Tex’s Angel (Savage Legion MC #11)

Chapter 13

Clara

A t some point after seeing the awful things scrawled across my walls and having my home declared a crime scene, I must have mentally checked out. Something short circuits in my brain and I can’t deal with the reality of my life anymore. I don’t know why this is happening to me, what did I do to deserve this kind of nastiness? I always thought that if I minded my own business, stayed away from drugs and people who lived their life on the edge, that I’d be left alone. I’d learned my lesson in college about what can happen if you interfere in someone else’s life.

Tex has been great, but I wish I could talk to my friends or family about what I’m going through. God knows that I can’t confide in the sister who betrayed me and is living with the man who’s most likely doing this to me. She’d just deny it or tell me that I’m jealous and losing my grasp on reality.

As far as my parents go, they were already on my tail to forgive my sister and try to be happy for her and Chris. They said she has kids to support and needs a husband who earns good money more than me. Their lack of support is bad enough, but downplaying the betrayal is a betrayal in and of itself. I’ve gone low contact with them and don’t want them to have access to any information about my life.

Abigail is the only real friend I have, but I don’t want to drag her too deeply into this shit. That’s means I’m all on my own, Except for Tex and his club.

I barely remembered the journey to the cabin as I was numb. All I can think about is what happened. Having your house broken into is a huge violation, the person might not have stolen anything, but to see the insults painted in bright bold red letters across my wall was terrifying. I’d almost prefer mindless vandalism by a stranger to this. This was personal.

I’m worried this is just a preview of what’s to come, that he’ll be coming after me next. Tex is the only person I feel safe around, and while I like that feeling a lot, I know it’s not good. He’ll soon tire of me and my troubles. Which is a damn shame, because I’m really enjoying being around him and it seems like what we’ve got could have legs. It’s with thoughts of my handsome biker in my head that I finally fell asleep.

If I’d hoped to have a reprieve from the day’s horrors in my sleep, I was mistaken. Instead of rolling around naked in bed with my new self-appointed protector, I’m back home in my bed terrified because not only is car alarm going off in the driveway, there’s a figure in the dimly lit corner of my room, where my nightlight doesn’t reach. I freeze as he begins to move closer. I need to move my ass, run from him, try to get away but I can’t seem to move.

When one hand slowly comes out to grab me, I break loose and begin clawing at him.

I can’t get my nails to make contact with his face because he’s holding both my wrists. Then I hear him growl, “Clara, wake up.”

My eyes snap open and I realize it’s all a dream. I see Tex has a scratch on his chest where I caught him, and I feel a flash of guilt. Realizing that I’m awake, he loosens his grip on my hands.

He puts a finger under my chin and tilts my head up to look into my eyes and says in a low, soothing tone, “It was just a dream, sugar. Just a bad dream. Y’all are here at the cabin with me. Ain’t nothing bad gonna happen to you on my watch.”

I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. When I bury my face in his chest, he holds me close and rubs my back. “I fucking hate that asshole for doing this to you darlin’.”

I don’t how long he holds me but when he pulls back, I ball my hands into his shirt, afraid of letting him go, of being alone and scared again. “Will you stay with me?”

He reaches out and pushes a strand of hair out of my face. “Y’all are afraid to sleep alone? Is that what you’re sayin’?”

I glance down to where the blankets act as a barrier between us. “I know that makes me weak and you don’t like weak people.”

“I ain’t never said I don’t like weak people and you’re not weak anyway. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” He stands up and takes off his shirt and jeans. “Okay then, scoot over, sugar pie. If I’m gonna sleep, I want to be comfortable.”

When I shift over, he pulls the top sheet up and lays down on it before pulling the blanket up over his big body. I’m all kinds of charmed by this big biker. He’s equal parts sweet and bold. He’s also being the perfect gentleman, I know we had big ideas about this being a romantic getaway, but he’s chosen to lie on top of the bed rather than under the sheet with me. I like the fact he’s not being presumptuous, but right now I’d like to feel him against me even more. There’s something grounding about the man.

