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“Hanging in there.”
“Patch her?”
His jaw clenches before he answers. “No.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“I told you the way I wanted to do it.”
Christ, my brother can be stubborn. But I get it.
“Everyone at the clubhouse for my return?”
Z nods his head. “Yeah, even the nomads are up at the clubhouse.”
“Good. I want to see everyone. Have a brief meeting, then I am disappearing for a few days. Can you guys handle that?”
Z snorts, but doesn’t look up from his phone where he’s busy texting.
“We figured you’d want to take off right away,” Wrath says.
“No. Family first. You two been waiting long enough. This gets done today.”
“Thanks.”
Parking lot is full when we pull up to the clubhouse. I get hugs and handshakes from everyone I pass. Wrath follows me inside and chuckles at the crazed way I’m hunting for my girl. Where the fuck’s my woman hiding?
“She’s probably waiting for you upstairs,” Wrath finally says.
Can’t even be mad. I clap him on the shoulder. “I’ll be down in a few.”
He has the nerve to roll his eyes. “Take your time.”
“Brother it’s been three months, it ain’t gonna take long.”
His laughter follows me up the stairs and I flip him off as I go. At our door, I take a deep breath before pushing inside.
There’s my girl. The relief at finally seeing her crashes over me in waves.
“Rock?”
She’s got clothes and two small bags scattered over the bed, but she leaps up and rushes across the room. Her smaller body almost knocks me over as she barrels into me. She doesn’t cry. But she’s breathing hard, clinging to me. Her forehead nuzzles against my chin and she tips her head back, her pretty green eyes searching over every inch of me.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“Much better now.”
I lean down and take her mouth, backing her up to the bed. As soon as she realizes my intentions, she’s clawing at my clothes, ripping everything between us away. I break our kiss and nod at the bed. “What’s all this?”
Her cheeks flame pink. “The guys said you’d want to get away. I didn’t know if you’d want me to come with you, so—”
My palms press against her cheeks, and I crash into her mouth again. “Fuck, yes, I need you with me,” I mutter as we part and I rip the last scraps of fabric off her. “I’ll spend time worshiping you later, Baby Doll. Promise. Right now, I need you hard and fast.”
I expected some laughter. But her “yes” comes out low and solemn.
My hand dives between her legs and I groan as I slide over smooth, slick skin. “Get yourself all dolled up for me?” I mumble against her mouth.
She hums and nods as she pulls me down to the bed, shoving everything in our way to the floor. I’ve been a walking corpse this entire time without her. I need my woman like fucking air. Skin to skin, I slowly come back to life as I sink inside her.
“Rock,” she keeps murmuring my name as if trying to convince herself I’m actually with her. Her arms and legs tighten around me, drawing me into her body. She hasn’t stopped running her hands over me or touching my skin in some way since I walked in the door.
“I’m right here with you, Baby Doll. I’m here.”
Those words set her emotions free. She buries her face against my neck, her tears sliding over my skin. Faster and harder I move against her, burying myself in her over and over.
“I need you to come, Baby Doll. I need it. Missed you so much.”
She cries harder but nods frantically.
Drawing back, I turn and roll us to the middle of the bed, so she’s on top of me. “Let me look at you.”
“I can’t. I can’t.”
Her hands slide under my shoulders and she clings to me, burying her face against my neck. My arms band around her waist, hands sliding down to dig my fingers into her ass.
“Sit up, baby. Ride me. Show me you missed me.”
She plants her palms against my chest, pushing herself up enough to make me groan. A soft hiss flows from her lips as she readjusts to my size. Her eyes bore into me. “Don’t do that. You have no idea how much I missed you.”
“Yes, I do.” My hand smacks her ass. I grip her hips, urging her to move. Slowly, she slides up and down. Her tears stop flowing, crying turns to moaning as she moves faster.
“That’s better. Good girl,” I keep encouraging as she rocks faster, takes me deeper. “Give yourself to me.”
