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“You think I’d brand just any girl?” he continued.
I glared at him. “Maybe you shouldn’t call it branding…”
Colt laughed. “You know what I mean. You might love me, and I believe you do, but it’s like you don’t trust your gut. But in life, you have to trust your gut. We’re in this together now, yeah?”
“Yeah.
“You got inked for me,” he said with an arrogant smirk. “That’s no small thing.”
“Yeah, I suffered through pain for you.” I teased, finally moving away from him, ready to get up to face the day.
“I’ll never let you live to regret it,” he said, his tone suddenly sober.
My hand reached out to stroke his stubbly cheek. “I know.”
After Colt brushed his teeth, he threw on a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt from his dresser drawer. I had nothing to wear except the clothes from last night, and I wasn’t in the mood to slither into skinny jeans.
“Wear a pair of my boxers,” he said. “And your T-shirt from last night. We should bring a bag with some shit for you here. Didn’t really think about it, though.”
“Well, it’s not like you knew I’d be staying here last night.”
He went over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of his boxer shorts and tossed them in my direction. “Got some other stuff for you though in my nightstand drawer.”
I opened the drawer and pulled out a few envelopes addressed to me. “My bank cards! Yes!” I danced around in my underwear as Colt looked on with amusement.
I placed the new bankcards in my wallet. Joni had generously bought our drinks the night before. Colt hadn’t said anything about money; and I’d never been out of his sight long enough to require money of my own. Though, come to think of it, he’d never made me feel weird about it. I’d only felt trapped those first few days, but then my fears and worries had melted away when I realized Colt really had wanted to protect and take care of me. Nothing more. With Colt there was no power play to keep me tied to him. No control over me because he didn’t care about control in that way.
He just wanted me.
“Oh,” I said softly, meeting his eyes.
He was smiling at me, leaning against the door. He knew what I’d just put together.
“Thank you, Colt.”
“You’re welcome, Mia.”
Chapter 16
Reap and Boxer were awake,alert and smiley as they lounged on the couches. Gray waved to me from a recliner and then turned his attention back to the TV. A local news station was on and I could distinctly make out the Shortie’s sign in the background behind the cute reporter on screen.
“What’s she saying?” I asked with a chin nod at the TV.
“She’s talking about a spike in crime in Waco.” Gray darted his gaze to Colt. I looked at Colt over my shoulder and his face betrayed nothing of his feelings.
“The clubhouse is full this morning,” I commented.
“We’re having church in an hour,” Colt explained. “So everyone is coming here.”
“I need coffee,” I muttered, heading to the kitchen where Darcy was directing Rachel and Allison with a spatula.
“Good morning,” Darcy chirped. “How are you? We heard about the drive by at Shortie’s.”
“I’m okay. It was Joni who was hurt,” I said, going to a cabinet and grabbing a mug. I emptied the pot. “Where’s the bag of coffee? I need to make more.”
“I’ve got it,” Allison said.
Cream and sugar were on the counter and I doctored my coffee heavily before sitting on a stool. Colt had taken a seat with the guys near the TV and was currently talking to Gray in a low voice.
