Ethan's Sky (King's Of Fury MC Book 1)

24. Ethan

24

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Skyler started out stiffly holding onto me as if it pained her to be so close. Tough shit. I’ve been trying to hold her, to touch her, comfort her. She won’t allow herself to trust me and worse it means she’s not allowing for me to give us both what we need, even though I know she wants to.

She acts like touching me repulses her. The touch of my hand burns her skin. But I know she’s feeling hurt right now. She has every right to feel that way. I’ve been an asshole of epic proportions. But I didn’t have all the facts. I still don’t. But I’m seeing the picture a little more clearly now than ever before.

Skyler’s body slumps against mine, she’s exhausted.

I see her trying to be tough, fighting everything on her own and because of it, her mind is fighting what’s inevitable between us. Her doubts mingled with my harsh words are waging a war within her. But her mind can’t hide what her body is saying. Her eyes tell me everything her heart wants.

You let your shields slip, Sunshine. I see you, baby. And I’m not backing down.

I know how much my touch affects her. I’ve been watching very closely to how she reacts. The way her breath catches and her pulse speeds up. The goosebumps spreading over her soft skin. Even when she’s mad at me. She can’t help the way I affect her the same way I can’t help the way she affects me.

I smile as her thumbs lazily rub back and forth against my abs, hearing an unintended sigh falling from her lips. She’s relaxed, probably half asleep after everything she’s been through today. She’s giving into the feel of the wind on her skin and the rumble of the motor.

She’s relaxing into me.

A ride on a bike can be like therapy. The wind calms something inside of me. It’s both intoxicating and relaxing at the same time.

I feel her body tense the moment she realizes what she’s been doing. Skyler stops abruptly, trying to sit up and pull away. Every time she catches herself giving in just a little, she pulls back, retreating behind her armor.

Oh, no Sweetheart.

I grab her hands and put them back where they were, and to prove my point, I reach back grabbing onto her thigh holding her to me. I’m not going to allow her to retreat. I like the feel of her hands on me. It sparks something to life I had forgotten I could feel. I know her mind is racing with all kinds of questions, most of which are what ifs and whys. But she can’t hide the fact that as much as she wants to hate me for all the shitty things, I’ve said to her, she craves the feel of my body against hers as much I do. And this right here, her wrapped around me on the back of my bike feels right.

You have a lot to make up for.

And I will.

We both have shit to say. Things we need to get out on the table. Questions that need answers. And we’ll get there. Maybe not tonight, but I’m not giving up now I know my woman has always been mine.

I feel the rumble of her groan against my back and smile. I’m going to make this right and when I do her walls are going to come crashing down. I won’t accept anything less.

At the cemetery, her body melted into the comfort of mine until her mind caught up to realize she was letting her guard down and letting me slip past. She won’t allow herself to want me. To want us.

After how bad you’ve hurt her, can you blame her?

No. I can’t.

I put the fear of rejection there, and now she’s hesitant to believe my intentions are real. There’s satisfaction in knowing I’m not the only one who’s been feeling conflicted about us. The woman has spun my fucking world upside down on its ass and right side up in a matter of minutes. This pull between us, it’s like an ocean tide dragging me under with no foreseeable way out. I tried to fight at first, using my anger over Emily’s death as my shield. Blaming Skyler for things she wasn’t to blame for. I never took into consideration how seeing Emily die could have affected her, I only thought about how it would affect the case in the courtroom. But none of it matters now.

I’m still pissed Skyler’s been lying to me. Hiding behind her secrets and I know she has more she’s keeping from me, but I’ll get to the bottom of it all soon enough.

Kieran is right. I was selfish. I was wrong, and it’s about time I showed Skyler what she means to me. For all the times she’s said she couldn’t tell me about the night Emily died, I finally realize it wasn’t because she was protecting the killer, she was protecting herself. Worried about my reaction and what might happen to her. Though, I don’t know why she would think I would be upset she killed someone in self-defense. I’d never turn her in, even if she shot the prick on purpose. The bastard deserved far worse.

But how would she know to trust you with information when you’ve been such a dick to her?

