Bane had mentioned something similar during one of their stops along the ride yesterday. He’d been musing over how nice it was to expand his family in two ways, first taking on the boys and Marian, and then growing closer to Gunny. The bond between the two men had been palpable after they’d returned from their second trip to the mountain. “My blood family is thin. I won’t talk to my pa or brother at all, which leaves only my ma and older sis. We’ve all agreed to leave well enough alone, and I only call on Mother’s Day. My found family, though? My brothers under the patch and their wives? We’re in each other’s lives every day, celebrate all the successes, no matter how small, and circle up for support whenever anything bad happens. We’re there and gonna be there. Rain or shine, thick and thin, no questions asked. That’s my family.”
“And if he leaves your family?” The noise around the front door swelled, and Myrt knew she only had seconds to figure out the answer that suddenly seemed so important. “What happens then?”
“He never gets to leave us, not as long as he’s on this side of the sod. He’s my old man’s brother, and that’s not only under the patch, that’s standing alongside. We’ll have his back, Myrt. That I can promise you.” Peaches winked as she stood and turned, moving away. “And we’ll have yours, darlin’.”
Myrt searched the faces coming in the door, finally seeing Bane walk in, Gunny’s arm around his neck pulling their heads close together. Bane looked shellshocked, as if he still couldn’t believe whatever had just happened. Then he grinned and thumped his fist against Gunny’s chest, pulled away, and arrowed straight into the kitchen to where he’d dropped her over an hour ago. Not even looking at her yet, but believing she’d be waiting. I will be. The silent vow felt small, not enough, so she added in a whisper, “Always.”
“Baby.” That word from his lips never failed to pull a shiver from her, and as usual, he looked thrilled with her response. Sometimes she wondered if he did it on purpose, but she didn’t care. Sweet words from her…my man. That pulled a different shiver, one that started between her legs and rocked up through her like a tidal wave. “I understand we’re bunkin’ next house over. Takin’ the boys and Marian with us.”
“I—yeah, that’s what I heard, mostly.” She couldn’t figure out why the idea of not having the entire house was bothersome, but brushed it off. “It’s nice of Truck to let us stay in his house.”
Bane’s nose nuzzled in alongside her ear as he whispered, “My understanding is the primary bedroom is ours, and it’s at the back of the house, well away from everything else. Gonna have my way with you again and again, my Myrt.”
“I guess there’s a big soaking bathtub.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close when he would have pulled back. “Would you take a soak with me, my sweet William?”
“Fuck yeah.” He ripped out of her arms and scooped her up with an arm under her knees and back. “We’ll be back for breakfast in the morning. They’ll send the boys and Marian over later.” He jostled her until she shrieked and clutched his neck. “Vanna Mom, can you have ’em bring a little snack. Me and my woman gonna need sustenance, but first, gonna get her all clean.” He bent his neck, bringing his mouth to her ear again. “Right before I dirty her all up again.”
As he pushed through the back door and down the short set of steps to the yard, she found herself looking forward to the idea.
A lot.
***
Bane
Myrt stirred in the bed next to him, hiding her face against the mattress near his ribs, one arm and leg draped possessively over his body.
Could definitely get used to this.
The tub in the bathroom connected to their bedroom was as large as advertised, and he’d sunk into the water behind her with every expectation sexy fun times were imminent. Then, as the heat from the water drew away her soreness, Myrt had sweetly fallen asleep curled in his arms. She’d barely woken when he’d levered her from the water, standing and swaying as he dried her with a soft towel he’d found in the nearby closet. Only a few muttered words, then she’d fallen into bed clad only in panties as she’d dragged a pillow close enough to hug, quickly dropping back into sleep.
He’d gotten the boys and Marian settled when they arrived, and placed the food they brought into the refrigerator. He’d stood there a minute, staring into a well-stocked appliance, mulling thoughts through his head about what it indicated. A quick tour of the pantry and cabinets had showed the same. The house had been set up to live in, even though Truck and Vanna clearly resided in their home next door.
