He tries to swing back at me, but I can’t put up with this shit any longer. I grab him by the arm and slam him against the wall again, twisting it behind his back. I grab his other arm and hold him there before nodding to Caden who instantly goes in and pats down his pockets.
Within seconds he pulls the keys out and dangles them in front of his face. “I thought you didn’t have them?” he taunts.
Jeremy narrows his eyes on Caden as he passes me the keys. I hand him mine and tell him he can get out of here. I’ll drive Lexi’s truck back and then somehow get myself back to Rebels for the self-defense class that starts at five as I have a feeling I can’t skip this one, if anything, Jace has probably already left Rebels for the day and we won’t see him for a while.
I watch as Caden nods and steps out through the door. There’s still one more thing I want to get done here before I can leave and I honestly don’t want Caden to witness it.
In Iraq, I lost a bit of my humanity. I became hard and unforgiving, and unfortunately for this guy, he’s about to see the true monster that I became. The one that I’ve worked my ass off to release since being back, and the one that thanks to Lexi, I’ve been able to acknowledge and let go of.
As Caden takes off with my truck, I reach across and release the blinds. It clatters down and the house dives into darkness as they block out the outside world.
Right now, it’s just me and him, and from the sudden flash of fear in his eyes, he finally realizes that this is not the place he wants to be.
Twenty minutes later, I walk out of his home and get myself up into Lexi’s pride and joy. I’ve got a girl to see.
Chapter 22
Lexi
Charli pulls up to my house and narrowly avoids hitting Jeremy’s shit box car that still lays across my mailbox. “I have to get back to the salon,” she tells me. “But I’m so glad you’re ok.”
“Me too,” I smile. “Thank you so much. Luke would have had a heart attack if I didn’t get myself checked out.”
“I can only imagine,” she chuckles. “I think Rylee could use a girl’s night this weekend, what do you say we take her out?”
I give Charli a sad smile. She had told me all about Cami leaving, which apparently had only happened a little while ago, but apparently, news travels quickly around here. Caden had called Imogen and Imogen called Charli, so naturally, within the space of an hour, the whole group knew what was going on. I just wish we knew what the hell had happened between Jace and Cami to make her leave so suddenly.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I tell her as I step out of her car.
She waves goodbye as I close the door and a second later, she’s speeding down the road to get back to her busy salon.
I scrunch up my face as I walk by Jeremy’s stupid car and also stop to kick the tire on the way. I head up the pathway to my home and pull out my phone. I do a google search of local tow-truck companies and get to work finding someone who’s available to get rid of this hunk of shit off my property.
As I bring the phone to my ear, the sound of a truck approaching has me stopping in the middle of the path and hitting end on the call. I turn around as the most stunning truck makes a stop in my driveway, right where it should have always been.
A grin takes over my face as Luke jumps down from the driver’s side. “You did it,” I squeal as I rush towards him.
I throw my arms around him and he catches me with ease. “Of course, I did it,” he tells me as he allows me to crush my lips to his. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
I melt into him before looking back at my truck. “Is she ok? He didn’t hurt her, did he?”
“Your truck is fine,” Luke chuckles before lifting me off the ground and carrying me bridal style across to his place. He walks inside and sits us down on his couch.
“Did I remember to say thank you?” I ask as he curls his arm around my waist
“You don’t have to,” he tells me. “Did you get to the doctor?”
“Yes,” I groan, knowing he was bound to ask at some point.
“And?” he prompts.
“And I’m fine,” I tell him. “There’s bruising, but I’m not surprised.”
He takes the hem of my shirt and rises it up over my head, needing to see the damage. So, I turn my back so he can get a better look. “Shit,” he grunts as his fingers gently rub over the black bruise that goes directly across my back.
“Yeah,” I agree. “There’s a bit of bruising on my ass too, but it’s not nearly as bad as my back. If I hadn’t had my medication, it would have been really ugly.”
“I hate seeing you like this,” he tells me.
I adjust myself around so I straddle his lap. “I know,” I tell him. “I’m sorry.”
His hands roam up my back and I lean into him letting my lips come down on his. “Do you need to go back to work?” I ask. “I sent Mick home early and gave him tomorrow off. I was kind of hoping to spend the next three days in bed with you.”
“Fuck, babe,” he says. “I have to go back until eight, but I have an hour before I have to leave.”
“Well then,” I say as my hands come to the bottom of his shirt and start raising it up to put that magnificent body of his on display. “We better not waste a single second.”
His big hand comes up and curls around the back of my neck as his thumb reaches around to stroke down the side of my face. “You read my mind.”
Luke pulls me into him as his other hand slips under my ass. He lifts me as easy as though he was picking up a feather. My legs wrap around his waist and before I know it, he’s sitting at the top of his bed, leaning against the headboard as he watches me slide my bra straps off my shoulders.
His eyes become dark and hooded as he watches every little move I make and I find it impossible to look away. He’s so intense and the way he looks makes my heart race in my chest.
And then he touches me.
His fingertips lightly trail down my neck and over my collarbone leaving a burning trail behind. I don’t know how he does it, but I need more. Always more.
