by S. Nelson
“What did you do?” she whimpered, finally withdrawing her hand from mine. She moved back on the bed, the small distance between us like a knife to the chest.
“I had to, Reece. I had to get rid of him. Right before I shot him, he drunkenly confessed that he was gonna punish you for leaving him. That he was gonna kill you and then kill himself.”
“He said he was gonna kill me?”
I wasn’t sure why she was shocked by that.
“Yes.”
“So you shot him?”
“Yes.” My expression was blank. I wanted to smile, knowing Rick would no longer ever be a threat to Reece, but I knew it wasn’t appropriate.
“Dead?” She looked to be in a state of shock.
“Yes.” I kept repeating the same one-word answer, but it said everything. The truth. I’d snatched lives in the past, but this one felt more justified than most.
Because I loved her.
“Oh my God.” Her eyes never left my face. Her expression mirrored my own, which was not good. It meant I couldn’t get a read on what she was thinking or feeling.
So what did I do? I revealed feelings I’d been harboring for a little while now, blurting them out at the most inopportune time.
I reached across the bed and drew her close. Thankfully she didn’t struggle, her surprise at what I’d told her incapacitating her refusal. Placing my hand on the back of her head, I pulled her so close the tips of our noses touched.
“I love you.”
Her warm breath hit my lips, the need to kiss her more powerful than ever before. Her mouth parted but she didn’t speak, not for an excruciatingly long minute.
“You do?”
Not the response I was hoping for, but at least she didn’t pull away in revulsion.
“Yes.” Again with the one-word answer.
She continued to speak, glossing over the fact that I’d just told her that I loved her. Maybe she was in shock. Maybe she didn’t feel the same. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t gonna lie; I would’ve loved to hear her say those three words back to me, but as long as she didn’t run from me after hearing what I’d done, everything would be fine.
“I can’t believe I made you kill him. I’m so sorry, Tripp. I never meant to drag you into my mess.”
Wait . . .
What?
I pulled back so I could see her whole face. I needed her to really hear me, to understand that she wasn’t responsible for any of what I’d chosen to do.
“You didn’t make me do anything. I made that decision. More so for me than for you.” Her frown showcased her confusion. “When I realized he’d never leave you in peace, it gutted me. To know that you could be snatched away from me at any given moment terrified me. And the only way to extinguish that worry was to snuff out the threat. So when I got the call from my brother, I seized the opportunity and ended it. Ended him.”
Silence stretched between us, the slightly uncomfortable kind that was mixed with realization of our new reality.
I’d killed someone who had meant something to her at some point in her life, even though he turned out to be her worst mistake—her words, not mine.
When I couldn’t take the quiet any longer, I asked, “What are you thinking?”
Reece moved the few feet toward the edge of the bed and swung her legs over, sitting upright next to me. She hung her head, her hair covering the side of her face. Gripping the edge of the mattress, she crossed her legs at the ankles. Her nakedness distracted me for a split second, memories of burying myself inside her enough to make my dick start to harden. Then she finally spoke, pulling all my attention back to the topic at hand.
“I’m not sure,” she confessed. “On one hand I’m relieved that Rick will no longer come after me.” She raised her head and looked at me. “I’ll never be able to repay you for making me feel safe, Tripp. For the first time in my life . . . I feel free.”
“But. . . .” I knew there was a ‘but’ in there somewhere.
Tears pooled behind her eyes. “But you killed him.”
“Yeah, I did.” A pain rippled through my chest, my breathing strangled and debilitating me while she continued to lock me in her gaze. I silently pleaded with her not to leave me because of a decision I felt I needed to execute—every fuckin’ pun intended.
“I’m glad he’s dead,” she whispered, averting her eyes while lowering her head. “Does that make me a bad person?”
I gripped her thigh, my desire to touch her mixed with the need to gain her approval for what I’d done. “Does it make me a bad person that I killed him?”
“Yes.” My heart sank. “No.” A faint tremor of hope appeared. “I . . . I don’t know.”
This shit was all new to her, but unfortunately for me, it wasn’t. Reece wrapped the sheet around her and stood, walking across the room and only coming to a stop when she’d reached the bedroom door. “I need some time to think,” she said, clutching the sheet tighter before walking away from me.
Reece
For an entire week, I’d successfully avoided Tripp. He’d given me the time and space I wanted without complaint. He refused to budge when I’d suggested staying somewhere else. Instead, he said he’d stay at the clubhouse until I decided to talk to him again. He understood why I needed to think about what’d happened, but the truth was that him killing Rick was only part of the reason why I needed to be alone.
The other reason was so I could wrap my head around the fact that his child was growing inside me, and I had no idea how he’d feel about that. His reaction to Rachel showing up and claiming he was the father of his child had set him off. Understandably, he was upset because he knew she was lying. Add in the mix that she’d cheated on him and it was a recipe for disaster when they saw each other again. But how much of his anger was because he thought for a brief moment that the baby was actually his? Did he even want kids? Would he react in a similar manner when I told him my news?
