Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
LAURA
I circled Rose Ridge for half an hour.
Mostly, I just had to clear my head, but the idea of using all of Killian’s gas held some appeal.
Now, I was back at the club, needing to talk to Callie and Natty to get some perspective.
They both had been in the club in some aspect for a long time; perhaps there was an element to Killian’s freak out that I was missing.
I scaled the steps and knocked on Natty’s door.
She opened with a huge smile on her face. I envied her and decided I wanted to know how she was always so happy. She was living a separate life from the man she supposedly loved, and yet she seemed completely content.
“We were wondering where you went.” She shut the door behind me.
“Killian’s been keeping secrets.” I heaved a sigh and plopped down onto her couch then began to explain everything that had happened.
I didn’t hold anything back, not about my dad or his workings or anything else that was supposed to be secret. I just poured my heart out, and then I waited.
Callie exchanged a look with Natty before both women crowded me. Callie hugged my side, and Natty came over, kneeling in front of me to hug my middle. I froze for a second, unsure how to respond, but the longer they held me, the more I broke.
Tears streamed down my face, and a hiccup got caught in my throat.
“Neither of us are strangers to the pain of the club and how its members can be hyper-focused on the wrong things,” Callie said, sitting on the arm of the couch.
I sniffed and looked up, watching her.
She played with my hair, almost like a mother would. Regardless that my own mother never had. Thinking of my mom had the images I’d seen in the folder rushing back. While my relationship with her was frosty, she was still my mom. She deserved to know what was going on.
“They’re assholes most of the time. Loyal, hard, and usually overly protective. But they’d lose themselves without us. They’ll act like it’s not a big deal, like the club is enough.”
“But it’s not,” Natty cut in, locking her soft gaze with Callie’s.
“It’s why Silas follows me like a wraith.
He finally has what he wanted, which makes him similar to Killian in that way.
They’re both new presidents, and yet, Silas is here, watching me more often than not.
I see him on my way to work every morning.
He follows me home at night. It makes me wonder when he has time to lead his club. ”
My heart pinched tight, knowing Killian would likely be the same.
“Killian loves you, Laur. But it’s tethered to this place he came from. You have to understand that he is likely terrified of anything happening to you,” Callie started, but I shook my head to interrupt her.
“That’s so cliché though, and I don’t think I can stick around for him to be a distant asshole simply because he’s worried about me.”
Callie’s expression softened. “I wasn’t telling you the truth before about his dad and the murder.”
My blood felt frozen in my veins as I waited for her to continue. She battled with her words for a few seconds before she finally relented.
“He was there. His dad had him in the car…he was so young, Laura. Ten years old, finally getting to tag along with a dad that was absent and forgetful. Right after his mom left. His dad pulled up to Strings, and Jenny was out back smoking. Killian was right there in the front seat as he watched his father take a life then dump her body. My dad told me it wasn’t the first time.
He said there were times Jefferson would hurt his mom.
Considering his background…I think he’s genuinely traumatized by the idea of anything happening to you. ”
That sobered me.
Not enough to forgive him, but it did have me reconsidering his motives and reasons. I knew in my bones that Killian didn’t just think we were having fun. He wasn’t risking everything he had, merely for someone he thought he’d pass the time with.
Especially not after he’d shared the bit about his tattoo and his mother.
Before I could ask any more questions or further our conversation, Natty’s phone lit up with a call.
It was close enough that I saw Killian’s name flash across the screen.
That old insecurity flashed quick in my chest, and I knew Natty realized it when she gave me an apologetic look before answering. She stayed where she was, so we could both hear what was going on.
“Hey, Killian.”
She was quiet, her brows furrowed as she nodded. “Yeah, I can have it ready by then. Callie and Laura are here too. We can prep it together.”
Natty’s eyes landed on me as she smiled. “She is here. She’s fine.”
“I can’t keep her here, Killian, but I don’t think she’s exactly eager to leave.”
I rolled my eyes.
With another sigh, she hung up and then explained what we’d be doing.
“Penelope is on her way; we need to go prep the cabin.”
I stood with the other two. Callie looked at me with the same confused expression that I had.
“Maybe on the way you could explain who she is?”
Natty laughed. “Yeah, guess I could do that.”
