted that she was a good twenty minutes early.
“Pixie you aren’t supposed to finish for another twenty minutes. I was coming to get you,” I admonished her without any heat.
“Well isn’t it lucky that Doc got called away suddenly and closed up early,” she sassed back at me.
“Did he let you walk home?” I asked in a low growl. Doc knew better than to let that happen. The streets of Ballarat were safe, well safer than some parts of Australia, but that didn’t mean we invited trouble by letting our women walk alone.
“No, he dropped me off,” she answered softly. Devon liked to push my buttons sometimes, she enjoyed it when I got all alpha on her, especially in bed. But she also knew when it was not the time.
“Bike?” I asked not taking my eyes off Kyle or Mitchell who was slowly coming closer.
“As if I would get on the back of another man’s bike Gabriel,” she scoffed good naturally at me.
“Good girl,” I hummed, taking a second to throw a wink at her.
“Listen baby, I got my hands full here. Would you mind sashaying that sexy arse inside the compound and let me do my thing?” I asked, hopefully. I was most likely wasting my time, but a man could hope.
“Pfft! As if Ninja. No, I am staying right here, I have some questions,” she said in a cute growly voice. Damn she was perfect, absolutely perfect.
“Dad why are you here? Why are all of you here?” she asked coming up and pushing her way passed her older brother.
“Hey baby,” she murmured to me, going up on tiptoes and kissing my cheek.
“I get a better one later, yeah?” I mused with a grin.
“Oh, absolutely,” she promised, winking at me. “Is that your handy work?” she asked, nudging her head in Kyle’s direction.
“He pissed me off,” I offered with a shrug.
“Hmm,” she hummed, her pretty eyes narrowed at me, but her lips were turned up in a knowing smirk.
“Hello Devon, I am standing here waiting,” her dad shouted at her, making my jaw clench tightly. I really disliked her being yelled at by this bunch of pricks, whether she was in front of them or not.
“Hello dad, Mitchell, Andrew, Kyle,” she acknowledged each man, with nothing more than a droll mention of their names.
“Devon, it is time to come home,” her father insisted.
“I am home, dad,” she said simply, but those three words lit a fire in my belly and a halo of warmth around my heart.
“Devon you need proper care. These people don’t know anything about you,” her dad argued.
“These people? Really, dad, how can you stand there and judge anything about Gabriel’s family. You hardly know your own for shit’s sake, you certainly don’t know me,” Devon cried in frustration, breaking my heart, although I did want to laugh at her colourful swearing. My girl was most definitely unique.
“You are sick Devon, you need—”
“I am healthy and cancer-free, dad! It’s you that is keeping my illness alive by ignoring me. Paying Kyle to be my keeper so you can stay away and pretend that I don’t exist, that the accident never happened,” Devon screamed. “I am the one that has had to live with the horror of mum and her last hellish moments. I was the one that went through years of chemo and radiation. You were never there, never held my hair out of my vomit. Or through my nightmares. Instead, they had to deal with it.” She pointed to her brothers with a shaking hand.
“They grew up hating me because of your neglect dad. We all lost mum that day, not just you. But your selfishness and your inability to be a good parent meant my childhood was shit.”
Mr Mercy bowed his head for a second, I could see the tremble in his hands just as he shoved them into his pocket. Devon was not only handing him his arse, she was humiliating him and doing a fucking brilliant job of it.
That’s my girl.
“Do you even care that my nightmares are full of that horrific day, that I see mum decapitated over and over and over. Every night for most of my life, except for the last month. Here with Gabriel and his family I have found the love and support I should have had from you. Complete strangers took me in and gave me what should have come from you.”
Tears streamed down Devon’s beautiful face, her devastation and the memories of her youth coming back to her at full speed. I ached to hold her, pull her into my body and chase away the hurt. I would do anything not to see her cry, but she needed to do this, they needed to hear of her suffering from Devon herself. Later, I will show her just how loved she is, how cherished and wanted.
I felt her small hand slip into mine, it was cold to the touch, but the strength in which she held onto me showed her resolve that she was done with being seen as a pest and an inconvenience.
“Go home dad, take the boys with you. I won’t be coming back, I don’t care about the money, you can have that too. If you ever cared about me at all, then accept that I am happy and safe here. I love Gabriel, he is everything a father would want for his daughter. I know mum would have loved him and accepted that he is perfect for me,” she whispered quietly, tiredly.
“Devon please I never meant—”
“But you did dad,” Devon said sadly, cutting her father off. “You made me feel like the accident was all my fault. You left me alone and sick with three brothers who never got to grieve for their dead mother. You didn’t just fail me dad, you failed them too.” It didn’t surprise me that Devon felt such empathy for the three arseholes. Even with everything they put her through, the blame and the obvious resentment, she still could see that they were still hurting from the loss of their mother and a normal life. Her heart was just that big, and I knew that life with her was going to be amazing.