I don’t remember going to bed, I think Tex just settled me here when we arrived, and I realize I’m fully clothed, that might be one of the reasons I had a restless sleep. I pull my shirt over my head, leaving on my sports bra and then slide my jeans off, tossing them both onto the floor so I’m just wearing panties. I wriggle as close to Tex as I dare.

After I wriggle around for a while, trying to get comfortable, Tex sighs. “Fuck it, sugar pie. Come on over and sleep on my chest. I know y’all want to.”

I don’t even think about saying no, because it’s exactly where I want to be. I move over as soon as he holds out his arm and I make myself comfortable on his chest. He closes his arm around me, his hand resting on my stomach. I slowly relax to strong thump of his heartbeat.

“Thank you,” I whisper, trying not to sound timid.

“You’re welcome.”

This really isn’t how I thought our weekend would go. Instead of us getting intimate it seems like we’re strangers, despite the fact I’m cuddled in his arms. Before I can think of something to say he speaks again in that low, deep, soothing voice he saves for when he’s trying to calm me down. “I hate to see y’all so upset. This is just a moment in time. I know it’s hard to see right now but it will pass, and things will get back to normal.”

“I want to be strong, but I keep breaking down. It’s embarrassing.”

“We all break down occasionally, even me. I cried for weeks after my wife died. And I ain’t too proud to admit it. Once this whole damn situation is behind y’all it won’t be so gut wrenching.”

“What was your wife like?” I ask, before I consider that he might not want to talk about the biggest tragedy of his life, but I don’t know anything about her, and I’m curious to know about the woman who played such a huge role in his life.

He jerks back and looks down at me before shaking his head. A smile creeps onto his face. “I pulled her out of a honky-tonk one night when she was disturbing the peace. She was older than me, nine years to be exact. We fought like cat and dog until we ended up in bed working out our frustration with each other in a different way. I was barely eighteen and a rookie cop.”

As I stare into his eyes, I try to imagine what that was like for him.

He chuckles, “Don’t look so shocked. “Ash was wilder than an acre of snakes. She loved to drink, dance, and party more than any woman I ever met. Me? I liked to help out on my parents’ farm, ride my horse, and play sports. We were together a few years before Levi came along.”

“Let me guess, when your son was born, she settled right down and became the perfect mom, right?”

Tex’s smile stretched from ear to ear. “She never lost her love for a cold beer and kickin’ up her heels. She just slowed down once she got sick. We didn’t know what it was for a long time and the doctors were useless in the beginning. I ended up takin’ her to a specialist and they told her it had progressed to late stage. I took a three month leave from work and the three of us went out every night she felt up to it. Even when she couldn’t dance, she enjoyed watchin’ everyone else hoof it. She sipped beer right up until the end. Don’t get me wrong, she wasn’t an alcoholic or anything, she just liked a drink now and then. She passed five years ago, when Levi was nine.”

“I can’t imagine how hard that was for you both,” I tell him, staggered by his ability to find joy in such a tragic loss.

“It was hard, but Ash made me promise not to let my grief over her passing take over my whole life. She wanted me to move on and find a good woman to be a mom to Levi. I sometimes feel like I let her down with that. But I just couldn’t do it.”

“I think it’s hard to move on after the love of your life dies. I’m sure you did your best.”

“I got Levi and myself into therapy until we got over the worst. It was rough times, but we made it through it.”

“He’s really mature for his age.”

“Yeah. He mostly grown now and pretty independent. He might not take to having a mother figure in his life at this stage in the game.”

“No one’s ever going to be able to replace his mother and they’d be stupid to try. He doesn’t need a replacement mother. But maybe he could do with another adult who supports his interests and is willing to become his friend.”

Instead of answering me, Tex just hugs me closer, and his lips ghost across the top of my head.

I want to enjoy the moment, but after he’s opened his heart, I am kind of curious as to what’s going on between us. So I ask, “So you never met anyone you wanted to settle down with again?”

“Nope.” Just when I think I misread the situation, I feel his hand reach up to brush my hair behind my ear, “Not until I found myself falling for my hot schoolteacher neighbor.”

“This neighbor, would I approve of her? Because I’m kind of crushing on my neighbor too.”

