I understood why. His parents had betrayed him in the worst way possible.
“Will you forgive me?” His blue eyes shadowed with remorse.
“Of course, shh.”
He leaned away from me. “No, Red, don’t give me a pass. Listen to me.”
I sat straighter. “I’m listening.”
“I didn’t understand how I’d hurt you until that night in front of the club.” He tightened his grip on me. “I knew, almost instantly, I’d upset you when I walked away.”
“Twice. You did it to me twice.” The words came without thought.
He nodded. “But I’m so fucked up. I thought I protected you by leaving. You deserved someone whole, someone better than me.”
His quiet words devastated me. He deserved more. “I thought you pushed me away because I wasn’t enough.” Emotion choked me. I swallowed it down. “So you left me.”
His hand caressed my cheek. “You’re so much more than enough. No one ever cared for me like you do, and it screwed with my head. Built up all this fear inside me.” He blew out a heavy breath. “Even after, you went out of your way to be kind. And I kept driving knives into you.” He hung his head. “Forgive me. There’s no apology for the pain I caused you.”
I absorbed his words. They pushed past the love that glowed around me like a shield, sinking deeper until they settled in the dark pit of my soul. He needed my forgiveness because he’d done serious damage, and he couldn’t repair it. But I had the choice to forgive him. Accept him.
I touched his cheek and haunted eyes searched my face. “I can forgive you and...” He closed his eyes like he awaited his sentence. “...need a promise from you. A commitment. You can’t ever push me away like this again. No matter what worries you, share it with me. Be open.”
He hung his head, and pain stole my breath. Had we come this far for everything to blow up?
“I can’t share club business. Red, I’d do anything for you but betray my brothers.” His hair hid his face, but I heard the regret in his voice.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Dare
My pulse jumped inside me. I feared this was it. Red had suffered so much, and I couldn’t give her what she needed to feel safe.
“Wait.” She squeezed my hands.
I froze and waited for her to pass judgment on me.
“I don’t need the club’s secrets, or any secrets you aren’t willing to share.” She frowned and spoke fast. “Say you got shit bothering you, and it’s eating you. Tell me how you feel, and if you can or want to, what bothers you. I’m a good listener.”
I could do that. Relief eased the vise that squeezed my chest.
“But I can’t ever feel the way I did these past few months. It’s more than I can risk, worrying when you’ll push me away for my own good or whatever crazy reason you come up with.” She kissed my cheek, hesitant.
“That I can do. I’ve spent years hiding shit, but I never want to hurt you again.”
“I forgive you.” Her words were music to my black soul. “And it means you have nothing to make up, you understand.”
I shook my head because I had so much to make up for.
“Believe it. I love you, and nothing will ever change my love.” She kissed me. “You deserve love.”
I moved away unable to believe what she’d said. I was the last bastard who deserved love. I was mean, ruthless and ashamed—no one deserved love less than me, but she still loved me, which made no sense to me.
“I guess I’ll have to spend my life showing you.” She toyed with my hair.
I kissed her, trying to tell her with my actions what I had no idea how to say, would never be able to say. She tasted like sunshine and sweetness and a brand-new beginning.
“Let’s get home. I’m past due for some make-up sex.” She grinned at me.
“Hell yeah.” I smacked her ass as we hurried to her SUV.
At her place, she tugged me into the bedroom, nearly climbing me before I was undressed. “So beautiful. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
I put my mouth to work showing her how beautiful I thought she was. It would be hours before I let her out of bed. I had a lot of thoughts about her body.
She inhaled when she saw my chest—the reaper I’d had Jericho ink around my heart. During the time I’d been away, I’d convinced myself I was worthless when it came to Red—the death of our relationship was a real thing for me.
On her heart, a wilted flower dripped blood down her front. “Oh, Red, I’m so damn sorry.” I gently kissed the flower.
She traced my reaper. “I wasn’t the only one feeling pain.”
I worked down her body until my mouth found her folds. I worshipped her clit, even as she begged for release. In minutes she gave me her first release. She flew apart without a thought of what she showed me in that most honest moment.
After sliding protection on, I entered her with a slow stroke, in and out, keeping all our parts touching, tempo steady. She wrapped her hands tight around me caressing my backside, but I kept the pace the same, needing her to feel cherished because she was the most special woman in the world. With deliberate, intense thrusts, I pushed her into another climax, and she squeezed me so tight I had to use every ounce of my control not to fall over with her.
“Red.” The words wouldn’t stay inside. “I love you.”
She squeezed me tight with her walls and I couldn’t hold back.
“I love you, Dare.”
Her words sent pleasure shooting through me as I came inside her.
Red was mine.
We lay together, cuddling and playing all evening until we drifted off together wound up tight.
* * *
Red insisted she go with me to see Jericho, but I tried to tell her no, not that it did a bit of good. When I was done with the asshole today, he’d need a hospital. Red thought this was her fight, but she was wrong.
