Chapter Twelve
The next few weeks passed with very little drama. I wasn’t thrown from any moving vehicles or kidnapped. My bruises and skin had healed, and I was relieved to look like myself again.
Cole and I found a comfortable rhythm with our living situation. I had to admit that his place had begun to feel more like home, despite the fact that I hadn’t unpacked any of my boxes. I knew it was largely due to my stubbornness, but I also wanted a chance for us to settle into something that felt like normalcy before I took that plunge. The only minor flare-ups that erupted involved my work schedule. Cole really didn’t like when I worked the late shift, but I was adamant. He’d already paid one month’s worth of my bills and that wasn’t happening again. So one of the guys took me to work and picked me up when Cole wasn’t available. Other than that, I loved being under the same roof as Cole. I loved coming home to him and having him come home to me. It felt natural, and I was happier than I’d ever been in my life. I was trying not to let that scare the crap out of me.
I heard the garage door and the rumble of Cole’s Harley as I put the groceries away that I just bought. It was Friday evening and Wes had been nice enough to take me to the store so I could cook dinner for Cole and me. I hated relying on someone to take me places, but the guys had all been so generous and patient about it.
“Hi, babe,” he greeted, kissing my neck as I put away a six pack in the fridge.
“Hi. I thought I’d cook dinner.” I smiled up at him.
“Sounds good I’m starved,” he said while grabbing a beer. I watched his eyes sweep the room, eyeing my unpacked boxes without comment as he did every evening. I knew it bothered him that I hadn’t unpacked but he hadn’t brought it up. “Who took you to the store?” he asked, his eyes returning to me.
“Wes,” I answered as I put a pot of water on to boil.
He nodded without comment, his gaze returning to my boxes.
“He’s having some people over later – want to head over there after dinner?” I asked hopefully. I was in the mood to let loose after feeling a bit like a caged animal all week.
“Alright,” he agreed.
He sat with me while I whipped up some pasta, garlic bread, and salad. Nothing fancy, but he seemed to appreciate every meal I made.
“Pop took another meet with the Sinners,” he shared after we dug in.
“Oh?” I asked curiously. There hadn’t been any news on Jake or Victor but that wasn’t for lack of effort. I knew Cole and the boys were spending a majority of their time hunting. It worried me, especially when Cole was gone late into the night. But Cole was not the type of man you could voice concern over. He had his pride and I respected that.
“The only good to come out of this shit is that it brought the clubs back together. We have the same agenda and priority, to bring those mother fuckers down. You have our protection and theirs as well. Not that I’d let any of those boys take direct responsibility for you,” he shared. “Years back it was far more beneficial for both clubs to work together so once this storm has passed, I see good things,” he added taking a swig of beer.
“Did they vote in the new prez?” I asked. Cole had gotten word that the Sinners would be voting any day now.
“Yep, it’s Henry,” he said as he grinned.
I grinned back, they couldn’t have picked better. “Finally someone deserving of the title,” I sighed, feeling a relief that surprised me. “My dad would love that,” I added quietly.
Cole reached over and took my hand in a brief squeeze.
“I wish you could have met him. He would have loved you,” I said, meeting his gaze.
“Me too, babe,” he agreed while giving me another squeeze before returning to his meal. That was his way of giving me a second with my thoughts and I loved him for it.
Later that night Connie, Ettie, Kat, and I were hanging out in Wes’s backyard drinking beers. I felt utterly content to be with my girlfriends and to watch my man from across the fire pit. He stood talking with Sal, his gaze sweeping over to me every few minutes. My stomach pitched every time our gaze met. I wondered if he’d always have such a powerful effect on me, though I felt pretty confident that he would. When he looked at me with that blue-eyed, intense stare, I felt like we were the only two people in the world.
“You have it bad,” Connie said as she giggled and I tore my eyes from Cole and blushed.
“Yeah, I do,” I admitted shamelessly.
“You’re no better,” I teased, throwing my bottle cap at her. She and Wes were constantly affectionate—it was almost nauseating.
“I know, I know,” she said as she laughed.
“I wish Sal was more affectionate in public,” Kat grumbled. It had been one of the points of contention between them.
“Have you seen the way he looks at you?” I asked her with a reassuring smile. “He may not be overly affectionate around us, but no one would doubt the way he feels,” I assured her.
“True,” Connie backed me up with a smile.
We grinned at each other just as gunshots rang through the night air. It was as though time stopped when I saw Cole, Wes, Mack, and Sal rush to us as screams and chaos broke out around us. Cole’s hard body hit me like a truck as he threw me to the ground and covered me with his body. I was collected enough to see that the other guys were doing the same. Even in my panicked state I registered how lucky we were to have such loyal, protective men. It was seconds after the blasts stopped that Cole heaved me up and pulled me to the house almost roughly, shielding me with his body the entire time. He looked me over, his eyes sweeping my body to make sure I was okay before his eyes turned with fury toward the street.
“Mack’s hit,” Sal informed us harshly looking nearly as pissed off as Cole did. All the men were seething at the blatant attack on the club and its women.
“Mother fucker. How bad?” Cole demanded.
“Shoulder, not life threatening. Got hit shielding Ettie. Better him than her. Hank’s coming to take him to the ER once we give the all clear,” he said, his eyes glimmering with anger.
“Good,” Cole said, pulling his phone out and in a few short words delivering the news to his father.
