Michelle
How the heck was I supposed to act after that?
Not after the sex. After the sex, I fell asleep. He didn’t hold me anymore, though. I slept closer to him than I did the night before, but still not touching.
It was for the best because I had no stinking idea how to come back from the little slip up toward the end. I told him I was his. What the hell was I thinking?
And he said it first, which was even more mind-blowing. I thought about it as I was falling asleep, and I remembered what Mac said about guys feeling protective toward women. He probably thought I was his in that he had saved me from danger. Hey, if that was what it took, more power to him.
But it didn’t mean I was his going forward. Did it?
How did I feel, anyway? I reminded myself not to fall in love with him just because he’d rescued me. It was easy to fall for a guy when he got you out of a jam. I remembered one time when a stranger pulled over to the side of the road to help me change a flat. By the time the spare tire was firmly fixed to the car I was convinced we were meant to be. And that was just a measly tire change, not saving me from rape and murder.
I was still thinking about it when I fell asleep, and it was the first thing on my mind when I woke up. How was I supposed to act around him?
It took a moment to realize I was alone, and I rolled over and sat up in surprise. “Eric?” I called out, clutching the blankets to me. I heard the fear in my voice and reminded myself I was a grown woman, not a scared little girl. There was nothing that could hurt me, not when he was around to protect me. I was sure of it.
I just needed him actually to be around.
I heard his voice, and relief flooded my body. “In the kitchen!” I sighed, holding my hand over my thumping heart. I couldn’t believe how scared I was just being alone in his bed.
I dressed quickly, spent a minute in the bathroom, then went downstairs. I wondered what could possibly be happening in there. He certainly didn’t cook.
And he wasn’t cooking when I found him. He was seated at the table with three other men. One was much older, with a long white mustache to match his white hair. I knew instinctively he had to be Spike. I had no idea who the other two were—younger, handsome enough, both solidly built with dark hair and dark eyes.
“Guys, this is Michelle. Michelle, this is Joe, Pete and Spike.” I knew it. Then, Eric added, “Joe and Pete were with me yesterday.”
I pulled the two of them up out of their chairs and gave them the tightest hugs I could manage. “Thank you so much,” I blubbered. I needed a tissue after that, and I left the room to clean my face up.
When I got back, Eric handed me a cup of coffee. “These guys were nice enough to go to the store and get some actual food in this place. I don’t like the idea of delivery men coming and going.”
“Why?” I looked around the room. All of the faces looking back at me were stern, tight.
“We have to keep the house under pretty tight surveillance,” Spike said. “After what happened to you yesterday, and an attack on some of the men two nights ago, we know that a rival gang is stalking our members, so to speak. Their leader has a thing out for Eric here.”
“He’s the one who sent the guy to ambush me,” Eric said, his voice quiet. I stared at him in shock.
“What’s his problem? What did you do to him?”
“He just fucking hates me, that’s all. Sorry to be so crude, but it’s true.” He had never apologized for being crude before. Who was this new person in front of me? I couldn’t help but remember what he said in bed.
“It’s all right,” I assured him. “So he hates you, and he wants to hurt you. I get that. So, what, he had his men follow me to my house yesterday?”
“Yeah. We heard on the streets they screwed up a kidnapping. I’m sorry it happened.”
I shrugged. “You couldn’t help it. I’m just glad my saviors came after me. So what next?”
The four of them exchanged looks. “Nothing you need to be worried about,” Eric said.
“Are you sure about that?” I shot him a meaningful look. I wanted to remind him of what we said without actually coming out and saying it.
“Maybe we should go,” Spike said, clearing his throat.
“Yeah, I’ll see you later. And, Michelle, these two will be sitting out front all day.” He motioned to Joe and Pete.
“Why? I mean, that’s nice and everything, but why do we need them? Won’t you be here?”
He looked uncomfortable, and the others left in a big hurry. Once the front door closed, he looked at me.
“No, I won’t. I have to take care of a few things.”
I felt cold again, and I wrapped my arms around myself. He put his arms around me.
“I’m sorry. You’re perfectly safe here,” he said.”
I rested my head on his chest and sighed. “So why the guard out front?”
“That’s who will make sure you’re safe,” he said with a smile in his voice.
“What are you doing?” I pulled back, searching his face for any sign of a plan. “Something dangerous?”
“When do I ever do dangerous things?” he asked, grinning.
“I mean it. You said it yourself last night. Don’t leave me here by myself. Don’t not come home.”
He smiled more genuinely this time. “You really care whether I come home?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Nobody ever did before.”
“So all the more reason why you should.” I kissed him gently, then wrapped my arms around his shoulders and squeezed. I closed my eyes and prayed for him to stay safe. I wasn’t sure what I would do without him anymore.
###
“He said what?”
“I know, I know.” I paced the floor like I always did when I was stuck on something. I couldn’t get out of my head the way Eric told me I was his. “And I agreed with him,” I mumbled.
“Holy crap, girl! What the hell?” Mac was clearly flabbergasted, screaming into the Bluetooth device in her car on the way to work.
“I know, okay? It was in the heat of the moment.”
“What happened after that?”
“Like, when we were having sex?”
“No. Duh. Afterword. Did either of you say anything about it?”
“No. it’s like it never happened.”
“It definitely happened.”
“Obviously. I don’t know what to do now. It’s out there.”
“Did you mean it?”
I sat down on the couch. “I don’t know.”
“You do. You just don’t want to say it.” Then she honked and cursed out another driver, making me laugh and breaking the tension.
She turned her attention back to me and her voice was kinder. “Listen. It’s okay if you meant it. Really. No judgment. There’s no telling why two people come together. It was just fated. You can’t help it.”
“It just doesn’t seem like me at all, does it?”
“No, it doesn’t,” she agreed. “Maybe this was who you were waiting for all this time, and you just didn’t know it.”
“Yeah, a biker who just got out of prison.”
“He just what?” she asked, her voice getting a little shrill. I heard a noise at the door—Eric. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Let me let you go. He’s back. I’ll call you later.” I hung up and stood with a smile, ready to greet him with open arms. Mac was right. Maybe it was meant to be. I was willing to embrace it, no matter what it meant.