I reach around myself and unclip my bra before letting it fall to the bed. Again, his fingers trail over my skin, touching my stomach, my arms, my breasts. My eyes close as I revel in the satisfaction of his touch. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Lex,” he tells me.
With that, I open my eyes and look deep into his. I rest my hand against his chest and feel his strong heartbeat beneath my fingers. “I love you,” I tell him with a shaky voice, hoping that I’m not going to regret telling him that.
I brace myself, fearing that it’s too soon for him, but that fear quickly disappears as his hands wrap around my back and he pulls me in close to kiss me. With his arms caged around my body, he lets me fall to my side before rolling us and hovering above me.
He props himself up on his elbows beside my head and looks down at me as a brilliant smile takes over his perfectly sculptured face. “Do you have any idea how good it is to hear those words come out of your mouth?”
I bite down on my bottom lip as I gently shake my head. My eyes search his, waiting and hoping he says something to ease the nervousness within me. His eyes soften and a seriousness comes over him as he gently presses his lips to mine. “I love you too,” he murmurs against my lips.
“You do?” I question.
“Fuck yeah,” he says. “I dare you to try and get rid of me.”
My lips lift into a massive smile, but it doesn’t last long before he crushes his lips to mine and devours me, making the need within me intensify. I arch up into him and he reads me like a map.
Luke reaches for the button of my jeans and pulls them down my legs. I’m too far gone to even comprehend how to get rid of his pants, so I’m pleased when the second mine are gone, he strips off his own.
My hand wraps around his velvety length and I pump my fist up and down before guiding him to my entrance. The need is too much for all the foreplay, I need him now, so the second he pushes u
p into me, my eyes start rolling into the back of my head.
I hold onto him with everything I’ve got, terrified to let him pull back even an inch. His hands find mine and he laces our fingers together.
As he pushes up into me, the emotion takes over. This is so much more than just sex. It’s not fucking or having a quick screw. This is about connection, this is two people coming together and letting the other in. This is expressing your emotion. This is one hundred percent pure lovemaking and it’s the most raw and beautiful moment I’ve ever shared with another human being.
My body craves its release and when he kisses me before his lips trail down to my neck and devour my sensitive skin, it’s exactly what I need to push me over the edge.
My hands clench in his as my orgasm rocks through me. “Luke,” I pant.
“I know, baby,” he says as he stills. “I’m right there with you.”
He rolls us again and I let out a breath as I rest against his chest. “You’re incredible,” I tell him.
“Right back at ya, babe,” he says. I smile to myself as I take in his tone. I don’t even need to look up to know he’s smirking to himself, proud of his achievements as usual.
We lay in each other’s arms for a moment before he runs his fingers down my back. “I’ve got something for you,” he tells me.
My eyebrows furrow. “You mean like a surprise?” I question.
“Something like that,” he grunts before rolling me off him. “Wait here.”
I prop myself up on my elbows and watch as he climbs out of bed. My eyes can’t help but travel down his strong back to that sweet, sweet ass of his. It’s like the perfect peach. I just want to bite my teeth into it. It’s fucking delicious.
He turns back with a sparkle in his eyes. “Is there something you need?” he grins, catching me staring.
“Mmmm,” I groan with hooded eyes. “More than you know.”
He chuckles and shakes his head before disappointing me as he pulls on his pants and walks out of the bedroom, taking my eye candy with him.
I squish myself into his pillow and breath him in while I wait. My heart is completely overflowing with love for this man. He’s incredible and I have no idea how I ever became so lucky to be the person who bought the house right next door.
He walks back in a few moments later with a strange nervousness in his eyes, in fact, he looks downright cautious and a little shit scared with whatever this surprise of his is. He swallows before pulling out a lump of paper from his back pockets and handing it to me.
I take the paper from him and sit up in bed, wondering what the hell this is. As I unfold it all, I can’t help but notice how dirty and gross it is which only makes me wonder what the hell he’s been doing.
I flatten the paper out on the bed and look down. I gasp as I take it in. “Are these my divorce papers?” I ask him as I look up with wide eyes.
“Yeah… I, um,” he cringes. “Shit. I’ve completely overstepped here. I saw them at Jeremy’s place and got him to sign it.”
“What?” I gasp in disbelief. “He signed?”
“Yeah,” he says as he rubs the back of his head. “I’m sorry. I should have spoken to you first.”
I ignore his worries and start flicking through the papers until I get to his signature. I study the black ink on the paper. It’s right there before me, I can see it as clear as day yet I still don’t believe it. “He signed,” I repeat.
I’m finally free of him. From now on, that bastard will never be able to hold a damn thing over me. I won’t have to fear him coming here and demanding the possessions that I’ve worked to the bone to get and I don’t have to fear that he will ruin me again. I’m free. I can’t finally move on to this next chapter of my life with Luke.
An overwhelming freedom settles over me and the tears instantly start flowing. “Fuck,” Luke grunts. “I’m sorry.”
