Chapter 38
— Scout —
“Daaaamn, dude,” Bastian drawled, leaning forward in his seat as he pulled up at my house, unknowingly mimicking how his sister drove merely an hour ago. “This is your house?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You live in a frickin’ mansion.”
Still chuckling, I pointed to myself. “That’s because I’m rich, bro.”
Bastian burst out a laugh. “For a second, I forgot I was playing taxi to Scout Fucking Gatlin. Now get out of my car,” he joked.
I had the door popped open and was halfway out as I threw over my shoulder, “If you could carry your sister’s fuck machine inside, that would be great.”
“Oh fuck you!” he barked through his laughter, all while Remmy rolled her eyes and silently shook her head at the two of us.
“What?” I asked her, popping a grin and ignoring the increasing ache in my elbow for the moment.
“You two are insufferable.”
I dropped a kiss on her forehead and lingered close as Bastian popped the trunk. He gave me the side-eye as he lifted out Remmy’s bag, then the “box of sin”.
“Sorry, babe, I would normally carry your bag for you, but I’m a getting a little sore.”
The caring affection in her eyes almost brought me to my knees, and when she pressed a hand to my cheek, I leaned into her warm touch.
“You’ve literally just had surgery. You’re allowed to be weak.”
My free hand met her hip and squeezed. “I ain’t weak, honey.”
A wicked smile played across her lips. One that I kissed before she patted me on the center of my chest.
“It’s okay, Ace. I got this.”
Growling, grumbling, and prowling after her was all I could do as I tailed her to my front door, where Bastian waited.
I pressed my thumb to the lock panel and smirked at Bastian as I pushed the door inward. “Bring that box inside, dude. I’ve got just the spot for it right in front of the TV. It’s about to become my new favorite show.”
“Oh hell no,” Bastian yelled.
Remmy laughed—the hearty sound bouncing off my tiled entrance. “You’re too easy to wind up, Bass. Just down there will be great, thank you.”
She set our suitcases next to it, then looked around as if just realizing that she was in my home. My actual home, not my apartment.
Her widened eyes took in my framed jerseys lining the walls of the sweeping staircase, before snapping to me. “Those are cool.”
Pride puffed my chest. “Want a tour?”
“Yeah,” Remmy declared, but Bastian said he’d “leave us to our kinky shit”.
We bid him a quick farewell, and I thanked him again. Once the door closed, sealing me and Remmy inside my house, an invisible belt snapped tight around my chest.
I lied to myself—internally reasoning that it was the stress of the last couple of days finally getting to me. But as Remmy took the first of many slow steps into my home, my heart stumbled on repeat.
“This is beautiful, Scout.”
True awe lit her gorgeous face as she veered left and gazed skyward, visually drinking in the extra high ceiling of the living room, complemented with grays and steel blues, all while I drank her in.
I dropped onto one of my living room couches as Remmy ventured farther into the open plan kitchen attached to the space.
She ran her hand along the marble counter. “How is this place so free of dust when you haven’t been here for weeks?”
“The cleaner came yesterday.”
Remmy scoffed when she opened the fridge.
“And they restocked for me,” I added with a hint of embarrassment. I had money, though I seldom flaunted it. Telling Remmy about these everyday things for me almost felt like bragging.
I reclined with a quiet groan and closed my eyes for a hot second. The wash of exhaustion hit while I kept an ear out for Remmy quietly padding around my living room. It felt nice, real damn nice, not being by myself in the big house.
A soft brush to my mouth had my heavy eyelids opening to find her smiling down at me.
“You’re cute when you sleep, Ace.”
I managed a lopsided smirk. “I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Your snoring told me otherwise.”
Humming, I hooked my hand around the back of her thigh and pulled her to me. She carefully climbed onto my lap, straddling my legs, so careful not to bump my arm, then eased herself gently into a hug that melted my entire body.
I brushed her long hair from my face, then secured her in place with an arm slung around her waist. “Mm, you smell good.”
Her lips whispered against mine again, so soft she could have been an angel.
“You okay?” she murmured, mistaking my groan for pain.
“I am. Just tired and a little sore.”
My hand stayed on her waist as she sat back and surveyed me. Unreadable thoughts passed behind her irises until she asked, “When are you due more meds?”
Something in her voice had me wanting to hold her tighter. To not let go as she climbed off my lap.
I looked at my watch. “Soon.” Forcing myself to stand with another groan, I then dug through my bag for the prescribed meds.
Remmy busied herself while I took them, then gave me a somewhat forced grin. “Where do you want our luggage to go?”
I drew her close again, snaking my hand around her waist, then peppered kisses on her mouth. God I wanted to kiss her thoroughly and fully, but at the same time, I wanted to fall asleep with her in my arms and fucking cuddle.
“Oof, you’re getting heavy. Are you falling asleep again?” she teased.
A tired chuckle knotted in my throat. “Forget the cases, honey. Come be my little spoon. I need to study the back of my eyelids for a hot minute.”
With our fingers linked, leading her up the staircase and into my room became my favorite new pastime. Behind me, Remmy murmured in awe at the bed I’d fallen into countless times without giving a thought at how massive or luxurious it looked. The white linen and pillows were stark against the steely blue tones of the bed cover and quilted headboard.
“This room is stunning too. Your apartment is nice, but this house is… decadent,” Remmy declared as she crawled onto the bed beside me.
I tucked her close, spooning as promised while my eyelids grew heavier. “The apartment is for practicality. This place is my oasis. I only ever bring my family here.”
She turned in my arms, tucking into my chest like the space was created just for her. My eyes drifted closed with the touch of her warm hand against my cheek.
“Thank you for trusting me, Scout.”
I twisted my head to kiss her palm. “We’ve had our ups and downs already, but you’re worth it all.”
Remmy smoothed her thumb back and forth across my lips, and her voice sounded distant as she replied, “I love you too, Ace.”