Chapter Twelve
Jo
Hatter was at the kitchen table with Cheshire and Rabbit. He seemed at ease, and yet, there was a tenseness to him. I still thought about our kiss from last night. Reaching up to touch my lips, my cheeks flushed. Hatter glanced my way and I stood there, frozen like a damn deer in the headlights.
As much as I wanted to rush to his side, something held me back. Once I’d gone to bed, I’d had time to think. Maybe I’d thought too much. The weight of my past pressed down on me, threatening to snuff out the fire that Hatter had ignited in my soul. I wanted him, needed him, but the danger I brought with me was too much to bear.
Look at what Eddie had done to this place! Men had been shot, and thankfully none on our side had died, but they could have. If I hadn’t come into their lives, none of this would have happened. What if my being here ended up killing these men? Fear wrestled with desire, ripping me apart from the inside.
“Fuck it,” I muttered under my breath. I refused to be a chicken and not address the issue. I owed it to Hatter to give him an out. The man was far too nice to tell me I was trouble and needed to leave.
As I approached Hatter, I caught sight of the scars etched across his face. He carried himself like a king among the lawless, a force to be reckoned with. My breath caught in my throat, and I steeled myself for what was about to come.
“Hey, Hatter!” I said, grabbing his attention. “I need to talk to you. Now, please.”
“Jo,” he said calmly, his eyes locking onto mine with a magnetic pull. He stood and came closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Can we go somewhere quiet?” I asked, unable to ignore the fear gnawing at the pit of my stomach.
“Sure,” he agreed, leading me away from the chaos and into the safety of our new, and still empty, library. The door closed behind us, muffling the sounds in the rest of the clubhouse.
“Look, Hatter,” I started, my voice shaking. “There’s something we need to address. The elephant in the room.”
“What’s wrong?” Hatter’s voice was gentle, coaxing me to speak.
“I’m scared, Hatter. I don’t know if Eddie’s going to come after me -- and if he does, he won’t care who he has to go through to get to me.” The words came tumbling out, barely under control. “I can’t keep putting everyone here in danger. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me. Look at what he did to this place!”
“Jo, listen,” Hatter replied firmly, taking a step toward me. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“Right. Because I’m your family, and family looks out for each other. Well, that’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t want to be the reason something happens to anyone here, Hatter. What if he comes back? Next time someone could die.”
“Then we’ll face him,” he said, his voice unwavering. “Eddie won’t stand a chance against all of us. We sent them running once. We can do it again. In fact, we’ll strike first.”
“Really?” My voice was barely a whisper, the weight of my fears threatening to crush me. “It could still go so horribly wrong.”
“We’ve got your back, Jo. Always.” He reached out to lightly touch my cheek. “Besides, we found out Eddie already had it in for us. He’d have done his best to either buy us or run us out of town, and I’m thinking he was opting for the second one. You aren’t the only reason we’re fighting.”
The air between us seemed charged, heavy with the weight of unspoken words. Hatter’s gaze held mine as he moved closer. We stood there, just a breath apart, like two opposing forces drawn together by an invisible pull.
The warmth of his hand on my cheek sent shivers down my spine. I leaned into the touch, a quiet sob escaping my lips. His thumb wiped away the tears that had begun to spill over, and the intensity in his eyes seemed to absorb all my fears, leaving nothing but a deep-rooted sense of safety.
“Promise me,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Promise me you won’t let him hurt anyone else.”
“Cross my heart.” The words were wrapped in steel, the conviction behind them undeniable. “We’ll keep you safe, no matter what it takes.”
“I don’t just mean me.”
He leaned in closer. “I know.”
I watched as his eyes flickered from mine to my lips, and back again, a silent question hanging in the balance. My heart pounded, my chest ached with the need for reassurance, for connection. And so, I nodded, giving him permission to bridge the gap between us, to seal the promise with something more tangible than words.
“Thank you,” I breathed, feeling the ghost of his lips brush against mine before they finally pressed together, tender yet unyielding. Each caress spoke volumes, conveying protection, devotion, and the unbreakable bond we now shared.