Now I need to focus on what really matters. Fixing what’s been broken between us. Skyler’s mine. She’s always been mine. It’s about time I reminded her who she belongs to.

She’s been holding on to so much guilt and pain. Not that I helped by shoving insults and blame at her every chance I got, but that all ends now.

“I killed Chance, Ethan. He killed Emily, and I fucking killed him.” Her words echo through my mind. The son of a bitch tried to rape her. Killed our child. Had I known what he did I would’ve killed the cunt myself. Instead, Skyler lives with the guilt of killing a man and blames herself for the loss of our child.

Is that what she thought was protecting me from? Was she worried I would’ve gone after the son of a bitch?

She wouldn’t have been wrong. But what would it matter if he was already dead?

“Well, I’m sorry I didn’t think aboutyour feelingswhen my world imploded!”

I deserve everything she’s about to toss my way and more.

They sent her away. But why?

It’s the one answer I can’t seem to figure out.

Why couldn’t she trust the police? Oak Ridge police have always been friendly with the Kings. George told her to only trust Gabe and his men, but Gabe didn’t keep her under his protection he passed her off to Eli to be under his. It’s not like Gabe to pass off his responsibility to someone else. Unless he felt her being with him would put her in more danger.

Killing a man in self-defense shouldn’t have sent her running scared. No one would’ve convicted her for killing her attacker. Especially being pregnant. A jury would’ve sympathized with her. She was doing what she felt necessary to save herself and our unborn child. So, why leave?

Skyler’s not the only one who’s been keeping secrets.My Pres and Ghost are hiding shit from me too, I’m sure of it.

What the fuck else don’t I know?

Anger surges through me. The knowledge of being deceived by my brothers, and by my woman; being kept in the dark all this time, it hits me in waves.

Left behind while I was broken, thinking something terrible might’ve happened to her too and I’d never really know since there was no trace of her existence anywhere. Fucking Ghost. I should have known he would do something like make her vanish into thin air. It’s what he’s known for.

Now, she’s everywhere. Invading my space. The clubhouse, O’Malley’s, my gym, Magpie’s. I can’t get away from her.

Truth is, I don’t want to.

I’m about to invade her personal space.

I smile to myself as an idea begins to take shape.

As fucked up as everything is, even with all the walls still built up between us, I want Skyler. I fucking need her. She’s always been mine. I hate that I don’t know her anymore and everyone else seems to know more than I do, but I’m going get her to trust me again. To open up and show me who she is underneath the mask she’s been wearing.

I know I hurt her with my words. I was pissed and hurt. She’s pulling her armor back up. Creating walls and space to keep me out. She knows she can’t fight this anymore; she doesn’t want to acknowledge it.

When we get to the clubhouse, I practically drag Skyler off my bike by the sleeve of the hoodie and into the main room.

“Where’s the Pres?” I yell to Blake who’s behind the bar slinging drinks. He nods toward Gabe’s office.

“He’s got Ghost, Hawk, Xander, and Cash in there going over some shit. Declan, Jake, and Mack are handling a shipment in the basement. Pres said church in a couple hours.”

“Thanks.”

I grab Skyler’s wrist and drag her down the hall, up the stairs and through the door to my room. Everything’s been kept clean and locked up since I don’t use it much anymore.

Pulling Skyler into to the room, I close the door, and spin her until her back is up against the hard wood.

“What are you…” Skyler gasps when my mouth comes crashing down on hers. With her face in my hands, and her body flush against the door, she isn’t getting away.

She doesn’t open right away, and I growl at her reluctance. I trace her bottom lip with my tongue, running my hand down to cup her breast, pinching her nipple through her clothes. She lets out a gasp, and I plunge my tongue inside coaxing, teasing, enticing. Her hands grip my hair, and she gives as good as she gets.

That’s my girl!

Her body goes slack against the door as she relaxes into my touch. Her knees begin to buckle. I push my body into hers, lifting her up slightly onto my knee between her thighs, holding her up against the door. Her legs wrap around my waist, I can feel the heat of her pussy through the fabric of her clothes. She lets out a soft whimper when I nudge my denim clad cock against the seam of her jeans, rocking slowly. She tips her hips, trying to get the relief she needs.