I could move past him killing Rick. I really could, even though it scared me that he’d taken a life. And while such a thing should terrify me, I hadn’t been completely shocked. I may have been somewhat sheltered, all due to Rick’s overbearing and suffocating ways, but I wasn’t stupid.
Tripp was part of the Knights Corruption. They hadn’t always been choir boys. Okay . . . ‘choir boys’ was a bit of a stretch, but my point was made. The men were intense, Tripp being no exception, but their love for their families overshadowed any wrongdoings that had been committed. Naïve? Maybe, but I’d had the opportunity to really get to know Tripp, and what I knew was that . . .
I loved him.
Unequivocally.
Even before he’d expressed his feelings for me, I knew I’d fallen for him. The way he’d treated me, the way he’d made it his mission to keep me safe, the way he’d smile at me, touch me, kiss me—it all proved he loved me well before he’d uttered the words.
After another restless night’s sleep, I’d finally decided to talk to Tripp and tell him everything.
I paced around the kitchen, glancing up at the clock for the millionth time that evening. How was I gonna broach the topic? Would I just blurt out, “I’m pregnant?” or would I beat around the bush, never quite finding the right words? What would happen if he didn’t want the baby? If he no longer wanted me? I tried to put myself in his shoes, but I couldn’t see past my own fears and paranoia. Our relationship was still new, and although we were learning more about each other every day, to introduce a baby now could destroy what we’d been trying to nurture.
My hand rested on my belly. I wasn’t showing yet. I’d suspected I was pregnant the night Tripp told me everything, but I needed to see a doctor to confirm what the three store-bought tests revealed. The doctor said I was around eight weeks, and when I’d done my calculations, I figured it had happened when we had sex in the shower, the only time we hadn’t used protection. We’d had discussions about birth control, both of us wanting to stop using condoms, but my body had always had a negative rea
ction to the pill. Funny thing was I’d made an appointment with a gynecologist to discuss other options. That appointment was set for the following week. I guessed there was no need to keep it anymore.
The roar of a motorcycle cut through my thoughts, increasing my anxiety over how our conversation would go. If Tripp decided that he wanted no part of the baby, or me going forward, then I’d walk away and raise him or her on my own. I knew it would be hard, and my heart would be broken, but my love for my unborn child was already growing deeper with each day that passed.
Taking a few deep breaths, I turned the handle of the front door, opening it up as Tripp walked up the front steps. I stepped back to allow him to enter, and as soon as he walked past me I knew I’d be more than heartbroken if he decided he didn’t want to be a father. I’d be devastated. Seeing him again only drove home how much I loved him.
He headed toward the living room, choosing to stand near the couch instead of taking a seat. “Why did you want to see me?” His question was straightforward, a small bout of hesitation wafting off him. He was nervous. Join the club.
My eyes raked over him as he stood in front of me. His dark hair was disheveled, and three-day-old stubble prickled his jawline. He looked tired, but he had also never looked more beautiful. Odd word to describe a man like Tripp, but it was the God’s honest truth. He was beautiful, inside and out. The rustle of his leather cut was a most welcome sound, and I had to remind myself to stop ogling him and get straight to it.
“Maybe you better sit,” I instructed, pointing toward the sofa directly behind him. Without a word, he plopped down on the cushions, glancing up at me and waiting for me to tell him the reason I’d asked to see him.
“Okay, you’re startin’ to freak me out,” he said, trying to grin but his expression fell flat. “Why don’t you come sit next to me?”
“I need the space.”
“Don’t you think I’ve given you enough space? I mean, I know it’s only been a week but I haven’t called you, or shown up at the club to bother you. For fuck’s sake, Reece, I told you I loved you and all you said was that you needed some time to think. I know you’re unsure of me because of what I did, but don’t tell me that you don’t sleep better at night knowing that sick fucker can no longer hurt you.” He took a deep breath, and I knew he would have continued had I not blurted out the real reason why I’d asked him to come over.
“I’m pregnant.” My eyes widened at my bluntness. I’d planned on a different delivery, but I wanted him to stop rambling and saying things that only made me feel badly about the way I’d chosen to handle things between us.
He rose to his feet, his presence overwhelming me more than normal. He took a single step closer. “What did you say?”
Was he angry? Disappointed? Happy? I couldn’t tell. His face was void of any expression.
“I’m . . . I’m pregnant.”
He reached for me but I retreated. I had no idea why. Was I preparing myself for the hurt I’d start to feel as soon as he uttered the words I feared? Was I still in a state of shock myself over the news that I was gonna be a mother? That my life was forever changed?
“Reece.” My name flowed from his lips, his tone soft yet commandeering. “Come here.” He reached out his hand and left it in midair, waiting for me to accept. He didn’t have to wait long. As soon as our palms touched, I felt his love. His acceptance. He drew me closer, the small quirk of his lips telling me everything. He wasn’t upset at all. The longer we looked at each other, the more apparent it became that Tripp was happy about my news.