“Please just go home. Maybe one day we can talk about this, but for now I don’t want to see you, any of you,” Devon said with finality, looking at her brothers with a determined but sad expression.
Turning around without letting go of my hand, Devon looked at the men standing shoulder to shoulder behind me, and the leather-clad men a few feet away in the same stance.
“Thank you all, thank you,” she said softly, smiling gratefully at them.
My dad was the first one to move, walking purposely to Devon he pulled her to him, making her hand drop from mine and held her in his arms.
Seeing the man I idolised treat my girl with such love and kindness overwhelmed me.
“You are a part of our family Devon, my family. Don’t you ever doubt how loved you are sweet girl.” Dad’s soft declaration pulled a sob from Devon, I placed my hand on her back and gently rubbed over her top, trying to calm her.
I desperately wanted her alone with me, to show her how accurate my dad’s words were, but the men of the Wounded Souls weren’t finished yet. One by one, the original patches took Devon into their arms and showed her what constituted a real family. It wasn’t until the last member of my team had his go wit
h my girl did I decide she could not take anymore.
Without another look at her dad and brothers who had remained stoic and still during the heartfelt show of respect, I swept my weeping Pixie into my arms. Signalling dad with a chin lift, I say one word, “Jason.” Dad gives me a chin lift of his own to show he’ll call him.
Cradling her as close as I could get her, her head buried in my neck, her arms clutching onto me for dear life, I sighed happily and carried her back to the main building.
“So loved and cherished Devon Maree, but no one loves you more than me baby,” I promised her, my voice cracking with the emotion coursing through me.
And that was a promise I was never going to break.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
DEVON
Gabriel took me back to his room. The altercation with my father and brothers unexpected but in a way, I was glad it happened here at the compound. Having Gabriel and the men there made me feel strong enough to say all that I did to my dad.
For years, similar speeches rolled around in my head, perfecting exactly the way I wanted to say them. I just never had the courage to actually tell dad of my pain and how his hurtful neglect affected me.
That all changed today.
Walking up to the gates after Doc dropped me off down at the corner, I insisted that he let me out, so he didn’t have to do a U-turn, I saw the familiar vehicles belonging to my family, I did freak just a little… okay, a lot, but hello! Gabriel and his team of ninjas plus a whole gaggle of seriously hot alpha bikers! Of course, I pictured an old-fashioned rumble, knives and lead pipes. Then the cops would come and arrest Gabriel for defending my honour, me kissing him, hanging off his neck desperately holding onto him begging the officers not to take him.
Oh my god his job! Can a soldier still go on missions if he is in prison? Is there some kind of secret government pass?
My idiotic over the top musings were suddenly interrupted by Gabriel’s deep rumble laughter.
“Jesus baby, I don’t even want to know where your head just went,” he chuckled, with a knowing grin. I didn’t even see that he was now standing right in front of me, watching me and just waiting for me to get out of my head. I felt a rush of heat flame across my cheeks, because he was spot on. No way was I going to let him in on the stupidity I just came up with now.
“Ah, probably not,” I agreed ruefully. “How is your hand?” I asked concerned, reaching out and taking his large hand and inspecting his knuckles.
Nope not a scratch, bruise, or of a hint of swelling.
“Pfft, Kyle’s face is softer than a baby’s butt,” he scoffed, seemingly completely unaffected.
“How did it feel to hit him?”
Gabriel bunched his eyebrows. “Huh?”
“I have always dreamed of punching that smug smile off his face. I am kinda jealous you got to do it and not me,” I admitted, giving him a sassy grin.
“How about I go get the prick and hold him down for you so you can wail on the little pussy,” he suggested, then boomed a loud laugh when I did let out a little squeal of delight.
“Seriously Devon, how do you feel about what just went down? I punched your brother, and basically told your whole family to piss off.” Removing his hand from my grasp, Gabriel hunkered down and took my face in his large strong hands.
“Serious shit Dev, you are here with me, but at some point in the future I will have to go back to the base or transfer to another one. I’m not conventional army, you know my role in the special forces isn’t one that can allow a normal nine to five life at home, not while I am active. Can you see yourself following me, picking up from working at the tattoo shop one day and going either back to Queenscliff or even Sydney?” His handsome face remained expressionless, the only sign he was shitting himself asking me that question was the tick of his jaw.
He had nothing to worry about. I would follow him to the ends of the earth and back again, nothing, not the greatest force in the world would keep him from me.
“You love me, yes?” I asked.
“Absofuckinglutely,” he replied immediately. “More than my own life.”
My heart sped up, the intensity of his words shone in his grey eyes leaving me breathless for a second.
“Pixie?”
Deciding to show him just how much I was willing to go anywhere with him, I kept my eyes trained on his as I unbuttoned my shirt, letting it drop to the floor at my feet. Next, I reached behind my back and unclasped my bra, the soft pink lace joining my shirt.
