Chapter 32
Lark
I wake up feeling warm, but the rhythmic beating under my ear threatens to pull me back to sleep.
Blinking, I go to move my leg to stretch when I feel a brush of fur against my skin.
Looking down, I realize that Igor cuddled into the crook of my leg behind my knee and I can just barely see the tips of Void’s ears as he cuddles up against Igor.
My heart melts at the mental image of them cuddled up together.
“How’d you sleep, Darlin’?”
I suppress a shiver at hearing Anthony’s voice rough with sleep. There’s a pleasant ache between my legs and the memory of Anthony taking me two more times earlier today has me blushing.
Turning slightly, I look up at him and bite my lip when I see his hair slightly disheveled from sleep.
“Good. You?”
“Good. Can definitely get used to this.”
He leans down, giving me a toe-curling kiss that has me wanting him again.
A moment later, he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against mine. “I need to stop, otherwise I’ll be taking you again and I know you must be sore.”
“Just a little, but I’ll be fine,” I quickly reassure him when his body tenses against mine.
Of course, my stomach chooses that moment to growl which has me burying my head in his chest. His chest shakes with his silent laughter, and he pats my hip.
“Let’s get you up and find some grub. I went to the store the other day, so we should be able to whip something up. I’m sure Mama Astrid’s already put stuff away from lunch since it’s almost two o’clock.”
I can’t stop my grumble, which has Anthony’s chest shaking with laughter again. I like being in his arms and I’m surprised at how much I like being here.
Carefully, I pull away from Void and Igor, and smile when I fully see them curled up. Void is curled up against Igor’s stomach, and Igor is laying so that his leg is over Void’s upper back—almost in a protective manner.
“Good boy,” Anthony tells him as he reaches over and pets Igor and then Void.
Gingerly, I scoot off the bed as I try to hide my wince but judging by the frown on Anthony’s face, I don’t think it was successful.
I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist as I do my best to ignore his hard cock against my stomach.
“Before you say anything, no you didn’t hurt me and yes, I loved every second of it. Am I a little sore? Yes, but a little time will cure that. I’m not some fragile glass flower that will break. If you ever did hurt me, which I don’t think you ever will, I’ll let you know. Okay?”
He exhales and the tension in his shoulders drops, but he still looks a little unsure. “You sure you don’t want to take a bath and soak? I could make sandwiches and bring them up to you?”
I place a kiss to his chest. “I’m sure.” Smirking, I swat his tush playfully. “Now, get that sexy ass dressed so we can eat.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he sasses playfully, and I do my best to suppress another shiver at his husky voice.
A few minutes later, we’re dressed and walking downstairs. Anthony lets Igor out to go potty, and I head into the kitchen.
I am about to open what I think is the door to the pantry when I hesitate. I gnaw on my lip as I debate if I should wait for him to come back. I mean, I know he said he wanted me, but how will he feel about me just opening all of his cabinets, raiding through his fridge, and using his kitchen?
Arms wrap around my waist, breaking me out of my thoughts. I turn, wrapping mine around his waist as well.
“Darlin’, I can see the gears turning in your head.
Yes, I want you here. Yes, I want you as my woman, and when you’re ready, as my Old Lady and my wife.
That means my house is your house, Darlin’.
You want to change something, we’ll change something.
I want this to be our home. Is that what you want?
” He pauses and a bashful look comes over him.
“I just realized I never really asked that before. I just told you what I wanted.”
He pauses again as he cups my cheek and once again, I marvel at how him touching the scars from my burns doesn’t bother me like it does with everyone else, which even includes Ma.
“Lark, is that what you want as well? You know I’d never force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
I smile as I place my hand over his and turn slightly so that I can kiss the palm of his hand.
“Yes, I want to be your woman, your Old Lady, and your wife. I want to share my life with you, have a family with you, everything. Some may think we’re moving too fast, but in my mind, we’ve been practically dating almost a year and a half already.
And if someone has a problem with that, then they can fuck off. ”
His breath hitches as he stares down at me, vulnerability shining in his eyes like he can’t believe what I just said. Honestly, I feel the same vulnerability, only it’s that he wants me.