She tips her head down, her eyes finding mine. Reaching up, I cup her cheek, running my thumb over her skin. She gasps, stutters, turns her head to kiss my hand.
“Rock.”
“Right here, baby.”
She tightens, ready to go off. Rising, I pull her toward me, catching her lips with mine, swallowing her sounds of pleasure. Her body’s still trembling when I flip us. Before she catches her breath, my hands wrap around her ankles, drawing her legs up to my shoulders.
“Can you take more, or are you done, baby?”
This time I get a hint of a smirk. “Do you have it in you?”
“Missed that fucking sass-mouth,” I grunt as I slam into her, showing her exactly how much I’ve got in me. Lowering her legs, I grasp her hips, unable to stop myself from digging my fingers in. Rough, hard, but she responds the way I remember. We’re two parts of a whole, reunited. I can’t let anything tear us apart again.
Her eyes find mine and the corner of her mouth lifts a touch. My hands loosen from her hips to pinch her nipples and her back arches, offering herself up for whatever I want.
“Fuck. Hope. Fuck.”
Familiar white hot burning pleasure seizes me and I know what’s about to go down. I’m sliding my dick out, contractions seizing me, cum covering her stomach as wave after wave of pleasure and peace wash over me. “Can’t stop. Got a lot saved up for you, babe.” I barely make out my own words through all the groaning.
She lifts her head, checking out the mess I’ve made all over her pristine skin. A wry smile twists her mouth, and it feels fucking good to see her smile. As usual, she’s amused by my caveman behavior—not repulsed. “I guess so,” she teases.
There she is. My little sass-mouth. Slowly coming back to me.
Her smile disappears as she lays her head back on the mattress. “I missed you so much, Rochlan.”
“I know. Need to do that at least ten more times.”
She chuckles.
“Stay there, let me grab a towel.”
After wiping her down, I hold out my hand. “Let’s get cleaned up. There are a few things I have to do before we hit the road.”
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you in there.” She slides off the bed, scoops all the stuff we shoved on the floor up and flings them back on the bed.
“Don’t bring too many clothes. You won’t need them.”
She glances up and attempts to pin with me a serious stare, but the corners of her mouth tremble with laughter.
Her smile loosens the tightness in my chest.
“But I stocked up on all sorts of stuff you can rip off.”
A growl bursts out of me, and my hand cracks against her ass so hard she gasps. “Missed this ass,” I whisper against her ear before heading to the shower. If I don’t get away, I’m gonna fuck her again, and we don’t have time for it.
I’m not under the hot spray long before she joins me. Taking the soap out of my hands, she runs it over my back, then sets it down. “Are you okay?” she asks softly after a few minutes of silence.
I capture one of her roaming hands and bring it around to my mouth, kissing her fingers until I tease a bit of laughter out of her. “I am now.”
She takes her time digging her fingers into my shoulders and back, massaging more than washing. Under her touch some of the stress of the last few months disappears.
“You’re harde
r than ever,” she mumbles so low I almost don’t hear her over the falling water.
“You have no idea, Baby Doll.”
She snickers and taps me on the ass. “That’s not what I meant. Turn around.”
This is much better. It gives me an excuse to watch her face as she explores my chest and shoulders. She peeks up at me from under her lashes.
“Wasn’t much to do besides push-ups and sit-ups,” I explain.
She hmms at me but then her face falls and she flings her arms around my neck.
“Hey, I’m here. Everything’s okay, baby.” I want to say “I’ll never leave you again,” but I don’t know if I can make that promise.
“I know.”
“You’re what got me through, Hope. Picturing your face. Remembering the sound of your voice. The taste of your skin. The times you visited, seeing how strong you were being for me—”
“I didn’t feel very strong.”
“But you were. And the club took care of you?”
“Yes. Without them…I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Good.” I pat her ass, which turns into groping her ass until she squirms out of my hold. “Caveman.”
