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Deacon snorted but didn’t look like he was buying it.
With a roll of my eyes, I opened the door and stepped inside.The second I did, Scarlet jumped up from her seat on the couch and threw herself into my arms.Her slight body trembled, and I kissed the side of her head through her hair.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“Nothing,” she whispered.“Nothing at all now.”I loved the way she clung to me, but worried about why.
“Honey, you’re trembling.Tell me why.”I tried not to make it come out an order, but it was hard.I couldn’t slay the dragon if I didn’t know where it was.And when the fuck did I start thinking in princess metaphors?Just…fuck!
“She’s been afraid Sting’ll send her back with Hammer to keep the club out of a confrontation,” Apple offered softly.
Lemon snorted.“That ain’t it, Apple, and you Goddamned know it.She’s been afraid you wouldn’t come back, Mars.”
“Lemon, shut up,” Apple hissed before coming to Scarlet and rubbing her shoulder even though I still held her in my arms.“She’s a dork.Don’t mind her.”Apple laughed nervously and looked up at me, a pleading look in her eyes.
My eyes narrowed in confusion and I pulled back to look down at Scarlet’s lovely face.“Honey.Scarlet.”I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned down so she was looking directly into my gaze.“I.Will.Alwayscome for you.Fuckin’ always.You’re my girl.Remember?”
“You said that,” Scarlet sniffled as she continued to look at me.Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears and her lips trembled.“But I don’t… I don’t know what that means.Exactly.”
I smiled down at her before meeting her for a soft, lingering kiss.Then I pressed my forehead to hers.“That’s what we’re going back to our room to talk about.You ready?”
“Yes, Mars.”She cupped my face in her, going up on her tiptoes to kiss me.I wanted to howl in relief.This was going to happen.At least, she was going to agree to be mine.I might not actually be able to take things physical, but she was going to wear my ink and my patch.It would be my right to protect her and to ask for the protection of the club.The rest would come with time.When she was ready.I could see that in her eyes.Taste it in her kiss.Feel it as she pressed her body against mine.
“Come on, baby.”I snagged her hand and led her to our room.
Once inside, she threw herself back into my arms, wrapping her arms and legs around me tightly.I let her cling.Hell, I clung to her just as tightly, savoring the feel of her and craving more.I wanted to take her to bed.To spend the rest of the day and the entire night just holding her.Help her realize she was safe with me.Always.Instead, I walked to the couch and sat with her straddling my lap.
“Mars?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For taking care of me.For staying by my side.I know I’m cramping your style.I see how the club girls watch you.I know they’re just waiting for the chance for you to be alone.”
“Honey, I’ve not touched a club girl in over two years.Hell, I’ve not been with any woman.”
She pulled back then, giving me a disbelieving, hurt look.“Don’t lie to me,” she whispered.“Please, Mars.Not even to try to make me more comfortable.”
“Ain’t lyin’, Scarlet.”I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face, but not letting her go.My arm was solidly around her, even when she tried to push back.It was a half-hearted attempt at best.“I have… issues.”My confession was gruff and uncomfortable.“You know.With sex.”
“Oh.OK.”She looked away, her cheeks reddening.“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.And don’t look away from me.”I gently tilted her chin upward so she had to look at me.I had one arm securely around her so she couldn’t try to bolt on me.Not like this.“I have issues, Scarlet.I’ve seen and done things that should terrify you.They probably won’t because you’ve lived them when I only witnessed them.I avoid sex because sometimes it can trigger a flashback.”
“Oh, God.Mars, I’m so sorry.I--”
I leaned in and kissed her.It was my favorite way to silence her when she was fretting about things she had no need to fret over.“There’s no reason for you to be sorry.And I’m telling you right now, I will work through those issues.Because I need to be with you, Scarlet.In every way possible.”
As I looked into her eyes, she gasped and her whole body shivered.Her fingers curled into my shoulders as she clung.“But you said --”
“I did, sweetheart.Look.We don’t have a lot of time so let me just say that you’re not the first woman I’ve seen driven to the brink.But you’re the one who snagged my heart.”She sucked in a breath, tears forming in her lovely green and gold eyes.“And before you go thinkin’ it’s because I feel sorry for you, it’s not.Not even close.”
“I wasn’t, you know, trying to escape for myself.If it were just me, I’d have left the second I realized there was an MC in the area willing to protect me.”
I nodded.“Wylde said he was pretty sure you were protecting your sisters.”
