Chapter 9
APRIL
Why in the world did I tell Fool I’m a virgin?
I’m an idiot. That’s why.
The call and message on my phone freaked me out, and I couldn’t handle having Fool in my space. Not when the way he kissed me left me feeling so much. Need. Desire. Safety.
I barely know the man, and yet in his arms, I feel so much more. Words can’t describe how he made me feel, the way it felt to have his lips on mine. It’s not the first time I’ve kissed someone, but it’s the first time I’ve felt something so deep. It’s as if it reaches down to my soul.
The scary part of all this is that I don’t even really know the man.
He is a stranger to me, yet I feel as if I connected my soul to his.
That feeling is something I shouldn’t have, and neither should I have kissed him—or rather, let him kiss me.
I definitely shouldn’t have told him I’m a God-blessed virgin. I mean, seriously, who does that?
Better yet, why did the club send him here? I don’t need anyone’s help, and I don’t want any. As angry as I want to be at them for sending Fool, I’m struggling to find it. I know they care about me, but this is something they shouldn’t have done.
All I need to do is get through the next few months, and my problems will be over once and for all. I won’t have to see Samuel or his jerk-face friends ever again.
A knock on my bedroom door jerks me out of my thoughts, and I pivot to find Fool standing there, his body leaning against the doorframe.
“I thought I told you to leave,” I snap, hands on my hips.
“You think you can blurt out something as important as the fact that you’re a virgin and that it’s going to send me running?” he asks, straightening from his position against the frame.
Totally not my finest hour.
Fool grins and steps deeper into my room, coming closer with each step.
I shift back, meeting the wall, my hands coming up to ward off Fool, but end up curling into his tee as he crowds me.
His hands brace against the wall on either side of my head, the heat of his body so close, yet not close enough.
“My brothers might call me Fool, but make no mistake, sweets, I’m anything but. I’m not going to run away just because you blurt out something I’m sure you’ve never told another man.”
“What makes you think I wasn’t lying to you?” I try to snap, but it comes out breathier. ”I could have just blabbed that out for the fuck of it.”
No, I couldn’t, but he doesn’t know it. He doesn’t know me.
“Because you’re not one for lying, April. That’s not who you are.”
“You don’t know that.” I attempt to push him away, but he doesn’t move and instead gets closer into my space.
“Maybe not, but I can tell from your eyes, sweets, lying isn’t in your nature. You lack a poker face, and your family senses something’s wrong. They don’t want you to push them away by stepping in.”
“They sent you.” The betrayal feels like a deep ache in my heart, and honestly, it’s devastating.
“Yeah, they sent me, and you can’t push me away.
I won’t let you.” Fool gently lifts his hand from the wall beside my head, cups my face, and strokes my cheek.
“I don’t know what the hell is happening with you, but seeing you walk around with your head down like I have, I don’t like it, and I’m going to put an end to it. ”
“How are you going to do that?” Blood surges through my veins, my heart pounds loudly, and my lungs start to burn at the idea of him discovering what I’m facing at school, of anyone figuring it out.
“By stopping whatever’s happening here,” he declares. “I won’t allow it to continue. I saw those people taking pictures of you. I’ll start with them unless you’d rather share it yourself. Either way, I plan to find out exactly what’s going on.”
“Why do you care?” I ask, fighting back tears.
“The truth?” he asks, eyes locked on mine, searching for something I’m not sure of.
I nod, waiting for him to give me the answer.
“I don’t know. The first moment I saw you, something about you pulled at me.
I wasn’t gonna go after you, though. You belong to the Devil’s Riot MC, but now, I don’t give a fuck.
I’m gonna look into what’s going on here, and we’re gonna get to know one another. ”
Fool dips his head and brushes his nose against mine. “We’re gonna see what this is between us. You good with that?”
All the breath that had been burning in my lungs whooshes free.
Am I okay with that? Could I see what this is? Would I even want to?
Of course, I would. I’ve never felt a connection like the one I have with Fool.
Fool.
How could I even think about exploring what’s between us when I don’t even know his real name?
“I don’t even know your name,” I whisper in reply.
“My folks named me Beckham Underwood at birth. Growing up, friends called me Beck. I got the name Fool the first time around from my SEAL brothers, and my brothers at the club dubbed me the same thing.” The way he keeps his voice gentle is sweet, but I don’t miss the pang of hurt in it when he mentions his SEAL brothers.