He hung up and turned to me. “You okay?” he asked, his tone harsh. This was not a time for soft assurances.
I managed to nod.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
“What? You’re leaving?” I asked incredulously.
“Wes, Tag, Xander, you’re with me,” he ordered instead of answering me. “Sal, Axel stay with the women,” he barked, his anger palpable.
My body was shaking from the shock of being shot at. The fact that Cole was leaving to head directly into the source of danger did nothing for my nerves.
Cole turned to me and stooped slightly to meet my eyes, his hands cupping the sides of my face. “Stay here, listen to Sal. Once all’s clear someone will take you home if I’m not able to.”
A calm resolve came over me as I nodded. I knew with crushing clarity that he needed me to be strong and to accept his directive with no question. If I was going to stand beside him as I wanted to with all my heart, than at times like this I needed to be a source of strength for him rather than a drain on his reserves.
Wes stalked over and grabbed the back of my neck with surprising force. “Take care of Connie, okay?” We both looked over and it was clear that Connie was falling to pieces. “You’re not even shakin’,” he muttered. It was obvious that the last thing he wanted to do was leave. Giving me the responsibility of taking care of her wasn’t done lightly, and I didn’t take it for granted.
“I promise,” I nodded, meeting his fierce gaze. Kat looked better than Connie but not by much. It was clear that I needed to step it up and I fell into my role with ease.
I gave Cole an assuring look to let him now I had it under control, and I walked off toward my girls offering beers and a promise of a rom-com marathon.
“She’s got this,” I heard Wes rumble with confidence as they grabbed their jackets and made a rapid exit.
“She does,” I heard Cole reply as they strode out the door, his tone filled with fierce adoration and a confidence that I was determined not to betray.
After two movies and more chocolate ice cream than beers, the three of us started to drift off. Sal and Axel had taken their job as protectors extremely seriously and they stayed discretely armed and took frequent laps of the small property. Sal had shown an unusual amount of affection toward Kat, clearly worried about her. When he wasn’t walking the property or talking on the phone outside of hearing range, he had an arm around his girl. Despite the evening’s events I was glad to see it.
“Scarlet,” a deep voice rumbled waking me from my uncomfortable slumber on the leather couch. “Time to go home.”
I woke up and groggily peered up to see Wes hunched down over me. “Where’s Cole?” I asked, my voice raspy with sleep.
“He’ll be a little while longer,” he answered, and I knew he didn’t plan to elaborate. I also knew not to ask any more questions and I rose silently to follow him to his bike.
“Connie’s okay,” I told him quietly when we’d parked at the curb in front of Cole’s house.
“Thank you,” he answered gruffly. Despite his rough demeanor his gratitude was undoubtedly sincere.
I’d grown to really like Wes.
He did a very thorough walk-through of Cole’s place before gesturing for me to go inside. It occurred to me that I wished we had a guard dog at times like this so I wouldn’t have to be alone. But in the end, I was too tired to be worried and I fell into a deep sleep soon after Wes left the house to park himself out front until Cole got home.
What felt like minutes later, but could have been hours, I woke up to tingles shooting straight to my toes and an arch in my back. Cole was settled between my legs and I moaned coming fully awake as his tongue worked magic at my core. He brought me nearly to the brink before he moved up and sunk fully inside of me.
“Cole,” I breathed as he pulled out and glided back in. This wasn’t his typical punishing rhythm. It was slow and sweet. “Love you, Cole,” I moaned, feeling the momentum build inside of me.
He kissed my neck and brought his lips to my ear. “Unpack, babe,” his voice was low and full of promise.
“Cole…” my voice trailed off.
“Life’s too short, babe. Unpack,” he demanded, holding himself still inside of me when I desperately wanted him to move. “And I’m not talking about for a few weeks. I’m talking permanently,” he added.
“This is sexual coercion,” I argued breathlessly.
He reared up, his arms braced at either side of my head. His eyes glimmered with intensity as they stared down into mine. “Scarlet, I love you. I want us to share a roof. Unpack,” he said again.
“Okay,” I agreed finally. There just wasn’t any arguing with him, not that I truly wanted to anyway.
“Okay,” he whispered, pressing his lips to mine. I didn’t know what happened that night, but something sinister had transpired. I could see it in his face and in his clear need to keep me close. He began to move once more, this time faster and with more determination. It wasn’t long before we were both moaning out our release.
He rolled off of me but pulled me close into the crook of his arm. “You can’t take it back you know,” he pointed out, his tone mildly teasing.
I laughed softly. “I don’t want to,” I said as I shook my head, feeling satiated and relieved he was home safe. “I was wondering though…” I trailed off.
“What?” he asked.
“Can we maybe get a dog? I was thinking tonight that it would have been nice to have a guard dog or something,” I told him while biting my lip. “More for company than anything else,” I mumbled. Before I could stop myself I continued. “And it would have to be a dog that would be good with kids too, you know just in case we, you know, someday.” I was rambling now.
“Yeah, we can do that babe.” He squeezed me, his tone surprisingly pleasing.
“Is Mack okay?” I asked worriedly.
“He’s fine,” he assured me. “Just a flesh wound. He’ll be released tomorrow.”
“You okay?” I asked quietly.
“Yeah, babe. But I’m wiped, let’s get some sleep,” he replied not welcoming further conversation. I’d let him have that for now. I didn’t want to push him and I trusted him to tell me what I needed to know, while sparing me the details of what I might not.