Everything is red, and I don’t mean that in the sense of Addie’s blood staining my fingers. I’m going to kill Bobby.

“I shot it in the air, I didn’t—”

“It fucking ricocheted you, dumb fuck!” I shove him hard, and his face blossoms with a shade of red. He presses the gun to my chest, his nostrils flaring.

“I should have fucking shot you when I had the chance!”

“Yeah well, you better of make it count, fucker!” I stand up to him, ready to do whatever it means to protect Addie.

“You two shut the fuck up and help me get her inside!” Doc demands. Shit. Turning to help Doc I feel like an asshole. My girl is hurt and I’m here fighting her father.

Turning my vindictive temper toward Bobby off, I direct my attention toward my girl.

“You okay, baby?” I brush some hair from her sweaty face.

“Mmmhmm.” She smiles, and I can’t help the crooked grin that fits my face. She should be furious, slapping me or at least bitching at me and yet she’s strong.

“You’re my sunshine, you know that.” I caress her cheek, her own blood smudging her face.

The boys pick her up and rush her inside the club. Her mother yelling orders to everyone.

“Get me my bag. Get me some towels.”

Addie lays on top of the table in the chapel, and I hold her shaky hand.

Bobby glares at me from the other end of the table.

“Sweetheart, I am so sorry. I didn’t want to shoot either of you. I was just trying to make a point!” Bobby whispers to Addie, thinking I can’t hear him.

“You made a very stupid point!” Doc shoves him out of the way, she’s pissed, and she has every right to be.

“If you two would have just brought this to the table instead of hiding it—”

“Mom,” Addie interrupts. Her mother gives her a glance before closing her mouth and cleaning the wound.

“You’re pregnant?” Addie asks through the pain. Her eyes snap to Bobby’s before mine.

“Yeah, I am.” She smiles, and Addie smiles too.

“Ouch!” Addie hisses, her face scrunching up in pain.

I expand in the chest, my eyes darting between Addie and Doc.

“Is she okay? What’s happening?”

Doc gives me a look, one of irritation, but I don’t care.

“She’s fine. Why don’t you step outside until we are done?” Doc insists with narrowed brows.

“No,” I reply. I’m not going anywhere.

Her brows raise, and Bobby steps forward like he’s going to remove me from the room.

“I want him here,” Addie replies, squeezing my hand.

Her mother’s face takes on a soft look as she stares at me and Addie as if she is looking at herself and Bobby for the first time.

Blinking herself to reality, she begins to work her magic on my angel and lifts her dress to remove the bullet.

Addie is asleep on my bed, her side bandaged up. Doc did an amazing job at getting the bullet out. She never disappoints though. Sitting on the floor of my room, my knees bent, my fingers twist and turn the bullet that was inside of Addie moments before.

My mind playing with the shit that has been going on the last few days.

The men are not happy with my actions as of late. The entire club is in an uproar right now because of me and Addie. Plus, I attempted to keep Thad from them.

I bet my old man is about to shit himself, but this is why I wanted to be a prospect before taking a full rocker. I knew I would break rules, make my own, and set my own path. That’s how I’ve always worked and will continue to be. Jersey hops out from under the bed and lifts up on his back legs to peer up at the bed. He knows his momma is up there. He’s actually a cute little shit.

A light knock echoes through the door before it cracks open. The smell slipping through the cracks has me roll my eyes instantly.

Baby.

“Hey,” she whispers. Stepping in, I size her up with a death glare. Why the fuck is she here?

I notice her collarbone is bruised, and her left tit looks all bandaged up. I’d ask what happened, but that would imply I care. I don’t.

She almost looks normal in a hoodie and jeans, but her black heels scream same old Baby.

“How is she?”

“Do you really care?” I sneer, swinging my face to fully face her. She swallows and crosses her arms. “Why are you still here?”

“Bull. He said I could.”

I laugh, leaning my head against the wall.

“So you’re club ass then.”

Her mouth parts and her body swells defensively.

“I help out, do my part—”

“Call it whatever you want, I don’t give a shit, we’re done,” I say matter of fact. She’s like lice, you think you get rid of her only to find that one fucking nit.

