“But they hurt you—because of me.”
“They hurt me because I wear an Evil Dead patch, Sky. No other reason.”
“But they think your club lied to them, hid me out and…and fucked them over.”
“Skylar, shh, baby. Don’t worry about any of that now. It’s all over. It’s all fucking over, baby.”
“You came for me.”
“Of course I did. You think I wouldn’t?”
She’d sobbed.
“I love you, sweetheart. Couldn’t live without you.”
And now he was staring at Tink, and a bad fucking feeling was skating down his spine. At Tink’s continued hesitation, he prodded, “Tink?”
“I saw her ride off with Blood.”
Shades brows shot up in shock. “What?”
Tink swallowed uncomfortably.
Ghost put a hand on his shoulder. “There’s got to be an explanation, Brother. Maybe he took her to get checked out.”
Shades was about to whirl on him, when Undertaker came up to him. “We need to talk.”
“Not now. I have to find Skylar.”
“She wants to come home.”
Shades spun on him, frowning in disbelief. “Home? What the fuck are you talking about? She is home.”
Undertaker shook his head. “We need to talk.” He grabbed a fistful of Shades cut and pulled him to the side. Shades was just confused enough to let him.
“What are you talking about?”
“I just talked to Blood. Skylar told him she wants to go back to Slidell with us. ‘Wants to go home with her daddy’ she said.”
Shades shook off his hold. “I don’t fucking believe it.”
“She’s been through a lot. And if she wants my protection, she’s got it. But I’ve seen the way you are with her. I know you walked in that fucking DK stronghold alone. For her. Goddamn, boy, I believe you’d walk through the fires of hell for that girl. My girl. So, I’m giving you a shot here. Givin’ you a chance to talk her out of this. But mark my words, if when you’re done talking, she still wants to go home with me, I’m takin’ her, and you aren’t stopping me.”
“Where is she?” Shades growled.
“She asked Blood to take her to your place to pack a bag.”
Undertaker barely got the words out before Shades was running out the door.
****
Blood heard the roar of the motorcycle before he saw it. One bike roaring up fast. Only one person that could be. Shades. The bike tore up the drive. Yup. One pissed off man, come to get his ol’ lady.
Blood stood up and waited by his bike, he knew what was coming. He gave a quick glance up at the bedroom window. Skylar peered out. His eyes slid back to Shades as he dropped his kickstand. He hobbled a bit pulling his leg off the bike, and Blood knew what it cost him to ride that bike out here. He knew the pain of riding with cracked ribs. It hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.
Shades strode toward him, a bit of a limp in his gait. He didn’t say a word before throwing his first punch, a brutal right hook that put Blood on the ground.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Shades snarled down at him.
Blood rubbed his jaw, still on the ground, and looked up at Shades. “I let you have that one, ‘cause I deserved it, but I get up I’m gonna hurt you.”
“Then you better stay the fuck down.”
“Shades—”
“You’re fucking lucky I found you out here and not inside.”
“Shades, I wouldn’t do that. I just gave her a ride. She looked like she was about to lose it. She needed you. I wanted to break in that meeting and get you, but she wouldn’t let me.”
“Get out of here,” Shades hissed, and Blood saw him reach a hand to his ribs, and he knew he was in some wicked pain.
“She’s in there packing her shit. Maybe I’ll stick around in case you can’t change her mind.”
“Get the fuck out or you’ll be looking down the barrel of my gun.”
“DKs took your piece,” Blood reminded him with a grin.
“You think I don’t have half a dozen more inside?”
“All right, Brother, but just so you know, you ever fuck up, I’ll be right here for her, picking up the fucking pieces.” Then he turned toward the window just quick enough to see her shadow pull back, and he knew she’d heard every word. He shouted, “You hear that, Princess, I’m just a phone call away.”
Shades stood there a moment, clutching his side with one hand, his eyes drifting up to the window. And then his eyes returned to Blood. “She ain’t ever gonna make that call.”
Blood watched him hobble inside before climbing to his feet. He pulled his phone out, his thumb moving over the screen and put it to his ear.
A moment later, Undertaker growled in his ear, “Yeah.”
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
Undertaker’s chuckle came through the phone. “Knew you could take care of yourself.”
Blood reached up and moved his jaw back and forth. “He’s got one hell of a right hook, I’ll give him that. If I didn’t have facial hair, there’d be an imprint of an Evil Dead ring visible on my jaw tomorrow.”
Undertaker chuckled again. “She okay?”
“Haven’t heard any screamin’ yet. You want me to stay?”
“I want you to make sure she’s okay. Knows if she needs me, I’m here for her.”
“I made sure she knows I’m just a phone call away. And I ain’t interested in stickin’ around till I hear the bed springs squeak and the headboard hittin’ the wall.”
“Christ, Blood, that’s my daughter. I don’t want that image in my fucking head.”
It was Blood’s turn to chuckle. “Just sayin’, that’s where this is endin’. We both know it.”
“Fine, get back here.”
****
Shades limped inside and into the middle of the living room. He looked up toward the bedroom loft. “Skylar, get down here.”
