Chapter 27
Reaper
Glancing around Lark’s room, I wince internally when I realize she normally sleeps on the left side of the bed.
The side that faces the door.
A surge of protectiveness rises in me. Fuck I hope she’s going to be okay with this.
“What?” she asks as she looks up at me, a puzzled look on her face.
Shit. Maybe I didn’t hide my reaction as well as I thought.
Clearing my throat, I glance over at the bed again and then back down at her. “Is… Is it okay if I’m on the left?”
Her forehead creases as she frowns, and she looks over her shoulder at the bed.
Then a look of understanding comes over her as her mouth drops into an ‘o’.
My dick twitches at the sight, but I force the image to the back of my mind.
Lark turns back toward me, cocking an eyebrow as she shoots me a saucy grin, but I can tell she’s fighting not to smile.
“Is this a macho ‘I will defend you’ kind of thing?”
I huff and shake my head as I pull her back into my arms. Her hands wrap around my waist again and a feeling of relief comes over me that I can finally hold her like this. Though, I might have been able to hold her sooner if I’d gotten my head out of my ass months ago.
“Yeah, Darlin’, it is. I’m your last line of defense so to speak.” I pause, cocking my head to the side. “Well, last ‘human’ line of defense since I’m almost positive you’ve got a gun stashed somewhere around the bed or in your nightstand. Or both. Maybe even more than that.”
She smirks and kisses my chest. “One in the nightstand, one in a secret compartment of my bedframe up by my head, one in my closet and one under the bathroom sink. And that’s not counting the gun safe in the hallway closet.”
My cock hardens even further at that, which I didn’t think was possible.
“Fuck, Darlin’.” Leaning down I kiss her and rest my forehead against hers, closing my eyes as I thank every deity that she forgave my stupid ass. “You’re perfect.”
When I open my eyes, I’m surprised to see a mix of emotions playing across her face. Confusion. Disbelief. Relief. I frown and then grit my teeth when I realize where her mind went.
“Let me guess. Cunt licker was against you having any of that in here?”
The use of Miracle’s nickname for Aiden has her lips tugging up in a smile as some of her worries ease, just like I’d intended.
She nods and then frowns before she purses her lips, anger flaring in her eyes.
“He hated that I wanted to keep them nearby, but I think part of that is because he’s never fired a gun before.
When I offered to teach him, he blew me off.
Told me that if he ever was going to learn, he’d hire someone, a professional, to teach him. ”
“What a fucking prick,” I mumble as I scrub my hand over my face.
Looking back down at Lark, I cup her chin and make her look back up at me.
“You are always allowed to arm yourself around me. All I ask is that I know where everything is and what you might have on your person. Also, for the gun safes, if I can have the codes or get my own access code, I’d appreciate it.
When you’re at my house, I’ll show you where I keep mine hidden and give you access to the safe codes as well. ”
Lark smiles widely and nods as the rest of the tension in her body seems to ease.
“Later today, I’ll get you set up with everything and show you a few other places where I have weapons stashed.
Then, before we open, I’ll take you to the tavern and supper club to show you where they are there as well.
I’ve always had the philosophy of ‘better safe than sorry’.
Especially after what almost happened to Rob, Miracle’s dad. ”
I’d heard the story about the bar fight that happened back when we were kids. The fight that almost killed Rob and a few others if Rob and the other bartender hadn’t had weapons stashed behind the bar and a panic button that alerted the cops to the problem.
“Sounds good, Darlin’.” Pausing, I hesitate, once again feeling a niggling of insecurity bubbling up in me, but Lark silences me by putting a finger to my lips.
“Yes, Reaper, I want you to stay. I want you to hold me in your arms tonight.” She leans up on her toes and kisses me before stepping out of my arms. “I’m going to get ready for bed.
Feel free to put your stuff wherever. I’ll move things around later so that this will always be your side when you’re here. ”
She moves to step back, but I don’t let go. She looks up at me in question and I rub my thumb across her cheek.
“Tony. Call me Tony, Darlin’. Or Anthony. Whichever you prefer. You don’t have to call me Reaper unless you want to.”
A soft smile lights up her face and she leans into me, nuzzling my hand that’s still cupping her cheek. “Do you have a preference? I don’t want to use a name that you don’t like.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine with either. Although, it’s mainly my parents and grandparents that still call me Anthony.”
She hums and then her smile widens. “I’ve always loved the name Anthony. In fact, if I ever have kids someday, and had a son, I wanted to name him ‘Anthony’.”
Fuck, the thought of Lark round with my baby makes my dick twitch in my pants.
“You want kids, Darlin’?”
A beautiful blush forms on her cheeks and runs down her neck.
She nibbles on her bottom lip as she nods.
“Yeah. I’ve always wanted a big family. I hated being an only child.
What about you?” She pauses as a slightly panicked look sparks in her eyes and she buries her face in her hands.
“Shit. I think we just skipped a shit ton of steps by talking about kids and giving you space here.”
Chuckling, I gently tug on her wrists and lower her hands.
“Lark, we can talk about kids or whatever you want to talk about. I don’t give a shit if someone thinks we’re moving to fast or not.
All I care about are your feelings on the matter.
Now, as for kids…” I pause as I grasp her hips, pulling her flush against me.
Her eyes widen in shock as her gaze locks back with mine.
“I’d almost given up on being able to have a family until you came along.
You are the first person I can see myself having a family with.
As you can feel, the thought of you round with my baby doesn’t bother me one fucking bit.
But I am curious about something. You only mentioned a son before.
What’d you want to name the baby if you had a girl? ”
I’m surprised when her eyes flash in anger before a look of sadness comes over her.
“I wanted to name her Grace,” she whispers, and it takes me a moment before I understand what she’s really saying.