Her head swings toward Addie and it enrages me. I don’t like the way she looks at her.

“Get out,” I mutter.

“Zane—”

I stand, my face inches from hers. Reaching out, she attempts to slide her hand across my chest, and I catch her wrist before she can make contact.

“You wanna fuck your way to the top, fine. But you and I are done, Baby. Got that?” I shove her hand to her own chest, and her eyes fill with tears.

“You always said we would never be a thing, but I thought over the years you just didn’t like to put a label on things. That I could—”

“Manipulate something that was never anything?”

She swipes at her fallen tear, and I take the opportunity to open the door for her.

Getting the hint, she slowly makes her exit.

“Oh, and Baby.” She stops with hopeful eyes. “If you ever lay a hand on Addie again, not even the club president will be able to save your ass.” That’s a promise.

Her eyes widen, and I shut the door in her face. I mean it, she wants to fuck the brothers, that’s fine, they can have my sloppy seconds, but she better not even look in Addie’s direction.

---

Making my way to the bed, I watch Addie sleep. She’s so fucking beautiful. I regret the day I pushed her away. I tried to do something good, something noble when I made it look like I was messing with Baby all those years ago.

That one good act is the only thing in my life of sins that I regret. I’ll never do what I think is right, again.

“Zane?” Addie mumbles, stirring in her sleep.

“I’m here,” I murmur against her temple. “How do you feel?”

She turns over on her back and smiles up at me. Her blue eyes reminding me of the ocean on its brightest day.

“This is way worse than the graze of the arm when we were kids.”

“Addie, this is all my fault.” Guilt hits the pit of my stomach like a rock.

A delicate soft hand reaches for me, and I look at the creamy skin of Addie’s hand.

“It was just an accident. I ran out there to you knowing the risk.” She shakes her head, and I run my hand through my hair anxiously. She should have never run out in front of me when Bobby was aiming at me. I was more afraid of her getting hurt than me.

“Are you thirsty?”

She winces, trying to adjust herself in the bed and I notice she’s tied up in her dress and it’s pressing against her wound. Pulling my knife from my back pocket, I flick the blade free and her eyes flash wide, but I don’t fault in what I’m about to do, I grab the middle of her dress and cut it all the way down. It looks like a robe with strands of string everywhere, and she’s nearly about to have a panic attack.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” she mutters, eyeing her dress laying in rags on top of her.

“It’s better than trying to climb out of it. Sit up, let me help you out of it,” I instruct, not caring about some damn dress.

Pressing on her lower back I ease her up, her body warm against my hand. She moans, and I can tell she’s in pain. I feel bad, I never meant for any of this to happen.

Once she’s up, I pull on the fabric to get it out from under her and help her arms out. Her bra and panties show, her beautiful creamy skin hard not to touch with my fingers.

She rubs her arms as if she’s suddenly cold, the air conditioner is on blast with so many bodies in the club. Piling the blankets up, I tuck her into them, making sure to be careful around her wound.

“If Bobby wasn’t your dad, I’d kill him, Addie,” I promise her. I don’t care if it’s an accident or not, my sunshine is hurt and that is not okay by me.

---

She smiles, and the rage that has been building in me while she’s been asleep slowly diminishes. “Kiss me,” she whispers.

Lowering myself, I kiss her. Our lips locking, and her tongue searching my mouth as if she’s been lost and I am her map to clarity.

Her arms wrap around me, her legs widening to invite me in.

“You’re hurt.” I try and slow things down.

“I’m fine. I just, I was so scared today all I want is you.” She pants, her nails scratching up my chest.

She rubs her nose against the side of my neck, the sound of her inhaling my scent causing my dick to shoot up like a fucking arrow. Jesus, the things this woman does to me.

“Addie, I’m different. I’m not normal, I know. But… can I keep you?” I whisper. After everything we’ve been through, I want to hear it and see it in her eyes.

Reaching out she rubs my chin. The touch making my entire face tingle.

“Always so serious,” she mocks, making me smirk. “You’re so stupid sometimes. You are exactly who I have wanted to be with since I was a teenager, Zane.”

Smashing my mouth to hers, I hear her inhale. My hand on the back of her neck I pull her closer to me. I want all of her, right now.

