Chapter 22
PRESLEY
Iwas still catching my breath when reality started to settle back in.
I was in Luke’s room, in his bed, and while this wasn’t the first time we’d slept together, it felt like it was.
Maybe it was because we’d been honest and upfront with one another, and we didn’t hold back.
Luke certainly didn’t. My head was still spinning with a sated haze as I trailed my fingertip over the curves of his tattoos.
“This is your room?”
“It is.”
“How often do you stay here?”
Outside the door, the muffled hum of voices and footsteps reminded me that this wasn’t his house or my apartment. We were at the clubhouse, and we were far from alone. He brushed his thumb along my shoulder as he told me, “Depends on what’s going on.”
“Oh.” I glanced around the room, and while it was far from messy, it was lived in. There was a dresser with his belongings scattered about, a duffel bag on the floor, boots lining the floor, and even a couple of pictures of him and his brothers. “From the looks of it, you stay here quite a bit.”
“Just when it makes sense, like when there’s a club gathering, a late run, or a club meeting. Stuff like that, and if something happens, we have a safe place to fall back on.”
I nodded, trying to absorb everything he’d said. This wasn’t your typical nine-to-five thing. It was constant and shared among all the brothers. It seemed like a lot. Much more than I ever imagined.
Luke noticed my hesitation and asked, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“It’s a lot to take in.”
“Yes, it is, but it all pays off in the end.”
“And the girls?” I looked up at him with a perched brow. “Are they a payoff?”
His expression didn’t harden, but it did change. He thought for a moment before saying, “It’s a give and take. They help out around the clubhouse. Cooking, cleaning, and keeping the place running. And we give them a place to hang while they need it.”
“And?”
“And sometimes it’s more,” he admitted. “But that depends on the situation. Nobody’s forced. Nobody owes. It’s just how things work around here.”
Something inside me tightened. These girls were a part of his world, and they weren’t going anywhere. He didn’t seem to think there was any issue with them, but I wasn’t sure I felt the same. In fact, I knew I didn’t. I wasn’t one to share, especially when it came to relationships.
I wasn’t sure he felt the same until he looked down at me and said, “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not one to stray, Presley. Never have been, and the same goes for most of the guys. Once they find their ol’ ladies, that’s that. It’s all or nothing.”
His tone wasn’t defensive. It was steady and certain, and I wanted to believe every word he said. I really did. He searched my face like he was reading every unspoken word. And that’s when he said, “Trust is something that’s earned. You don’t have to worry. I’ll earn it.”
“And I’ll earn yours.”
“You’re well on your way.”
“You, too.”
The black brace wrapped snug around his wrist looked out of place against my bare skin and the rumpled sheets. I carefully took it in mine and asked, “What happened to your hand?”
“It’s fine.”
“It doesn’t look fine.”
“It is.” Before I could question him further, he peeled it off, and with one quick motion, he tossed it to the floor. He lifted it and quickly twisted it back and forth. “See? All good.”
“If you say so.”
His knuckles were bruised and cut, and the deep blue colors looked to be fading, but still crept halfway up his arms. My eyes lifted to his forearms when I spotted more bruises and scrapes.
They were a clear sign that he’d been in an altercation, but the second his gaze met mine, I couldn’t help but ask, “Does it hurt?”
“Nah, this is nothing. I’ve had a lot worse.”
Of course, he had. Unfortunately, that didn’t make me feel any better. I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, before nestling back into the crook of his arm.
“Honest and no half-truths, right?”
“Yes?”
“There will be good days and some really bad ones.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “That’s how this life works. Things will get loud. They will get messy and sometimes even dangerous. But when they do, you don’t face it alone.”
His words settled deep in my chest.
“These guys are my brothers, not in name or blood, but by choice. And if one of us takes a hit, we all feel it. We stand together, and if you’re with me, that means you’ll never have to face the hard times alone. We show up every time.”
I studied his face and the conviction that lay in his eyes. This wasn’t bravado. This was a promise. A way of living that I’d never imagined, and while it was a lot to wrap my head around, it warmed my heart as I muttered, “Family.”
“That’s right… Sometimes it’s the one you’re born into, and sometimes it’s the one you build. Either way, you protect it. You fight for it, and you don’t go running when things get hard.”
“I get it.”
“No, you don’t, but one day you will.”
And there it was again. That grounding sense of sincerity made it hard to doubt him, even when the circumstances felt overwhelming. I let out a slow breath, and the tension in my chest eased.
Not because I suddenly understood every part of his world.
I didn’t. But I did understand him, and for now, that was all I really needed.
His world might’ve been complicated.
But this moment wasn’t.
This moment was everything.
I lowered my head on his chest, and I’d barely closed my eyes when my cellphone started to ring. The second I heard the Minion ringtone, I knew it was Lila Kate and groaned. Of course, she was calling now.
I didn’t want to move, so I let it go to voicemail. I thought that would be the end of it, until it started ringing again. Luke chuckled, “You gonna get that?”
“I guess I'd better.”
He reached down and grabbed my purse, and once I had my phone, I answered and put it on speaker. “Hi, Lila.”
“Well? Was I right?”
“Yes, you were. Apparently, I was worried for nothing.”
“I told you,” she responded proudly. “I knew there was no way he wasn’t interested in you. He looks at you like he could gobble you up at any second.”
Luke’s eyes lit up, and before I could react, he leaned down and playfully bit my shoulder. I jerked back, stifling a laugh as I nudged him away. “Behave.”
“What was that?” Lila asked.
“Nothing. Just a wild turkey in here trying to take a plug out of me.”
“So, you’re with him?”
“I am.” I glanced over at Luke and smiled. I had so much I wanted to tell her, but this wasn’t the time. So, I said, “Thanks for pushing me to come talk to him.”
“Any time.” She hesitated for a moment, then asked, “So, have you seen Smitty?”
And just like that, the air in the room changed.
Luke stilled next to me, and the warmth in his expression drained so fast it made my chest go tight. His jaw fixed, and his eyes darkened with something that looked to be regret. He shook his head, letting me know something was off.
I couldn’t leave her hanging, so I told her, “I haven’t, but when I do, I’ll be sure to tell him you asked about him.”
“Okay, but don’t be weird about it. I just met the guy. I don’t want him thinking I’m over here pining away over him.”
“Are you?”
“Maybe a little, but he doesn’t have to know that.”
“Understood.”
We said our goodbyes, and I ended the call before shoving my phone back into my purse. I dropped it to the floor and settled back in the bed next to Luke. The playful energy from moments before was gone and was replaced with a heavy silence.
His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, and his shoulders were tense. Grief was written plainly across his face, so I gave him a soft kiss on the side of his jaw. He let out a breath and pulled me closer. I rested my head on his chest as I asked, “Did something happen to Smitty?”
“You could say that.”
“Did it have something to do with the fight?” He didn’t respond. He just gave me a look, letting me know he wasn’t going to answer, so I asked, “Is he going to be okay?”
“Certainly hope so.”
“Man, this not being able to talk about stuff is tough.”
“It can be, but it’s how it has to be… It helps keep our women safe.”
“Our women.” I glanced up at him and smiled. “It sounds like you guys have your own harem or something.”
“Not like that at all… Like I said before, we are family. And we do whatever it takes to protect family. Simple as that.”
“And the girl from earlier?”
“Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Good.” I smiled. “Now what?”
“You give me a chance to catch my breath, and then, I’m going to have my way with you again.”
“Is that so?”
“Unless you have something else in mind?”
“No, I’m more than fine with another go, but after that, you’re going to have to feed me.”
“I think I can manage that.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m glad you came tonight.”
“I am, too.”