The memory of how he looked when talking to Twister about his military service filters through, and I ache for him. I don’t know what happened to him over there or who he lost, but it was clear as day on his face, or at least from what I saw.
I ask softly, “Why did they call you Fool?”
“That’ll be for another time,” he says, eyes darting down to my lips and back before asking, “You going to see what this is with me?”
“Why do you want to see what this is with me?” I just don’t get it. Is it out of pity? Did someone push him in my direction? Does he actually want me for me, or is it because they’re allied with the DRMC?
“Sweets, the moment I saw you, I couldn’t take my eyes off you.
I didn’t like that another guy put his arm around you.
And hearing your laugh from outside as I climbed into that bed, I knew I wanted to be the one to make you laugh as much as possible.
Seeing where things go doesn’t mean forever, but it means we’re seeing what we can have.
I don’t know what the future holds; I’m not a fortune-teller.
We’ll start slow. Go at your pace. However, one thing I won’t stand for is you getting hurt because of bullshit I can put a stop to.
Whatever’s going on here, it will not continue. ”
“You can’t stop them,” I blurt. My eyes widen as I realize what I’ve done.
Fool’s eyes flash with anger, and his jaw tics. “Don’t say I can’t do something. There’s nothing I love more than a challenge, sweets. By the time I’m done finding out what’s going on, those who are fucking with you will rue the day they met you.”
“I only have a short amount of time, and then I’m done. I don’t need anyone to do anything. It’s not a big deal.” I try to reason.
A grin tugs at Fool’s lips as he shakes his head. “One thing to learn, April, when you’re mine, it doesn’t matter how long you have to deal with something. I won’t let anyone make you feel unsafe. Now, are you gonna agree to see where this goes so I can kiss you again?”
I open my mouth to protest, only to clamp it shut and nod in agreement. Fool is the first man I’ve ever felt safe with, and part of me likes that he never wants me to feel unsafe. I would like to see where this goes, but it also scares the bejesus out of me.
“Gonna need the words, sweets.”
Holding his gaze, my lips part on a breath. “Yes.”
Fool’s lips claim mine once again as the single word escapes my mouth.
His tongue darts in, dominating the kiss.
My knees go weak as Fool’s mouth takes mine with such hunger that it leaves me dizzy.
His hand glides from my cheek to tangle in my hair, tilting my head to deepen the kiss.
The heat of his body presses against me, pinning me between him and the wall, yet I’ve never felt safer.
When he finally pulls back, we are both breathing heavily. His green eyes, dark with desire, search mine.
“I need to know what’s happening here,” he says, his voice rough and strained. “I won’t push, but I need you to trust me. Trust that what’s going on at school is something I can handle for you.”
I swallow hard, terrified of what telling him could mean. Telling him the truth about something I’ve never shared with anyone. “It’s complicated.”
“Most things worth knowing are,” he replies, brushing his thumb across my swollen bottom lip. “But I’m a patient man when it comes to those that matter.”
“I’m not sure I can tell you. Not yet, at least.” It’s the truth.
“You’ll tell me when you’re ready, sweets, but I’ll find out what’s going on and put a stop to it, no matter what.”
My heart skips a beat, then another. Fool’s already said as much, but I don’t want him to find out and think less of me when he does.
“Please,” I whisper, fighting back tears that sting my eyes. “I can handle this.”
Fool watches me closely, grits his teeth, and nods. “I’ll give you time to tell me, but I’ll be watching your back, April. I said I’m a patient man, but I have my limits. Make no mistake, I protect what’s mine.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demand.
“If something happens to you, I’ll lose all the patience I have and take matters into my own hands,” he states firmly. “Now, I’ve got to head back to the clubhouse. Text or call me later.”
Before I can respond, he kisses me again and walks away.
I lean against the wall until I hear the front door shut. I head to the front of my apartment, my thoughts racing, but one question keeps coming back. How will I call or text him later if I don’t have his number?
Just as the thought hits, my phone pings. I cross over to where I left it, pick it up, and glance at the screen to see an unfamiliar number.
Unknown: I’ll miss that sweet mouth of yours. See you soon.
I take a breath upon seeing Fool’s message and quickly save his number as Beck on my phone, which I think is definitely better than calling him by his road name. It suits him.