“You want to be mine? Fully?”
Reaching up, I cup his cheek. “Yes, Anthony. I’m yours, utterly and completely.”
Anthony stares at me, still stunned for a moment, before he smiles and his eyes darken with an almost possessive edge that I’m pleasantly surprised doesn’t bother me in the least. In the past, it was always a turn off for me.
“Mine,” he growls before he kisses me hard.
“Yours,” I pant as I kiss him back just as hard.
My back hits the pantry door and I moan into the kiss.
Unfortunately, it’s over way too fast as he pulls back, resting his forehead against mine while we both try to catch our breath.
And then, of course, my stomach takes that moment to growl again.
Embarrassed, I cover my face and shift so that my forehead is resting on his chest. I can feel him trying to hide his laugh as he kisses the top of my head.
“Let’s get you fed, Darlin’.”
Smiling, I slip out of his arms and walk over to his fridge, opening it up. I scan the contents and notice some deli meat and cheese.
“Do you just want some sandwiches for now? I’m assuming there will be food later at the party?”
“Sounds good, Darlin’. I’ll get the bread.”
Half an hour later, we’ve eaten and I’ve freshened up. I pet Void who’s cuddled up on his cat tree as he sunbathes. Igor runs over to me and goes up on his hind paws as he rests his front paws on my leg.
“Aww, were you feeling left out, buddy?” I coo as I reach down and scratch behind his ears, too.
Anthony chuckles. “I do believe Igor’s claimed you.”
I laugh in response. “I don’t mind him claiming me, he’s a total sweetheart.”
As Igor gives me a doggy smile, an idea comes to mind and I bite my lip to keep my smile from widening. Hmmm. I’ll have to look online to see if I can find what I’m looking for and surprise Anthony.
Anthony opens the front door and I walk over by him with Igor hot on my heels. Anthony sighs as he looks down at Igor.
“Come on, buddy, you can come along too.”
Igor barks excitedly and I laugh again as he takes off like a shotgun and runs circles around Anthony as if he can understand him. I follow after him but then frown down at Igor as I stop on the deck steps.
“Do we need a leash for him?”
Anthony shakes his head. “Nah, he knows not to wander off and if anything happens, he knows to stick close by me or one of the other guys. A few times, he’s saved our asses by alerting us to someone’s presence.”
I blink a few times at that, but then I remember the explosion that happened last month in Forest Creek.
For a moment, a sliver of fear snakes down my spine.
How often do things like that happen that Igor knows what to do and what not to do?
Anthony must sense the change in me, because he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Things like that don’t happen too often.” He pauses as he frowns. “This year’s been weird though with Black Plague going after the club and Levi and then that shit with Oasis and Mae.” He shakes his head.
Once again, I’m thankful that the Steel Archangel’s aren’t like some of the other MCs I’ve heard about where all club business is strictly club business.
There’s no ‘cliff notes’ versions for the women in those clubs.
Anthony has filled me in on what he could with what happened with Black Plague and Oasis, so at least I know what he’s referring to.
Though just thinking of what those two groups have done to Anthony, Levi, and Mae makes my blood boil.
“But if anything does happen, just know that every one of us will protect you.”
I cock my eyebrow at that as my anger rises a bit more, but I do my best to push it down and don’t let it show. Well, show too much that is. He needs to remember I’m not some weakling.
“You mean, we will protect each other. I’m not some damsel that can’t defend herself. If someone comes shooting, you can bet your ass that my gun will be out along with everyone else’s as I help protect our family.”
Even though I don’t know everyone in the club very well, that’s exactly what they have become to me over the past year and a half. My family.
He lets go of my hand and trails it up my arm before he gently clasps the back of my neck. He leans down before kissing me hard. A few moments later, he pulls back and rests his forehead against mine.
“How the fucking hell did I get so lucky as to have you as my woman?” he mutters, repeating the same question he’d asked me last night.
I give him a small smile and shrug my shoulder a bit. “Easy, I said yes.”
He hesitates and I’m pretty sure where his mind went, but I don’t rush him. The muscles in his jaw tick as he clenches his jaw, but his grip on me continues to be soft.
