Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
QUAKE
My gaze kept swinging to the plate Rommy had left behind.
Saint had told me it was hers, but she’d gone upstairs a while ago.
What was she doing that kept her up there?
Her food would go to waste, and she seemed like the kind of woman who would be annoyed if she didn’t get to finish a meal.
She loved food just about as much as I did.
Hell, she probably loved it more based on her moans.
She’d surprised me earlier, and not about wanting to sleep with me if Eve wasn’t in the picture. It was because she’d, in her roundabout way, told me to not give up with Eve.
Could that mean they’d talked?
Did I have a chance to make Eve mine?
Christ, my gut fluttered at the thought.
Texas and Maya stopped by the table. Texas tipped his chin up. “Mornin’.”
“Are you two sure you don’t want me to come to the airport?” Low asked.
“We’ll be—”
“Tech, wait” was yelled, and we all turned towards the stairs to see Tech striding down them with Eve and Rommy following. Rommy was grinning, but Eve looked panicked.
I stood as they got closer. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Tech, don’t—”
My brother stopped in front of me, pulled his arm back, and punched me in the face.
“Tech!” Eve snapped.
I turned to Tech, who was up in my face. “Been itchin’ to do that for some fuckin’ time.”
“Why?” I asked hesitantly, glancing to Eve and back. My cheek stung like a bitch, but I ignored it.
She wouldn’t have said anything, right?
If she did… fuck me, but I’d be damn thrilled.
“Why?” Tech clipped. “You and my sister, ring any bells?”
I shot my wide gaze to Eve. “You told him?” I asked, smiling wide.
She rolled her eyes but blushed as she shrugged.
“Eve?” I pressed.
“I’m not done talkin’ to you,” Tech bit out.
“Eve?” I asked again, my gaze glued to her. When she nodded, my goddamn heart took off out of my chest and flew high.
Tech groaned. “Jesus, brother.”
Ignoring him, I moved over to Eve and cupped her cheeks. “What does this mean, sweetheart?”
“Now he straight up ignores me,” Tech complained.
Eve reached up and touched my cheek. “Sorry, my idiot brother—”
“I don’t care. I’ll take all the hits from him.” I needed to know. “Eve, why did you tell him?”
She flicked her gaze off to the side where I noticed Rommy stood with her hands clasped under her chin watching us with happiness. She winked and nodded at Eve.
Fuck me.
Fuck me.
Fuck me.
What had Rommy said to have Eve telling her brother and my best fucking friend in the club that we’re something?
Was Eve ready to commit?
Did she honestly want me?
When Eve looked back up at me, she said, “I want to try.” Her bottom lip trembled. She bit down on it until I brushed my thumb over the plump flesh, and she released it.
“You’re mine?”
“It’s not going to be easy,” she warned.
“You’re mine?”
“Quake, I’m messed up, and I could say things that—”
Leaning down, I kissed her, and against her lips, I smiled before mumbling, “You are mine.”
“Yes,” she whispered and then wrapped her arms around my neck right before I claimed my woman with a kiss in front of everyone.
Cheers, catcalls, and clapping bombarded our ears. For a split second, I worried Eve would pull away and run, but she didn’t. She held me tighter and kissed me deeper.
Fucking hell.
This was Eve in my arms in front of everyone.
Eve.
The woman I’d wanted to claim since the first night we’d slept together. It may have been a drunken romp then, but I’d woken up and watched her sleep peacefully next to me for half an hour knowing that she was gonna mean something to me.
And she does.
She was mine, and I wouldn’t let her get away from me now.
No matter what.
“Christ, all right, enough sucking my sister’s face,” Tech barked.
Laughter sounded as I kissed Eve one more time before pulling away and grinning like a crazy guy down at her. My chest swelled when she smiled just as brightly up at me.
Turning to Tech, I asked, “You want to hit me again?”
He’d been studying his sister with a clenched jaw, but then he looked at me. “I do, but I know she’d get pissed if I did.”
“I would,” Eve said.
Tech glared at me with his arms crossed over his chest. “She deserves the world.”
“I’ll give it to her,” I told him honestly.
Eve shook her head. “I… no… I don’t—”
Rommy clapped her hands. “So sorry to interrupt. Tech, you can get back to threatening Quake later. But my brother’s about to go, and we all need to say goodbye.”
Texas dropped his head back and sighed. “We could have just snuck out.”
“No, we can’t,” Maya said, nudging him.
I curled Eve under my arm and held her tightly to my side.
I could do that now.
She was mine.
I could hold her, talk to her in front of people, and show everyone she was under my care.
Christ. I couldn’t keep the smile from my mouth even if I wanted to.
Texas grinned. “Right. Dodge, Low. There was somethin’ we wanted to share before we leave.”
“What?” Low asked, perking up.
Texas held Maya to him, his grin growing even more. Like he was proud about something. Then he announced, “I’m fuckin’ thrilled to let you know, Maya’s pregnant.”
Low stood screaming. She danced around on the spot, then rushed them.
Rommy cackled and skipped over to them too. “I’m going to be the best aunty,” she announced. “I’ll take him or her or whatever they want to be to get their first piercing and tattoo and drinks and—”
Texas pulled her in for a hug. “No, you won’t.” He then told his wife, “Our kid ain’t stayin’ with my sister.”
Maya, who was tucked under a crying Low’s arm, gave her husband a watery smile. “We’ll see.”
“Ha,” Rommy cried. “That means yes they can.”