“Devon,” Gabriel groaned my name low, the rasp of his intake of breath as he stared at my bare breasts thrilling me.
“Shhh,” I shushed him, working my hands on my shorts, pushing them and my lace panties down my hips letting them pool at my feet.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Gabriel hissed when I was completely naked.
“I will follow you Gabriel Booth for the rest of my life. Where you go, I go. Where ever you are that is where I want to be,” I whispered fervently, gently taking his hands from my face and placed them on my breasts.
“I love you baby, that is never going to change,” I promised, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. “Now get undressed and make love to me,” I whispered almost desperately.
“I don’t want to take my hands of your incredible tits, so you are going to have to do that for me Pix.” I moaned at his feral growl, as his fingers traced over my tightening nipples.
A slow burn travelled down my throat, down my belly and right to the heart of my core. I thrilled in the way Gabriel worshipped my body with his eyes… and his hands. Sometimes he seemed so desperate to touch me, not wanting to stop feeling my skin under his hands. He slept with an arm wrapped around some part of me, his body always pushed into mine. It took me a few nights to get used to his way, especially with my nightmares and insomnia. But with Gabriel’s help, my sleeping patterns were improving and my nightmares, while still there, were now less invasive and more like a bad dream.
Without waiting another second, I busied myself with removing Gabriel’s clothes. Because he refused to let go of his prizes it took some work, both of us laughing at my method to get his arms through the holes when the shirt reached his hands. His pants were easier and Gabriel kindly helped me by toeing off his boots for me. Thankfully, he didn’t have his usual combat lace-up boots on; rather, he chose to wear standard pull-on boots while on his time off period.
Finally, both us stood naked, our breathing the only sounds in the darkening room. For the time of year, the sun stayed in the sky longer, but today we’d had a few thunderstorms and lots of dark cloud covered the sky making the room dark.
Gabriel slid his hands from my breasts and around to my back, banding them tightly as he lifted me off the ground. I loved how he picked me up all the time, the feeling of his bare chest against mine. Goosebumps danced over my skin as he walked us the few steps to the bed and laid me on my back. His large muscled body resting against my side with his hand on my throat while the other one gently pushed my legs apart and he found my swollen centre without taking his eyes off my face.
Leaning over Gabriel kissed one eyelid then the other, the softest touch of his lips nearly bringing tears to my eyes. Neither of us spoke as he dipped one finger through my folds, his thick digit running lazily up and down my centre, his grey eyes on my mouth.
Please kiss me. I begged silently, not wanting to break the erotic spell we had cast over each other. Slowly, his lips passed down the bridge of my nose, taking my lips in a deep, sweet and ever so lazy kiss. His tongue flicked out, running over my bottom lip, before he opened his mouth wider over mine, devouring my greedy moans. All the while, his fingers tortured ever so deliciously my increasingly soaked pussy. One finger paid attention to my clit, while two plunged deep inside– wet sounds coming from my vagina; adding to my excitement.
My hand squeezed his bicep as his forearm wrapped around the top of my neck and jaw, holding my mouth to him, snaking the other one down my belly to
his I boldly allowed my fingers to join in the sensual play his were partaking in, for a few minutes I helped him set a rhythm that pleased me. Both of us worked at my tender wet flesh as our tongues danced and licked together.
Soon that wasn’t enough. Poking at my arse cheeks was a hard firm steel shaft, and I wanted it harder, if that was even possible. With one last poke with three fingers in my channel I moved my hand around to where Gabriel’s dick teased me.
Shifting my hips but leaving my back on the mattress, I positioned myself so his shaft was between my legs. With wet fingers, I ran them up the rigid length, then rubbed my juices all over the engorged head.
A low growl vibrated against my lips. Gabriel was a very touchy-feely man; he loved touching me, and equally loved being touched in return. In the last month, I had spent copious time memorising the planes of his muscles, the dips in his abs the mountains that were his shoulders, putting it all to memory for those dark and lonely days I knew that were fast approaching. Sometimes I wanted to record his deep growls and throaty moans so I could listen to them when he was gone, maybe even pleasure myself to them. I knew I would never forget the sounds of Gabriel in the throes of passion, but it would definitely help when the time came, and I had to sleep without him for longer than five nights.
Gabriel tore his mouth from mine, his panting ragged. His eyes travelled down to where my hand was caressing the head of his dick, and I could have come just from the look on his face as he watched.
Torn between wanting to hear him say what he was thinking right then, but desperate to keep the erotic mood our silence had set, I guided his shaft closer to my opening. His fingers now making lazy circles through my folds. How I had not detonated just from that was a testament to my sheer will, forcing myself to wait until he was buried deep inside of me.
Gabriel (The Wounded Sons Book 1) Page 17