This. Fucking. Girl.

With her head to mine, I don’t just stare into her eyes, I get lost in her.

She holds nothing back as her thoughts and emotions fly across her face. I see it all. I feel it all.

Going on my ride with JB helped me clear my head. It helped me realize that I was a fucking idiot for letting her wake up without me.

Fuck everyone else.

I said I was done staying away and I fucking meant it.

I know we still have a long way to go, but I’m done just sitting around and waiting.

Watching her tears dry up she pulls back enough to really look at me. With her eyes wandering over every inch of my face, she whispers a sentence that has life shooting through my body. Sensations I haven’t felt in a long fucking time nearly knock me on my ass.

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

Hesitation wars with desire as I stare into her eyes. I don’t even think she realizes how beautiful she truly is. She literally brings me to my fucking knees. Obviously seeing the war in my head, she gives me no other choice.

“Please,” she asks, her voice thicker than before.

Standing to my full height, I look down at her in awe. “Scoot over, baby,” I whisper, the words and actions all too fucking familiar.

Moving over, I pull back the blanket and bite back a groan.

Fuck…

Wearing only a long white T-shirt that stops high on her thighs, my eyes drink in her long legs. Moving my gaze up, I travel over the swells of her breasts, the thin material leaving nothing to the imagination. A delicate gold chain disappearing into her shirt holds my attention before my gaze follows the path of her throat to her parted lips. By the time I reach her eyes I’m so far gone I don’t even know how I ended up in her bed, but here I am.

Goddamn, I have fucking missed this girl.

Laying down I reach for the blanket and wrap it around us like a barrier. Laying my head down next to hers we stare at each other. Electricity sparks between us, making the air crack with its power.

“What’s your name?” she asks, in a whisper.

Her question has my heart fucking breaking. I want more than anything to hear my name leave those beautiful fucking lips, but from the tears and uncertainty still lingering in her eyes, my gut tells me enough is enough.

“Everyone calls me Romeo.”

Doubt swirls in her eyes but she doesn’t say anything more.

Lifting my hand as it shakes uncontrollably, I place it on her cheek. I trail my thumb to her lips, my breath catching as they part.

She has me so unglued.

You would think that after being held as a sex slave and being forced to do the shit I did, I would never want it again, and for the most part that’s the case. Then there are those moments that I dream about the times we were able to forget. We were able to block it all out and get lost in each other. The noises she made when I had her for the first time, or the way she responds to me and only me … yea, those are fucking memories that have me fucking aching for her.

It’s only ever her.

“I’ve waited so long to touch you,” I whisper, afraid that if I talk too loud the bubble we are in will pop. “But now that it’s happening I don’t know what to do.”

Trailing my thumb back up to her cheek, her eyes gloss over and her lids hood. “Especially when you look at me like that,” I grind out, scooting closer. Our bodies line up in ways that have me seeing fucking stars.

“Like what?” she asks, her question sincere, just proving she has no clue what she fucking does to me.

Bringing my attention back to those lips, a need so strong consumes me. Just one taste won’t hurt, right? I have waited so fucking long.

Running my thumb back to her lips I tug the bottom one down causing her tongue to dart out. Shit…

“I want to kiss you,” I say, unable to stop myself, so far past it.

Want ignites in her features but so does confusion. Confusion at what she’s feeling or confusion at why…I don’t know, but the moment she decides it doesn’t matter I feel it to my core.

“Kiss me,” she breathes, staring back at my lips.

Her breathless demand is my undoing.

Doing one last swipe of my thumb, I cup her cheek. The feel of her skin under my hand is hot to the touch.

“Just one,” I say out of an old habit, a habit of having to limit my love for her, a habit I can’t wait to bite.

Lifting off the pillow I lean on my arm and close the distance between us, forcing her to her back. Without allowing her to take another breath, I seal my mouth over hers. Sweet, sweet familiarity rushes through me and a growl erupts from my chest.

Fuck yes.

Pushing her further back into her bed I nip at her top lip, all but begging for more of a taste. Answering my silent plea, her lips part and her tongue darts out meeting mine and my hips jerk, grinding into the mattress.

Shit.

