Page 33 of Signed For Him

"Will you stop swearing? You've literally just become a teenager, you do not need to be saying that kind of stuff," Alice says as she takes another large gulp of her wine.

I have no idea how she does this alone. No parents or family, and although the Cobras and a few neighbours help her with Kira, I genuinely can't understand how someone so young can cope with the responsibility alone. I need to make sure to come around and help more often. Not as though I do much to help, but just being there is more than their own family offers.

"I'm thirty-two. Not that old, but far too old for you to even be joking about, kid. Stop giving your sister a damn heart attack, will you? It'll upset Char and then I'll have to take your Haribo off you," Liam threatens as Kira looks mortified and hugs her packet of sweets closer to her chest.

"Jeez, that's harsh! I'll be good, ugh. Men," she mutters as she slides another sweet into her mouth while glaring at Liam.

"How did things go with you and Edgar? Dad said you haven't seen him for a while."

I’m not sure how willing she is to talk about him but considering she was practically gushing over him the last time I'd spoke to her before I was taken, I'll bet that she isn't over him as much as she probably wants everyone to think.

"She's being difficult. He has flowers, a note, and different snacks delivered here every single day. She won't even open any of them," Kira tells us, rolling her eyes at her sister - the consequence of which is a whack on her arm from Alice.

"It's not that simple," Alice tells me, shaking her head.

I wait, sensing there's more she wants to say.

"At the start, I was worried that he had something to do with your disappearance and then I realised when he helped so much that he can't have, but I don't think it's really that at all. I think I'm just terrified of him leaving. Kira and I both got so attached to him after just a few days, imagine a month or a year and then him leaving us," she says quietly. Kira’s face falls as well, as if thinking about that and how much it would hurt.

Considering the way they've been abandoned before, I can see why, but Alice particularly has worries.

"I know that logically you must know this, but I'm going to say it anyway. If you don't let anyone in enough to let them hurt you, you'll miss out on some of the best opportunities in the world. Not just in a romantic sense but in so many other ways too. Sometimes you have to risk being hurt and just hope for the best instead," I tell her, watching as she nods at me softly.

Alice is one of the brightest people I know, with a personality to match, but since I've been back, I've noticed that the flame burning inside of her seems to have diminished. I thought that maybe Edgar had hurt her in some way and she was trying to get over him, but it seems she's the one that broke it off despite not wanting to get over him. I can't say I'm particularly keen on the man, considering my past and the stories I've been told about him, but if someone as lively and lovely as Alice got to know and appreciate him for who he is then who am I to judge? Especially considering my current predicament with the two men sitting beside me. Someone even more traumatised and hurt than I am and another man that lied from the first day I met him.

"If it's any consolation, I did a lot of research on everyone, including him before joining the Cobras, and I can safely say without giving his whole life away that he doesn't attach himself to anyone unless they mean a lot to him. He's not close to many people but the people he is close with get the fiercest form of protection and love from him. He doesn't leave anyone," Crow says, his usually bashful and humorous tone now gone, giving way for the sensible and caring side of him that I adore just as much.

I think I knew; I must have known that Crow did his research before joining us, but what I didn't think about was him potentially knowing a lot more about all of us than we perhaps realised. He'd never, so far as I know, used information about anyone against them and yet I have a feeling that he knows enough that he could if he ever needs to.

"I told you he won't just leave," Kira murmurs to Alice.

I watch as the two sisters smile at one another, Alice's eyes looking lighter and filled with promise as she takes Kira’s hand in hers.

Seventeen

Crow

She's nervous. I can't figure out if she's nervous because she's meeting my family, nervous because she's meeting the head of the Irish Mafia, or nervous because she's about to ask for something that I really hope I've guessed wrong. I take her hand, relishing in the way she automatically brings her body closer to mine for comfort. I press my body into hers, bringing her head to my chest as I breathe in the fresh ocean scent of her. Her body taught against mine does unexplainable things to me, setting the very rarely placed dick in my pants into overdrive.

Her arms wrap around me, her head beneath my chin, fitting perfectly in the space between my neck and chest. She folds her body into mine further, my cock over the soft curves of her stomach. Fuck, she feels nice. I could happily live the rest of my days with her body against mine.

Shut the fuck up, Crow.

You do not need a boner right now.

I let her hold on for another moment before gently pulling away from her, watching as Liam walks up from behind her towards us.

He gives me a nod, a knowing grin, and juts his head towards the door behind me. My family are in a hotel suite, the door of which is currently behind me.

"Whatever this is, Char, it can wait, we don't have to do this now," I tell her, hoping that she understands, that she knows what I'm trying to say when I'm not even sure myself half the time.

"Just stay close, both of you," she tells us as Liam puts his hand on her lower back and guides her towards the door.

I've spent so long worrying about her that I hadn't even considered that this would be the first time I'd seen my family since I began the infiltration of the Cobras. I spoke to them constantly; Charlie had heard me on the phone to them a lot. Despite what everyone seems to think, we are way more average than you'd assume. You know, give or take a few deaths, murders and wars here and there obviously.

"You ready?" I ask her as I take her face in my hands and place a kiss on her forehead. God, she's fucking beautiful. She makes me want to pray to a deity I've never believed in just to keep her by my side for eternity. I'll happily fucking burn in hell for as long as needed so long as I get to her at the end of it.

She nods, throws a smile that I know damn well is filled with fake confidence my way, and then proceeds to push me towards the door.

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