by Ryan Michele
“Nope. No one. Just classes are a little tough. But I’ll get it.”
No sooner did I finish the last word when I heard, “Where the hell is she!” being screamed by Harlow. Looking around Becs, sure enough Harlow is barreling down the hall heading right towards me. When her eyes lock on mine, she takes off in a dead sprint pushing through the people standing in her way.
Stepping around Becs, I smile wide and steady my stance as she full out collides with me, almost knocking me down to the ground. Her grip is unbelievably tight on me as she whispers, “I’m so glad you’re home. I need you.”
I need you too. “I’m here babe. We’ll get through this.” She clutches me like she’s afraid that if she let go, I’d disappear. I relish in the feeling, biting back the tears that want to escape. “Hey, it’s okay. I’ll help you with whatever you need done.”
“Thank you.” Her voice is so quiet which is not like Harlow. She’s always in your face demanding. Not this time.
“No place would I rather be. None. Love you.” The anger I had for her earlier dissipates from my body.
“Love you.”
We stay in this exact position for a long time, with our arms wrapped tight around each other and our heads buried in each other’s shoulders, just enjoying each other’s closeness. God I missed this woman and this is exactly what I need. I feel small bits of weight leaving my shoulders just by this small, simple embrace.
“We’ll get through this.” I slowly pull away from Harlow whose tight smile is forced on her face. Grabbing my hand, she leads me to the bar where Breaker is pouring drinks.
“Glad you’re home. What do ya want?” His gruff voice reverberates.
“Sprite, please.” My genuine smile flashes at him.
“Well… well… well. What do we have here? A club momma disguised as a biker brat.” I jerk abruptly to the piercing voice behind me, my body tenses and heat flushes through my body. The woman standing before me is about five foot two on a good day, has beautiful brown hair and a very pretty face. But her stance and attitude scream bitch. And it’s one I’ve never seen before.
Before words leave my mouth, Harlow takes over pushing me behind her quickly. I grasp on to the bar trying not to fall on my ass.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Harlow wails, her finger pointing in the woman’s face. The brunette stops abruptly looking at Harlow, the slight quiver of her lip showing the fear rising. “Biker brat? Are you fucking kidding me?”
Quickly the room electrifies and the tension becomes thick. Cruz, Becs and Dagger rush up to Harlow and me, taking in the situation. “What the fuck is going on here?” Cruz pushes Harlow behind him, unknowingly pushing me too.
“It’s…” I try to speak but get nothing out. Princess is now on a rampage and cuts me off.
She begins talking into Cruz’s back. “This fucking bitch called Casey a fucking club momma and biker brat. So now I’m gonna fucking destroy her.” Princess grips the back of Cruz’s back balling her hands into fists.
“Who the fuck do you think you are bitch?” Dagger busts out of the pack behind us, grabbing the woman’s arm.
“I… I didn’t think…” She stammers out.
“That’s right bitch. You didn’t fucking think. Casey is fucking family. You’re not!” Becs walks up to the other side of the woman who is now visibly shaking. I would be too if I had both Dagger and Becs holding my arms with death piercing in their eyes.
It’s sick to say, but at that moment a small part of me feels wanted, loved.
“Now you’ve given yourself a one-way-fucking ticket to get the fuck out of here and never think about returning.” Cruz retorts nodding to Dagger and Becs.
“Really, I’m sor…” The men pick the woman up and carry her out of the club, her words lost to me.
“I’m so sorry, Casey. You should never have to deal with that shit when you’re home.” Cruz turns to me his eyes brimming with sympathy. I can see why Harlow loves him so.
“It’s okay. Everything’s fine.” I try to reassure and bring the tension down in the room a notch.
“Don’t brush that shit off, Casey. If one of those bitches tries that shit again, you fucking stand up for yourself. She’s just a fucking club momma. She has no right.” She fumes.
Sad thing is, what the bitch said is partially true. I am a club momma where G.T. is concerned. I breathe in deep. “Babe. I didn’t have a chance to. You jumped right in. Remember?” I give a short smile.
