Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Stella
Waking up to the sterile smell of the hospital is not where I want to be. From the sounds around me, I’m pretty sure we’re in the emergency room. I open my eyes and immediately seek out Angel’s. I find ‘em instantly and breathe a sigh of relief.
Memories of what I’ve been through circle around in my head and seem to be haunting Angel’s gaze.
“How you feelin’, Love?” he asks, standing from the chair he’d been sitting in and leaning in to cup the side of my face.
I think about his question for a moment.
How am I feeling? Other than my stomach being sore from the cut, I feel okay, physically.
Emotionally, it’s a totally different story.
I nearly lost everything because of some vindictive bitch selling me out to a man who was going to steal my child from my womb.
“The baby?”
“All’s good. The baby is okay. They ran tests and an ultrasound while you were asleep,” he answers, stroking my cheek. “The ultrasound tech said she’s a friend of yours and that if you want her to, she’ll come back but she left pictures for us.”
Nodding, I close my eyes for a brief moment before meeting his once more, tears pricking my eyes. “Did you get him?” I blurt.
“Yeah, baby.” Angel nods, his eyes ever gentle but also heated. “We got him. Now, tell me how you’re feelin’.”
“I don’t know,” I answer truthfully. I really don’t. “He was going to abort the baby. He . . . he licked my stomach after cutting into it, tasting my blood.” I cringe at the memory.
“You don’t have to worry about that bastard touching you again.” The words are harsh and his eyes flare with anger, but his touch stays gentle yet firm. “I’m sorry I didn’t protect you as I should’ve.”
Confused, I furrow my brow and jerk my head back slightly. “Why are you sorry? It’s not like you knew what was going to happen.”
“I should’ve been there. If I had—”
I shake my head, interrupting him. “You couldn’t do anything to have stopped it. Juniper knew about the tunnel. She’s the one who told him.”
“How the fuck could she have known something like that? We’ve never seen the bitch before Ivy got with Reaper.”
I quickly tell him about what Juniper blathered to me.
I don’t leave anything out. Not about her being Claws’s twin sister.
Not about the biological mother being a clubwhore.
Not about any of it. Angel needed to know, so they could figure out what to do next and keep something like this from happening again.
Angel listens, tension rolling off him in waves, and I know without a doubt he’s pissed. Maybe more so than I’ve ever seen him.
When I finish, only then does he speak again. “Never again will anyone ever touch or harm you. I’ll be damned if I’ll let it happen. I’m gonna make damn sure of it from now on. Don’t get pissed when you find yourself followed constantly by a prospect when you’re not with me.”
A sigh slips past my lips and I nod. There’s no reason to argue with him at the moment. “Can we go home now?”
“Yeah, Love.” He nods and presses a kiss to the tip of my nose. “The doctors just wanted you to wake up first. It’s a good thing they know you’re my woman, otherwise, they’d thought it was me that hurt you.”
I give him a small smile and shrug. “What can I say, I bragged about my man to some of the nurses when they asked.”
“Minx,” he rumbles.
“You love me.”
“Yeah, I do, and I will for the rest of my life. And I mean just that baby. I’m marrying you the first chance I get.”
My eyes widen at his declaration. “Who says I’ll say yes?”
“I do, Stella, because I know you love me, but what you don’t know is I’d die for you, and when the time comes, my last breath will be at your mercy.”
I nearly lose my breath at his confession. It was beautiful and meaningful in ways nothing else could ever be. But more, I know he means it because he’s shown it. “Okay,” I whisper and clear my throat. “Just get me out of here first, then ask me again.”
“Hmm, I know ways of asking you.” He smirks and smiles. “Doc said you would be okay in a day or two. After that, I think I’ll have my wicked way with you.”
My body hums at the mere thought. Even with drama swallowing us, I can’t help but want him.
Finally home, Angel guides me straight to the bathroom and strips me of my clothes. I have to admit, I’m glad he brought us here and not the clubhouse. It might not be their fault, but I don’t think I can be in his room right now.
Angel stepped into the shower and helps me in. Thankfully, the space is big enough for the both of us as the water rains over our bodies.
Tentatively, he washes every inch of my body, taking precaution of the bandages on my stomach. I surprisingly didn’t need stitches, and they’d been able to use the medical glue to close the wound, but I’m not supposed to get it wet for the time being.
After he’s cleaned every inch of my body, Angel washes quickly and shuts the water off.
Grabbing a towel off the rack right outside the stall, he dries the both of us and scoops me in his arms, carrying me to the bed.
He lays me in the middle and changes the bandage to a dry one.
Leaning down, he presses a kiss just above the wound and then down further, settling in between my legs.
“Angel,” I moan, loving his mouth where he is.
Angel groans, his tongue lashing against the tiny bud and drawing it in his mouth, nearly sending me skyrocketing. He adds his fingers and soon has me flying. Taking his time, he savors what he’s doing while driving me insane with his touch.
Only after he brings me to release does he move again. Coming up between my legs, he lines himself up and takes me with such a slow thrust, I didn’t think he could be so sweet about it.
Our eyes connect and it’s as if time itself suspends . . . nothing else exists in this moment.
When our release hits, it’s together, like we’re one body connected in the most intimate way possible.
“I love you, Stella,” he rasps. “Marry me?”
“Yes.” I smile, holding him to me, our lips brushing against one another. “I love you and will marry you.”
Grinning, Angel captures my lips for a soul-piercing kiss that leaves me wanting more, but my stomach makes a growling noise and makes it known that I need food.
Angel pulls away and smirks. “I’ll go whip something up real quick. You stay here and rest.”
“I can help—” I start to protest, but he stops me before I could go any further.
“After the bullshit you’ve been through, you’re gonna lay here and rest. I’m gonna grab us something and come back and join you.”
Seeing the determination in his gaze and hearing it in his voice that he needs to do this, I nod. “Okay. I’ll stay right here and keep the bed warm.”
“Good,” he states and kisses me once more, hopping out of bed without making it bounce.
I watch as Angel leaves the room and sigh, leaning back into the pillows, closing my eyes. I couldn’t ask for a better man. Things might still be new between us, but it feels like I know him deep in my soul, and I’ve known him since I was a teen.
He’s my perfect match as I am his.
When it comes to the other stuff, it doesn’t matter. Nothing will change the way I feel for him. As it never has before, I finally let him convince me to take a chance and not fear being his.
I won’t ever regret my decision, and I’m grateful for him loving me as much as I do him.