Chapter Thirty-Three
Jo
I sat straight up in bed, my heart pounding from a dream I didn’t remember. Buffalo Bill, maybe?
It was morning and gray light streamed in through the crack in the blackout curtains. We’d gotten through the night. The deal was done and the only thing left to do was go home. I sank back down against the hotel pillows. What would happen once we got back to Tacoma? Back to real life?
“You okay, babe?” Clint asked, his voice thick from sleep, but alert. He snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me against his naked body. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Rolling over to face him, I propped myself up on my elbow and studied his face. A day’s worth of growth made his cheeks a little rough. There were circles under his eyes. This trip had taken a toll on both of us.
“When we get back home,” I whispered, “are you going to dump me again? With no warning?” I searched his eyes, looking for an answer. “I can’t go through that again.”
“Oh shit,” he hissed. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Come here, babe. Let me hold you.” I scooted closer and laid my cheek his chest. “I really fucked up when I did that, didn’t I?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, trying to get the word out through the hitch in my throat. After everything last night, I knew I loved him, but I also wanted to make sure that I didn’t make another mistake. “Promise me you’ll never do that—cut me out.”
Clint grabbed my waist and rolled so that he was propped against the pillows and I was resting on his chest, my legs on either side of his hips. “Baby,” he started, “I’m gonna make a lot of promises and I’m gonna keep them all, okay?”
I kissed his chest and waited for him to continue.
“If I have doubts or problems or fears, I’m gonna tell you, and we’re gonna talk about it. If I’m not sure what to do, I’m gonna tell you and we’re gonna talk about it. If I think about gambling ever again, I’m going to tell you and we’re gonna talk about it. Do you understand? I know that I was a douchebag by just ending things between us and not explaining my reasons and my fears. I promise that I will always respect you enough to include you in that conversation and I’m sorry I didn’t before. I love you.”
“I love you.” I kissed him and angled my hips so that his dick was at my opening, and then I began to ride.
“I love you,” I repeated. Over and over.
* * *
Clint still had some things to tie up with the Silver Souls in Reno, so I took a flight back home. I spent the night in the college’s twenty-four-hour library cramming for my state boards. It was hard to put everything that happened in Reno behind me so I could focus, but I managed.
By the time I got to the State Health building in downtown Seattle where the test was being held, I was ready. Exhausted—but ready. The first part of the test was the practical. I knew I aced that part, but then I had to take the knowledge test. That was the big computerized test of medical terms. Anatomy, physiology, microbiology, charting, hospital process, the test had it all. After three hours, I hit Submit and the computerized test began to calculate my results. I squirmed in my seat as the little wheel on the computer spun and spun.
The computer dinged and I forced myself to look at the screen.
Test Result: PASS
Holy crap. I’d done it. I was gonna be a registered nurse. I let out a long breath. I’d worked at this goal for four years. There it was, the word PASS.
My knees shook as I walked out of the building.
“Hey!” Rachel called from across the lobby. She’d taken her test in a different room. “Did you pass? I passed!”
“I passed too!” I shouted, and she caught me in a big bear hug.
“We did it!” She pulled back and had tears in her eyes.
Soon all of my classmates were pouring out of the building and joining us on the front steps. We still had graduation coming, but this was our biggest milestone. A few were comparing scores, but most of us were handing out hugs and handshakes. I was talking to Cassie, one of my study partners from the first year, when the crowd quieted and then an anxious murmur ran through everyone.
“He looks like trouble,” Cassie said, looking over my shoulder. “Wonder what he wants with us?”
I turned to see who everyone was talking about. Dressed head to toe in black leather was a very dangerous-looking biker—Clint. He was holding his helmet, so he must have ridden pretty much all night from Reno.
After running down the steps, I threw my arms around him. In a sea of blue and green scrubs, the man in black leather swept me off my feet and spun me around.
“I take it this means you passed?” he asked, setting me back down.
“Yes!” I squealed.
“You must be Clint,” Rachel said from behind me. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Clint was a good sport as I introduced him to all of my friends from nursing school. I could see the lines under his eyes. He was tired and I kept things short.
“You ready to go?” I asked. “Where are you parked? I’ll follow you home.”
“Roach is waiting at your car.” He grabbed my hand and we started walking toward his bike. “And we’re going straight to the clubhouse.”
My stomach dropped to my knees and not in a good way. “Is there something wrong? Is it about what happened in Reno?”
“Yeah, it’s about Reno.” He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “There’s a party happening and we need the guest of honor—that’s you.”
“Me? My honor?” I asked, confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Tate wants to honor the newest badass friend of the Demon Horde.” He offered me his hand. “That’s you, by the way. And I want to ride in to the club with you on the back of my bike, so that everyone knows you’re my old lady. What do you say?”
“Yes!” The word caught in my throat, but I willed myself not to cry. This was my first ride and I wanted to remember every minute. He showed me where to put my foot and I squeezed his hand as I got on the bike behind him. I buckled on a helmet and then wrapped my hands around his waist. “Yes.”