Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty Six
Kolter
Itry to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel so heavy. Christ. My chest hurts like a motherfucker. Did I wipe out last night?
What’s the last thing I remember? I rack my mind, but it’s a total blank. I feel hungover, like I got into a fight and lost bad.
A soft voice echoes from a distance, and I do my best to focus on it. The more I do, the clearer it becomes until I can make out every single word.
“Kolter? Kolt, can you hear me?” she asks.
“Peaches,” I murmur as the fog begins to lift.
I finally manage to open my eyes, and I’m confused to find myself in my bunk room at the clubhouse.
I’m even more confused to see Naomi sitting in a chair beside me with bloodshot eyes and tear-soaked cheeks.
Instantly, I’m on edge and push myself to sit up—or at least I try to.
A sharp pain rips through me, and I wince and grip my chest.
What the fuck happened?
“Are you okay?” Naomi asks, her face filled with concern.
I take a few deep breaths, attempting to collect my thoughts—and then everything comes rushing back. Her phone call. The shootout. Searing-hot pain ripping through me. My sight slowly fading, sounds turning muffled until there was just… nothing.
“I’m fine. Are you okay?” I ask, my gaze moving over her carefully.
She nods. “I’m fine. I was so worried about you. I thought I lost you,” she chokes out.
I shake my head, pulling her towards me despite the pain that burns through me. “Shh, hey. I’m fine. I’m here. I’ll never leave your side, Peaches. You’re gonna have to throw a hell of a lot more than that my way to get rid of me.”
Naomi lets out a choked laugh that sounds completely miserable. I hate seeing her like this, and I do my best to wipe her tears away as fast as they fall.
“What happened? Was everything… cleaned up?” I ask carefully.
Naomi nods. “Ace and Bones went out there and, I don’t know, did whatever they needed to. They came back and told Matthew it was sorted.”
I nod. Good—that’s good. The last thing we need on top of everything else is an investigation, though I can’t believe no one called the cops given all that gunfire. Maybe they were just slow to arrive, and Bones and Ace beat them there.
“He’s been nice enough?” I ask, alluding to my father.
Naomi needs no explanation. Instead, she nods. “Actually, he’s been really kind. He was worried about you.”
My brows furrow in disbelief, but I don’t argue.
Instead, I wrap my arms around her tighter, pressing her to me so I never forget what it feels like.
Fuck, it’s been a while since I came that close to death.
It’s humbling, awakening and makes me grateful for everything I have.
Every moment, every second with her is a blessing I don’t intend on wasting.
When Naomi helps me up, she asks me what I need. Truthfully, the only thing I want is to get the hell out of here. I know why those guys followed her, I know why they chose to target her and I know exactly who ordered it.
The mafia doesn’t take kindly to betrayal, let alone theft, and that’s exactly what we did. Thanks to my father, we stole from them—stole their shipment right in front of their faces and were then forced to kill them to survive it.
Of course they followed me after that. Probably followed a lot of us.
They followed, they watched and they found my weakness.
Fuck if they didn’t almost take her away too.
I’m not sure she realizes how close to death she really was.
She’s too focused on me; she’s missed the bigger picture.
Her involvement with me has put her life in danger, and as selfish as I want to be with her, I can’t help but feel like I have to let her go.
The instant those big, beautiful eyes land on me, though, that plan is obliterated into a million pieces. I can’t live without her, not anymore. Not ever again. Even if that means we both fall from my selfishness, at least we’ll have one another. Forever.
I’m surprised to find my father seemingly waiting outside my room. Even more surprised when he says I should take a few days of rest away from the club. I should be relieved, but I just feel on edge. Trauma, I suppose. I’m conditioned to only expect the worst from him, after all.
It does catch me off guard how morose he seems. He apologizes for making the choices that led to this, though he doesn’t go into further detail in front of Naomi. He doesn’t need to, though. I understand what he means, and I’m fucking shocked.
He doesn’t say anything beyond that. He just nods at the two of us and heads into the back. Bones follows him a moment later, clapping my shoulder on the way past—his version of, I’m glad you didn’t die, kid.
I don’t hesitate a moment longer, despite the growing crowd of people who begin asking me questions, checking in or wanting details. Instead of acknowledging any of them, I take Naomi’s hand in mine, and we head out the front door.
Naomi drives us home in her car, her expression turning pained whenever her gaze is drawn to the dried blood on the backseat. My dried blood.
Guilt continues gnawing at me the entire way back.
I want out. Out of this club, out of this life.
I want to throw Naomi over my shoulder and disappear into the night, never to be seen again.
Once it was safe enough, we’d contact Mom and Anthony and Nick.
Until then, it would just be us. Alone. Safe. Free.
That’s a fantasy, though. It’s not how this world works.
Blood in, blood out—you ride together, or you end up six feet under.
That’s just the reality, a reality I knew when I became a member, though if I’m honest, it wasn’t a path I fully chose for myself.
I sure as hell wouldn’t have chosen it, no matter the circumstances, knowing what I do now; having what I do now.
When we step into my apartment, Naomi is quick to tend to me, holding the door open, taking my shoes off for me and softly guiding me towards the couch. I know she’s just trying to help, but I hate it. It makes me feel weak, useless. I don’t want her to look at me like I’m some wounded baby bird.
