Stay with Me: The Moran Brothers Series

Chapter 38

No Promises

Knight

I standat the foot of the bed watching her sleep. I’m exhausted and still wound tight from all I’ve learned about the shooting and Broker. So many things align.

I understand why the Lost Souls let me get close. They’ve been looking for an opportunity to expose the Falcons and Broker. Bunch of dumb bastards.

With the Lost Souls going completely legit, the Falcons have no real competition. However, Lost Soul territory is all off-limits and that’s a lot of prime real estate.

I push all that shit to the back of my mind and start to strip out of my clothes. I’ll be dealing with all of that soon enough. Rem stirs and sits up as I get my things off and get ready to climb into bed with her.

“You don’t think you’re getting in this bed, do you?”

She pulls the sheet around her, wrapping up like a burrito. I don’t want to fight with her, but I can see she’s pissed off at me. I meant to call her, but the impromptu meeting at my apartment took longer than I expected.

“Rem, I can explain.”

“Yeah, maybe tomorrow. You can call me then. I’ll answer if I have time.”

I purse my lips and place my hands on my hips. I’m not driving home tonight. I’m exhausted and I want her in my arms.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t take your calls. I had some shit that I needed to handle, and I couldn’t afford the distraction,” I say tightly.

“Well, don’t let me distract you from taking your ass home.”

Her little nostrils flare, and her eyes narrow on me. I can’t believe how much shit has changed since this morning. I shove my hands in my hair and tug. I’m so fucking frustrated.

“Baby, I’m hanging on by a thread. Please, give me a break.”

Her gaze searches my face. I don’t know what she finds, but her eyes soften, and she gives a small nod. I sigh in relief and climb my tired body into the bed.

However, Rem won’t lay down beside me. She remains sitting upright. I shove a hand through my hair and blow out a breath. I need her more than she knows.

“Rem, I said I’m sorry.”

“I heard you.”

“Come here,” I coax, tugging at the sheet. She doesn’t reply or move. “Rem, baby, come here.”

Still no movement. I sit up and ease the sheet from around her. Gently, I place kisses across her shoulder.

“Be honest with me, and I’ll lie down with you.”

“I’m always nothing but honest. You know this.”

“Is your life in danger?”

I answer without hesitation. “Yes, but I’m handling it. That’s why I couldn’t answer my phone.”

Her shoulders sag. “What’s going on, Knight?”

I pull the sheet down and place my hand on her waist, rubbing my thumb back and forth on her smooth skin. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, I try to pour all my love into her.

“While a member of the Lost Souls MC, I helped the LA Prez find and recover his old lady and daughter. Long story. I also protected the Georgia and South Carolina Prez’s wife and kids from some shit I stumbled into.

“All things we believe were orchestrated by a member of the Falcons MC. A member who’s also an ATF agent. He needs me dead. He was the one who shot me in the back eight months ago, in a warehouse that belongs to the Lost Souls. He wanted to pin the murder on them.”

“Oh my God, are you serious? Can you guys prove this? He can be prosecuted,” she rattles off sounding like the attorney I used to know.

“We have proof. I built a case on the Falcons. We have everything we need to take them down with my testimony and the evidence I provided. If I’m dead that case falls apart and then he can pin my death and God knows what else on the Lost Souls,” I explain.

“That’s bullshit,” she gasps, turning slightly to face me.

“I know. But that shit’s not happening on my watch. I told you, the Lost Souls that I know are good men. They may have had dirty hands in the past, but I found nothing while I was among them.

“Their guns are licensed. Ice actually runs a gun range. He forbids drugs at the clubhouse, which everyone respects. Their businesses are legit. The only reason they showed any type of violence was because their families were threatened.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“We’re going to expose them.”

“I still have connections in the DOJ. I can pull some favors, and we’ll go after a clean indictment. Can you get me the proof that this agent was behind the shooting? Anything you can get me to nail his balls to the wall,” she says as the wheels turn.

“We have it covered. One of the brothers is a lawyer. He’s pulling some favors.”