“Let me lock the door.” Pulling away from her, I lean across the room and lock the door. Our parents are drinking their sorrows away at the bar, which is just feet away.

---

Closing the gap, I am on her in seconds and carefully pulling the blankets from around her, making sure to watch her wound. I trail my fingers down her arm, across her armpit, and down her body to her injury. Rubbing my index finger in circles around it.

“You are the strongest woman I know, Addie.”

“You bring it out in me, Zane,” she rasps. My eyes shoot to hers and it occurs to me we bring the best out in each other. It’s not just me needing her, she needs me too. It feels good to feel needed.

Her hands trail down my chest to my belt buckle, undoing my jeans.

“There is something so sexy about the sound of a belt being unbuckled,” she whispers. Using my elbows, I lower myself and kiss the delicate skin right between her breasts. My left hand sliding down her belly before hooking a finger into her silky panties.

She fists my cock, and I hiss through clenched teeth. The intense buildup of desire rushes through my dick like a spider web.

Lowering my head a little lower, I bite at the fabric of her panties, and her stomach begins to tremble with every shaky breath she takes.

“You nervous?” My hot breath makes her creamy skin damp. Awaiting her answer, I can’t help but to touch her, my hand running up her pale thighs. Beauty marks marking her delicate skin.

“What if you don’t like it?” she asks. Vulnerability in her voice cute.

Inch by inch, I tug her panties down her thighs and toss them over my head.

“Impossible. I love everything about you, Addie.” My eyes lock with her scared ones.

Never taking my vision off her, I flick my tongue at her swollen clit and her eyes clench shut.

The taste of musk fills my mouth, but there’s something sweet behind it.

Spreading her wider, I insert a finger into her wet warmness and crook it just right so that I hit a spongy spot.

Her knees wobble and I know I’ve hit her G-spot, I plunge my hot mouth onto her pussy like a starved man.

She moans, her body arching into me as I lick and suck the orgasm from her. The way she moves, and sounds has me about to blow my fucking load on the bed.

She’s so wet, and warm in my mouth I continue to feast on her as I finger fuck her.

My knuckles skimming across the swell of her ass cheeks every time I slide my finger in and out of her.

“Oh my God!” she whispers as if she’s in pain, but it’s not pain. It’s pure fucking ecstasy. They can feel very similar but are different.

My cock twitches, veins protruding to the point it hurts. I gotta have her or I’m going to come.

Sitting up on my knees, I push her knees apart, her eyes half rolled into her head I don’t give her a chance to bounce back to reality before pushing myself inside of her tightness. My cock coats in her dripping wet pussy, the softness of it squeezing my cock like a vise.

She envelops her body around me, and I hold her close to me. Our hot labored breaths becoming one as I slowly fuck her.

The bed rocks and she rolls her head back and moans. Her hands wrapped around my neck as if I’m her only one, and my palms grasping each of her ass cheeks as I push her up on my dick over and over.

---

“Are you ready?” I ask, wanting to come at the same time. I’ve never done it with anyone, not sure it’s even possible.

She nods, panting.

Releasing one cheek, I grab her right tit and pull it free from her silky cup. I rub my palm over her breast, rubbing and tugging on it. This seems to make her wetter. She watches me as I move my hand to the side and bite down on her budded nipple. Her salty skin filling my mouth.

The sound that escapes her body next has me free falling into a cloud of fucking sunshine.

I grunt and pull her onto me harder. Needing more of her, all of her.

Her nails scrape across my back, causing a burning sensation to blossom as I fill her with my release. Pleasure races through my legs and causes my feet to cramp it’s so fucking intense.

Wrapped up in each other as we come down from our high, I lay down beside her and pull the blanket over us both. My cock still inside of her. I don’t want to leave her. Not yet.

She’s sweaty, and I can feel her heart beat against my chest as we lay there catching our breath.

Her heartbeat is so strong and delicate at the same time, it makes me wonder what mine sounds like.

Is it strong? Is it weak? Do I even have a heart worth feeling?

Brushing her hair off her shoulder, I kiss her, and wonder if after everything she’s finally mine?