She moves to step away once I’m seated on the couch, but I grab her wrist and tug her towards me.
Naomi stumbles forward, failing to catch herself, which works out perfectly for me.
She lands in my lap, and I grunt in discomfort from being jostled before I grip her hips, pinning her into place perfectly.
“Kolter, stop! I’m going to hurt you,” she complains, trying to wiggle away from me.
“I’m fine, Peaches. Look at me. Picture of health,” I say, glancing down at myself.
She rolls her eyes like she doesn’t buy my shit for a moment before trying to stand up once more. I hold her tighter, ensuring she can’t move an inch, and she lets out a frustrated huff.
“Why are you so stubborn? You don’t have to be tough all the time. You’re hurt—let me take care of you,” she says gently.
Her sweet voice tugs at my heart, and I lift my head up to meet hers, brushing my lips against her own. She’s resistant for only a moment before her mouth gives way to me, softly moving in rhythm with mine before her tongue swipes in.
“You are taking care of me, baby. Let me take care of you,” I murmur against her lips.
She scoffs and shakes her head, though she’s smiling. “You really think I’m going to let you have sex with me when you literally almost died yesterday?”
I trace my thumbs over the exposed skin where the hem of her shirt has ridden up, then pull away so I can look at her fully. “Maybe not, but I think we both need this.”
“Why?” she asks, amusement lacing her tone.
“Because you need the reminder that I’m still here, and I need the reminder that you’re not going anywhere.”
She softens then, her brows knitting together as a clouded look enters her eyes—and then she nods.
She grips the bottom of her shirt, tugs it over her head and tosses it to the floor, then stands, her hands moving to the button of her jeans. Slowly, she unfastens them and peels them down her legs. My cock jerks in response, and I palm it through my sweatpants, stroking it slowly as I watch her.
“Take off the bra next,” I rasp and slip my hand into my sweats so I can grip my cock fully.
She reaches behind her back, freeing the clasp and allowing her breasts to spill out.
Fuck.
My hand moves faster, and a bead of pre-cum spreads from my tip.
I watch with rapt attention as Naomi skates a hand down her chest, past her stomach and pauses at her panties. I think my shy girl is nervous, and I’m ready to encourage her to keep going, but then she pushes her hand beneath the lacy material and slips a finger inside herself.
A pleasured gasp escapes her that turns my breathing labored.
“That feel good?” I choke out.
She nods, her eyes dilated as they meet mine. Then she sinks her teeth into her lower lip and pushes a second finger inside.
“Oh my gosh, Kolt,” she whimpers.
“That’s right, Peaches. Pretend it’s my fingers inside you right now. What would I do next?” I ask, my movements on my cock turning jerky.
She pulls her panties down with her other hand, gifting me the beautiful sight of her before that hand moves to her clit. It’s swollen and practically begging for attention.
As soon as her fingertips touch it, her entire body shudders. She’s standing over me like a moaning goddess, and I’m a mere mortal on his knees for her.
“That’s my perfect girl. You’re doing beautifully,” I encourage.
“L-Let me see you,” she stutters before another soft moan escapes her.
I don’t hesitate, moving a little faster than I should, but I ignore the punishing twinge of pain and push my sweats down my legs, allowing her to watch me as I stroke my cock to the sight of her.
Her mouth parts in what looks like desire as her hand quickens against her clit.
“Kolter, I’m gonna—I’m gonna—Oh god,” she cries out.
I know she’s moments from falling apart, and I’m all for playing, but there’s only one place I want her coming.
I reach forward and yank her towards me once more, and this time she falls much more willingly, her legs either side of my lap. I take full advantage and thrust my cock right between her thighs.
Her back arches, her head dropping back as her orgasm slams into her. That’s all it took. A little teasing, one deep thrust and fucking fireworks. That’s how it always is with her. Like goddamn magic.
“That’s good, Peaches. Just like that. You only ever come on my cock or my tongue. Is that clear?” I grunt as I continue fucking her hard and rough.
She gasps and moans, nodding shakily as she rides wave after wave of her pleasure.
I feel my own release beginning to build, and I don’t want to hold off any longer.
“Kiss me,” I grit through clenched teeth as I begin losing any composure.
I feel her lips on me in the next moment, and that’s all I need to completely lose it. My orgasm hits me like a fucking freight train, my cock throbbing my cum into her, showing no sign of stopping as our tongues and moans meld together in a perfect storm.
When we’ve wrung every possible ounce of pleasure out of one another, we collapse into each other, our sweat-coated skin sticking together as our heavy breathing gradually evens out. For a moment, I think she might even have fallen asleep, but then her soft voice rasps against my chest.
“I’ll never go anywhere, Kolter. You never have to worry about that. No matter what we have to go through, it’s worth it to share this life with you.”
Her head lifts and her eyes gaze into mine as my chest tightens with love and sorrow.
I’m blessed beyond belief to have earned a love like this from a woman like her.
Even more so given she can look in on some of my worst days and love me all the same.
But I’m filled with sorrow at the idea that this is all our life will ever be.
Danger, tragedy, fear. I don’t want that for her.
She deserves more—better. I just have to come up with a plan so I can give that to her.
And fast.