SAVAGE #2
Her body clamped down around me like a vice as my hips collided with her ass, and I was done.
I recklessly drove once more, then finally came deep inside of her.
I kept my hands planted on her hips until my breath steadied, then withdrew and did away with the condom.
I dropped down on the bed next to her, and my heart was still pounding when Londyn curled up next to me.
We were lying there in the dark as she whispered, “Is this really happening, or am I in a really good dream?”
“Oh, it’s happening, babe, and if I have anything to say about it, it’ll be happening again real soon.”
“I wish you knew how much I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too. More than you’ll ever know.”
“It seems strange. It’s been so long, but being here with you feels so right, like I just stepped back into the place I was meant to be.”
“Because that’s exactly what we just did. I just wish it would’ve happened a hell of a lot sooner, but not much I can do about that now.”
“I’m really sorry. It shouldn’t have been this way.” Her voice trembled as she said, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive my father for saying what he said to you.”
The mere mention of her father had me wanting to go over to his place and kick his ass. And, if he had been anyone else, I would’ve done that and more. Hell, I’d kill a man for less, but in the end, he was Londyn’s dad and Dalton’s grandfather. Hurting him would only end up hurting them.
Like it or not, I would have to find a way to come to terms with my anger. “I’m not exactly happy with him myself, but he’s your father, Londyn. He loves you and at the time, he thought he was doing what was best for you.”
“Maybe at first, but all those months after....” She looked up at me with anguish in her eyes as she said, “You don’t know how distraught I was after the breakup.
It took me months to be able to get through a day without breaking down into a crying, hysterical mess.
And Dad knew that. He saw. He heard, and yet, he did nothing to rectify what he’d done. How can I forgive him for that?”
“I don’t know, babe.” I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “But holding onto that kind of anger is only going to make things harder for you.”
“Stop being nice about it, Malcomb. He took five years from us. I can’t just forgive and forget that.”
“Okay. What do you wanna do? Go burn his house down? I’ll bring the fucking matches.”
“No, but I might wanna yell at him and give him the cold shoulder for a while. Make him think about what he’s done.”
“And you think that’ll change anything?”
“No, but it’ll make me feel better.”
“Okay, babe.” I smiled. “You do whatever you gotta do. I’ve got your back.”
“You really think I’m wrong about being mad?”
“No, I never said that. Your dad did a shit thing to the both of us. I thought a lot of him and knew he wouldn’t say what he did unless he meant it.
” I let out a breath, then added, “Him saying it is on him. My believing it and acting on it is on me. I should’ve trusted you.
More than that, I should’ve trusted us, and I didn’t. ”
“You really thought you were doing the right thing? No question about it?”
“Oh, I questioned it. Hell, I questioned it every fucking day, but I always believed you should take the scholarship. You’d worked hard for it, and I didn’t want anything to stand in your way of getting it, especially me.”
“But why not check in to see if you’d made the right choice?”
“I did. I had Big look it up, and he saw that you’d taken the scholarship.
” My chest tightened as I told her, “I should’ve been happy that my plan worked, but I wasn’t.
There was a piece of me that hoped you would’ve stuck around and gone to school closer to home.
When I found out that didn’t happen, it fucked me up.
That’s when I decided to shut it down. I couldn’t see you.
I couldn’t talk to you. I couldn’t even talk about you.
I had to put you behind me. It was the only way I could get through the day. ”
“I get it.”
“It was a stupid move. I get that now, but back then, I was a fucking mess.”
“You weren’t the only one.” Her voice trembled as she said, “I just kept thinking if I could talk to you then...”
“I’m sorry. If I could go back and change things, I would.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Malcomb.” She eased up on her elbow. “We both made some ‘not so great’ decisions that ended up hurting us both, but we’re here now. The question is... do you think we’ll be able to put these past five years behind us?”
“We have to because I’m not losing you again.”
I leaned down and pressed my mouth against hers, kissing her in a possessive, demanding kiss that left me wanting her once again. And if the way she was writhing beneath me was any indication, she wanted me just as much.
I spent the entire night making love to her, taking my time to burn every inch of her body into my memory.
I wanted to remember every moment, every touch, so I’d have something to hold onto when I had to head back home.
Once we were both sated, we gave in to our exhaustion and fell asleep.
The next morning, I awoke to Londyn rushing about the room, picking up clothes off the floor.
Her hair was wet, and she was wearing a camisole with slacks, and she looked a little frantic.
When she laid my clothes across the bed, I sat up and whispered, “Morning.”
“Good morning.” She stepped over to me and gave me a quick kiss. “I was just picking up a bit.”
“How long before you gotta leave for work?”
“Half an hour or so.” She stepped over to her closet and pulled out a top. “I wish I could stay.” She turned around and gave me a half-smile. “But I’ve got a meeting that I can’t miss.”
“It’s all good. I need to head back and take care of a few things anyway.”
“Are you sure?” She arched an eyebrow and stepped closer to me. “I could call in sick.”
“No, no. It’s fine.” I laughed and shook my head. “I’d rather you not get in trouble for me.”
“It’d be fun though.”
“You bet your ass it would, but duty calls.” I got up and started getting dressed. “You remember our conversation at the park?”
She gave me a puzzled look, so I added, “The one about me wanting to be with you and Dalton as much as possible?”
“Yes, of course I remember.”
I buckled my jeans as I stepped over to her. “Well, I’ve been thinking that it’d be easier to do that if you and Dalton were back in Port Angeles with me.”
“Oh...”
“It would be even easier if you both moved in with me.”
“Move in with you?” she gasped. “You can’t say something like that out of the blue.”
“Why not? It’s true.”
“Because Dalton and I have a life here.”
I understood her hesitation, but I wanted them both with me. “I get that, but it’s something to consider. We could finally have the life we’ve always wanted.”
“But what about work?” she asked.
“You could find a job back at home... or find something remote.”
“I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t want to. I do...” She looked at me, her eyes full of uncertainty. “There’s so much to consider.”
“I don’t need an answer right now.” I took her hand and squeezed it gently. “I just want you to think about it. You and Dalton could come for a visit this weekend and get a feel for things.”
“Okay. We could do that.”
“That’s my girl.” I leaned in and kissed her temple. “I best get going before Dalton wakes up.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Londyn grabbed her keys then followed me out the front door. When we got to the parking lot, she stopped and gasped, “Is that Betty?”
Londyn used to hang out in the garage with me while I worked on piecing Betty back together.
We’d spent hours on end out there, talking and listening to music, and every time I got frustrated and thought about giving up, she’d be there to get me back on track.
It wasn’t until after we broke up that I actually got her up and running.
I smiled with pride as I told her, “The one and only.”
“You did it!” She walked over and ran her hand across the handlebars. “You actually got her running.”
“It took some time, but yeah. She purrs like a kitten.”
“That’s so awesome, Malcomb. I know she was always special to you.”
“It’s just a bike, Londyn.” I brought my hand up to her face and brushed her cheek with the pad of my thumb. “You and Dalton are what’s special to me.”
I leaned down and kissed her, then got on my bike.
I started the engine, revving it a couple of times before I gave Londyn a quick nod goodbye.
My heart felt heavy as I pulled out of the parking lot.
I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t have a choice.
I had to get back to the club and check in with the brothers.
But I had every intention of seeing her again very soon.
And when I did, I would make sure Londyn understood that she was mine.
All mine...