As Dodge congratulated his son with a hug and soft words, Low gasped, “Does Zara know yet?” She gasped again. “Oh, my gawd, girl, you and Channa are pregnant at the same time.”
Rommy bounced on her feet. “This is awesome.”
Maya told Low, “My parents don’t know yet. We’ll tell them when we get home.”
Low’s lips thinned.
“Little bird,” Dodge warned.
“What?” Low asked.
“You’re keepin’ a lid on it until Zara calls you.”
Low rolled her eyes. “Of course I will.”
“Shit,” Dodge drew out.
Low waved a hand around. “Relax. I won’t say anything. But please call me when you’re telling them. I want to be on FaceTime or something.”
Texas nodded. “You got it. We better hit the road, though.”
Saint tossed his keys up and down. “I’ll be driving you two.”
They said another round of goodbyes and left with a final wave back to their family. Rommy hugged her mom.
“We’ll see them soon enough,” she said before shaking her by the arms. “You’re gonna be a grandmother.”
Low squealed and hugged Rommy again. “I think I want to be called Grammy.”
Dodge walked over to them and kissed his wife’s temple. “I like it.”
“You should be, Pops,” Rommy suggested before her eyes widened, “My food!” she cried and raced over to her plate.
Eve laughed and then called, “It can be warmed.”
She put a protective arm around her dish. “Nope, I’m good.”
Snorting, I asked Eve, “Want a coffee or some food?”
She faced me, her hands resting at my waist. “Can we go talk first?”
“Yeah.” I nodded and took her hand to lead her upstairs to my room.
As soon as I had the door closed, she said, “I’m so sorry.”
My throat tightened.
She wasn’t second guessing this already, right?
Fuck me. I’m gonna shit myself.
“What for?” I slowly and gently asked.
Her brows shot up. “What for? For fucking this up. For being a bitch. For giving you mixed signals. For everything I said that was nasty. I never meant to be horrid, but I couldn’t stop my mouth.
I wanted to force every terrible thing I said to you back down my throat because… because I could see that it hurt you.”
Her hands fisted at her sides as tears welled.
Moving over to her, I cupped the back of her neck, gripping her hair until she gave me her gaze.
“We’ve been dancin’ around each other for years, but I need you to know right now that you’re worth the wait.
” Tears fell from her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled.
“Sweetheart, I was more hurt for you when we had our moments because I knew you never meant any of it. You’ve been strugglin’.
I saw it, felt it, but now that you’ve allowed me in, you don’t have to handle this on your own.
We’ll deal with anythin’ that comes up together, yeah? ”
She gripped at my tee under my cut and dropped her forehead to my chest. “Damn you.”
Chuckling, I asked, “Too much?”
She shook her head against me. “No. It was perfect. You always are. You made it easy to fall in love with you.”
I stilled.
Did she realise what she’d said?
Licking my dry lips, I wondered if she could hear how wildly my heart beat.
Clearing my throat, I thickly said, “That’s good. It means you’re catchin’ up to me.”
That’s good?
Why would I say that.
I sounded like a schmuck.
My damn ears rang from how fast my blood pumped through my body.
She tipped her head back. Red eyes and nose, tears brimming and falling, and yet she was still perfect. “I’m still going to freak out. I’ll say the wrong things. I’ll be a bitch when I’m uncomfortable from sweet and kind words or compliments. Are you sure you want me?”
Smirking, I leaned down and kissed her lips, her nose, and her cheek.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been waitin’ for you since the first time we slept together.
Nothin’ will stop me from wantin’ you.” When I saw the worry in her gaze, I added, “I know it ain’t always gonna be smooth sailin’ and there are things we’ve still gotta learn about each other, but all I need is for you to communicate with me.
Let me know when somethin’ is eatin’ at your mind, and I’ll do anythin’ I can to help settle any worry you do have.
I hope to do the same with you. Share what’s on my mind too.
It’s gonna be trial and error, but we can rise above all the stuff that comes up and find what we’re after in each other. ”
She blew out a heavy breath and pushed her face against my chest again. “I’ll try my best, Quake. I really will because I’ve been in love with you for some time now. You deserve better, and—Hey!” she snapped when I pinched her ass.
“No negative talk about yourself. You’re the best woman for me.”
She groaned, dropped her face once again, and gently tugged at my tee where her hands were still fisted into the material.
“And I love you, too, Eve.”
“Stop,” she whined, making me chuckle. “But thank you.”
“For lovin’ you?”
She hummed.
“You’re not hard to love, Eve.”
She suddenly pulled back and looked up at me. “Promise me that if you get tired of me or you find someone else you’re interested in, you’ll tell me. I don’t want us to end up hating each other if anything like that happens. Promise me you’ll always be honest.”
“I will,” I said quickly. I already knew what that was about, how her parents cheated on each other and made it nasty at home about the affairs.
“And I promise too.”
I nodded. “Can I ask somethin’ of you then?”
“Anything.”
“Call me by my name, not my club one.”
She drew in a breath. “That means it’s really real.”
I smirked. “That’s what we’re goin’ for, right? Somethin’ real between us. Somethin’ public. Somethin’ where our love can grow.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “You need to quit being sweet. You’re making me ache.” Her face flushed. Cute.
“Baby, I’m gonna do a lot more to you soon too.”
She leaned into me, head tipped back. “Okay, Kayson.”
Fuck me.
My dick throbbed.
Never thought hearing my name from her lips like that would get such a reaction, but my body was lighting up with desire.
Groaning, I leaned down and claimed my woman’s mouth.