The cabin was vacuumed, mopped, and aired out. We put fresh sheets on the bed and made sure there was food in the kitchen. I’d even snagged one of Red’s bread loaves and some fresh jam she’d bought from a local farm store.
Natty had explained who Penelope was and why she was coming to stay with us.
I was weirdly excited to meet her, although considering the circumstances, I wasn’t sure how friendly she would be.
Within the span of an hour, there were two bikes pulling up and a large silver truck between them.
We exited the cabin and waited on the porch. Killian dismounted one bike, and Wes cleared the other.
Then a man I had seen a few weeks ago jumped from the truck. Jameson King.
The president of the Chaos Kings.
He walked around the hood and opened the passenger door. A streak of midnight hair flashed as the woman exited and then held Jameson’s hand until her feet were steady on the ground. She cleared the truck, and my eyes immediately dropped to her swollen stomach.
She was really pregnant, likely due within the next few weeks.
I cast a quick glance to Killian to gauge his reaction and noticed his gaze was already on me. My face flushed as I returned my focus to the woman in front of me.
Penelope had long black hair, cute bangs that were styled in a way that made her face look narrow. She had glittering blue eyes and thick black lashes. Porcelain skin and red lips. She was stunning. She wore a blue long-sleeved shirt that stretched tightly over her breasts and stomach.
Jameson walked with his hand on the small of her back as he helped move her forward.
“Hi.” I stepped forward and thrust my hand out. “I’m Laura.”
Her gaze flicked to my leather cut, which I realized belatedly that I was still wearing.
“It says Daisy, but I go by Laura.”
Penelope took my hand and gently shook it. “I’m Penelope. You can call me Pen if you want.”
Callie came up next, making introductions, and then Natty.
We moved into the cabin as Wes and Killian went to the truck to grab a few bags. Only two to be exact.
Penelope took in the cabin, lightly dragging her finger over the table and counter in the kitchen. With emotion glossing her eyes over, she thanked us.
“This is more than I could have imagined. When Jamie said that he had a spot for me over here, I expected to be shoved in the basement or some musty room.”
I didn’t miss the nickname she’d given the club leader.
Jamie.
We all laughed, and then Natty stepped closer to her.
“This is a good place, Pen. I think you’ll love it. If you need friends, we’re here.” She gestured toward us, and my heart felt the pain of the admission.
Would I be here?
I needed to talk to my mom, and help her through whatever fall out was likely about to happen. I should make a trip home and talk to her. I felt like she deserved to know about her husband’s infidelities. I would want to know.
I smiled at Penelope and flicked a quick gaze over to where Killian stood. “I have to get back to the clubhouse, but it was great to meet you. Natty will leave my cell number, feel free to text or call if you need anything.”
Penelope smiled and gave me a grateful nod.
Jameson continued watching her as though she was the only thing that mattered in his entire world.
I recognized the expression on his face and realized this might be more complicated of a situation than either of them likely let on.
She was pregnant with his vice president's baby according to Natty, but the way Jameson watched her made me think…
He looked at her the way Killian sometimes watched me.
Pushing away the thought, I cleared the door and began walking back to the club.
I knew Killian would follow, so I just continued walking. The cabin was about half a mile from the main clubhouse, so the walk helped clear my head.
As I reached the back gate to the apartment, Killian was crowding my back.
As soon as we were through, his hand was around mine, his fingers intertwining.
I let him lead us up the porch steps and into the house.
Part of me wanted to push the reality of our fight away, and just stay blissfully ignorant to what he’d said. I kept thinking over what Callie had said and tried to piece together a resolution regarding the man in front of me.
He kept pulling me until we were upstairs, and then once we were in the bedroom, he finally let me go.
“You goin’ somewhere?”
I laughed; it sounded pitiful and weak.
“You tell me you think we’re just having fun after I tell you that I love you and that’s the first thing you have to say to me?”
His jaw clenched; his eyes found the floor…but he didn’t respond.
Whatever. I folded my arms across my chest. “I was thinking of going to see my mom, tell her what my dad did. She deserves to know.”
I slid the cut from my shoulder and set it on the bed. He watched my every move with fierce precision.