“That bitch… No bitch talks to you that way. I’ll fucking kill ‘em.” Her face is red and her body is shaking a bit.
“I know. Calm down babe.” I wrap my arms around Harlow and try to hug all the tightness in her body out. After a bit, she wraps her arms around me too and melts into me, all the tension leaving. Cruz nods walking back to the other side of the room giving us a minute.
“It’s just been hard and… I just… Lost it.” She whispers so quietly in my ear that I can barely hear her. Hard. I know the feeling.
“I know babe. I know.” I hug her tight, warmth spreading throughout my body.
“Now I want some of that.” Tug’s rough voice comes from the side of me. I slowly pull away and look over at him giving him a small smile.
He is a very handsome man with brown hair that hangs below his ears and the richest chocolate brown eyes I’ve ever seen. But the thing I love about Tug is that he talks and listens to me. Back when I lived here, Tug would come by the shop, talk to me and overall help me out, being the friend I needed. He’s a great listener and I feel unbelievably comfortable with him. I can tell him just about anything and he doesn’t bat an eye. Thoughts of Mia invade me and I quickly push them to the side. I couldn’t tell him about the baby, he would have told G.T. Some things are just not kept from the brotherhood.
He knows about G.T. and me, which I’m sure most of the guys do because we were not quiet. But he didn’t badger me; he listened and even let me cry on his shoulder when things got bad. The really sad part is I haven’t talked to him since I left and I damn well missed him. I actually hope he isn’t pissed about that fact.
He pulls me tight to his strong body and locks his arms around my waist as I reached up linking mine around his neck. “I missed you.” I whisper.
“You could have called me.” He mumbles into my shoulder.
“I know. Sorry.” A low grumbling sound comes from the left of me, almost sounding like a growl, but I didn’t think that was possible, but when the hair on the back of my neck and tops of my arms begins to stand, I know who entered the room.
Pulling away slowly, my eyes instantly lock on the sharp, crystal ocean blue eyes of G.T. Those same eyes pull me like a thousand invisible ropes and my body is impossible to stop. No matter what words he said to me or the loss of Mia, I cannot stay away.
Without thinking, I move directly to G.T., leaving Tug and everyone else in the dust. All I can see and all I can hear is G.T. His straight, silky, honey blonde hair hangs low to his neck, but the sides tuck behind his ears. His broad shoulders are now covered with a brace that holds his arm and shoulder immobile on one side. As his sexier than sin smirk graces his face around the scruff of his blonde beard, my heart squeezes.
I need to feel him, need to feel his warmth and know he is alive. Even if he doesn’t need me, I need him, more than he can ever know. The invisible strings continue to pull me towards G.T. and before I know it, I am standing face to face with this gorgeous man. Not wasting any time, I latch on to him hard, wrapping my arms around his waist being careful not to touch his arm and bury my face in his neck. I suck in deep breaths, taking in his all too familiar scent of leather and the erotic smell of his body. I swear he never wore cologne or anything, but there is something about his skin that always draws me in and turns me into a sex crazed lunatic.
G.T.’s good arm reaches around my shoulders pulling me as close to him as I can possibly get. As his face falls into the crook of my neck, the tickle of his breath falls on my sk
in, but I don’t move. At this moment, I am lost and I’ll stay for as long as he’ll let me… Maybe even forever.
We stand unmoving and uncaring about what was going on around us, even with the rustle of people, we ignore it all. G.T. whispers, “I missed you” into my neck.
“I missed you, too.”
Suddenly, something in the embrace changes and G.T.’s body slumps into mine. His weight is too much too hold on to. “G.T.” I call to him, but he doesn’t answer. “G.T.!” I yell trying to pull back to see his face, but I can’t move much or he will plummet to the ground.
“Harlow! Help!” I yell with everything I have. I will not let him fall; I’ll let him crush me to the ground before that happens.
“Shit! He passed out. Cruz, Boys!” Harlow calls out as commotion begins to happen around me and everyone barks orders. Before I can catch a grasp of the situation, I let go of G.T. as Cruz picks him up and lays him on the couch. G.T.’s eyes are closed, but the small rise and fall of his chest tells me he is alive. I blow out a small sigh of relief.
