I cradled the side of her face. “I’m free. I know it’s only been recent for you and him.”
Her gaze dropped like she was ashamed. “I never loved him. Never loved anyone other than you.”
“I don’t want to rush you. I know you’ve been through hell.” Another time, when we weren’t on the run for our lives, I’d ask her to tell me everything that animal did to her. “But you need to know, I won’t give you up.”
Her gorgeous eyes lifted, full of unshed tears. “I’m so sorry about Jill. I’m responsible for her death.”
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her head. “Baldie is responsible for her death. Casso is responsible for all this shit. Don’t you take the blame. If you hadn’t come, we might not have ever known the truth about each other. I’d still be a miserable fuck.”
“I feel awful for hating you all these years.” She kissed my chest. The simple move stirred me up inside, made me lust for her lips everywhere on my body. But it was too soon. “What did Storm say? How long do we have to keep running?”
Dammit, why did she have to ask? The club was in the midst of utter chaos. Random bombings were occurring. Storm said it was Casso sending warnings. A dumpster behind The Bullet was hit, and a tow truck blew up outside the club’s auto body shop. Both caused damage to the buildings. Wolf would be pissed when heard. The garage was his baby.
When I told Prez about Jill, he’d already heard from David. He worried about the guys and me. Told me to give Aspen money and send her on her way to another country so the rest of us could return to the club.Absolutely not happening, was my reply. Prez made me irate as we had words over Aspen.
I’d explained how Jill fucked with our relationship. Storm accepted it, but I could tell he didn’t like Aspen. Too fucking bad, because she wasn’t going anywhere. He needed to deal with it, or I was out. I’d turn in my cut if he couldn’t. If any one of my brothers mistreated her, I’d smash their faces into the ground. But I knew my brothers would be cool about it.
I meant it. I wasn’t ever giving Aspen up again.
“I don’t know.” I reached for the light switch and turned it off. “We should get some sleep.”
“I think we should go back and face Casso like the rest of your club.”
“We’re not having this conversation right now, Snow. I’m exhausted.”
“In the morning, then.” She lifted up, turning my face toward hers. “We will discuss it in the morning. But right now, I want you to smother me with kisses.”
Stubborn little Snow.
Our lips collided.
We moaned, melting into each other. I sucked on Aspen’s bottom lip, delighting in the taste of watermelon. It made me damn happy she’d had her gloss in her coat pocket.
Rolling her onto her back, I ground my growing erection into her leg. I wanted inside her heat. Holding back wouldn’t be easy. I might come, just from kissing her.
She gripped me. “I can help you with this.” She stroked me through my boxer briefs, rubbing her thumb over my slip.
“It’s a tempting offer. But when I come, I want it to be inside you.”
“You must ache, though.” She squeezed my cock.
Ached like she wouldn’t believe as she tortured me in the best possible way.
“I can handle it. Now stop talking so we can make out like when we were teens.”
She tittered, licking my upper lip. “Bruise my lips, Z.”
“Fuck, yeah, Snow.”
26
Aspen
My eyes flitted open, a smile stretching across my face. A narrow beam of light filtered through the seams between the blackout curtains. For the first time in a very long time, I woke up rested and happy. No pain or fear. No monster lying beside me.
This morning, I had the arms of a fiercely strong man wrapped around me. Zach held me all night. When a nightmare started, he soothed me with soft kisses. “I’m here, baby. You’re safe,” he told me. His assurances were all I’d needed.
We’d made out for a long time before we fell asleep. Zach’s dick had been hard as steel. I felt a little guilty. He wanted me but hadn’t tried anything. I sensed it was because he knew I was spotting.