I left our bedroom, heading for a pop while I waited for Red to finish putting on her war paint. All the boxes stacked everywhere in the apartment bugged me, she could flee at any second. “You need to unpack, Red.”
She opened the bathroom door, worrying her lip with her teeth.
I growled, and she laughed.
“I thought you’d want to live together.” She spoke so fast her words ran together. “But if not—”
I kissed her just to shut her up. Her soft lips opened and I claimed her mouth and made sure she understood she was mine. “I do. Can’t we live here?”
“Yes!” She jumped up, grabbing my neck, and I had to catch her.
“You don’t have to go.” It was not the first time I’d said it. “Let me beat him some more, so he understands your position.”
“I do. We need to talk it out, so it’s behind us.” She wouldn’t budge. “You and Jericho have made peace?”
“With my fists.” After she’d told me how she thought we’d been in it together, controlling her, manipulating her, I’d been ready to punch him again.
“He’s your best friend, you’ve cleared the air and now I need to clear the air.” She ran her hand down my biceps.
“I’m coming with you.” It wasn’t optional.
“Will you let me handle it? Just watch, and let us hash it out?”
“Best I can do is to say I’ll try.”
She kissed me, which I liked. “Thank you.” She spoke into my lips before peppering my cheek with kisses. Unable to keep her home, we both headed out the door.
We strapped on helmets and I checked hers before getting on the bike. When her hands tightened on me, it felt right. She belonged in my bed and on the back of my bike—where she was now. As we drove to the club, I tried to calm my fury, wanting to let Red do this her way. I parked the bike and we went through the front doo
r.
We’d crossed halfway across the room before Jericho stood and strode toward us. “Man, I knew you belonged together.” He clapped me on the back and looked to my woman. “Mama, I never meant things to go to hell like they did.”
I growled. “Fucker.” I plowed my fist into his stomach. The bastard never did anything he didn’t intend. Jericho was the most calculating bastard I’d ever known.
He stumbled back and I hit him again. In three strikes Jericho lay sprawled across the floor. Satisfaction settled in me.
“This is me handling it?” She arched an eyebrow at me.
I huffed out a breath. “He’s listening now.” I strode past the groaning ass on the floor to get something to drink at the bar.
Jericho pushed himself up to sitting. “You broke a rib, I think.”
“Lucky that’s all,” I called over my shoulder. “Listen close to Red.”
“Those your licks?” Jericho asked Red.
She held out a hand and helped heave him up from the floor. “Not my idea.”
Jericho limped to the table and eased himself down.
“You will never fucking use me again.” She pointed to him.
“I—”
“No bullshit,” I called from the bar.
Jericho studied me.
“You wanted me to stay close to the club, with or without Dare. You planned for me to take over for MJ once you finish your coup.” She spoke in an even voice.
How the hell had she figured that out? I needed to remember she was scary smart.
Jericho glanced between us. “That’s true.”
“I can get behind that, but what you did after was one thousand kinds of wrong.”
Jericho opened his mouth.
“Fucking playing me against the bikers, against you and even Dare—pure poison.”
“No, I looked out—”
“For you.” She snarled and just stood there waiting for him to deny it. “A few simple words—Lila’s off-limits—no biker would’ve crossed you.”
This is what I refused to forgive. He’d chosen the path that hurt her most, controlled her most.
“But you played games that devastated my world. For what?” She threw her hands in the air, hurt so strong in those words.
I lost it, unable to hold back seeing her pain so open on her face. “Motherfucker,” I roared, smacking into Jericho, and we tumbled to the floor. I held onto Jericho’s T-shirt, punching him over and over.
“Stop it,” she yelled. “I can’t talk to the dead.”
I froze and winced, wondering if I’d gone too far, so I dropped Jericho with a thud.
“Son of a bitch,” Jericho mumbled.
I glanced down to see blood streaming from his nose.
“Go get him something to stop the blood,” she barked at me.
I moved down the hall, but stayed close enough to hear every word.
“You underestimated me and tortured me to advance your games. But I’m here to stay, and you will not do this to me again.” Her tone was vicious and harder than I’d ever heard her use.
“A good show.” Jericho sneered the words even as he wheezed from my blows. “You planning to take him away from me or have him kill me?”
“I’m not acting. I don’t do manipulation, but I’m beyond familiar with it.” She sighed, sounding like a frustrated schoolteacher. “We both love him, and I’d never want him to lose either of us.”
My God, had she just said that to Jericho? Bikers didn’t talk emotions, and it was all kinds of fucked up to hear her say it about me.
“Yeah, I’m out of line.” Jericho grunted. “I’m not used to people calling me on shit, only maneuvering against me.”
“Not my style, or Dare’s. I love him, so I’ll accept you. But don’t mistake it for trust or friendship. One day you’ll earn my friendship again, but now it’s beyond gone. We need to be clear.”
I couldn’t believe she went there because even for me that was a shit-ton too honest.
“What? Why tell me?”