“What happened?” I ask barreling my way through the crowd gathered around him to get close.
“You knocked him on his ass.” Harlow answers smiling with a slight chuckle.
“Funny. Seriously, what’s wrong?” I stare at him lying unconscious.
“You know I’m right. Anyway, his body’s been through a lot and technically, he’s not supposed to be out of bed. But the stubborn ass overheard Cruz coming in to tell me you were here and this is what happened.” She waves her arms to G.T. dramatically.
“Shit. I would have come to him.” I bend down and reach out moving the hair away from his eyes feeling the stares from everyone around me.
“Man thing.” Harlow shrugs as if none of this is a big deal and I’m sure to her it’s not. She’s seen more of this life than I have. She is this life. I am not. “I’ll have Cruz move him to his bed and call Doc, but he looks fine. Color’s good.”
“I want to go with him.” I say my eyes not leaving G.T.
“I know.” She wraps one arm around my shoulder and gives me a side hug. My eyes never leave G.T.
As Cruz and Dagger lift him, my heart plummets. Cruz grabs the top half of his body under his arms while Dagger grabs his feet. The way his body lays there limp, mimicking and swaying with every movement they make sends shivers of fear down my body. If I didn’t know 100% that he is alive, I would have screamed.
Harlow begins fussing all around G.T., giving him shots and checking this and that after they lay him down. Ma barrels into the room, her eyes wide with fear. “What happened?”
“One look at Casey had him passing out.” Harlow laughs and I blush. Bitch.
I stand in the corner of his room and watch, feeling like a spectator more than an actual participant. Ma holds her hands out to me as she walks and embraces me tightly. “I’m sorry you had to come home to this, but girl, I’m so glad you’re home.”
I never had a mom, never knew what it was like to have one. Ma is the closest I’ve ever gotten. She always had a way of making me feel loved even when I didn’t. I latch on tight feeling her warmth. “Thanks.”
“He’s okay, just not supposed to be moving too much right now.” She says answering the question that has been worrying me since he went down.
“When will he wake up?” I muffle into Ma, but my eyes lock on G.T. lying in his bed appearing to be peaceful.
“Soon, he just needs some sleep. Doc will be here in a bit to check him out.”
“Can I stay with him?” I ask, feeling like I need her permission. Scratch that, like I want her permission.
She pulls away from me and my eyes meet hers. Ma is a beautiful woman. Her blonde hair dances around her face in layered curls and her light gray eyes sparkle as if she likes what I just asked her. “Absolutely. You can stay with him as long as you like.” Her eyes penetrate mine as her words sink in, unbelievable meaning dripping from them. And as much as I want to tell her that I’d love too, some part deep down, one that I wasn’t acknowledging at the moment, knows that once he gets better I am gone.
I shake off the small thought not wanting to acknowledge it and lock it down deep.
“Thanks.” I pull away and walk over to the bed. I grab a chair and sit next to him, afraid to actually touch him.
“He just needs sleep. You can touch him, you won’t hurt him. He’ll actually like it. I gave him a small bit of morphine so he’ll be a bit out of it. I’ll make sure no one comes in.” Harlow says, squeezing my shoulders behind me. Everyone in the room files out, leaving me with a very unconscious hot man. I sigh. If only.
I grab his warm, rough hand looking at all the lines and scars that grace it. Each one, I’m sure with some kind of story. His fingernails are clean and cut short, the clean part must be Harlow’s doing because G.T. did not primp at all. He is all rugged and likes getting his hands dirty.
I rub my hands up and down his feeling the rough but soft palms. I lace my fingers with his and bring them up to my lips kissing them softly. “I’m so sorry babe.” I whisper.
Everything from that moment, his hurtful words spewed out of his mouth, to losing Mia burst through me. Tears roll uncontrollably down my face and I grip G.T.’s hand tighter feeling his warmth. I lay my head next to his hand on the bed, close my eyes and let myself feel the pain.