Pulling away I breathe like I’ve been stuck underwater. Staring down at her beautiful eyes still rimmed red from crying, I look to her now swollen lips coated wet from our kiss.

She’s a siren. A goddess.

“You make it so hard to be good,” I say breathless.

Why did I stop?

Her expression changes and a lone tear slips from the corner of her eye and disappears into her hair. “I remember that,” she croaks. “I’ve kissed you before.”

That’s why…

“Yea, baby,” I choke out.

Rolling off her I wrap my arm around her waist and turn her to her side. Tucking her back against my chest, I hold her tight.

This feels so fucking right… yet it’s still far from it.

Forcing myself to calm down, I kiss the back of her head. “Sleep, Emmy.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes again and my heart squeezes so tight the physical pain causes me to wince.

“Don’t apologize for this, Emmy. I haven’t felt this whole in a long time,” I say pulling her tighter to me. “Things will only get better from here.”

It won’t get easier but it will get better.

* * *

Creeping out of her bedroom, I quietly shut the door behind me.

My shoulders sag the moment the door clicks. For the first time in five years I got to hold my girl until she fell asleep.

Things are far from perfect but fuck if we didn’t just take a giant leap in the right direction. That girl in there is mine. She’s been mine and finally after years of waiting, I can see the beginning to our happily ever after.

Turning to head for the stairs, I stop. Emmy’s friend stands there in her doorway staring at me. Bailey.

“Is she okay?” Bailey whispers, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Nodding, I give an assuring smile. “She will be.”

Looking to the floor, I watch her shake and rock. I don’t know much about the timid girl in front of me. I know that her and Emmy met in the hospital, but I don’t know why she was there. Looking at her now, I have a good guess though.

“I remember you,” she says so quietly I almost miss it.

Confirming my suspicion, I take a step forward, stopping when she flinches. “What do you remember?”

“You love her.” It comes out as a statement and not a question, her answer shocking me.

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard her call your name in her sleep,” she says, this time meeting my eyes. “She thought you died.”

Swallowing hard I just stand there. I don’t know what to say.

“You’ve been her stalker all these years? Why didn’t you just tell her?” she asks, her voice growing stronger, her rocking slowing.

“Because she wasn’t ready.”

“I can’t lose my best friend,” she says, wrapping her arms around her tiny waist.

“I won’t ever take her away from you.”

“She deserves to be happy,” Bailey whispers, more to herself as she looks away.

“Don’t you deserve to be happy too, Bailey?” I ask. Jerking her eyes to me, doubt flashes in them before she turns, disappearing into her room.

Damn.

Sighing, I take one last look at Emmy’s door and head down the stairs.

Walking onto the patio I see Drifter and Buck both sitting there with beer in their hands, both looking like the weight of the entire world rests on their shoulders.

“How is she?” Drifter asks as I sit down in an empty chair that looks out to the acres of trees.

This place is everything I want to give Emmy one day. “Tired.”

“Does she remember everything?”

Staring at a single tree until it blurs, I answer, “No. It’s all there but it’s jumbled. She can’t make sense of it all.”

Silence ticks on as the three of us just stare at nothing but the ghosts of our past.

“She doesn’t know my name, just my road name,” I let out, thinking they should know.

Feeling both their eyes turn to me, I keep staring straight ahead. “I’m done.”

Meeting their confused stare, I explain, “You do what you have to do to put that son of a bitch down. I’ll stay out of the way. As long as I am kept updated I won’t bother you or go behind your backs but stay the fuck out of mine and Emmy’s business. I will keep her from the club for now, but I’m done hiding shit. You want trust, then you’re going to have to give it.”

Just staring at me, Buck is the first to answer. Jerking his chin down he gives me his word and Drifter reluctantly follows suit. My jealousy spikes at his hesitation but I swallow it not having the energy to argue.

Getting up I pull the key from my pocket. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Walking to my bike, I hop on. Pulling out my bandana, I wrap it around my neck securing it on my face. Looking back to the house, I notice a light on upstairs. Squinting my eyes, I see my girl with her hand against the window and her heart on her sleeve.

Possessiveness takes over me as I stare up at her.

I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.