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I nod at his recommendation, but my mind wanders off to the upheaval in my life at the moment.
“I have all the days in the world to take it easy since I no longer have a job.”
Is the church even still standing? I have no clue, and I’m not even sure I care.
The door smacks open, and I let out a loud scream and cough immediately after with a wince. The big figure stalks toward me, and I pause and then smile at the man coming my way.
“Shades,” I whisper, sighing in relief.
“Letty,” he says and drops down on the bed before gathering me in his arms. “Fuck, you’re all right. You’re all right.” He says the words over and over, more to himself than to me, as his hands roam over my head, my jaws, and then shoulders as if he needs to see for himself that I’m okay.
“I’m happy as hell to see those pretty blue eyes of yours.”
I lean into his chest, bury my face in the scent of him, and it’s a heady mixture of smoke, gunpowder, and man. My body sinks against his as relief swarms me, and I hold him tighter.
“I’m happy to see you’re alive and well. Thank you for rescuing me from those evil men.”
He laughs, and the sound reverberates through my chest and down my arms. “Always, Church Girl. Fucking always.”
“I’m not sure I want to be a church girl anymore. This has all been too much.” I sigh. “God, why did this happen to me?”
He pulls back and cups my face in his big hands, a look of love and affection all over his face. “You’re safe now, Letty. And whatever you think of the church or Braden and what you’ve been through, I’ll be here for you.”
“You will?”
“Yes. You’re my woman now, and there’s no place I’d rather be than here with you in my arms.”
“I am?” It’s not the most important part of what he’s saying, but it’s the part I focus on most. “Your woman?”
“Damn right, you are,” he growls and puts his forehead to mine, his green eyes locking onto mine. “I love you, Letty, and I know I’m not the perfect guy you imagined yourself with, but I promise to love you and take care of you. Always.”
His words cause a visceral effect on me. My body trembles with hope as his words of love fill me with warmth and something else. Safety or security, or maybe it’s just the comfort of knowing that he loves me. I’m sure that was hard for him to say.
I suck in a breath at the heated, affectionate look in his eyes, and I let a slow smile creep across my face. “Shades.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“I know, but I want to say this.” I take a deep breath and hold his face the way he held mine. “You’re not the man I ever imagined I’d fall in love with. But you’re more man than I even knew to imagine or to hope for. I know you’ll keep me safe just as I know I’ll always feel loved and treasured with you.”
I let the words linger in the air because I need him to hear them and understand them.
“You know what else I know without a doubt?”
“What’s that?” he asks with that irresistibly crooked smile of his.
“That our life together will never, ever be boring.” Unlike other men, the kind my mom would want me to be with, Shades has already proven that he is a man I can count on when times are tough, when life overwhelms me.
“You’ll move heaven and earth to keep me safe, and I’ll do the same to let you know, every day, that I love you and need you and want you in my life.”
After a long pause, he smiles. “You can just tell me every damn day that you love me, and I’ll believe you.”
I laugh and wrap my arms around him. “I know but showing you in all the ways I know how will mean so much more to both of us.”
“It’s going to be tough sometimes, Letty, loving a biker. There will be times that you’re afraid, that your life might be at risk.”
I put two fingers to his lips to stop his words. “Loving you, Shades, is a risk I’m willing to take.”
“Yeah?” His smile is wide and full of surprise.