I fly to my feet on the bed and launch myself across the room at him. He catches me with ease and before he can say another self doubting word, I kiss him with everything I’ve got. “Thank you,” I murmur against his lips as the tears continue to slide down my cheeks.
He pauses as he takes in my thanks. “Are you sure?” he questions.
“Yes,” I smile. “Definitely, yes. I’ll never have to worry about him again and it’s all thanks to you. You’ve given me my life back and I can finally move on. I’m finally a single woman.”
“Like hell you are,” he scoffs. “You’re mine.”
I can’t help but smile as I shake my head in exasperation. “From one man’s clutches, straight into another’s.”
“Just the way I had intended,” he tells me.
Chapter 23
Luke
The boys and I walk through the door of the new club. We finally got the call to say that the majority of the build is just about complete and we’re here to approve all the changes.
We pulled into the parking lot and just seeing the big ass sign right out the front gave me the feels. It was incredible seeing it and I still have a hard time believing we’ve done this.
The doors aren’t even open and we’re already getting inquiries about joining every day. I swear, we have a list of at least two hundred people who have expressed their interest. We’ve even had the local schools reaching out and requesting health and fitness programs for the students.
I just can’t wait.
As a group, we head through the door and first things first, we walk straight into the front office. There’s a giddy excitement flowing through each of us even though not one of us have uttered a word since walking in.
“This is nuts,” Caden finally says, breaking the silence.
“I know,” Jace scoffs as he runs his fingers over our logo which has been stuck up on the front window. “It’s fucking crazy.”
Cole and Caden each get serious while Jace and I are still taking in the amazement before us. “Do you see anything that needs to be changed in here?” Cole asks as he looks around.
I look around with the eyes of a business owner rather than the one of a kid in a candy store. “Nah,” Caden says. “Looks good to me.”
We’re just about to walk out of the front office when I look up. “Isn’t there supposed to be a surveillance camera installed in here?”
The boys stop and at once, all eyes are up looking around the roof. “Yeah,” Cole grunts. “The security company was supposed to come out earlier in the week to get it done. Maybe they haven’t been yet.”
“Nah,” Jace says as he steps out of the office and back into the entryway. “There’s one out here. They must have missed it.”
“Shit,” Caden grunts before pulling his phone out and jotting it down, and just like that, we make our way around the club and put together a list of any changes or updates that need to be made, things like an extra outlet in the cardio area so the outlets aren’t overloaded, a bigger mirror in the weights area, more benches and free weights. Hell, we even added more yoga mats for the chicks.
An hour later, we stand out the front looking at the club we’ve built. We’re about to head back to the other club when Jace clears his throat. “So, I wanted to talk to you all about something,” he says.
My eyebrows furrow as I wrack my brain for what he could possibly have to say. We all wait patiently or him to hurry up and come out with it. “What’s up?” Cole finally says.
Jace lets out a little breath before meeting my eyes followed by Cole and Caden’s. “This place is going to be opening in two months and we’ve all been avoiding the topic of who’s actually going to run it. So, I’m volunteering myself.”
“What?” I grunt, slightly taken back. I had thought for sure that Caden would have been the one to do that.
“Yeah,” Jace says. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done here with marketing and hiring staff that we need to get a jump on, and it’s a bit far away for you guys to be driving every day. You know, you guys have your girls at home and I, well… I don’t have much
keeping me home right now. Call it taking a page out of Cami’s book.”
“Are you sure?” Caden asks with concern.
“Yeah,” Jace says quietly. “I’ve thought it over. I’ll come here a few days a week until we open and then I’ll stay full time for a few months until it’s up and running and scale back after that.”
“Shit,” Cole says. “You’ve really thought about this?”
“Yeah,” he says. “I mean, as long as the three of you are cool with it, then we’ll make it happen.”
I cross my arms over my chest, not convinced that this is what he really wants. He loves working at our club. He loves his group classes and all his clients. It’s a big fucking deal for him to give that up for the next few months.
“I’m good if you’re good,” Caden says to him. “We could sort something else out, like a time share deal. We could all run the place, have a day that we come. I’m sure we’re all good to do something like that.”
“Yeah,” Cole agrees.
Jace scoffs. “That’s a fucking stupid idea and you two bastards know it. We need one person to be here every day and run the place. It’ll be all sorts of fucked up if we’re all doing it on separate days. Shit will get missed.”
“I agree,” I say. “But I’m not convinced you want this.”
He looks me in the eye with a challenge clear in his own. “I do,” he tells me.
I narrow my eyes on him. He’s flat out lying and I have no idea why, but the look in his eyes is pleading me to let it go. “Fine,” I say. “But don’t come running back after a week saying you change your mind.”
“I won’t,” he says with determination.
“Alright,” Cole says. “I guess that’s settled. We’ll get back to Rebels and get it sorted.”
Caden nods. “We’ll see you guys there.”
The two of the turn and head for Cole’s truck, while Jace and I make our way over to mine. We get in and I start up the engine before pulling out of my spot. We sit in silence as I drive back to Rebels and we get about a mile down the road before I turn to him with a question in my eyes. “What’s the deal, Jace?” I ask. “And don’t bother lying to me again.”
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