“Just make sure you stay safe, Darlin’. I can’t… I can’t lose you now that I have you. That would…”
My anger slides away at the tormented look in his eyes and I nod as I go up on my toes to kiss him.
“I promise, Hercules, but I need you to promise me that you’ll do everything you can to stay safe too. I know that some things are out of our control, and if that happens, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
“Promise, Darlin’.”
This time, his kiss is soft but still passionate.
A whistle brings me out of my lusty haze, and I resist the urge to flip off whoever it was that interrupted us.
Turning in Anthony’s grasp, I lean against him as I wrap an arm around his waist and his arm shifts to rest on my bad shoulder. Once again, I’m amazed that his touch doesn’t turn my stomach like it does with everyone else.
“Are you sure you want to forgive his ass, Lark?” Devil asks teasingly, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief.
Anthony mutters under his breath and I give his waist a squeeze as I smile up at him mischievously.
“It was touch and go there for a bit,” I tease and I wink at him when Anthony’s eyes flash at my teasing, “but, yeah, he’s mine so I forgave his ass. I love him too much to let him go.”
Anthony kisses me and I can’t help my laugh when Devil grumbles again.
Walking down the path, Igor follows next to me as we all head toward the clubhouse. When Anthony leans in close to Devil to talk quietly.
“Need to do a vote, is everyone here?”
Devil gives him a chin lift. “No—a few are still working.”
I pretend not to hear them, but my stomach clenches at his words. What do they need to vote on? Is it about me?
“Hey, Lark, it’s going to be okay.”
I turn toward Devil and wince at his concerned face. Maybe I didn’t hide my worries well enough.
“There’s always a vote when one of us decides he wants his woman to become his Old Lady. Mama Astrid, Anthony’s mom, Ruby, my aunt, Maria, and others were all voted in as well when their time came. As for Forest Creek, there were votes for Levi and Mae, too.”
I hesitate as I gnaw on my lip. “Has anyone ever voted ‘no’ before?”
Both Anthony and Devil’s postures go rigid as they share a look.
“Yeah,” Anthony drawls out slowly. “My dad told me it happened once a long time ago and that’s the only instance he’s heard of it happening.”
“What happened?” I ask, my voice quiet, and then my eyes widen as I realize I might not be allowed to know. “I’m sorry! If it’s club business, I get it, you don’t have to tell me.”
They both shake their heads.
“It’s not club business,” Devil tells me.
Anthony runs a hand through his hair. “One of our brothers, Shark, wanted his woman, Chastity, to become his Old Lady. She’d been staying at the clubhouse with him for a few months at that point.
When they went to do a vote, everyone said yes except for Smithy’s old man, Grinder, who was the Treasurer before him, and my dad, who was the President before me.
They said ‘no’. Shark had to be physically restrained when they said ‘no’ at first. Then they explained why.
“Apparently, the books were off at one of our businesses for a while, but the night before, Grinder and my dad finally figured out what was going on. They’d planned to bring it up in the next morning’s Church meeting.
Chastity had been stealing from them for over a year, and their suspicion was that she got close to Shark so that she could hide it and continue skimming off the top. ”
Devil scowled and continued. “When Chains, that’s Reaper’s dad’s road name, finished explaining everything, Shark needed to be restrained again, but this time, it was to keep him from going after Chastity.
He wanted blood for her betrayal. Raven, Reaper’s mom, and Mama Astrid got the truth out of Chastity and Chains and Grinder’s suspicions were confirmed.
She was just using Shark as a cover and she figured if she got in, she could keep her operation going before ditching him and disappearing. ”
I narrow my eyes at them. “I really hope what I think happened, happened because of her betrayal to the club. If it were up to me, she’d have a few extra holes before taking a nice long nap in the woods.”
Both Devil and Anthony grin before Devil clasps Anthony’s shoulder.
“You best not fuck this up, because she is definitely Queen material.”
Anthony shakes his head as he smiles down at me, his eyes dark with desire and I have to fight not to squirm under his gaze.
“I don’t plan to.”