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“That’s the point, Temptress.” Tucker’s hands smooth over my shoulders and my traitorous body relaxes. Damn it. “I didn’t have shit until you fucked up and didn’t hide your trail as thoroughly as you normally do.”
My heart sinks and I start to nibble on my lip. It must have been the night I was lost in my memories of Kyla. I’m usually very careful, but that night is a big blur. Even now I’m not entirely sure what I did and didn’t do. I don’t normally let the past into the present when I’m working, but I was powerless that night.
Tucker pulls me into his chest as my breathing picks up and it feels like I’m right on the edge of panic. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you and it’s not just me at your back anymore,” he soothes me.
“You have the entire Devil’s Saints at your back,” Chains speaks for the first time, and I turn my head against Tucker’s chest enough to peek at him. He smiles at me, encouraging me, begging me to give them just a little trust. “I was patched in not long ago after being a prospect. I can tell you my brothers are loyal even beyond death and we protect our own because we’re family.”
“But I stole from you,” I wince as I remind him. “I’m not part of your family.”
Chains smirks and waves a hand in Tucker’s direction. “You’re his woman. He might not have done it in church yet, but he’s let us know that he’s claiming you. That makes you family.”
Since my brain is going a million miles a minute, the only thing I’m able to latch onto and verbalize is, “Church?”
“It’s what we call our club meetings,” Tucker’s voice rumbles against the side of my face. He drops his face into the crook of my neck and whispers, “He’s right though. You’re mine.”
In the light of day, with his brothers surrounding me and my crimes pulled out to be examined, I’m finding it more difficult to believe him. My heart wants to, desperately. I haven’t belonged anywhere or with anyone for such a long time and I’m tired of running. It’s exhausting.
Mistletoe Creek is the closest I’ve come to settling in a place where I thought it would be safe and I could find acceptance, but I still kept myself a little apart from everyone. I don’t say anything as I give Tucker a squeeze before turning around and making my coffee.
I don’t know if he can read what I need or if he’s annoyed at me, but Tucker gives me some space. I listen to the guys chat, joke, and give each other shit as I sip my coffee and try to make sense of how much has changed in such a short amount of time.
A lot of my questions won’t be answered with anything other than time to see how it all plays out, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t swirling around in my head. Can I trust these men? Is Tucker sincere when he says I’m his? Do I want to be?
Okay, that last question is easy to answer. Of course I want to be his. He’s gorgeous and his touch makes me feel alive in a way I’ve never experienced before. I’ve spent so long looking over my shoulder, but Tucker makes me feel safe, even if I’m not sure I can trust it.
By the time Tucker pulls me out of my apartment, asking me to show him around town, I feel a little bit better. I’m not any closer to knowing what is going to happen, but there’s a tendril of excitement about finding out. The guys all go their separate ways, giving me chin lifts as they do.
Except for Crucify who kisses the back of my hand again which makes Tucker push him away from me. When I laugh at their ridiculousness, Tucker crowds against my body, buries his fingers in my hair and kisses me until I forget everything but him. By the time we come up for air, Crucify is long gone and I need more coffee.
As we step into Mistletoe Café, I almost groan because Fern, Fawn, and Merry are there holding court at a table. It’s not that I don’t want to see them, but with my big, bulky shadow attached to my hip, I know they’re going to ask questions. The way their eyes light up when they see me and then look at Tucker, tells me just how right I am.
I make my way over to them, Tucker staying in step with me, until we’re standing at the edge of their table. I can see the appreciation in their eyes as they look over the man hovering just a little bit behind me. This is going to be embarrassing.
In the attempt to head them off, I chirp, “Hi, ladies.” I quickly introduce the troublesome trio to Tucker and him to them because of those damn manners acting up again. They practically swoon when he wraps his arm around my waist possessively. I try and deflect by taking the focus off me, “Wasn’t the lantern festival beautiful last night?”
“It was,” Merry agrees absently, her eyes still on Tucker.
There’s a mischievous glint in Fern’s eyes before she asks, “Does this mean we don’t need to figure out who to set you up with, dear?”
“You’ll be setting my woman up with someone over my dead body,” Tucker growls.
All three women, who really do view themselves as fairy godmothers whether they’ve earned it or not, now really do swoon, complete with hands over their hearts and dreamy sighs. I’m pretty sure Fawn’s eyes become heart shaped.
I would roll my eyes if it wasn’t endearing as hell. I’m going to miss this place when I leave.
Wait. Am I leaving? Is that what I want?
I watch out of the corner of my eye as Tucker chats with the women, charming them easily, and realize how much I want to give into everything he’s offering. I just don’t know if I should.
I guess time will tell.
CHAPTER 8
FRIAR
It’s been a few days since I woke up with my woman in my arms for the first time and had to slip out of her bed to tell my brothers I found the hacker and there had been a major change in plans. I still fully intend to take Robyn back to Seattle with me, but not because the club is owed some answers.
I have all the answers I need and I’m claiming her as mine.
