“I know you will.” I pressed my cheek deeper into his palm. “Because you love me.”
“So fucking much, baby.”
He rolled me onto my back and kissed me until I was breathless again. When he finally pulled back, his dark green eyes were soft but serious. “Thank you for trusting me, baby.”
I brushed my lips against his. “Thank you for giving me reason to.”
He slid out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, returning with a wet washcloth.
“You don’t have to?—”
“I want to.” I blushed as he gently cleaned me up, his touch tender before he pressed a kiss to my inner thigh and pulled the sheet back over me. “Let me take care of you, baby.”
The quiet intimacy of it made my breath catch in my throat. No one had ever taken care of me like this.
I watched him pull on a pair of gray sweatpants, the sight of his bare back and the tribal tattoo running down his arm making me want to drag him back into bed.
“Do you have to go right now?” I asked with a pout.
Ryot chuckled and leaned down to kiss me again. “The sooner I have that USB, the sooner I can start fixing this. I’ll be right back.”
I enjoyed the sight of him walking out of the room almost as much as when he returned a few minutes later, USB drive in hand. Those gray sweatpants did incredible things to his butt, thighs, and dick.
“Got it.” He climbed back into bed and pulled me against his chest, tucking me under his chin. “From now on, I need you to promise me something.”
I tilted my head back to meet his gaze.
“Always be honest with me. Whatever happens, we face it together. Yeah?”
I swallowed, tears pricking at my eyes. “I promise.”
He kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “Good girl. We’ve got this.”
For the first time in weeks, the heavy weight I’d been carrying alone felt lighter. But then Ryot gave my butt a firm slap, making me yelp. “Hey!”
“Up, baby. We need to go to the compound.”
Suddenly nervous, I bit my bottom lip. The idea of facing Kane and the others with my mess made my stomach twist.
Before I could spiral, Ryot cupped my face with both hands and looked straight into my eyes. “No need to be worried. They’re going to have your back. You’re mine, and that’s all that matters.”
I let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay.”
We got dressed quickly, probably because he didn’t want to give me the chance to change my mind. I pulled on one of his hoodies over my tank top, loving the way it smelled like him.
A few minutes later, we were in the garage. I looked at my Mustang, his truck, and then back at his Harley.
“You sure you don’t want to take something else?” I asked. “It’s late.”
Ryot shook his head, swinging his leg over the bike. “No. I want to make a statement. Riding through the gate with you on the back of my bike sends a message nobody will miss. You’re mine.”
He handed me my helmet, and I climbed on behind him, wrapping my arms tight around his waist. The engine roared to life beneath us, and we pulled out into the night.
The ride to the compound was quiet except for the rumble of the Harley and the wind whipping past us. I pressed against his back, letting the steady beat of his heart calm my nerves.
Whatever happened next, I wasn’t facing it alone.
The prospect watching the gate waved us in, and Ryot parked in front of the clubhouse. My nerves kicked into high gear, but he stayed right beside me, one hand on my lower back as we walked inside.
