Kage

I walk out of church with a banging headache. I wish I’d had more time in bed with Tamar but we only got a few hours before Felix woke me up. Brothers from other charters were already riding in. Word got out real quick and that’s something this brotherhood values; having each other’s back.

Not only that, but this means a change for the whole fucking Earth. We’re taking something back for each and every one of us. So, we had the meeting earlier than I thought we would. Don’t have a solid plan yet, but it’s close enough.

I still need to relay all the information we discussed to Tamar and the rest of our group, though I damn well know she won’t be happy. At first, I want to suggest that my Old Lady needs to stay with her sister, but I know deep down that isn’t anything Tamar will do; stay home like a good wife.

Yes, wife. Because she’s my woman, my Old Lady, and the future mother of my children. The thing is…she’s also been a bounty hunter her whole goddamned life and if I, her Old Man, order her to stay home, even if it’s to protect her sister, she won’t appreciate it.

Still, she needs to know I won’t take a careless risk with anyone’s life, especially if they don’t have to be in the crossfire. That means Dessa should stay here at the clubhouse where she’ll be safe. Lars demanded it, which goes to show that the man cares deeply for her, even if it’s common sense that she stay behind. Not that Dessa will be all too happy getting stuck here in the clubhouse when it goes on full lockdown.

“Hey.” Tamar walks up to me and I can tell that’s all the greeting I’m getting—and it’s nowhere near enough.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me,” I growl and pull her flush against my body as I slam my mouth over hers. Giving her the welcome I need my woman to give me, devouring her mouth thoroughly before I pull back.

She opens her eyes and clears her throat. Yeah. Much better.

I brush my knuckles along her cheek. “Lemme fill you in on a few things. But Tamar?” I take a moment so she knows this isn’t something that’s up for discussion. “Dessa’s going to have to stay here in full lockdown. We don’t want her in harm’s way, and Lars wants her to stay safe.”

Tamar narrows her eyes but I can see the wheels turning inside her head while she thinks things over. “I need to be the one to let her know. It needs to be my decision or she won’t listen. She’s stubborn with these things. I mean…she knows fighting and hunting aren’t her strong points but she won’t like being left behind. Not if all of us are going.”

When her one eyebrow goes up in a challenge, as if daring me to leave her behind, it spikes my heartrate. Yeah, like I said, like hell would I be able to lock this woman up, even if I’m just trying to keep her safe.

I take a step away from her and hold up my hands. “Hey, I wouldn’t dream of not having you by my side.”

“Good,” she snaps. “Now, tell me the rest so we can talk things through.”

I start to explain the highlights while we walk down the hallway until we’re standing in front of the booth where Lars, Ramon, Virgil, and Dessa are sitting. Tamar slides in across from her sister as I grab a chair to sit at the head of the table.

I decide to let Tamar do the talking and it’s a good thing I’m sitting where I am because I can keep both Lars and Dessa on one side of the table, preventing either of them from stalking out of here.

“Think, Dessa,” Tamar tells her sister in a pleading voice. “We’re not doing this to push you out. It’s simply the most logical thing to do given the danger we’re going into. It’s one risk I’m not willing to take. We’re not picking up donuts here.”

“Ditch the nerd and leave the risky part to the experts, huh?” Dessa sneers. “Geez, thanks.”

“It’s my decision they’re supporting,” Lars throws out, earning a hurtful look from Dessa. “I won’t be able to fucking focus if I have to protect you.”

“So, I’m just a weak, useless, meat sack that’s going to get in the way of your ability to function. Gotcha.” Dessa’s voice is filled with defeat while she sags down in her seat and remains silent for the rest of our discussion.

When we all head back to our rooms to get some more rest, Tamar still hasn’t said a thing about her sister, who’s ignoring Lars and just entered the room Ramon and Virgil share with Cashwell.

Lars tries one more time to get Dessa to talk to him, to come inside the room they shared the night before but it’s no use. She doesn’t even acknowledge him. Tamar watches as her sister just takes a seat, grabs some electronic thing and starts to fiddle with it. Hell, I don’t even know what electronic shit she’s working on. All I see are wires, a screwdriver and different tiny parts gathered on her lap while she ignores every single one of us.

Tamar laces her fingers with mine and steps out of their room and walks to ours, right next to theirs. When we’ve closed the door behind us I wait for her to say something but she just turns and launches herself at me. Holding on as if she needs me to gather her strength.

It’s then I realize she’s never had someone to take over, to share or to lean on. She’s always the one who’s in charge and taking the hits of failure or victory, surviving from one moment to the next while everyone relies on her.

“I’ve got you, kitten,” I murmur into her hair while I hold her close. “I’ve got you. Together we can face anything,” I promise and I can feel her shiver in my arms.

After a long moment she pulls back as her hands slide to my face. It’s as if she’s taking the moment to brand it into her memory, making sure she’s got all the details right before she feathers her lips over mine.

“Thank you.” It’s just a whisper of words and yet it’s the most precious gift another person has given me.

It’s not only appreciation from the woman I’ve fallen hard for, but the trust and friendship; all of it falling into place.

“Come on.” I drag her toward the bed and start to strip away all of our clothes.

Holding up the sheet, we both slide underneath and I pull her close. This isn’t about fucking, this is all about the comfort of being in each other’s presence. The love we surround one another with. Even if we’ve only been together for a short period of time, it doesn’t matter.

Some people are with one another for years and may never reach this level of intimacy or understanding. Hell, some never do. They just take what they can get so they don’t end up alone. Fuck that. I found the one thing I thought never existed. I don’t have to bury my cock to the hilt to feel the comfort and release her body can give me. Fuck no. It’s everything about her that makes me want to spend the rest of my life with her. And I sure as fuck will fight for it, even if it kills me. Anything for her.