“She knows.” Killian’s intense gaze captured mine, leaving me speechless. “Simon had the photos of him with other women anonymously shown to her. She wasn’t given a copy, so it wasn’t like she could show him, but she had enough information to leave him.”
“She just never did,” I muttered, sinking to the bed.
My hoodie was making me itch, so I stripped it over my head. Suddenly, I just wanted a shower and to restart the entire day.
Walking away from the man at my back, I padded toward the bathroom, tugging the button on my jeans.
I heard a gasp behind me.
Turning to look over my shoulder, I saw Killian’s gaze was fastened on my back.
The tattoo.
I’d never shown him. Between everything that had happened, I had never found the right time to reveal it.
His feet carried him closer, and with the dark circles under his eyes and the jacket covering his arms, he looked like a dark angel.
Surprisingly warm fingers traced over the design between my shoulder blades.
“You have a wolf in the middle of your back,” he whispered, then brought his finger down along the words. “It has green eyes and –” His voice cracked.
I kept my chin on my shoulder, watching him.
“You got this done before I gave you your patch.” Frenzied green eyes met mine.
I nodded. “Yes, Killian. I had Property of the Wolf inked into my skin, so I’d forever be branded as yours.”
His face shuddered as his fingers trembled at my back, making emotion clog my throat.
I turned fully, so I was facing him.
“Even if you think this is a passing phase of mine…Wherever I end up, Killian, I’ll always carry this on my back. I’ve made you a permanent part of my life, whether you want to be a part of it or not.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes glittered, and then his voice hitched once more.
“I was a coward…I said ‘ditto’ before, when really what I wanted to say was, I love you.”
He stepped closer, cradling my jaw. “I love you so much it’s painful to breathe because I wonder what will happen to me if you ever leave me.
I love your voice, and that night when you sang, and I sat there, watching you like an idiot, all I could think was how beautiful your voice would sound to our children as we rocked them to sleep.
I want to hear your voice echoing through our house that we live in together.
I love you, Laura Witt. I am in love with you, and I don’t ever want a way out. ”
His lips crashed against mine like a wave caught in the torrent of a storm.
His kiss branded my lips, a promise of forever as he moved his mouth over mine.
I let his hands drift down my body, taking my clothes and depositing them on the floor.
I did the same with him, until we were naked in front of one another.
Killian’s kiss landed on my neck as he rasped against my skin.
“Gonna need you to face the wall, hold on to the trim of the doorway.” He guided me toward the bathroom door. I did as he said, facing the wall and gripping the wood border for the door.
My breasts hung free as Killian pulled my hips back.
His mouth landed on my tattoo, his tongue tracing a line as he guided his cock into my pussy from behind.
With one hand covering the tattoo, he thrust his hips forward hard. The jolt sent me into the wall; my breasts mashed against it as my nails dug into the wood frame.
He was ruthless as he slid out of me and then hammered his length back in through my slickness. Just when I thought he was going to move fast, he brought his hand around my hip and pressed the pad of his fingers to my clit, as he continued to slowly fuck me from behind.
His chest was aligned with my back as he moved his hips. My head fell back against his shoulder as he continued to rub circles into my clit while guiding his cock into my pussy. Over and over, he hit somewhere deep inside me until I was moaning for more.
That had his pace increasing as he pulled my ass against him, his hips thrusting forward.
“That’s it, Daisy. Come for me.” He rasped against my shoulder as his hips frantically drove into me, making my hand nearly slip from the wood in front of me.
I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. He was everywhere as he brought the fingers he’d buried in my cunt up to my mouth.
“Suck them clean, beautiful.”
I lapped at his fingers. My chest was still smashed against the wall, and my breathing was ragged as my orgasm built. With a harsh squeeze of my ass, I fell apart.
His name was on my tongue as I screamed; he was shouting too as he emptied himself into me.
I sagged against the wall, but he pulled me back into his arms.
A gentle kiss landed on my neck and then the side of my head.
“Let’s go to bed, Daisy. I got shit sleep last night.”
I nodded, still too numb to speak. He carried me to bed, and when I curled under his arm, I shut my eyes, and I didn’t think.
I didn’t remember.
I just felt, and I loved.
More importantly, I allowed myself to be loved.