More questions than answers at this point. He wrapped an arm around Myrt, shifting so she was sprawled half on him. The movement, along with the early morning sunlight streaming in between the opened curtains, woke Myrt, as was his intent.
“Morin’, darlin’.” He skated a hand down her back, curling his fingers over one globe of her ass, and squeezed, reveling in the soft skin and giving flesh. “Mmmm. I like you all sweet and sleepy.”
“I’m not sweet.” Her grumbled words were broken with a soft sigh that was kissing cousins to a snore.
“So sweet, gonna make me addicted to you.” Bane pressed a kiss to her forehead, holding her a little closer. “You awake, baby? I got somethin’ I wanna say, but need you listenin’ and not studyin’ the inside of your eyelids.”
“I’m awake.”
The gentle slur was gone, and he felt the muscles of her body tense against him. When she tried to pull away, he held her in place, stilling her with a quiet “Shhhh. It’s nothin’ bad, darlin’. Promise.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, baby. Just somethin’ I need you to hear, and then we’ll go on about our day, however that shakes out.” He waited a beat, then prompted her. “You ready?”
“Okay.”
“I want to have babies with you. If our path starts with this bun in the oven we’ve got cookin’ now, or down the road with a second chance, I want it. I want all of it with you. This ain’t too fast, ain’t too soon, ain’t any of those put-off phrases some folks might trot out to talk about me and you. What we are is right, and good, and meant to be, baby. So I wanted to throw it out there I’d be inclined to continue this pregnancy, if you were leanin’ that way. If not, then we’ll find a time down the road where it’s our turn.” Realizing his fast-flowing words had angled off his intended target, he cleared his throat, tightened his arms around her, and tried to put a cap on it with a final thought. “You’re it for me, Myrtle Threadgill. I’m sold on the idea of us, lock, stock, and barrel. I’m leavin’ the decidin’ up to you as should be for this decision, but I wanted to be sure you got my thoughts on how things might go.”
Warmth gathered in the notch of his throat, slowly flowing down both sides of his neck, and he wrapped one arm even tighter around her, reaching up to cradle the back of her skull with his other hand.
“Oh, baby. Darlin’ girl, I didn’t mean to make you sad. It’s all you, baby. I’m behind you, either way. Keep it, I’ll love goin’ through that with you. Decide the other way and I’m still right there beside you. Right there, stuck like a burr. You can’t get rid of me now.”
She made a strangled sound and lifted her head, pushing back against his hold until he was looking up into her face. Myrt’s expression was bright and light, filled with joy. “You didn’t make me sad, my sweet William.” Folding an arm across his chest, she propped her chin on the back of her hand, eyes never leaving his. “I’m not sad. You—” She shook her head. “You’re an amazing man.”
“I thought Amazons were women?” He bucked his hips up against her soft weight, grinning broadly when her lids fluttered in response. “Amazonman? Is that even a thing?”
“That’s a terrible one, you—” He bucked his hips again and her words stumbled to a halt as she gasped and sighed.
“You went to sleep last night.” Hand skating around her hip, he danced fingers down the outside of her thigh as far as he could reach, sliding to take the inside t
rack on his way back up. “So cute huggin’ your pillow, I couldn’t make myself wake you up. Too cute. You’re a pillowsnugleoplis. All about the grrr and argh when I tried to move you.” His palm encountered the curve of her ass, and he spread his fingers, slipping under the edge of her panties to cup and massage, fingers sliding in and down. “You awake now, baby?”
Ass clenching, she pressed against him with a shiver and nodded. “I sure am.”
“You up for foolin’ around this morning? I’m feelin’ needy. Frisky and needy.” Ruby lips pouted only inches from his mouth, and he arched up to capture them, his fingers threading through her hair to pull her closer. Each touch stirred a hot breath from her lips. “So fuckin’ needy, baby.”