“That’s it, Sunshine. Take what you need.”

She breaks the kiss, catching her breath. I smile as I kiss down her neck. Her little moans and whimpers driving me crazy. Her hands move to my chest, her hips still. She’s slowly retreating.

She’s on the edge. Her restraint is wavering. She’s being stubborn. Her thoughts waging war inside her head.

Grabbing her chin, I lean my forehead to hers. “Stop over thinking this, Sunshine. You want this as much as I do, you’re just scared.” Her breath is coming in pants, her eyes full of trepidation and fear. “I know I fucked up, baby. I never should’ve said the things I did. I was angry and confused, but I’m not anymore.” I rub my finger down her cheek. “You’re mine, Sky.”

She scoffs. “For how long Ethan? An hour? A night? As long as it takes to fuck the hate you have for me out of your system, and you feel better about being an asshole?” She drops her legs from around my hips. Her eyes locked on mine, full of fire and rage.

It’s sexy as hell.

Skyler scoffs, tilting her head she says, “So, because you’re suddenly over your temper tantrum I’m supposed to forgive you and fall into your bed? How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not a whore. I don’t want your scraps, Ethan.” She pushes at my chest. I move back, giving her some space, but not enough to run. “You can fuck right off with that shit.”

I laugh at her little rant. “You’re feistier now. I like it. Sass looks good on you, but it’s not going to change a thing. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine, and it’s time you accepted it.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’s the idea, Sunshine.” I lean in nipping the sensitive spot below her ear and whisper. “We both know how good it will feel when I fuck you into oblivion. Your head will catch up to your body soon enough. You need to let that shit go and feel me. Feel us. You’ll remember how good we were together. Like the night at the Pearl. It’s inevitable, baby. You know it’s true.”

I pull back, studying her face as she studies mine. Her mouth agape. So many emotions swirling around in those violet orbs. She knows I know one of her secrets. My sweet little Sunshine is also my redheaded vixen, Scarlet.

She’s struggling to accept my words. Hell, I should probably be afraid of my own declarations, but somehow, I know I’m right. We’re right.

Skyler lets out a long sigh, dropping her head in her hands. “How did you...?”

I shrug. “It took me a minute, but I figured it out. But see, we already fucked once, and it was fucking incredible. You know it was. The pull between us, I know you felt it. It’s why I’m the only one you’ve ever given a private dance to. Because you know we’re good together.”

She huffs. “It was a mistake. I only did it because I wanted to fuck you out of my system.”

I bark out a laugh. “Well, too bad for you, it didn’t work!” She doesn’t laugh only glares at me.

“I need to pee. Can you move please?” I drop my arm and point her toward the bathroom. I keep my body against the door as she moves away. I have no doubt in my mind she’d bolt if I moved.

She takes her time. I move to the bathroom door and listen as she slams the toilet seat and then the cabinets. She grumbles something to herself as she turns the water on in the sink. When she opens the door and sees me standing in front of her, she jumps.

“Stalker much?”

“Not stalking, making sure you’re okay.”

“I can pee on my own, thanks.”

I grab her wrist meaning to pull her into me, but she surprises me by pulling it back out of my grip and striking me in the chin with the base of her palm. It’s not a hard strike, just a warning, but it sparks something inside me.

“Fuck, Sky! You need to stop doing that shit.” I stumble back a step caught off guard. She moves around me heading for the door. I wrap my arm around her waist and lift. My intention is to throw her on the bed, but she squirms too much causing us to tumble to the floor beside it. I land first, rolling us to take most of the brunt of the landing.

Skyler twists her torso and starts swinging at my head. I wrap my legs around hers, in a closed guard position, grabbing for her arms to stop her onslaught. She moves to free her legs, trying to push to stand, but I see what she’s trying to do and switch tactics.

Both my arms lock around her thighs pulling her back down to straddle me. One arm up her back the other under her head, I roll us over so I’m now on top of her. Skyler pushes off my chest with her hands, letting her legs drop, wriggling her body loose enough to roll onto her stomach.

