Chapter Two

 

 

 

 

Pretty Boy felt her body relax against his and he kissed the top of Gabriella’s head, his body aching as he held her tightly. He inhaled deeply taking her soft lavender and smoke scent into his lungs. She was so damned perfect and she didn’t even know it. Over the past six months she’d been trying to get rid of him and he’d been ignoring her efforts. He wouldn’t allow her to push him out of her life now, any more than he had two years ago when he’d lifted her into his arms and carried her out of that shack where they’d found her.

From that moment on she’d belonged to him. It hadn’t mattered that she’d been destroyed by what they’d done to her, or that she didn’t know him from Adam—from that first moment when her eyes had met his, she’d been his. Even with her matted hair, and her bruised and dirt covered body, he’d known that Gabi was his. He had never even questioned his ownership of her and he certainly wasn’t going to start two—fucking—years later. Gabi would just have to get used to the idea that he wasn’t going anywhere. He closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her soft body.

He heard someone approaching and lifted his head seeing Mark walking up the path from his cabin looking grim. He came closer watching Pretty Boy holding his sister close with a frown. Pretty Boy didn’t even try to hide the possessive way he held Gabi to him with her small curvy body pressed against his hard chest and her little face burrowed into his neck as she slept in his arms. Her brother watched them for a long moment before he took the seat next to him, silently staring for a long moment.

“She had another nightmare,” Mark finally stated, his voice soft, almost a whisper.

“Yep.”

“Damn, I thought she’d stopped having them.” Mark said with a heavy sigh, his eyes haunted.

“No, she never stopped having them. She just got better at hiding them from everyone. I’ve been coming here every night to check on her, and when I can’t be here Log sits with her.” Pretty Boy shifted her slightly when she stirred seeking a more comfortable position for her. She settled after a moment sighing out a little breath against his neck that sent desire spiraling through him. He loved holding her like this, but sometimes it was torture.

“Fuck! I don’t know why I didn’t realize she was still having them. If I hadn’t stayed over at Margo’s place tonight you never would have said anything, would you?” Mark asked, glaring at him.

“You know how things are between us and you’re still asking me that?” Pretty Boy didn’t bother to deny Mark’s claim because the man was correct, he never would have told him about the nightmares. That was Gabi’s secret to tell, or not to tell and he wouldn’t have betrayed her. 

“I’m not sure I do know how things are between you two. I don’t really understand who she is to you. You haven’t patched her so she isn’t your old lady, but you seem to think you have certain rights to her person that I am not sure I like.” Mark’s head titled and he watched Pretty Boy silently, seeming to assess his reaction.

“She isn’t ready for my patch yet, but every single person in this club knows she belongs to me and that isn’t going to change.” He didn’t bother to sugar coat the truth for Mark. It was high time he realized that Gabi was no longer under his care. That honor had passed to Pretty Boy the second she’d allowed him to hold her for the first time.

“That’s not something you can say without a patch.” Mark grunted, a glower darkening his chiseled face.

“Trust me it is, and you’d do well to remember that. That’s the way it is. She’s mine and has been for a long time. She just needed time to accept it.” He didn’t raise his voice, his eyes held Marks steadily.

“I made a mistake not going to Bone when those bastards took her because I thought I was protecting her. I’ve had to live with that decision every single day, since then I’ve watched my sister—who used to be a bubbly, sweet girl—fight her way aback from hell. I won’t make that mistake again by allowing you to force her into a relationship she doesn’t want. I don’t care if you are a fully patched member or not. You can’t just decide she’s yours and take what she isn’t willing to give. I won’t let you.” Mark’s voice rose with every heated word.