Rolling so she was underneath him, he angled on one hip and slid his fingers under the front edge of her panties, kissing her deeply as he delved between her other lips to find slippery wetness. Hooking a thumb in the top edge of the fabric, he took the work of moments to whisk them away, tossed somewhere towards the corner of the room. “Need a condom, baby.” Lunging across the bed to the nearest table, he prayed whoever had stocked the house had thought ahead for this eventuality, too. Otherwise I’ll have to find my pants—aha. He pulled a whole strip of condoms out of the drawer and laughed. “Someone thinks we’re gonna do the naked tango a lot. I’ll have to thank them for their trust in my recovery time.”
Kneeling between her thighs, he kept one hand on her, fingers traveling from one hip to the other in a teasing graze as he rolled the condom down his length. A hard squeeze of his balls set the looming orgasm back at least a few minutes, hopefully. Just seeing her like this, spread out. She’d finger-combed her hair while he looked for the condom, so the strands were arrayed in a curtain behind her head and shoulders, perfect for him to—Do anything. She’s so fuckin’ perfect for me in every way. “Fuckin’ love you, Myrtle. I fuckin’ love you.”
Those lips bowed into a soft smile he’d only seen directed at him, and he immediately tagged that one as his, too. Her tiny smile when she was pleased at something he’d said had been his favorite until this one. Now, he’d work every day to have her look at him as if he held her heart in his hands. She pulled in a breath and time stilled as he watched her lips move. “I love you, too.” Her smile grew, chest rising and falling in a rapid rhythm as he slipped both hands up the inside of her thighs, thumbs brushing against the soft curls waiting at the center of her. “My sweet William.”
“Not your Bane? You sure, darlin’?” Her proclamation quieted any tiny fears he’d still been carrying, that this was an exploration for her, and perhaps she wasn’t in deep like him. Those words were worth any celebration, and he’d put that into play soon enough. Right now, though, he skated his palm across her skin. Time enough and then some. Rest of our lives.
“You’re my Bane plenty of other times. When you’re taking care of me, making sure my family is safe and healthy, visiting with our friends.” Her breath caught as he pushed a finger inside her, stroking in and out slowly before pairing another with it to fill her more. “But when you look at me like you do, sweet is the only word that comes to mind.”
“I’ll take it.” He shook his head as he leaned over her, propping himself up on his elbows. Bane tipped his head so their foreheads touched, lips a fraction of an inch from hers. “I’ll take anythin’ you give me, baby.” His dick lined itself up with her entrance, notching into place as if it knew it was home. He rolled his hips and pushed inside slowly, not stopping until he’d seated himself deep with a single stroke. “You want your sweet William in bed with you, I can be sweet.” An arched back for the withdrawal pressed his belly against hers, and he felt the tiny rounded bump that was the baby. “You want a little rough and rowdy, I can be your Bane, too. I’ll be whatever you need, Myrt. Just—” He rolled his hips, faster, thrusting in and pulling back, growing the rhythm she set each time she met his movements. “—baby, you just need to need me.” That felt like a vulnerable statement, maybe too vulnerable for this early, and he closed his mouth, pressing a kiss to her lips.
“I’m going to always need you. You should know by now.” Each breath ghosted over his lips, and he wanted to kiss her hard, derail whatever words she was about to say. “Bane—William, you’re both to me. My lover, my protector, my friend, my partner.” He hadn’t moved fast enough, and she’d gotten out every word, all of it, enough to shut him up for a long breath. Her head tipped back, and he attacked the side of her neck with his teeth and lips, gliding his tongue along the taut tendons as she chased her pleasure. “I won’t ever not need you. Oh, please.”
Pushing up on his arms, he stared down at her as she fell over the edge, body writhing, hips lifting to meet every thrust inside her. The muscles of her pussy clamped down, and he was losing the fight for control, balls drawing up tight to his body as sparks danced up and down his spine. He curled himself around her again, arm shoved under her shoulders, face buried in the pillow as he pounded harder, deeper.
“Please, Bane.” Her mouth was next to his ear, words scarcely audible over the rapid slapping of flesh on flesh filling the room.