“Come on. Wrath’s waiting for us downstairs.”
She cocks her head. “Why?”
“He wants to give Trin her patch.” My hand reaches back, shutting off the water.
“Oh, finally. Thank God.” Outside the shower, she hands me a towel, then pauses. “Did you talk to Trinity?”
“No, baby. Came right up to see you first.”
A sad smile pulls at her mouth and she glances up at me. “She had a hard time with you being gone, so make sure you talk to her before we leave.”
“Wrath—”
“He had enough to do with you asking him to watch out for me.” The aggrieved tone of her voice would normally amuse me, but I sense she’s really bothered.
“It’s his job.”
“I know. But Z’s just as fierce and overprotective. And Murphy. And Dex. And Teller.”
“Okay. I got it.” I’m still not understanding what went on, but I nod to get her moving. I don’t plan on this ever happening again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I can’t let go of Rock. Not for a second. If he wasn’t clinging to me the same way, I might feel like I’m overreacting. But his hand’s wrapped around mine just as tight as we head downstairs.
The guys shout and cheer when they see Rock and he raises his other hand in the air. I only let go of him when Trinity approaches. She glances at me first. I think her way of asking if I mind. Her eyes are shiny with unshed tears and I nod at her. Rock sweeps her up into a hug and she laughs to cover up what I hope are happy tears. “You okay, Trinny?” he asks as he sets her down.
“Yes.” She takes my hand and tugs me to her side. “Your woman did good, prez. You should be proud of her.”
He brushes the back of his hand over my cheek. “Real proud, Baby Doll.”
Teller joins us and taps my shoulder. “Yeah. She mama-beared the fuck out of us and kept everyone in line.”
“Oh, stop.” I had to focus my attention on the guys so I didn’t fall to pieces. It was self-preservation. Nothing more.
Z’s also enthusiastic in his praise. It makes me chuckle that they’re all so impressed I kept my shit together. Their enthusiasm suggests that more than once they expected me to collapse into a sobbing mess. Cold fear churns through my stomach at the thought of losing Rock again. He seems to sense it and takes my hand, calming me.
Pretty soon, the entire club’s crowded around him and I back away so he can have a moment with everyone. I’ll have my time with him later.
Wrath’s in the corner of the couch by himself, watching the scene in front of him. “You okay?” I ask.
His mouth turns up into a genuine smile. Not his usual cocky or devilish one. He pats the cushion and I drop down next to him. “Happy he’s back, sugar. He’s not half as fucked up as I thought he’d be.” He glances at me. “I think that’s because of you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
He stares at me until I squirm. “Yeah, you did, Hope.”
“Are you nervous?” I ask to change the subject.
His gaze sweeps the room, finally landing on Trinity over by the bar. “She makes me crazy,” he says with a lot of affection.
“You love it.”
“She knows I don’t want her doing this shit anymore.”
I have to chuckle. “You want her to focus all that attention on you.”
He grins back. “Yeah. I take a lot of care and feeding.”
I snort, then turn serious. “I think it makes her happy to do that stuff. Take care of things. Be needed.” I tilt my head up, noticing for the first time Mariella hasn’t joined us. “I don’t think she’s comfortable turning things over to Mariella yet either.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
“Besides, you know her every waking thought is of you.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“Wyatt this. Wyatt that.” I roll my eyes. “Ask Wyatt’s permission for a road trip.” I lower my voice. “Hey, in case you’re horny while your man’s locked up, you can borrow one of the brothers. Just not Wrath. He’s all mine.”
He stares at me with a surprised expression before bursting with laughter. “You didn’t tell him that, did you?” he asks.
“No. I just told him to make sure he spent a little time with her before we leave.”
He smiles briefly. “You going with him?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Any idea where he’ll want to go?”
He shakes his head. “He probably doesn’t even know.”
I’m okay with that. In fact, I relish the idea of the two of us alone together on the open road with no particular destination in mind.
