I shook my head lightly. “You said you’re never letting me go.”
“And if you choose to stay with me now, that’s exactly what will happen. I’ll never let you go. You’ll be a part of the Kings. You’ll be mine. But if you choose to go back home now, I won’t ever interfere with your life again.” His thumb touched my bottom lip. “This is your chance to choose.”
Honestly, if I had to take a minute, or a day, or a week, in the end my heart would always overrule my head. I could try to fight it, try to deny it. But in the end, my heart would choose him, no matter how dark, how messed up and wicked it all was. It was something I would never be able to change because what we had was something that started years ago. It started the moment our eyes met through my bedroom window the very first time.
I cupped his cheek, his beard hard and rough against my palm. “Like you said, I never should have watched you through my window. But I did…and it’s something I’ll never regret.” Turning to face my parents, I tucked myself deeper into Granite’s side. “I’m not going home with you. I’m staying here.”
“Alyxandria—”
“I’m staying with him, Mom.”
“You are throwing your entire future away, your ballet—”
“Your future, Mother. I’m throwing away your future. Not mine.”
My mom glowered at Granite from beneath those thick, mascara-clumped eyelashes. “You filthy beast. What did you do to my daughter?”
“Meryl! For God’s sake. For once in your miserable life, stop ruining your daughter’s life and let her make her own goddamn decisions.” My dad’s outburst silenced my mom immediately, her mouth open and expression stunned.
“Commissioner Green,” a uniform called from behind. “The media is here. You want to handle it?”
“Yes.” He straightened the lapels of his jacket, brushing his palm over his head to make sure his hair was as neat as it could be. “I’ll handle the media,” he said to Granite. “I’ll make sure the media knows the American Street Kings saved my daughter.” He held out his hand, a gesture of good faith from him to the man I loved.
Granite shook his hand, and my father smiled my way. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Timothy?” my mom objected, but he grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him, leaving Granite and me behind.
For the first time in my life, I was free. It was my life, and no longer my mother’s. It was liberating and new. It was going to take some getting used to.
I placed my hand on Granite’s chest, craning my neck to look up at him with a scowl. “Were you really going to let me go if I said I wanted to go home?”
His arms draped around my waist, and he lifted my feet off the ground. “Not a chance. Manic is waiting just up the road to haul your ass right back here if you decided to leave. I told you…I’m never letting you go.”
Epilogue
Granite
There simply wasn’tanything like it.
The feel of fresh air on your skin. The vibration of power between your legs. Nothing but the open road, and your woman holding on tight. For a man like me, this was perfection.
It was just before sunset when I turned off the road into a parking lot. It was days like these when spring teased us with the promises of summer nights, and the beaches were becoming increasingly crowded. But our usual spot didn’t attract many people. For most of the time, it was private, just the way I preferred it.
I switched off the ignition, and Alyx got off, her golden blonde hair blowing in the breeze as she took off her lid. No matter how many times I’d seen her get off my ride, taking off her lid and waving her hair around like on one of those shampoo commercials—it still gave me a fucking hard-on every goddamn time.
She stared out over the ocean, inhaling deeply as she smelled the fresh ocean breeze. “It’s always so beautiful here.”
“It sure is.” I leaned forward on my motorcycle, refusing to take my eyes off her. No sunset and no ocean view could be more gorgeous than she was.
It had been four weeks since everything changed. Four weeks since Alyx decided to stay with me rather than return to her own life. Four weeks of fucking paradise—pun intended. And it amazed me how quickly she adapted to life within in the club as my old lady. After everything that had happened with Slither, and Neon, and Tanit, Alyx managed to breathe new life into the club, and the crew adored her.
I glanced at my watch. “We’re early. He won’t be here for another half hour.”
“That’s okay. I love being out here with you.” She leaned in, pushing her body against my leg while I still straddled my bike, and placed her mouth against mine. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing that sweet pussy of hers against my hard thigh. She moaned, and my cock ached instantly.
I slipped back on the seat and pulled her over so she straddled both me and the Harley.
It was obvious she had put on some weight the last few weeks. There was still a long way to go for her, as she continued to struggle with the idea that she no longer had to curb her appetite and could eat whenever she was hungry. It was a psychological thing that only time would be able to heal completely. But she looked good, starting to fill out in all the right places.