No response.
“Swear to Christ, you make me climb those fucking stairs—” he held his ribs. Not that he’d get any sympathy from her, but fuck he could barely stand up straight.
She appeared at the top of the stairs, and then she was coming down them.
Shades eyed the duffle bags at the foot of the stairs. Skylar pulled another one from her shoulder and set it down. She stood there, staring up at him.
“You’re leaving?” When she didn’t reply, he repeated himself. “What the fuck, babe, you’re leaving? That’s it? You’re just walking out on us?”
She finally found her voice. “There’s no ‘us’.”
“The hell there’s not.”
“There’s you and your club. That’s all that’s important to you. That’s all you care about.” He knew the words coming out of her mouth were all lies, but she threw them up as a defense, guarding her heart. Hurting him before he could hurt her.
“Bullshit! Didn’t I just walk through hell for you?”
“You did it to get your patch. Everything you did, coming for me, all of it…you did it all just to get VP, because you couldn’t let Undertaker down, isn’t that right?”
“No, it’s not fucking right.” Christ, she was clutching at straws now.
“You come back the conquering hero, and they make you their VP.”
“Yeah, the club is my life, always will be, but that isn’t all I care about. There’s a place for you in my life. And if you’re not in it, there’ll always be a big piece missing. An empty place that won’t ever be filled. I thought we worked all this shit out at the beach. Goddamn, Skylar. You’re enough to drive a man crazy.”
She made to move past him, but he stepped in front of her.
“Let me go.”
“Like hell I will. Running again, babe? That your solution to everything? Hurt somebody before they have a chance to hurt you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tried to brush past him, but he grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him.
“You’re afraid this is going to end. You think I’m gonna leave, so you’re gonna beat me to the punch. Hurt me before I hurt you.” At least she had it in her to look ashamed, because she knew he was right. “Swear to God, babe, I’ll toss every suitcase in this place out in that fuckin’ lake, if that’s the kind of statement I gotta make to you.”
Her eyes lifted to his, giving him hope he was getting through to her.
“I’m not going anywhere, Sky.”
She searched his eyes. He hoped she could see the resolve in his.
“And you’re not going anywhere either. Not with your father and sure as hell not with Blood.” He growled the last part, hoping to Christ she knew how bad of a fuck up that move was. He huffed out a breath, trying to regain his temper. “Sky, you once told me you had no one. You want family? I’ll be your family. Now you have your dad, the club, and me, if you want.”
“Shades…” Her voice sounded shaky. Maybe she was starting to see.
“I’m here, Skylar. I’m standing right here in front of you.”
Her eyes moved to the wall of windows and the lake beyond. He had her thinking, at least. “I know what this shit is about, Sky, and it’s not about me choosing the club over you. It’s about you being scared. You’re scared, so you do what you do best. You run.”
“That’s not true,” she whispered, her eyes still on the lake.
“Yeah, it is, sweetheart. You’re afraid you can’t let someone else hold the reins in your life again after having no control for most of your life. You’re afraid to let me hold those reins.”
Her eyes moved to his cut and the new VP patch.
“That’s not it. I’m glad you got VP, Shades. I am. You deserve it. It’s what you wanted for so long. This is about me. Don’t you see?”
“Babe…”
“I’m not what you need.”
“Bullshit.”
“You need a strong woman by your side. I’m not that woman. I never will be.”
He shook his head and muttered, “How can such a smart woman be so goddamned stupid?”
“What?”
“You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Are you kidding? All the shit you’ve been through in your life. You never let it stop you. You never let it hold you down. Every time life knocked you down, you got back up.”
“Shades…” She broke off, shaking her head.
“And maybe you don’t understand that about yourself. Maybe you don’t get how strong you are. But, not understanding something about yourself doesn’t mean it’s not who you are.
“Me getting VP, the absurd idea of yours that I went after you just to get that VP patch, that’s bullshit, Sky and we both know it. I love you. I need you. Without you it all means nothing. How do you not get that?
“Yeah, that patch is what I’ve wanted for a long fucking time. When I walked out of that meeting, and you were gone…” he ran his hand down his face in frustration. “I finally had everything I wanted for so long, but then I realized that without you, it isn’t important, it means nothing if I lose you in the process. I realized that when the DKs took you. I finally got the position in the club, success, respect. But what I really need is your forgiveness and love.”
He watched a tear roll down her cheek, and it tore at him. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms, but he knew this shit needed to be said. She needed to hear it.
“You’ve had to face so much, so young, all on your own. I get that, Sky. You know I get that. But what you don’t get is that all that is over, sweetheart. You will never face anything alone again. Not as long as I live. Those fears you’ve been carrying all these years, hand then all over to me. I’ll carry that load. All of it. You live free and easy, pretty girl. No more worrying about any of that shit.”
Another tear rolled down her cheek, but he kept on.
“I know you think it’s a risk you’re taking…opening up to me and letting yourself love me, afraid I’m going to hurt you. I get that, too. But, baby, look at me. I am not going to hurt you. That is not going to happen. I’m not gonna tear us apart. And I’m not gonna let you tear us apart either.