“You need to keep your voice down so you don’t wake her. She barely sleeps as it is.” Pretty Boy growled a dark glare directed at the other man. “I admire your need to protect her, but she doesn’t need protection from me, Mark. I will never force her into anything. I will however push her to heal. She’s had years to work through her issues and discover who she is now, but she’s been coming to me for comfort since three days after her rescue. She needs me and I won’t ever deny her anything she needs. Including the push that will make her reach out and take the life she wants. She isn’t there yet, but she will be soon, and when she is you’re going to have to let her go.” Pretty Boy didn’t raise his voice, but he tightened his hold on Gabi who nuzzled his neck like a kitten.

Damn, he loved when she did that. It always sent desire spiraling through his body leaving him a little weak in the knees. Fuck the things Gabi did to him without even trying still managed to shock him. He couldn’t help the little groan that escaped his lips as her hand burrowed beneath his shirt resting on his chest. Mark watched them silently.

“What do you mean three days after her rescue? She was barely able to communicate, or even breathe back then.” Mark looked confused as his brow furrowed and his eyes clouded.

“Three nights after we found her I went on a short run with Log because Bone needed us to check on some things. There was a nasty storm and since it was nearly one in the morning I decided to head home to change clothes before I went to Doc’s to check on her. I walked up to my cabin, soaked almost to the bone by the rain, and was shocked to find her sitting in my rocking chair with a blanket wrapped around her. She still wasn’t even talking then, other than one-word answers and nods. I climbed the steps and asked if she was ok and she nodded. Her eyes looked so haunted, but when I opened the door to my house she stood and walked inside. She slept in my bed that night, and every night for nearly six months. I held her every night and she let me. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know then nothing I say will convince you that she’s already mine. Either she doesn’t know she belongs to me yet or she is trying to deny it, but whatever the reason, she’s nearly ready to admit that the way things are isn’t enough for her anymore. She needs more from me and even if she tries to push me away I will give her what she needs.” He watched the confusion on Mark’s face turn to shock, and then worry.

“What happened after six months that made her stop sleeping with you? Did you try to initiate sex, or did you tell her that you needed more or something?” Mark demanded, looking grim. Pretty Boy’s jaw clenched and his eyes lit with the fires of hell as he glowered at Mark.

“Hell no! I wouldn’t ever force or demand a sexual relationship she wasn’t ready for asshole! Nor would I be stupid enough to tell her I wanted another woman when she’s all I need. She overheard a conversation between two club members that set her off. They were talking about the fact that I was hanging around her and didn’t go near other women. She got it in her head that she had to learn to live on her own. It honestly pissed me off and ruined my fucking life for the last year and a half—those stupid bastards. Gabi is a little stubborn in case you hadn’t noticed.” He snorted.

Pretty Boy found himself shaking his head at the memories flooding him of how irritated he’d been the night he’d had to go searching for her. He hadn’t found her until the next day and he’d been beyond livid when she’d explained that he deserved a whole woman and not the fractured shell of one. After that night, she’d refused to stay with him and he’d known trying to force her into it would only end up making her run. Not that he would have allowed her to get away, but he’d still been worried back then that he’d frighten her if he pushed too hard because of what she’d been through.

Now, however, he would push because she was strong enough to take the pressure without breaking. From that night on he’d just did what he’d done tonight and shown up at her place to see if she was waiting on him. Most nights she was here sitting by the fire, but on the good nights he waited for her to come outside with his arms aching to hold her. On those nights, he sat here and fought to allow her the space she was trying to put between them while everything inside him screamed for him to claim her.

“You’re telling me she came to you and not me?” Mark asked, his voice cracked.

“Mark, it isn’t because of what happened, it’s because she’s mine and she knows she was always meant to be mine, even if she is trying to fight it. She doesn’t blame you for what happened to her. You thought she was safe as long as you did what they told you to do. Yes, it was a stupid move, and if you’d told Bone what was happening from the beginning we might have saved her from some of the pain she suffered, but she doesn’t blame you. You made a mistake that cost both you and her nearly everything. Her coming to me isn’t about you, it’s about us. Our connection is strong and from the second our eyes connected it was set in stone. In that moment, we were both changed forever. I know that even if I had met her before she was taken, the bond between us would have been the same.” He didn’t bother hiding his feelings for Gabi. Over the past year and a half, he’d come to realize that denying the truth would not do either of them any favors.