My relationship with Hatter felt almost as if it were destined. I knew a lot of people wouldn’t be able to understand. To some, this would be too fast. But we didn’t exactly have a conventional start, and the man had nearly died for my sake. He’d saved me twice when Eddie’s men came here, and I knew if he had the chance, he’d do it again.
I found solace in the unwavering determination etched across Hatter’s face. If Eddie dared to set foot near us, I knew with absolute certainty that he’d be met with a force to be reckoned with. And for the first time in my life, I felt like I truly belonged -- surrounded by people who would protect me, fight for me, and never let me down.
As Hatter pulled me into his embrace again, I held on with all my might, ready to face whatever the future may bring.
“Jo,” Hatter said softly, his voice a soothing balm against the chaos inside me. “I need you to know how much you matter to me. I care about you more than I ever thought possible.”
His words stirred something deep within me, a warmth that spread through my chest. But alongside it, fear gnawed at my insides, threatening to tear me apart. I looked away, unable to face him as I struggled with the conflicting emotions.
“Hatter, I -- I want to be with you too,” I whispered, my voice wavering. “But I’m scared. I already don’t want to lose you. If we get even closer, it would literally kill me if something happened to you.”
“Listen to me.” Hatter tipped my chin up. “Tomorrow is never promised. Even if Eddie wasn’t here, if corrupt politicians didn’t exist and the most heinous crime was ruining someone’s flower bed, bad things could still happen. What if you went out tomorrow and got hit by a car? What if I swallowed a piece of steak wrong and choked to death? We can’t run away from life because we’re too scared to live it.”
A tremor ran through me, desire and fear warring within. My heart ached to trust him completely, but the shadows of my past clung to me like a second skin. Could I risk everything for this connection, this chance at happiness?
“Tell me what you need,” Hatter urged, his breath warm against my cheek. “Anything. I’ll do it.”
“Stay with me,” I murmured, my eyes searching his, pleading for the stability I craved. “Just… stay.”
“Always,” he vowed, pulling me into his embrace, my body pressed against the safety of his chest. And for a moment, I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything.
I felt Hatter’s heart beating against my own, our chests rising and falling together as we clung to each other. The world outside this moment didn’t matter. Nothing did but the feel of him holding me.
“Jo,” he whispered, his breath ghosting over my ear. “I’m not letting you go. Not now. Not ever.”
“Even if I’m a danger to you? To the club?” My voice wavered, weak and shaky.
“Especially then,” he murmured, tightening his grip on me. “I didn’t want to push the issue before in case I scared you off, but… I’ve known you were mine since the night I brought you here, Jo. When I talked to you about being my old lady, it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. And maybe I wasn’t clear when we became an official couple. I probably could have done things differently, or better. But us being together isn’t new.”
His words sank into my skin, seeping into my bones. We stood there, wrapped up in each other, and I let myself get lost in the warmth of his body. I inhaled the scent of his cologne -- something earthy -- and it filled my lungs, making me dizzy with need.
“Can’t promise everything will be okay,” he admitted, his lips brushing the curve of my neck. “But I promise to fight like hell for us.”
“ Us …” I breathed out the word, almost too afraid to give it life. But it hung there between us, heavy and real, chasing away the shadows that lurked in the corners of my mind.
“Us,” he confirmed, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. “You and me, Jo. Together, whatever comes.”
I stared at Hatter, seeing the truth in his eyes, and something inside me shifted. Maybe it was hope. Or maybe it was trust. But whatever it was, it made me feel alive for the first time in so damn long. “All right,” I whispered, pressing my lips to his in a tender, desperate kiss.
The world faded away, leaving nothing but me and Hatter in its place. His hands found my waist, fingers digging into my skin like he was afraid I’d disappear. I gripped the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer.
“Jo,” he whispered against my lips, the single syllable holding more weight than any declaration ever could. “When it’s just us like this, call me by my name. Call me Sebastian.”
“Sebastian,” I replied, letting his real name slide off my tongue for the first time. It felt right.