He grabbed her leg, hooking her knee over his hip, driving himself a little deeper. The need to bury himself inside her and never come out was strong, and he centered his thoughts around the give of her breasts against his chest, the tender strength in her hands as she held tight to him, the heat and silk-slick sensation of sliding in and out—the orgasm took him by storm, rolling over him so his rhythm stuttered and he held, thrust deep, and then stilled, trapped in the paroxysm of desire.
Mine.
The single powerful thought rocketed around inside his head as she lifted her other leg, wrapping her heels around his ass and pulling him tighter against her. She had him cradled to her—arms, legs, even the angle of her head had him willingly trapped, every movement showing him her love. The emotional connection would have been loud and clear even if she’d never said the words, and he knew in that moment everything he’d been feeling and thinking was right. They were destined for each other. His whole life he’d been looking, wandering place to place, trying to fill a hole with his brothers and the club—all it took was one petite woman to get him all wrapped up in knots, and slot herself inside him in a way that meant he was never gonna let her go.
“My peace, baby. You’re my peace. Mine.” His gusting breaths stirred the hair at the side of her head. Panting hard, trying to slow his heart, he eased them onto their sides so he didn’t crush her. “Don’t want to let go yet, Myrt. Hold on with me.”
“You’re mine, too. I’m holdin’ on, my lands yes. Holdin’ on.” She panted and rested her head on the pillow, staring straight into his eyes as she breathed out exactly the words he’d hoped to hear. “Mine, and this baby’s. You’re our hope and future. I’m depending on you, Bane, but you know what?”
“What, baby?”
“I know you won’t ever let us go. There’s a peace in that, too. So I guess you’re my shelter.” She sighed softly. “My solace.” Her breath hitched. “Momma woulda told me to find my answers in the Bible. I pick Job chapter sixteen, verse five.”
“What’s it mean, baby?”
“It’s about solace, Bane.” One corner of her mouth lifted. “‘But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.’ You’re the embodiment of comfort for me.”
Tightening his arms around her, he smiled and kissed those perfect ruby lips.
“Mine.”
***
Myrtle
Footsteps pounding through the house preceded the hammering knock at the bedroom door by a few seconds. She gathered the sheet in her hands and flung it over her and Bane only a moment before the door flew open, rebounding when it hit the wall. She flinched at the idea of damage left behind.
“Luke, we’re guests in this house. Take care, son.” Bane’s voice was gravelly and low, but not unkind, and she loved how he instinctively knew the right tactic to take with each of her br
others.
“Blackie said there’s breakfast at the main house, back where we were before you came here. He said there’s pan-a-cakes.” Luke shuffled to the end of the bed and sat, staring at Myrt and Bane. “I want pan-a-cakes, Myrtie.”
“Myrtie.” Bane’s voice was musing, filled with humor, and she glared at him, taking in how her expression only made his eyebrows arch more. “Rhymes with birdie. I kinda like that.” He turned to look at Luke. “I also am a big fan of pancakes, so I appreciate you lettin’ us know about the goodies. Right now, your sister and I need to get up and dressed, and neither of us can do so with you sittin’ here. So can you skedaddle back to the kitchen and wait? We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
“Okie-dokie, Bane.” Luke gave a wave and left through the open door.
“Luke.” Bane’s voice wasn’t a roar, but it was definitely pitched to catch Luke’s attention, so Myrt wasn’t surprised to see the boy’s head pop back into view. “Doors are like gates. You open it, you close it, yeah?”
“Oh, yeah.” Luke’s grin told her he wasn’t upset at Bane’s orders. “That actually makes a lot of sense, Bane. Got it.”
“Thank you.” The door closed with a snick. “You’re so sweet to my brothers.”
“You know, I don’t think Luke’s slow. I suspect his brain just works differently.” Bane looked at her, expression serious. “You should have a talk with Vanna Mom. Her son has autism, and she’s got a headful of knowledge about all kind of different things to do with developmental delays. I wouldn’t take anything your daddy said about him as gospel. Let’s find out what might really be going on, see how we can best support him.”
In Search of Solace (Rebel Wayfarers MC) Page 23