AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Never,” she giggles, though the sound is watery.
“So, Leather,” I start, reaching into my pocket to grab the small ring. It’s a simple diamond band, elegant yet practical for our girl. “Will you make us the happiest men in the world and marry us?”
She nods frantically, her hand flying to her mouth as she lets out a shriek of joy. “Yes, yes!” She holds out her hand, and Knuckles plucks the ring from me to put it on our girl. Tears start streaking down her face with pure joy. Turning a bad memory into a good one is exactly what she needs. Our jobs are to make sure she’s okay at all costs, and this was just step-one in doing that.
“How long has this been planned?” She whispers as she gazes at her new ring. It fit her perfectly, which we knew it would. The guys and I actually decided this right before we left for Vancour. We didn’t want to miss an opportunity with her, and the ring has been in my pocket ever since as a sign of good will.
“A while,” I wink, gripping her chin with my finger and thumb to bring her closer. She comes easily, kissing me as though the world around us doesn’t exist.
“Congratulations, sister,” Daryn says from the front. Leather’s joy radiates from her, and even his presence doesn’t seem to faze her. She doesn’t exactly acknowledge him though.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Knuckles
Walking toward the clubhouse, we’re all dead on our feet. Well, all of us except for Leather. She’s hyper and excited while the rest of us can barely keep our eyes open. I’m so thankful that she’s not mentally rehashing everything, yet I just want to snuggle with her and sleep for a week.
The music pounds loudly inside the building, and once she registers that, she tenses up. We still don’t know what exactly happened while she was in there, but we’re hoping to understand and help her work it out. I go in first, having them turn the music down for a minute to reintroduce Leather. She’s bombarded with good wishes, hugs, and lots of ribbing from the guys. Like the perfect girl she is, she takes it all in stride. We watch from afar as she’s welcomed back into her home by the members.
It wasn’t just the three of us that were worried for her. Leather was a huge piece of our crazy puzzle. When she was gone, it was as if none of us could function. The guys relied heavily on her for their routines and safety measures, so when she was on her own, they were lost. Not only that, but she was the life of the party for them. Just the thought of her lit up a room, and that was apparent when we stepped foot inside the club. They wanted to crank the music right back up, but we explained that the four of us are exhausted and just want to have some peace. They took the explanation, though a few of the guys appeared skeptical. Leather was never one to turn down good music and a drink, but she’s not the same girl we had before. The music is low, no sudden movement is allowed, and it’s like walking on eggshells. I’m perfectly fine with it for now, but she will need tough love soon and that’s something we’re able to provide for her. Whatever treatment or therapy or whatever magic is required, the three of us will be there every step of the way.
After she makes her rounds and says her goodbyes, we go back upstairs. It’s almost two in the morning, but the party is raging downstairs, especially after we leave and they crank the music back to full blast. It’s subtle, yet I notice the tensing of her muscles when it’s turned up. I can tell from her clenched fists at her sides that she wants to cover her ears. She refuses. I would bet my bike it’s because she believes acting strong will make her strong. Little does she know, it doesn’t always work like that.
“Who’s room?” She asks, bouncing on her toes nervously. Tornado and Prez meet my gaze before briefly nodding.
“I think it would be a good idea for Knuckles to get some alone time with you right now,” Prez says, stepping forward to her. He grabs her hand and kisses the back of it gently. Her nose crinkles, and she looks adorably confused at the current situation. “We don’t want to overwhelm you, and now isn’t the time for all three of us to be doing it. We gave you some of that power back, but you also need to have that quality time with each of us, even if it’s just to sleep.”
She nods, then shakes her head. “I won’t be overwhelmed,” she starts, conviction in her voice as she tries to keep herself together. Prez gives her an incredulous look that breaks down her mental barrier a bit. “I don’t know if I can sleep right now,” she finally admits. Turning her toward me, I grab her face in my hands and lean our heads together gently. Together, we take several deep breaths until hers match mine and her heartbeat isn’t jumping from her throat.
“We will figure it out together. Tonight is you and me, even if I just get to hold you and thank whoever exists that you’re mine.” That seems to soothe a part of her because she’s nodding and letting me lead her away. I can feel Tornado and Prez’s eyes on our backs as we leave, and she fiddles with the hem of her shirt until I shut the door behind us.
“I don’t think I will be able to sleep,” she huffs, plopping herself down on the edge of the bed before falling backward. Her auburn hair splays around her, and I can’t unsee the angelic look she gives off. She would say she’s the devil in disguise, except I see her for what she truly is. Beautiful inside and out.
“Yes you will, come on.” Even though it’s pretty late, I think washing off the day and letting it go down the drain is cleansing for all of us. So, turning on the water, I strip her down completely and help comb out her hair. She doesn’t stop me from fussing over her, which is good because she would earn a few good swats to the rear if she tried to stop me.
The shower is quick, not wanting to spend too long in there since I can feel the energy depleting at a much faster rate than before. Scrubbing her down, I make sure to service all the appropriate areas while not giving her the satisfaction of touching her.
She whines but doesn’t beg, hoping I will cave. The attention she craves is something I will willingly give, but she has to ask. I don’t care if it’s nice, I will do it if she demands it from me.
On the other hand, we’re both exhausted from the long day and the drama that’s been draining from us both. Information has been dumped on her from all angles, so we’re all sure that she’s about to either break down or knock out hard. From the sounds she’s making right now, I don’t think she’s going to sleep anytime soon.
Rinsing the soap from her entire body, I wrap my arms around her center while she tucks her arms into herself. I hold her tightly as she listens to my heart beating for her. I’m not sure how long we stand there, but after my legs start going numb I decide we’re long overdue to be done. Shutting off the water quickly, I grab a fluffy towel and swaddle her in it. She huffs grumpily, but it’s like a kitten being wrapped up in a little cocoon. We take our time getting dried off as I help her.
Walking over to the underwear drawer she groans, “nooo.” I turn my head and look at her over my shoulder, brow raised in confusion. “I just want to lay with you.”
“Naked?” I ask incredulously, knowing damn well if we aren’t wearing clothes, we aren’t going to sleep. “You need to rest, Leather. It’s been a day, and you are exhausted whether you want to admit it or not.”
She shakes her head adamantly, stomping her foot on the ground petulantly. I have to say the persona of a kitten is simply getting stronger. This side of her is one that I haven’t seen very often, and I’m just hoping it’s because she finally realizes that she can trust me. She can trust us.
Turning my body toward her fully, we stare down. Her lower lip juts out, her eyes rounding out, and her brows curving oddly. Holy shit. “Are you pouting?” I question while holding back a laugh. It’s cute but another thing I have never seen from her.
“Duh,” she scoffs. She seems to contemplate something for a moment before shrugging and yanking the towel off of her. My jaw drops as she stands there in all her tattooed glory.
“Leather-”
“There’s too much energy bouncing around inside of me to sleep,” she admits quietly. After a moment of me standing in shocked silence, she crosses her arms over her chest. “If you’re not interested-”
“I am!” I say, walking toward her quickly. Bending down, I throw her over my shoulder and haul her toward the bed. She doesn’t even have a chance to think before she’s flying through the air, landing on the mattress. Landing with a solid oomph, she quickly leans on her elbows as I prowl toward her. She tries to escape my advances by shifting higher up the bed, yet I happen to move just a little bit faster. Capturing her ankles, I jerk her back down the bed. A sharp squeal comes from her as she laughs. It’s far too contagious, so I start laughing with her. My chuckle grumbles over her sensitive flesh as I kiss my way to the apex of her thighs. Her hips twist, trying to get me to one specific spot.