“You’ll like the ride Murphy set up.”
“We’re not taking Rock’s bike?”
As soon as Wrath starts shaking his head, I realize what a stupid question that was. “Colors. Territory. Got it.”
“Good girl. You’re learning.”
Laughing, I bump my shoulder into him. “Ass.”
“Ready?” Rock asks, tapping Wrath’s leg with his boot.
“Church first?”
“Yeah.” Rock turns his attention on me. “You okay to wait out here for a few minutes? We won’t be long.”
“Of course. Do what you need to do, Rock. I’m good.”
“You’re the best.” He turns and whistles for everyone’s attention and points to the war room. “Church. Now. Want prospects at the end too, so go get ‘em and have them wait out here.”
Every brother stops for a hug, fist bump or back slap as they file into the war room.
It’s inadequate, but all I can think is how good it feels to be home. Surrounded by family.
I’ve always disliked my chair at the head of the table. But I keep it as a reminder of what the club endured before I took the throne. Now, I’m happy to see it too.
“Who sat here while I was gone?”
Wrath snorts. “Hope.”
I have to raise an eyebrow at that. No way would they have let her sit at the table.
“Not for church,” Z explains. “Couple times when we needed to talk to her and then this morning when we explained she couldn’t come with us to collect you.”
“Yeah, how’d she take that?”
“Fine. Didn’t even blink. Told us to hurry up and get our sorry asses down there.”
I duck my head and laugh as I picture that scenario.
Once more, I glance around the table. “So she really didn’t give any of you a hard time?”
Z snorts and I turn my attention to him, finding him shaking with laughter. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I think she secretly enjoyed torturing us. Murphy had to take her to her dress fitting thing.”
“Jesus Christ,” Murphy grumbles, shaking his head.
??
?Please. He loved every second. Heidi was there too,” Wrath says.
I’m grinning like a fool as I slam the gavel down, signaling chat time’s over.
“Let’s get down to business. Thank you all for keeping the club going. For your loyalty. It meant a lot to me knowing you guys had things covered. Thanks for stepping up, protecting each other and protecting club assets.”
Sparky pipes up from the back. “Missed you, boss.”
“I know. Missed you guys too. And I hope you’ll forgive me for taking off for a few days after this meeting.”
Everyone murmurs their approval. Dex mentions “reconnecting” with my woman, which gets a dirty chuckle out of all these fuckers.
“This was some fucking bullshit. We’ve got a number of things to address when I get back. I’ll share my list with you, get your feedback and we’ll start making plans.”
Everyone nods.
“First, we’ve got Ulfric. Sloppy-ass motherfucker.” I turn to Wrath. “Wrath’s got the tie to their crew through Whisper and I got info from one of their guys while I was inside. It seems they’re trying to convince Ulfric it’s time to retire. I suggest we support that in whatever way we can.”
Everyone agrees.
“Vipers.” Any levity we were feeling flies right out the window. Shit’s about to get real. “They need to go. We’ve put up with enough bullshit from them. This most recent shit goes back to their belief that targeting women associated with the club is acceptable behavior.” I wait for any of them to question me. This is, after all, my fault. It was my involvement with Hope and my plan to pre-emptively take out the two fuckers who planned to hurt her that put all this other shit in motion. If I hadn’t done that, then Cabo never would have come up here in search of his brother’s killer, Ulfric never would have killed him and sloppily tossed his body in the river.
Of course, if I hadn’t taken care of those fucks, they would have brutally attacked Hope. For a second rage tightens my throat and I have to pause.
“Not your fault, prez. They started it by bringing women into it. We were protecting innocent people from getting hurt,” Bricks says.
Yet, because I’m a selfish fucker, I drew Hope into my world anyway and that weighs on me.
“From what Wrath tells me, we’ve got Sway’s and the all of downstate’s support on this. Whatever we need. He’s got his eye on their Jersey charter. But Ransom, and the rest of them—”