“So you’re not upset?” His delicious smell intoxicated me, almost to the point that I’d forgotten what we were talkin’ about. Almost.
“Why would I be upset? Sure, it’s a shocker, one I’m not quite sure how to process right now seeing as how we always used a condom, but I could never be upset about you telling me you’re gonna have my kid.”
“It happened when we had sex that one time in the shower . . . when I had my period,” I blurted.
“That can happen?”
“Apparently,” I responded.
“Good to know for next time.” He chuckled, his attitude and demeanor toward the news making me love him that much more.
“There’s something else I have to tell you.” I snaked my hands around his neck and pulled him down so I could kiss him. He was so damn tall that sometimes I forgot how much shorter I was than him.
His breath tickled my lips. “If you tell me it’s twins, I think I’m gonna have to sit back down for a minute.” Although he was joking, I saw the flash of nervousness in his eyes.
“If I were having twins, I’d be joining you on that couch.”
“So what is it?” His arms held me close, his fingers interlocking behind my back.
“I love you.” No use in waiting a second longer to tell him how I felt. I should have said it the night he told me.
“That’s the hormones talkin’.” He tried to joke, but I knew he wanted to hear me say it again, possibly believing I hadn’t meant those three precious words.
“No it’s not.” I smiled before pressing my lips to his once more. I needed to taste him, to breathe his air into my lungs and steal a small piece of his soul for my own. “I love you. More than I ever thought I could love someone. Ever since the first day we met you made me feel safe and protected. You gave me back a piece of myself that’d been missing for as long as I could remember.” Tears welled up in my eyes, and although I told myself not to cry they came rushing forth anyway. “I can never repay you for that.”
“You just did,” he said, smiling before resting his hand on my belly.
Ryder
Knights Corruption MC Series, book 5
April 2017
To my hubby- thank you for your continued support while I lose myself for hours on end in my office. Thanks for holding down the fort and entertaining our furry children while I’m lost inside my head. Love you, baby!
A huge thank you to my family and friends for your continued love, encouragement and support. What a wild ride this journey has been, and hopefully will continue to be for many years to come.
To the ladies at Hot Tree Editing, both editors and beta readers, I can’t say enough great things about you. You continue to amaze me and I can’t wait until our next project together. You have been beyond fantastic!
To Clarise from CT Cover Creations, what can I say other than you’re freaking amazing, woman! Your work speaks for itself. I’m absolutely thrilled with each and every cover you’ve magically created for me. They just keep getting better and better, Tripp being number 10! Can you believe it? Rest assured, there are countless books in our future.
To Kiki, Ruth and all of the other amazing ladies at The Next Step PR- You work tirelessly to promote my work, and “thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate enough. For all of your love and support, and for helping to guide me through this wonderful book world we all love so much, I’m eternally grateful. And for the times I’m stressed beyond belief, you’re words of encouragement mean the world to me.
To Elmarie, thank you so much for taking the time to beta read Tripp. Your feedback enabled me to polish parts of the story that were missing that certain something. I’m beyond thrilled we’ve met and become friends, and I have no doubt you’ll be reading the next book very soon.
To Beth -Your love and support is truly priceless. I’m beyond thrilled we’ve become such dear friends. I don’t know what I would do without you! You cheer me on when I’m nervous, and celebrate when I succeed. Love you! Here’s to many more wonderful years to come.
To all of the bloggers who have shared my work, I’m forever indebted to you. You ladies are simply wonderful!
To all of you who have reached out to me to let me know how much you loved my stories, I am beyond humbled. Thank you so much, and I’ll continue to do my best to bring you stories you can lose yourself in, even if it’s only for a few hours.
And last but not least, I would li
ke to thank you, the reader. If this is the first book you’ve read from me, I hope you enjoy it. If this is yet another story from me you’ve taken a chance on . . . THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!
S. Nelson grew up with a love of reading and a very active imagination, never putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard until 2013.
Her passion to create was overwhelming, and within a few months she’d written her first novel, Stolen Fate. When she isn’t engrossed in creating one of the many stories rattling around inside her head, she loves to read and travel as much as she can.
She lives in the Northeast with her husband and two dogs, enjoying the ever changing seasons.
If you would like to follow or contact her
please do so at the following:
www.snelsonauthor.com
Email Address: [email protected]
Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Newsletter
Twitter
Instagram
Stolen Fate
Redemption
Addicted (Addicted Trilogy, Book 1)
Shattered (Addicted Trilogy, Book 2)
Wanted (Addicted Trilogy, Book 3)
Torn
Marek (Knights Corruption MC Series, book 1)
Stone (Knights Corruption MC Series, book 2)
Jagger (Knights Corruption MC Series, book 3)