Chapter 10: Demon
It had been a month since I got Zara into my bed. I still couldn’t believe she was mine, or that she ever thought she couldn’t satisfy a man. While she had tried at first to convince me we weren’t compatible, I ignored it. I knew we were, and that she was just scared. Who could blame her? After the way she had been treated by the men in her past, I was lucky she’d ever let me in her bed.
And in her bed is where I intended to remain. I wasn’t lying when I told her our first night together that she was mine, and that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives. She was the one. I intended to make sure she and everyone else knew it.
The following week, I’d claimed her in church. All of them had teased me a bit, but they were happy for me. I don’t know if Zara had fully realized yet what her status was within the club, but tonight, she’d be in no doubt.
The month had been a busy one for both of us. She had to pull extra shifts because of doctors coming down with a late-season flu. Somehow, she’d dodged that bullet. I was busy helping to develop the land not far from the compound into the haven for abused women and children. We were trying to get townhomes and other buildings built as quickly as possible, so we could start offering them assistance. Zara loved the idea and volunteered to provide medical assistance when needed.
The club was having a Saturday afternoon party. It was a celebration of sorts. A couple of weeks ago, Madisen had given birth to her and Rebel’s daughter, Moira Ann Alexander. She was a tiny thing and both of them were so happy. Seeing them like that made me crave it more.
Ever since our first night and that conversation we’d had about birth control, I’d wanted to broach it again with her. For me, the idea of a baby with her was a given. I wasn’t sure if it was for her. I’d left it alone since I wanted to make sure she was firmly committed to me. However, we would be having that conversation, and soon. I was thirty-seven years old. I wanted my kids while I was still young, and it left us time after they were grown to live our lives too. I wanted to grow old with Zara and watch our grandkids grow up too.
We got through church quickly this morning. Updates on the businesses showed they were doing well. It was now noon. The prospects were finishing getting things ready for the party. Food had been prepared by the old ladies and our restaurant. The Dublin Falls’ crew was coming. I was excited to introduce Zara to Harlow. I wanted her and the woman I considered my sister to like each other, for Zara to get close to Hunter and Emmie, who for all intents and purposes, were my nephew and niece.
She’d helped the other ladies out and then said she had to run home to get ready. I’d tried without success to get her to leave more of her things here at the compound. With Ajax and Jessica’s house finished and them moved in, I wanted to get Zara to move to the compound and into the guesthouse. After I got her that far, I’d ask her about building our house. With Hellion, I found I had to take most things one step at a time. Anything involving emotions was hard for her.
Bull had decided not to invite any of the other clubs to our party this time. He wanted it to be more family focused, though he did ask the Louisville and Gastonia chapters to come. I think some had said they would. They tended not to be as close as Dublin Falls, though Bull was over them as the charter president.
It was after one o’clock when we heard the bikes of some of the guys from Louisville at the gate. It was Brute, that chapter’s president and his old lady, Mazy, his enforcer, Patriot, and patched members, Wolf and Ice. Several of us, along with Bull, went to greet them. While we were getting them situated with drinks, Terror and his crew from Dublin Falls roared up to the gate.
Bull and Jocelyn were standing there, anxiously waiting for his grandkids to get out of the SUV. Hunter and Emmie got out of the car and ran to their grandpa. They also were hugging Jocelyn. I waited for the noise to settle and all of us to go inside before greeting them. Harlow was the last one I stopped at. She was giving me a funny look.
“What’s that look for?”
“You seem different, and I don’t know why.”
“I’m just me. I think you’re finally losing your mind, Harley. I see the process is complete. I wondered how long it was going to take,” I teased her.
She smacked me then launched herself into my arms. I hugged her tight and gave her a quick kiss. I never thought anything about the fact it was on the lips. We’d always kissed like that. It was never anything passionate. Terror had even gotten used to us greeting each other this way over the years and stopped growling every time. However, when I looked up and caught sight of Zara and the look on her face, I knew she hadn’t understood the kiss.
“Shit!” I sat Harlow down and took off toward Zara. She turned her back and went for the door. She was out the door and heading toward the cars and bikes as I cleared the doorway. I chased after her and grabbed her arm. “Stop. You misunderstood what you saw in there, Hellion. That’s Harlow, Bull’s daughter. She’s like my damn sister!”
She whipped around. “And do you go around kissing all women on the lips? I don’t think so. I sure haven’t seen you kissing Jocelyn, Jess, Madisen, or Devyn like that. I need to go anyway. Enjoy the party. Tell everyone I had to leave.” She tried to pull away and get into her car.
I crowded her up against the side of it and caged her in so she couldn’t get away from me. “No, I don’t kiss all women on the lips, but I have always done that with her. It’s a quick peck. I’m sorry you didn’t know that, and it hurt you. But, baby, you know I only want one woman,” I told her. I knew she still struggled to believe our relationship would last, but damn, sometimes it hurt like hell that she didn’t trust me all the way.
“God, Luca, look at her. She’s gorgeous. What else would I think? And now I’ve made a total fool out of myself. Ugh, I think it’s better if I go home and hide. No way I can go back in there and face her or the rest of them after that display.”
“No, you’re not going home. She’s probably in there laughing her damn ass off. She has teased the hell out of me about when I got a woman one day. She hoped she’d give me hell. And, baby, I can say, you’re living up to that,” I told her with a grin. She blushed just a tiny bit, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. I got lost in the moment. The feel of her lips on mine, her taste, the sensations they caused to course through my body. I felt myself growing hard. I reluctantly separated from her when I heard a throat being cleared loudly. I looked up and over.
There stood Harley and Terror. Both had big shit-eating grins on their faces. I groaned. Harley sashayed up to us and looked between us expectantly.
“Who’s this, Demon? Someone I think you should introduce me to, don’t you think?”
“No, brat, I don’t think I will. You’ll try and scare her off. There isn’t any damn way I want that to happen. Go away.” I teasingly shoved her gently away. She laughed and held on tight to my arm.
“Oh no, you’re not getting rid of me that easily. Hi, I’m Harlow. This dumbass’s sister in all ways but blood. I’m Bull’s daughter. This is my husband, Terror.” She gestured to Terror. He was standing there with his arms folded across his chest, looking intimidating. I knew he was trying to see if he could intimidate Zara. I had news for him, she was a law unto herself. He was trying to get me back for how I’d been when he told me he wanted Harlow.
I wrapped my arm around Zara’s shoulders and tugged her into my ribs. “Harley, Terror, this is Zara. She’s my woman.” Harlow looked her up and down like she was trying to size her up. Terror gave her a chin lift and a tiny quirk of the lips in greeting. Maybe I should have warned them about Zara and not to scare her off.
“Hello. Sorry for the scene inside. I had no idea you were Harlow. I just thought you were another woman throwing herself at him, as usual,” Zara told her.
I groaned. “Babe.”
“Don’t babe me, Demon. You know it’s true. Every damn time I turn around, someone’s trying to get into your pants. I think I should put a damn sign on you that says hands off. Maybe I should see about getting some male admirers, that way I won’t feel so lonely and bad when it happens.” I knew she was teasing about the men, but jealousy shot through me.
“Over my fucking dead body are you getting any men to admire you! They already do that. Or do I have to remind you of Jinx?” She laughed. Harlow was watching her with a narrow-eyed look. Uh-oh, she was going to test Zara. I knew it. Even if she did tease me about finding a woman, I knew she would want to be sure she was the right one for me. I almost hated to see what she’d say or do.