“And maybe you don’t get that now, but you will. Every year that passes, you’ll get it more and more. Until finally one day, you’ll just know, the way I know, that this is going to last forever.”
“Oh, Shades.” Her eyes brimmed over.
“Are you getting it yet, babe?”
She nodded.
His hand lifted, his thumb brushing the wetness off her cheek. “Good, ‘cause my ribs are hurting like a bitch, and I think I gotta sit down.” He collapsed back on the couch with a groan.
“Shades, how did you get here?”
“I rode.”
“Your bike? With your ribs like this?”
“Yeah. Quickest way to get here. See the pain I go through for you woman?” He tried to laugh, but winced as a jolt of pain jabbed through him.
She sat carefully on the couch next to him. “Baby, we should get you to the hospital.”
“Naw. Slick taped ‘em up. That’s all the hospital would do anyway.” He paused to look over at her, his hand reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Did I make my point? You stayin’?”
She nodded. “I’m staying.”
“Good.” He smiled at her, his hand brushing down her cheek, his thumb stroking her lips. His eyes met hers. “I’d carry you up those stairs to the bed, but I don’t think I’d make it with these ribs. But I want you.”
“Baby.”
“We got a couch right here.”
“Shades, we can’t. You’re hurt.”
“We can if you climb on top and do all the work,” he suggested with half a grin. He didn’t wait for her response, he was already pulling her leg across his lap, hiking her skirt up as he settled her on top of his lap. His fingertips skated up her thighs, sliding under her skirt, and his eyes stared into hers. “Do you want me, Sky?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her breathing already accelerating.
He smiled, one hand going to the back of her neck and pulling her face down to his until her mouth brushed softly over his.
“I love you, pretty girl.” He searched her eyes. “I fell in love with you the night I gave you a ride home.” That caught her interest.
“You did?” she asked, brows arched.
He nodded. “Um-hmm. I remember the exact moment it happened. Do you want me to tell you?”
She nodded.
“I was dropping you off. And just before you walked away, I hooked a finger in your belt loop and pulled you close for a kiss. Do you remember?”
She nodded again. “I remember. It was the first time you kissed me.”
“Do you remember what you did after that?”
She put her hand over his beard. “I touched you. Like this.”
Shades covered her hand, like he had that first time. “You’d been wondering about what it would feel like. When you touched me like that, all soft and gentle, it was like a mule kicked me in the chest.”
“A mule, huh?” She grinned.
“Yep. Bam. I was in love.” He grinned back at her. “And you’ve had my heart every day since.”
She lowered her face, her mouth brushing his. “Hello, love,” she whispered.
“Hello, love,” he whispered back. His hand lifted, cupping her face, his thumb stroking over her lips, his eyes on her mouth a moment before they lifted to her eyes. “Every time we go through something, Sky, every time we make it to the other side of it, we’re stronger for it. It makes us stronger, better. The couples that are meant to be are the ones who go through everything that’s designed to tear them apart and come out even stronger. I’ve got no doubts about us, babe. None. No part of this road feels wrong.”
She smiled.
“I’m sorry, Sky. I know how hard this has all been on you.” His voice was soft, his tone tender. “I know you’re afraid. I know it’s scary, but I’ve got two strong arms to wrap around you when
the world goes crazy. The only thing you need to know is you are my world. You get that, you feel that deep down and everything else will follow, everything else will fall into place.”
“I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” She whispered the confession.
He grinned. “I know the feeling, Sky. When love comes along…sometimes it whispers in your ear. Sometimes it slams you against the fucking wall.”
“I’m home.” She said it almost in amazed wonder.
He wrapped his arms around her.
“You’re home, baby. You’re finally home.”
EPILOGUE
Skylar—
I lie in our bed, naked, waiting for Shades to come home. After so many missed chances and screw ups, I was finally going to make his wish come true. He’d said more than once that what he wanted was to come home and find me waiting for him, naked, in his bed. I smiled as I realized how many times we’d tried to make it happen and had been waylaid.
But I was determined.
Most nights we went to bed at the same time, and that didn’t count in my eyes. No, he had to come in and find me in his bed, waiting for him.
I’d texted him a short time ago telling him I was home from work early.
I immediately got a text back saying he was closing the shop early.
I smiled. I knew my man. So well. And my baby knew me. So well.
I heard him come in. I heard him coming up the stairs. And then I turned to see him standing at the foot of the bed.
I was on my side turned away from him. I twisted, my shoulders pressing flat to the mattress, but my hips were still canted to the side. With one hand I slowly pushed the sheet down to my hips.
His eyes moved over my naked body.
“My pretty baby.” His voice was soft.
Then he grabbed a handful of sheet in his fist and pulled it slowly the rest of the way off. The sheet gliding across my skin, as well as the heat in his eyes, had tingles washing over me.
“You’re home,” I said in a breathy voice.
He gave a slight nod of his head.
“You’re naked,” he said in a growly voice.
SHADES: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series Book 3) Page 33