“I saw stars.”
“Promise?” he whispers against my throat.
I nod and the only dreams that come that night are ones filled with a broody man, there to protect and love me. They’re the best types of dreams to have.
“You have to leave?” Bethany peers up at me, worried.
“I do.”
“Please be careful.”
“I will.”
I stuff the saddlebags with my belongings. She stands at the back of my bike, holding Maverick’s hand as they watch me. Everyone’s loading up, a few of us having to say good-bye to our other halves. We haven’t made anything official or said it out loud, but that’s what she is to me. Maverick is just icing on the cake when it comes to our family. I’d do anything for that kid.
“I feel like we’ve barely had time to reconnect,” she admits, biting her bottom lip.
Nodding, I stand and pull her into my arms, Maverick’s hand wrapping around my thigh. “It’ll be all right. Once I get back, we’ll have more time,” I mumble in her hair.
“Princess told me what happened with this group before; just watch your back. You have a kid waiting for you.”
“Just a kid?” I pull her in my arms, holding her tighter.
“You have me, too.”
I nod again, taking in the flowery scent from her shampoo. “Go inside. I probably won’t call you or text ‘cause I’ll be riding most the time.”
“If you aren’t coming back right away for some reason, you need to at least text.”
“I will, I promise.” Pulling back, I press my lips to hers gently. I want to own her mouth, kiss her roughly to take as much as possible, but I don’t. I’m gentle, giving her my sweet side, relishing in her taste so I can easily remember it later.
“Later alligator.” Putting my fist out, Mav bumps it with his, giving me a happy grin.
“Bye, Daddy.”
In no time we’re loaded up, our engines shaking the ground as the nine of us take off on a mission of revenge. It’s time to head to Oklahoma and fuck some shit up.
There is my heart, and then
there is you, and I’m not sure
there is a difference.
-A.R. Asher
“What is it?” Viking growls as we pull off at a gas station out of turn. We’d already filled up and were set for another two hours at least before breaking.
“Fuck, I don’t know, but my phone has been going off nonstop, continuous for the past hour.”
“Just Bluetooth that shit, we’re wasting too much time.”
“I would, but I can’t hear good with that thing in my ear. Besides, who the fuck you know would be callin’ me like that? Someone who’s lost their motherfuckin’ mind,” I grit in return, and pull my device out to see what the hell is going on.
It saysBethany: 240 missed calls.
“What the ever loving fuck?” Holding it up to Vike, his gaze widens, and he gestures for me to call. I was going too anyhow.
“The fuck’s goin’ on, Bethany, Christ?” I damn near yell when she answers.