“This is all your fault, G.T. Do you even realize that?” I whisper into the bed. “If you could just be with me. If I could just be enough for you, we could have had everything.” I let the tears take over.
“Casey?” G.T.’s groggy voice sputters. I jump quickly, wiping my face to wash the tears away. I instantly miss the warmth of his hand in mine.
“Hey.” I say softly brushing his silky hair away from his face.
“You’re really here?” he asks, his eyes glassy, must be from the meds.
“Right here.” Placing my hand on his bearded cheek, I relish the feeling of his coarse hair under my palm. His hand reaches up and covers mine.
“Don’t leave me. Please.” His words almost a plea, but being heavily medicated I will not read anything more into his words, even if deep inside I wish it to be true.
“I’m right here.”
“Tired. Come lay with me.” I shouldn’t. It will only cause me more pain, but I can’t help my damn self. His pleading eyes suck me in and damn if I can crawl out from their spell. And to be completely honest, I need this.
I smile. “Yeah.” I kick off my shoes and crawl into bed under the covers feeling his body heat even though we are not touching. Laying my head on the empty pillow, I keep my body far away from his.
“Get over here.” His words are demanding and send fire through my body. Dammit if I don’t love his forcefulness, but don’t budge. I can’t make myself move.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll just lay here.” I stare at his handsome profile. His nose with a slight bend from the fight he had when he was younger, it just never set right, his strong jaw angled just perfectly.
“Now.” The intensity in his words makes my body move on its own accord. I can never turn my body’s reaction to him off and part of me craves him. I move close and he reaches out, his good arm pulling me even closer to his body. My head rests on his arm as I lay on my side, hand on his rock hard chest and my legs next to his. I itch to move them over his, but keep them where they are. His arm holds me tight against his body as I wiggle to get comfortable and it doesn’t take much.
I sink into the comfort that he is providing me. I’ll only lay here for a little bit, I tell myself. But his warmth is too much and my eyes begin to get heavy.
7
GT
The creak of the door as it opens rouses me from the most peaceful sleep I’ve had in months. Opening my eyes slowly, my Angel is draped over my body, her arm close to her as if she knew instinctively not to touch my wounds. Her legs entwine with mine and her chest slowly rises and falls telling me she is in a deep sleep. Casey’s beautiful fa
ce rests on my arm. Her blonde and now black hair sweeps across the bed in a huge curtain. Cherries. Damn woman always smells like damn cherries, and I fucking love it.
My eyes jet to the noise at the door and see Doc standing there, waiting.
“I heard she was back.” Doc says quietly staring at my girl. I want to gouge his fucking eyes out for even looking at her, string him up and beat the ever-loving shit out of him.
“What do you need?” I growl wanting him to leave, shut the door and allow me to forget the outside fucking world.
“Ma called. Said you passed out. Now I can see why.” He smiles reaching into his bag.
“Stop fucking looking at her.” I warn his eyes shooting to mine.
“Down there, big boy. I don’t want your girl. Just nice to see you a bit more alert.” He places the stethoscope in his ears and begins to place it on my body listening to me.
“Don’t wake her up.” I glare in his eyes.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He says smiling only causing my anger to turn red hot. Who the fuck does he think he is?
He checks my bandages and dressings thoroughly and I watch my beautiful Angel sleep peacefully in my arms without even a stir as Doc works. Her porcelain skin is so light against my tan and the little bit of freckles across the bridge of her nose is the only color gracing her face. I love those fucking things; it’s where I came up with Angel for her. Her freckles are Angel kisses and she is my Angel.
Casey’s tiny frame is pressed up against mine and I relish in the soft curves of her body. Never have I wanted a woman to lay with me like this. Never. Casey is the only one. Ever. And dammit if I didn’t want to stay like this forever. Damn sap.
“No infection. Keep taking the antibiotics. You need to rest.” Doc says pulling my eyes to his. He looks down at Angel and I glare. “I mean it. If you just rest a day, I guarantee, you’ll feel a shit ton better and will be able to get up and move without passing out. Your blood’s trying to replenish itself. You need to stay still to accomplish this.”