She shakes her head before I can finish. “Knight, if he’s connected to the MC you risk the prosecution favoring the word of the agent who shot you. Let me do this. I can help.”

“You know this is going to get dangerous?”

“I know that you’re in danger and I was one hell of a prosecutor. I made friends in all the right places. Let me help.”

I know how hard this is for her, but I can see the determination in her eyes. She’s willing to face her fears for me. I wrap my hand around her neck and tug her forward to devour her lips.

I break the kiss. “I’ll run this by everyone in the morning. My priority is your safety. If we can do this and guarantee your safety than I’ll let you help.”

“Okay.”

* * *

Reminisce

I waitfor my flight response to kick in, but it never comes. Knight’s safety wins out over my need to preserve mine. A crooked agent who’s trying to take his life is enough to push me to do all I can to help Knight.

In truth, it’s my love for this man that grounds me and gives me a determination I wouldn’t have had a few months ago. Fear tries to grab a hold of me, but his touch forces it back.

“Thank you, babe,” he says before he kisses my lips again.

“I’ll do whatever I can. I l— I’d like to help.”

I cut off the words I was about to say. I don’t think I’ve found that much courage tonight. It’s as if speaking those words will turn this all on its head.

However, his eyes light up as if he knows what I was about to say. Not ready to dive into that, I pull the sheets back up around me and start to move from the bed. I head for the bathroom as fast as I can to place some distance between us.

I get as far as the bathroom door before Knight is hot on my heels. His heat engulfs me as he presses to my back and maneuvers me to the wall beside the en suite’s entrance.

“Don’t run from me,” he says in my ear.

Tugging a handful of hair in his hand and pressing into me, he allows his erection to poke me in the back. With his free hand, he pulls the sheet from my body and tosses it to the floor. I feel bare to him in a way that’s more than skin deep.

“Knight,” I whisper his name.

“Don’t move,” he orders, releasing me.

I shiver, but I obey the command. He disappears somewhere behind me. A few moments go past before music fills the room, “Say You Love Me” by Jessie Ware. I’ve heard this song before, but it has a deeper meaning here and now.

He returns to place his hands on my hips. The slow glide of his palms up my sides raises goosebumps. I bite my lip and close my eyes as the words speak to my soul. The lyrics speak of not wanting to fall in love with someone not willing to try. Knight couldn’t have picked a better song.

“Stay with me, Rem. Tell me how I get you to stay.”

His words come out in a heavy rasp. I know him too well. He’s not asking me to stay. He’s asking me to finish the words.

He takes a pause waiting for an answer I can’t give. When the reply doesn’t come from my lips, he grasps a hold of my hair again and tugs my head back. He knees my legs apart and the next thing I know, he guides himself into me.

“Knight,” I cry out.

He wraps his other hand around my throat in a tight hold. Everything about his actions is possessive and claiming. He nails me to the wall as if that will loosen the words from my mouth.

His heavy panting mixes with my cries and pleas. “Tell me,” he demands into my ear.

I gasp but the words won’t pass my lips. I don’t know who I’m more afraid to admit them to, him or me. He continues to thrust into me, stirring emotions and feelings I don’t know what to do with.

“I won’t run.”

It’s the best I can do. I can’t make a promise or declaration beyond that. He buries his face in my neck and stills. Wrapping his arms around me, he holds me tight.

“I’m not the man you let go of last time. This time is different, Rem. I’m not going anywhere. Nothing can take me from you. Trust me.”

He links his fingers with mine and starts to slowly rock into me again. My eyes roll into the back of my head. An ache I can’t explain starts in my heart.

It fills me to the brim as he pushes his way into my body and takes me to new heights. When he latches onto the sensitive skin on my neck, my belly caves and I tighten my hold on his fingers.

I start to quake and squeeze around him. He groans and kisses the side of my face. Not able to hold back a second more, I come all over him.

“Baby steps,” he whispers and nuzzles my neck.

Yeah, baby steps. If I can survive getting him out of this mess, then … maybe then I’ll be ready to say the words.