Wrong move Sweetheart.

I drop my body down on hers, pinning her with the weight of mine, sweeping her arms out and pinning both her hands to her sides. Leaning into her ear, I growl, “You can fight me all you want, baby. In fact, I kind of like it. But we both know how this will end. With you naked, pinned underneath me writhing in pleasure and screaming my name.”

Skyler drops her head to the floor.

“Please.” It’s a whispered plea. For what, I’m not sure. Does she want me to let her up, let her go? Leave her alone?

No. To all the above.

We’re both panting. I lay a kiss on her cheek. She closes her eyes as a single tear slips loose.

Shit.

“I’m going to let you up now. We’re going to sit on the bed and talk this shit out. No more trying to kick my ass or I swear to God, I will tie you to this bed and fuck you into submission. Don’t test me, baby.” She whimpers again. I don’t try to hide my smugness at the sound. I know she likes the idea of me tying her ass down and having my wicked way with her.

We both get up from the floor. I help her onto the bed. She scurries to the other side getting as far away from me as she can.

A vindictive smile tugs at her lips.

She’s plotting her next strike.

Images of a naked Skyler tied to my bed, completely at my mercy flash through my mind.

Game on, baby.

Unfortunately, I don’t get to see what her next move will be as we’re interrupted by a loud knock at the door followed by Blake’s voice.

“Pres wants you in the basement!”

“All right. I’ll be right there.” I answer, my eyes never leaving hers. Grabbing the sleeve of the hoodie, I tug, pulling her to come to me. Skyler doesn’t budge. Her arms sliding into the sleeves and against her chest.

Stubborn little shit.

I shrug my shoulder. Using the hoodie’s pocket, I pull her close, grabbing her hand from under the shirt, pushing it to my crotch, pinning it easily as I straddle her hips. She struggles, pushing with her free hand to move me off her. If she wanted to, she would strike me and maneuver her way out of this. We both know she can. I’ve seen her grapple in the cage.

She’s not really fighting me. She’s fighting the thought of what this could be. If it can be anything. She’s not sure we can recover from everything we’ve both gone through. She doesn’t believe me yet, but she will. I’ll make sure of it.

Leaning my weight forward, I trap both her hands between us. I lean down rubbing my nose along hers. She turns her head, and I chuckle at her mulishness.

“Fight me all you want, but you know this is going to happen. You and me, we’re going to get our shit settled, and when we do, I’m going to fuck you like I own you. Because we both know I do.”

Her breathing is ragged, a soft, whispered whimper caresses my ear. “Why?”

“Because we were meant to be. You’re mine, Sunshine. It’s going to take time to heal the past, but it won’t change our future.”

She doesn’t say anything else, but I see her side-eyeing me. I let loose of her wrist and turn her chin to face me. Her watery eyes, so full of uncertainty staring back at me. I can’t wait anymore. I melt my lips with hers, my tongue caressing her sweet, supple mouth. Another soft whimper escapes, and I seize the opportunity and lavish her mouth with my tongue. It’s slow, sensual, filled with pain staking need, and my heartfelt apology. I don’t let up until she’s kissing me back, melting into the mattress, relaxing into my touch. Only then do I pull back, placing my forehead to hers. Her tears track down her cheek, but she doesn’t try to stop them.

“This isn’t over, Sunshine. You and me, we aren’t over. Wait here for me. I’m going to go talk to Gabe. Don’t leave this room until I come get you.”

I crawl over her, coming to a stand. She’s still not saying anything. Her eyes are heavy, exhaustion written all over her face.

I rub the back of my hand down her cheek, lean down and kiss her forehead. Her eyes close at the feel of my mouth on her skin.

“Rest, baby. I’ll be right back.” She still doesn’t give me words, but turns onto her side facing away from me, her eyes still closed, as she grips the pillow. She takes a deep breath, releasing it on a long stuttering sigh.

I kiss her temple one last time. “Sleep, baby. I’ll be right back.”

Satisfied she’ll sleep, I make my way down to find Gabe.

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