“She’s got red hair, curves for days, and cooks a mean chicken alfredo,” his voice is teasing, and he wraps a curl around his fingers.

Just when I’m trying to think of a sassy comeback, Tex asks, “So are volunteering to be that person, for him and for me?”

I glance up at him, catching his eye. My lips curve into a smile, “Maybe. It depends on how long and arduous the trial period is.” I slide my hand down his chest to his stomach, “And what kind of fringe benefit package I’m looking at.”

Tex laughs. “There might be some benefits, if you wanna let your fingers walk down a bit further you might find out what they are.”

I pull my hand back up to rest on his chest and lay my head back down. I don’t want to be a rebound girlfriend or something casual. I need to know we’re on the same page, “So, are you looking for a committed relationship or are you still working your way through the club girls.”

He makes a surprised sound, “I ain’t gonna lie. I have a healthy sexual appetite, and I’ve had a lot of meaningless sex since my wife passed.”

“That’s what I figured,” I say as push myself up off him. Before I can get away, he pulls me right back down.

“Y’all can at least hear me out, I didn’t even get a chance to answer your damn question.”

I prop myself up on one elbow and shrug with the other shoulder. “Fine. Tell me all about it.”

“I was saying before y’all interrupted that I’ve had a lot of meaningless sex, but cold mechanical sex was getting old for me. I haven’t had a lot of sex since I moved in next door to you. It’s like my appetite for faceless fucking went AWOL.”

I don’t look up at him, but my heart is beating a little faster. “You’ve been living next door for over a year.”

“Well it feels like twenty years to my cock,” he grumbles.

I sneak a glance up at him. “No wonder you were such a grumpy bunny.”

He just shakes his head. “Yeah, I have a thing for redheads, and you were the prettiest one of all.”

“Aww shucks, Tex,” I say with my best impersonation of a Texas accent. “You say the sweetest darn things.”

He looks down at me with an indescribable expression on his face. “When y’all use your cute little Texas accent it makes me want to throw y’all over my shoulder and run back to Texas with you.”

“Gosh, I ain’t never been naked in bed with a big strong Texas cowpoke before.”

He gives me an indulgent smile, “It’s not cowpoke. The term you’re looking for is cowboy.”

I put both hands on his chest and rest my chin on my hands. Gazing up at him, I explain. “I thought using the term boy might be insulting. You’re nothing like a boy. You’re all hot biker through and through.”

“I thought you were a sweet, innocent little schoolteacher. How did you learn so much about how to seduce a man?”

“Being married to man who wasn’t great in bed meant I spent a lot of time daydreaming about meeting the right man and flirting my ass off.”

He’s suddenly all ears. “So that asshole you married didn’t know how to please a woman. How goddamn tragic for you, sugar pie.”

“It was tragic,” I respond, stressing the last word. “My poor pussy has been sad and lonely for ever so long.”

A look of confusion crosses his face so fast I almost miss it. Smothering back a smile of my own, I drop the country accent and say to him, “I’m not talking about my actual cat.”

He gets a wicked grin on his face. “You wanna let me introduce myself to your pussy?”

“Only if you say please.”

“You’re one fucking naughty schoolteacher.”

Something about his rough language sends a thrill up my spine. “I’m a naughty schoolteacher with needs that aren’t being met.” Taking a chance, I add, “Maybe I could interest one of the other brothers if you’ve still got a few club girls you haven’t slept with yet.”

“Hell, the fuck no! So, y’all like to tease and play sexy games, do ya?” the growly tone of his voice goes right to my clit making it tingle like crazy.

“Why not? We’re consenting adults. We’re all alone in a cabin in the woods. We could have wild sex all night long and no one would even know.” I pull my sports bra over my head and toss it aside, freeing my breasts. “You in the mood to say please?”

His eyes light up. “No. I’ve got a better idea. I’ll let y’all play with my glorious cock if y’all put that pretty pussy of yours on my face first.”

I don’t have to pretend to blush, because I’m doing it for real. I smooth all my long red curls over one shoulder and purr in my best Texas accent, “Well now, Mr. Jones. I might just be interested in that deal.”