Gabi leaving his bed after those two idiots had opened their mouths and said that stupid shit had taught him that he should have spoken up long before he did. He’d almost fucking killed Rock and Gator for talking shit where Gabi could hear them. At the time, he hadn’t understood what was happening between them. He should have known after watching all his friends—men he would have sworn weren’t the type—fall in love. Each one had found the woman for them and grabbed hold with both hands. It wasn’t until he’d been denied her soft body pressed against his every night, that he’d realized she was all he needed—hell, all he’d ever need.

“You don’t know that it’s not because of my mistake. I fucked up. Hell, I nearly got her killed and because of me she was repeatedly raped and beaten. Every day I fucking waited she was being hurt by those bastards! It’s why I will never forgive myself, even if Bone and the club do. I’m the reason she was in those asshole’s hands for so long. Fuck, I can barely live with myself. I almost wish Bone had killed me, but then I realize that I deserve to suffer while I watch a pale lack luster version of my sister walk around. That’s my punishment. I won’t allow you to force her into being your old lady. I didn’t protect her when I should have and I refuse to make that mistake again Pretty Boy. I will protect her.”

“I already told you that I would never force her, but I also won’t walk away. Gabi will have the final say in any relationship we have, but she needs a little push over the edge or she will try to put up road blocks that will only serve to hurt her more. I won’t allow that.” He knew he was being stubborn himself, but he needed Mark to understand that trying to stop him from being with Gabi was a lost cause.

“Are you sure you aren’t seeing what you want to see here, Pretty Boy? Maybe it’s not how you think it is and she might not ever let you touch her the way you want to. Have you accepted that she may be too ruined for what you want from her?” Mark asked.

“I’ll tell you what I told her. If nothing changes I can live with that, but what I can’t do is live without her. She’s scared and she has every right to be frightened after what she went through, but I would never hurt her. Not physically or emotionally. She made her choice a long time ago when she walked from Doc’s clinic to my front porch. She chose when she walked into my house that night and slept in my bed for months in my arms. She’s still choosing me by letting me come here and hold her every night when she’s afraid. Haven’t you noticed that she never lets anyone touch her? I have. Anyone tries and she flinches, but she’s never objected when I’ve touch her. Not even once.” Pretty Boy sounded smug, but he didn’t care.

“Fuck man. I don’t know what to say. I never really thought about it, but you’re right. She doesn’t let anyone touch her. Even me. Fuck, I didn’t notice because you’re right, she always lets you touch her.” Mark suddenly looked god smacked by the realization.

“Like I said. I have this under control.”

“How can you be ok with her never letting you—shit. You know what I’m asking.” Mark muttered, looking uncomfortable as he shifted back and forth in his chair.

“I love her. Even without sex I will learn to deal, as long as I have her. I don’t think it’s going to be as big of an issue as you both think. Sure, it will be rough and she will likely have flash backs. It’s very likely she will end up feeling like she’s failing me before we get the kinks worked out, but we will manage it. She was repeatedly raped and it’s going to leave scars, but they don’t make me love her any less.” The conviction in his tone wasn’t faked because he could already tell that she wanted him. She just wasn’t ready to give in to what she wanted, but she would get there.

“Damn, I wish I could share your confidence but—fuck. You hurt her by fucking around with another woman and I will cut your balls off. You know that, right?” Mark said looking at him. Tired of rehashing this conversation, Pretty Boy rose to his feet with Gabi in his arms.

“I appreciate you trying to look out for her, but it’s not something you need to worry about. I will never betray her. She’s too damned important to me. Now I need to lay her down so she doesn’t end up waking up.” He started towards the house, Gabi still cuddled close as he took the stairs to her little one room cabin. Mark had followed him and opened the door for Pretty Boy.

“Good luck, man. I won’t stand in your way unless you hurt her.”

“I won’t.”