Kelly named her daughter, Aiden’s daughter, Grace as another way to hurt Lark.
“There’s no reason why you still can’t name her Grace if you have a daughter. Or if you don’t want to use it as a first name because of that cunt, you can always use it as a middle name.”
Lark sighs and nods as she rests her forehead against my chest. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head, and cup her chin, making her look back up at me again.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Lark. That was all on her. On them. None of it was your fault.” I hesitate, but at seeing the vulnerability in her eyes, I decide to fully lay it out there for her.
Well, maybe not everything because I don’t want her running.
“You don’t have to say it in return, but I love you, Lark.
I have for a while now. As I’ve said before, now that you’re my woman, I want you as my Old Lady.
And someday, as my wife. Yes, people might say we’re moving too fast, but you’re it for me and I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to be ready for the next step. ”
For a moment, she just stares up at me in shock before she reaches up, grasps the back of my neck and pulls me down for a searing kiss.
After a few moments, we both pull back, gasping for air.
“Anthony.”
Her breathy, raspy voice has me groaning and my hips rock before I can stop it.
“Fuck, Darlin’. I love the sound of my name on your lips.”
“Anthony,” she says again before whimpering slightly as her hips rock against me.
Grasping her ass, I pick her up and she yelps a bit, as her legs come up, locking around my hips. Her eyes are wide with alarm and she tightens her arms and legs around me even more.
“Put me down, Anthony. I’m too heavy.”
I scoff and shake my head. “Lark, I would carry you all day if you’d let me.
You aren’t heavy and I love all your curves, so get those thoughts out of your gorgeous mind.
” Walking over to her bed, I lay her down and when I follow her down, I roll my hips against her, letting her feel me.
“I love you and every single thing about you, Lark. I’ll prove it as many times as you need me to. ”
Kissing down her jaw and then her neck, I take in all the places that make her shiver or gasp. Her hips roll against me and I do the same, wishing we were naked for this but I’m not going that far with Granny awake downstairs.
“My woman seems a bit needy. Can you be quiet, Darlin’?”
Lark whimpers but nods her head as she nibbles on her lip again.
“Please, Anthony. Make me cum,” she begs as she rolls her hips against me again before pulling me back down for another searing kiss.
Resting my forearms on the bed on either side of her head, I thrust my hips against her hot core as I swallow her moans.
She writhes against me, and I shift my weight to one arm and let my hand trail over her shoulder, down her chest, and rub my thumb over her nipple.
Her back arches and I swallow another moan of hers as I continue to tease her through her clothes.
Her muscles in her legs tighten and tremble slightly.
I thrust my hips faster, rubbing my cock even faster and harder over her hot core.
A few moments later, she stiffens and pulls back, gasping as she cum.
I drink up every expression on her gorgeous face.
She’s absolutely beautiful when she cums. I slow my pace as I prolong her orgasm and kiss her again.
“You’re fucking gorgeous when you cum, Darlin’.”
The blissed out look on her face has me wishing I could take this further, but I won’t. Not yet anyway. She yawns as she gives me a sleepy look.
“Let’s get ready for bed, Darlin’. I want you in my arms.”
She blushes and nods. Giving her another kiss, I pull back and help her up off the bed.
“Be back in a few.” Reaching up on her toes she gives me a chaste kiss before heading over to her dresser. She grabs some pajamas and then heads to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Shaking my head, I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face, ignoring the pulling skin from one of my smaller scars that bisects both of my lips.
After stowing my gun in the nightstand, I walk over to her dresser.
Slipping off my cut, I fold it and place it on top of the dresser.
Unbuckling my belt, I pop the button and slip off my jeans followed by my socks before I fold them and set them next to my cut.
My hands go to the neck of my shirt, and I pause as I look at myself in the mirror over the dresser.
My scarred face stares back at me.
My happiness fades, and once again, memories bombard me.
Fang hovers over me as he slices into my skin. His sick, twisted grin looking down at me as he digs the blade even further into my skin.
“These beauties will ensure no one will ever want to be near you again.” His grin darkens as he pauses. “Well, they would if you were going to be getting out of here alive, but you won’t.”
His maniacal laughter rings out throughout the room and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Half-pint struggling in her own restraints.
Fuck, I don’t want them to hurt her more than they already have.
“Anthony. Come back to me, Anthony,” a familiar voice calls out softly, piercing through the haze and I feel soft hands wrap around me before I’m hugged from behind.
I blink a few times, trying to shake off the dregs of that nightmare and the room comes back into focus.
Lark’s room.
I’m at Lark’s house.
Half-pint and I are not in that cabin anymore.
“Come back to me, Anthony,” Lark says before she places a kiss to my back.
My muscles flinch out of habit, but if she notices, she doesn’t say anything about it. “Sorry, Darlin’,” I rasp out, my voice more gravelly than usual.
Her arms tighten around me. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, Hercules.
It’s going to take time, but if you didn’t already know, your scars aren’t a turn off for me.
Will I be pissed when you show me? Fuck yeah, but not at you.
” Her arms tighten even more around me. “If he or she isn’t dead already, I’d be hunting them down and inflicting every scar you and Levi have on them and then some. ”
My chest warms at the thought of Lark getting vengeance on my behalf. Then I huff when I remember what she called me.
“Hercules?”
I feel her shake slightly as she chuckles. “Yeah, you’re my Hercules because of your strength and your perseverance to overcome any challenge in life.” She pauses as she kisses my back again. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
My chest tightens as I realize she’s taking just as big of a leap as I am. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes as I step out of Lark’s arms and turn to face her. A moment later, I feel a hand cup my cheek and I can’t help but lean into it.
“Open those gorgeous blue-gray eyes of yours. Let me see you.”