“I don’t pretend. With me, people always know where they stand. Dare’s that way too. He doesn’t have to know more than you have my support and my forgiveness for whatever it’s worth.”
“But not your friendship.” Jericho’s words were stark.
She walked away from him, and I heard her coming in my direction. No reason to ruin her illusion that she’d protected me, so I backed up a bit and we met in the hall.
“I’ll be in our room.” She caressed my chin. “He might need a hospital.”
I shrugged. “I beat him, so I don’t fix him.”
Despite my words, I spent time stopping the flow of blood and making sure he’d live until Zero arrived.
“She’s damn tough, no one calls me out as the bastard I am.” Jericho coughed and spit up some blood.
“I do.” I helped Jericho to a chair. “You get why no one liked you messing with her.”
“Brother, totally understand. I deserve every one of these punches. I got caught up in my head games, and you were too fucked up to see it. A good reminder why you’re my conscience.”
“My fists do tend to give good advice.”
Jericho laughed and winced. “Motherfucker, you should go a little easier on me.”
Zero walked in and stared from me to Jericho. “Why do I miss all the fun? Come on, I’ll take your sorry ass to the ER.”
Jericho limped out the door without any help. A brother had his pride after all.
I opened the door to the room we always used. “Zero is on his way to take the stubborn ass to the doctor.”
Lying down next to her on top of the covers, I smiled. “This room holds great memories.”
“Most definitely. You made me scream here.”
“I make you scream everywhere,” I reminded her. “You good with him now?”
“Yeah.” She propped herself up on my chest. “Thanks for letting me handle it.” She rolled her eyes and laughed.
“You got more than I wanted to give. But you handed him his ass—impressive.” I smirked. “You know me, Jericho, Bear and Thorn, we’re the hard cases most of the other bikers fear.”
“And?” She arched an eyebrow.
“You’ve stood toe to toe with all of us.” I swiped her nose. She was badass in a Red kind of way, so sweet right up until she laid you out cold.
“You all should fear me,” she teased. “I’m a badass biker babe.”
She was all smiles, but her words were true. It gave me a new idea.
“We love and fear you in equal measures.” No humor tinged my voice. “You get your own status without me.”
“I’m nothing without you. ’Cause you own my heart.” She kissed me. “I love you.”
“You’re the world, Red. You fit me, belong here.” I was going for it because I needed her now, all tied up and sworn to me. “Probably crazy, should wait, but I want you with me, part of my family here. Will you be my old lady?”
Chapter Thirty-Four: Lila
My world slid sideways. His old lady? Emotion churned in me, all competing to burst free first. I rolled on top of him. “Hell yeah, I’ll be your old lady.”
His blue eyes widened in disbelief then he whooped. “Fuck yeah. You said yes.”
“Of course, I love you.”
He rolled me over until he pinned me under him. “Undress.”
“Can’t with you lying on me.” I pushed against his chest and laughed.
He kneeled and tugged me up beside him. In seconds we were undressed facing each other.
“Gotta ride you.” I leaned forward and bit his bottom lip.
His soft smile turned wicked as he lay back on the bed. “Feeling lazy today.”
&
nbsp; I stroked his stiff cock before I rolled on the condom. Then I faced him and sunk down until I rested on his lap. I moved fast, needing him in a different way. He tugged my nipples as I bounced on top of him, racing toward my own orgasm.
“Can’t wait. Come with me.” I gasped, pushing down harder.
“Baby, I’m there.”
We came together.
Breathing hard, he kissed me and smiled. “I love you. You’ll make the best old lady ever.”
* * *
The sun shone bright today—the first day of May—and the first day of my new life. Before the sun set, I’d be Dare’s old lady.
Glory turned my wavy curls into ringlets. “It’s a gross name, and I hate the idea of a person being property.”
“I think it’s romantic—a happy ending.” Avery fluffed the short black lace skirt I’d picked to wear today. “She even swears a vow.”
“To the club.” Glory’s flat tone made her opinion clear. She gave my curls a pat before she held up a mirror for me.
I admired her skill with the curling iron because my hair never behaved for me.
“But if you’re happy, then so am I.” She kissed my cheek.
Avery jumped up and down in front of me. “My turn! You have to open my surprise.”
Laughing, I took the present she held out for me.
I ripped off the bright pink paper and opened the box. A red strapless top lay on top of black tissue paper. In a bold gothic print the words Dare’s Property covered most of the front.
I snorted a laugh. “Subtle, I love it.”
“A couple of the ladies at the club told me lots of the women get a special shirt made for the day.” Avery pursed her lips. “Do you really like it? You don’t have to wear it.”
“I love it, really. I’m a badass biker chick now. Besides it’ll look amazing with the property cut and my skirt.” I kissed her cheek and hugged her to me.
“If you want to go all covert, there’s a tear-away tank top under the tissue paper. Or you can wear it for Dare another day.” Avery tilted her head with a sly look. “A private striptease.”
“So why wear the tank?” I hadn’t followed her explanation.
Enough Page 31