Sage

The words fell out of my mouth, and as soon as she darted off down the hall, I felt like a fucking dick. I have no right to be jealous, but when I came to the door and saw the two of them there together, fucking laughing, I was pissed. Pissed she was sitting so close to Wiz. Pissed she was even in the same room as the fucker. But most of all, I was pissed he was making her laugh. Something I could never do. Not even if I wanted to, and, fuck, did I want to. I wanted to have her body wrapped around mine, have her trembling beneath me, but I also wanted her laughter. Own every fucking smile that graced her lips. I wanted to be the one who made her smile and kept that smile there. Always being the one who made tears fall from her bright blue eyes wasn’t the person I wanted to be to her. “Fuck,” I curse to myself as I take off after her.

It’s dark, the small sliver of the moon giving barely any light to the clubhouse grounds. Four big overhead lights blanket the space between the shop and the main building, shining bright, but I know I won’t find her in the light. Taking a guess, I look out toward the cemetery, watching for any sign of movement.

Nothing.

Glancing around the area, I still find nothing—until I focus toward Rock’s house. The cabin. A light is on, making me smile. She walked to the cabin. Rock had offered it to Reek and Ari, but Ari turned it down, saying she would rather stay in the clubhouse with the girls, much to Reek’s disapproval. Now it sits empty while everyone is crammed under one big roof. It wasn’t going to be empty for much longer.

Stalking forward, I hurry through the frosted over grass and make my way to the cabin. Shuffling around inside draws my attention and I stop before I open the door. When I catch the slight sob and clink of glass on glass, I knock. She doesn’t answer right away, so I knock again.

“Open the door, kid,” I call out, and still get nothing. Fuck it. I turn the knob and let myself in, my stomach dropping when my eyes land on her in the kitchen.

She has a bottle of vodka set out on the countertop and a half full glass clutched in her hands. That isn’t what bothers me. What fucking bothers me is her red-rimmed eyes and wet puffy face. I caused that. Again.

“Leave me alone please. I’m not running away, I just can’t be in there anymore,” she says as she turns from me and takes another sip from her glass.

“I shouldn’t have said those things. I know you wouldn’t do something like—”

“Like what? Fuck your brothers? God, this club! I hate it!” she shouts, slamming the glass on the flat marbled surface in front of her. It manages to stay intact, but the clear liquid sloshes to the side.

“Brook…” I take a few steps forward, but she spins on me and holds out her hand for me to stop.

“I understand it. I really do. All of you need this club, need each other, but I don’t. I just want to go home and forget this ever happened.” Another sob falls from her lips.

“Brook.”

“It had to be you who came and got me. It had to be you who told me Gin died. And it had to be you who kept breaking my heart over and over again!” I don’t let her say anything else. I lunge forward and take her unwilling body in my arms and hold her tight, even as she struggles against my hold. “No Sage! No.”

“Brook, baby, please calm down. I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” I whisper in her ear, keeping my grip tight until she finally relaxes. Out of breath and still leaking tears from her eyes, I spin her around to face me, brushing her mussed hair from her face. I drag my thumbs across her cheeks, taking away the remaining moisture, saying a silent vow to never cause them to fall again. “I’m an asshole,” I tell her.

She doesn’t respond or agree, only watches me with eyes filled with hurt. Hurt I caused. Throwing it all to the wind, I look down at her lips, swollen and damp, and press mine to them.

Her body tenses and her lips don’t move as I pull back and press another kiss, then another, until she finally responds and opens her mouth. My tongue finds its way inside and mingles with hers, causing a groan to rumble from my chest. “You taste like heaven,” I declare between kisses. She moans into my mouth as I grip the back of her head to angle her better for my assault. We stay like that, kissing like it’s the last kiss on earth, until I pull back to look her over. My grip lessens on her hair and I drop my hands to my sides, just to stand back and take her in. Every inch of her.

Her pale blonde hair is tangle, and her bright blue eyes stare at me. “If you stop, I swear to god, Sage, I will cut your balls off,” she declares, bringing her hands up to cross in front of her chest.

I shake my head. “You sassy little shit,” I growl, then haul her up over my shoulder to cart her off to the bedroom. No fucking way am I stopping this time.