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As her thoughts swirled, she retrieved the spare set of sheets and pillowcases from the bottom drawer of the dresser and began to make the bed.
Stella wished there was a crystal ball, a truth serum, a lie detector test she could use to find out one way or the other. That was the hardest part of the whole situation. The not-knowing. If she knew that he was lying to her, she could act accordingly and plan her escape. But if he was telling her the truth, she could take that last leap and fully commit herself to the relationship she thought they had been building for months.
The words he said about his club brother’s wedding floated through her mind, making her heart ache. Liar or not, family was the most important thing to him. Having to miss Dragon’s wedding in order to keep her safe was a shitty position for him to be in, and she felt like shit. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t be in that position at all. He’d be back in Warden’s Pass, dressed to the nines, however bikers did that, and he’d be watching his brother promise himself to his Ol’ Lady. Fucking hell.
Stella laid flat on the bed and sighed up at the ceiling.
Time to be honest with yourself, Messer.
The truth was she was pretty sure she was in love with the man. She was also pretty sure that her doubts were rooted in fear rather than fact. If everything he did and said was honest, he had been the greatest man to enter her life. She’d never had a man get her menstrual cycle supplies, let alone do itevery month. He didn’t try to make her feel ashamed or give her the impression he was disgusted. It was quite the opposite.
On top of that, he cooked her dinner, he was affectionate, and he made sure it was crystal fucking clear that he lusted for her. Even when he was angry and was being harsh, he wasn’t really mean. She didn’t feel unsafe, physically or emotionally. And she wasn’t sure she’d be able to sleep through an entire night without his arm around her waist.
Stella rolled onto her side and repositioned herself to where she was lying on the bed properly. Resting on the pillow, she curled up in a ball and let the tears do what they wanted. In all her life, she’d never cried so much in such a short period of time, but she’d also never been so conflicted.
Was Trick feeling that way, too?
For the next two hours, she went over every moment they spent together, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, but always desperate to find some magical answers that would solve all their problems.
Why did love and life have to be so damn complicated?
Chapter Eighteen
Trick
Carryingthebasketofclean clothes and sheets back into the cabin, Trick felt like shit for yelling at Stiletto. They were both in shitty positions, and he understood that she felt powerless. It wasn’t something she was used to being. He needed to find a way to show her that she was in control, really. Stiletto had the power in their relationship. She could easily break his heart. She had the power in her own life. He would never make her do something she didn’t want to do. Hell, he was pretty sure the cuffs were something she could have gotten out of if she’d been motivated enough. She had the power to destroy his family. He’d given her so much information about them that would make taking them down simple. She had the ability to destroy him — His life, his heart, his family, they were all in her hands. He just had to make her see that.
Besides a few huffs and low growls directed at him for yelling at their mate, his bear had been pretty quiet, but Trick knew it was because the animal felt like his position had been made clear, and it had.
After setting the basket on the floor next to the door, he removed his cut and hung it on the hook, then he glanced over at the bed to find her lying there, still in only the towel, but he knew she wasn’t sleeping.
From his position, standing at the end of the bed, her face was hidden by her hair, but he could hear the sniffles she couldn’t stop as she obviously fought tears. His bear was whiny and huffing inside of him, again, demanding he fix things with their mate, but Trick wasn’t sure he could.
One thing he knew was he wouldn’t know until he gave it a shot. With a hopeful tilt to his thoughts and a prayer to whichever god was listening, he kicked off his boots, went to his side of the bed, and laid down. Once he was on his side and staring at the back of her head, he reached out and pulled her back. He turned her until she was facing him and wrapped her up tight in his arms.
She instantly began to fight, but Trick didn’t let her go. He held her legs down with one of his to keep her from kneeing him in the balls, and he kept holding her, letting her pound away at his chest and try to push him away. Her tears flowed freely as she called him every name in the book and left bruises on his chest and abdomen. He would take anything she wanted to dish at him if it made her feel better.
Trick’s heart ached with every sob, every gasp for breath, every angry word that came from her. When he pushed aside all the bullshit, discarded the mistrust, and forgave her for the path she headed down before she even knew him, what he was left with was a yearning to take care of her and love for the beautiful, strong woman in his arms. She was his, and he was hers. That was all that mattered.
When the punches felt more like love taps and the names were mumbled instead of screamed, Trick lowered his head until his mouth was by her ear. He swallowed the lump in his throat and whispered, “I love you, Stiletto, and I will until I take my last breath.”
“Matthew,” she breathed as her arm slowly slid around his waist.
The way she said his name always had his cock taking notice, but he shoved that reaction down and stayed focused. He was grateful his bear was giving him space to handle the situation. If he had to deal with a grumpy and worried bear in that moment, on top of everything else, he would probably lose his shit.
“Now, we can keep doing this love-to-hate-you bullshit, or we can just give in and be together. I know what I want, but you have to decide for yourself.”
“Your family will never accept me,” she replied softly.
Trick pulled back and looked into her eyes. He cupped her cheek in his palm and said, “Yeah, they will. Help me take out this fucking academy, and they will. They just have to learn who you really are… just like I did.”
“I’ll never be one of those women who bow to you and your wishes, Trick.”
He snorted a laugh and grinned. “Have you met the Ol’ Ladies? Those women don’t bow to anyone. Some of them may be sweet, but they also have their men in check.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’ll fit in just fine.”
They laid there in each other’s arms for over an hour, then his beautiful mate let out a sigh and said, “If you don’t want me to help with surveillance, I won’t, but if we’re taking out the academy, I guess we better start planning.”
Feeling like he just won the biggest battle in the war, Trick rolled his mate onto her back and settled between her thighs. Holding himself up on his bent elbows, he gazed down at her and admitted to himself that he wouldn’t be able to stop her from going with him to gather intel. She was an asset, not a liability, and he needed to treat her as such. Staring into her eyes, he grinned. “In a minute.”