“Fuck, Jo,” he groaned, and suddenly our kiss deepened, tongues tangling together as we fought to claim one another. We were a whirlwind of need and desire, each touch a promise -- to protect, to cherish, to fight for what we had.
I tore my mouth from his and gasped for air, trying to catch my breath while our bodies still clung together. “Sebastian, I… I need you. I want more.”
He reached over to lock the door, then shrugged off his cut. “Then you’ll have me.”
I watched as he removed his clothes, letting each piece fall to the floor. Swallowing hard, I started to undress, my hands shaking. I reached out to explore the hardness of his chest, letting my fingers trail down over his abs.
Leaning in, I flicked my tongue over his nipple, delighting in the way he trembled. “Do you like that?”
“Fuck yes.” He groaned and gripped my hair, guiding me. I licked and kissed my way down his body, until his hard cock was bobbing in front of my face. Licking my lips, I took him into my mouth.
He grabbed both sides of my head gently but firmly, pulling me closer as he thrust deeper into my throat each time I bobbed up and down on him. His hips began to buck wildly against me, matching each movement I made with uncontrolled force.
I could feel myself spinning out of control too. My mind filled with nothing but primal need and I wanted more -- more of the incredible feeling coursing through me from head to toe. And when he finally let out a hoarse cry that seemed to echo off every surface in the room, he came undone in my mouth… it was almost enough for me to climax from sheer pleasure alone. I’d never held such power over a man before.
He slowly pulled free of my mouth, panting and his gaze hot and hungry. Hatter helped me to my feet, then backed me against the wall. I didn’t know what he planned to do next, but I wanted it, all of it. I couldn’t think of anything I desired more than to continue our intense encounter.
His lips closed over my nipple, sucking on it long and hard. I moaned and held him closer, never wanting to let go. “Fuck, Hatter. I need you.”
I felt him smile against my skin. “You belong to me. Never forget it.”
He gently bit down on my nipple, and I cried out, nearly coming. I’d never realized how sensitive I was there, not until now. I felt his hand between my thighs, and he traced a teasing circle around my clit. I bucked my hips against him, silently begging for more. He shoved a finger inside me, pumping it in and out as he continued to suck my nipples, alternating between one them.
I could feel the heat emanating from him. It only served to fuel my arousal as he pushed me further toward the edge.
With one last thrust of his finger deep inside me, I felt myself starting to come. My knees turned to jelly, but he held me up against the wall, his muscular arms supporting me as I cried out in ecstasy. My body quivered with pleasure as he watched me lose control.
He hadn’t been inside me, and still, it was the most passionate encounter I’d ever had.
“You’re so fucking beautiful when you come apart like that,” he murmured against my skin.
He then pulled back to look me in the eyes, his own dark with desire. Before I could even process what was happening, he lifted my leg over his hip and thrust into me, filling me completely. I let out a gasp, feeling every inch of him stretching me.
He started taking me hard and fast, with a brute force that should have terrified me, but it only left me excited for more. He wasn’t just fucking me. This was a claiming. Every time he hit the sensitive spots inside me, a jolt of electricity shot through my body, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
I couldn’t help but scream his name, my voice echoing off the walls. He growled in response, his pleasure evident in the way he ground against me. Our bodies slid against each other, sweat dripping down our skin as we lost ourselves in the heat of the moment.
Finally, as if he couldn’t hold back another minute, he came inside me, pumping his cum into me. I sagged against him, and Hatter pressed a kiss to my sweaty brow. When I caught my breath, all I could manage was a soft, “Wow.”
“I’ll second that,” he said.
As he pulled out of me, I whimpered at the emptiness, but he distracted me with a deep kiss, his tongue tangling with mine. The taste of him was addictive, intoxicating me more than any liquor could.
I didn’t regret what we’d done, and I had a feeling there was more to come. Hatter was unlike any man I’d ever known, and now I was completely his. I’d never felt like this before… It was as if he branded me when he came inside me. I wanted his scent all over me, wanted to shout to the world I belonged to him.
As he laid me down on the floor, I knew that I’d give him whatever he wanted. My body, my heart, my very soul… all of it was his.