Bunny
I opened my eyes and saw Dakota’s broad chest. Dakota relaxed on the bed next to me, his hands linked behind his head and eyes closed. I’d snuggled into him at some point and wrapped myself around him. Dakota looked tired and smelled faintly of smoke. Huh, I didn’t know Dakota smoked. In fact, I didn’t believe any of Hellfire did. I’d never seen them in the outside smoking section at the bar.
“Hey,” Dakota grunted.
“Hi,” I whispered back shyly. “Do you smoke?” I asked the burning question, no pun intended. Dakota popped his eyes open and glanced down at me.
“Huh?”
“I can smell smoke.”
“Ah, no, baby, I was out earlier. A customer was smoking, and I talked to him for a few.” I chewed that over. If he’d been outside talking, it had to be later than I thought.
“What’s the time?” I asked, alarmed. Dakota’s lips quirked up.
“Eleven.”
“Holy shit! What?” I exclaimed, sitting bolt up in bed and looking for a clock. I spied Dakota’s phone, grabbed it and gasped. He wasn’t lying.
“Chill, no one thinks anything. They all know you had drama and probably didn’t sleep too well from the break-in,” Dakota drawled.
“But I’m due on in three hours. I need to get ready, go back to the bar and change,” I cried.
“Magic’s given you a couple of days off.”
“No, I didn’t ask for that! Dakota, you can’t interfere in my life!” I exclaimed and saw his mulish look. Dakota scowled, and I suddenly wondered how much truth there was to the stories of Hellfire and their brother’s club Rage. Alice had told me some wild tales about these men and their women. As I stared at Dakota, I had a niggle and opened my mouth.
“Dak, are you claiming me?” I asked. An eyebrow lifted, and a smile crossed those sexy as fuck lips. “Oh no!” I yelled, scrambling out of bed. “Dakota Johnson, whatever idea you have in your head, get rid of it now!” Dakota lay back against the pillows and watched me lazily from hooded eyes.
“Mine!” Dakota drawled with more than a hint of self-satisfaction.
“Hell no! I have two lives, although I can’t live one!”
“And whichever life you choose, I will be right at your side, ensuring you get the beauty you deserve, Janey. Gonna break my back making sure you’re happy, content and loved. I swear no tears will ever fall from your eyes, no pain will hurt you, and I’ll be the barrier between you and danger. Andbelieve me,baby, I give my word, you’ll never have a moment of disappointment or heartbreak and that whatever you need, you’ll have. I’ll put my body between yours and a bullet without hesitation. Any fucker thinks he can put you down and make you miserable will come up against me. Nothing will touch you again. My Janey, means mine to protect, love, nurture and watch fulfil her every potential!” Well, damn it, Dakota knew how to hit me hard!
Tears clogged in my throat; I’d not had anything like that in my life since Dad died. Now Dakota was back and offering me… if I wasn’t wrong… the fucking world. After Dad’s death, nobody cared what happened to me or what I’d lost. Warily, I studied Dakota’s relaxed body and noted that it was deceptive. His pose may be at ease, but Dakota wasn’t. His eyes were alert and wary. Dakota was putting himself on the line and was ready to fight for what he wanted. And that was me. Me! Plain Janet Revers, who’d lost everything I’d held dear in the world and locked myself away from living to protect myself from pain.
These last six months showed I could live, and I’d blossomed. No, I didn’t want to return to repressed Liberian Janet Revers. What did Dakota call me? Oh yeah, I wanted to be fuckable Bunny, not untouchable Janey. I could hear Mom and Dad in my ears cheering. This was what they’d imagined. A man to cherish me, and the look in Dakota’s eyes meant he’d more than care for me; he’d worship me.
“Janey,” Dakota growled as he sat up and swung his legs off the bed. His face expressed pain and uncertainty, and I flew towards him, curling into his arms. Dakota wrapped me tight and dropped his chin to my head.
“I understand,” I whispered, swallowing tears.
“But do you accept, or have I gotta run you down? Be damned nice to have a simple courtship for once.” I bristled at Dakota’s words. What did they mean? He continued, “Chance had shit rough with Clio’s kidnapping and Inglorious snatching her from a car. Magic was shot saving Clio. Bear saw Thalia kidnapped, mutilated and tortured. Celt and Chey had such a bad misunderstanding that she hid his kid from him and then wound up paralysed. An easy claiming would be welcome.”
“Is there such a thing? Because I have a murderer chasing me, and I don’t plan to return to my life because he threatened me, Dakota. And the cops did not believe me!”
“We didn’t discuss that last night,” Dakota replied, and I shook my head. I still remember the horror of what I’d seen.
“Before we talk about it, I want a shower and clean clothes.” I dared Dakota to deny me, and he rumbled with laughter.
“Shower is through that door, and I’ve brought you clothes. Or rather, Clio and Thalia went shopping and bought you new shit. So, get ready because we’re meeting a friend of mine.”
“Who?”
“Baby, go wash,” Dakota said firmly. I laughed and headed into the closet that doubled as a bathroom. A tiny cubicle made me wonder how Dakota got his big frame inside, and there was a toilet and sink. No extras or comfort. Even the towels were a little rough. As I washed my hair with some women’s shampoo (all unopened bottles and bought for me), I heard the restroom door open and close.
“Janey, new towels,” Dakota shouted as I squealed and hid my lady bits. There was a bark of laughter, and the door slammed shut. Muttering threats, I finished the shower and wrapped myself up in the thick, fluffy towel Dakota had dropped off. I dried myself before realising Dakota hadn’t brought in my clothes. Oh, that sneaky little devil. A grin appeared before I quickly hid it. Mischief welled as I walked out of the bathroom and saw Dakota lounging on his bed, eyes on me. I spotted a pile of clothes at the end of his bed. Casually, releasing the towel, I strolled forward and pulled on the underwear without a word. Dakota’s eyes burned into me before I yanked on the black jeans and tank top. By the time I turned around, red hot vibes were stabbing me in my back, and Dakota was sitting bolt upright.