37. Thirty-Seven
THIRTY-SEVEN
J ax
“What do you want to do for your birthday this year?” I ask Harley as we walk down the hall toward the stairs.
She shrugs, her eyes focused forward. “Doesn’t matter.”
Lifting a brow at her, as we make our way down the stairs, I press, “Why wouldn’t it matter?”
Another shrug, this one followed by silence. When we reach the bottom of the stairs, she goes to grab her shoes. My hand wraps around her arm, stopping her before she can even take a step.
“Hey,” I say softly.
“Don’t worry about it,” she grumbles, jerking her arm free.
“That’s not how this works,” I insist, following her step for step.
She grabs the black pair of lace up combat boots she wore the night before and drops onto the bench next to the front door. I drop to one knee in front of her, resting my forearm on my other knee as I wait for her to meet my stare.
When she finally does, she releases a harsh breath through her nose that makes her nostrils flare. It’s fucking adorable, even if it makes me irritated that she’s trying to brush me off.
“It’s Halloween,” she grumbles indignantly. “My birthday falls on one of the most iconic holidays of the year.”
“That’s kinda the point, doe eyes. That’s why I’m asking what you’d like to do. Normally the guys and I host a massive party, but if you’d rather do something just the two of us, I’m game for whatever,” I say earnestly.
“A party?” she asks, her eyes shifting from annoyance to excitement. “Like a Halloween party?”
Rolling my lips to hide my smile, I reply, “Exactly like a Halloween party.”
“I’ve never attended a Halloween party before,” she admits, dropping her gaze to the floor as her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Reaching out, I lift her chin. I gently drag the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip. Her eyes lock with mine, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.
“If you want a party, then I’ll make sure it’s the best fucking party of the year.”
“I like that idea,” she whispers.
“Good,” I murmur, leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers. “Let’s go. We don’t want to get caught in the storm.”
“Right,” she breathes. “When is everyone leaving?”
“Justin and Jace will be up later. Declan is riding with Quinton and Alicia. And Ross is already on his way out,” I tell her.
She pulls her feet into her boots. “Is your dad’s pack going to be there, too?”
“No. They are out of state this week. Dad had to travel for business, and with it landing on the full moon, his pack traveled with him.”
“And Keeley?”
“She’s at the house. I’ll force her shift before the sun sets because I won’t be able to help her once I shift. She’ll likely lay in front of the fire and nap while everyone waits around,” I explain.
After she’s finished lacing up her boots, she stands from the bench and places her hand in mine. “What do you want me to do?”
“Keep my bed warm,” I suggest with a grin.
She rolls her eyes, chuckling softly as I open the door to the garage. I grab both our bags, from the ground next to the door, and sling them over my shoulder. Harley walks past me, brushing her body up against mine before making her way through the garage.
Pulling the door shut, I close the distance between us in two long strides. My arm wraps around her waist, lifting her from the ground as she squeals.
“Zayden,” she giggles. “Put me down!”
“Not a chance,” I say, hoisting her higher.
I open the back door to my Range Rover and throw our bags into the backseat. Shutting the door, I lower Harley back to her feet between me and the SUV. She stares up at me, dropping her head back against the tinted window.
It’s been just over two weeks since I took her virginity and marked her all in the same night. Every day since I’ve wondered if I’m in some sort of dreamlike state. I can’t get enough of her lips on mine or the feel of her skin beneath the rough pads of my palms. She’s completely obliterated everything I’ve ever known. Altering my psyche with her big blue eyes and heart-stopping smile.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks quietly.
My eyes flick back and forth between hers, and I can’t get over how obsessed I am with that white ring circling her ocean blue orbs. “Nothing. Just thinking about how fucking lucky I am.”
Harley grins. “You’re such a sap, hockey jockey. Who would’ve guessed it?”
Pecking her on the lips, I open the passenger door. “Only for you, Davidson. Only for you.”
“I never thought I’d love that nickname,” she admits as I slide into the driver's seat.
Buckling my seatbelt, I ask, “What nickname?”
“Davidson,” she murmurs.
I stop with my finger hovering over the push-to-start button. Four words echo in my head. She’s not a bike . Turning to look at her, I find her staring at me with a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“For someone who’s entirely in love with motorcycles, it was never meant to be an insult to begin with,” she teases, her smile growing.
Pressing the brake, I push the button and start the engine. Using the passenger seat, I turn to look over my shoulder as I back out of the garage. Frozen by Thriller Records and Rain City Drive starts to play through the speakers.
“Feels like I’m on a bike every second I spend with you,” I admit, my voice low. “Might as well remind you of that every chance I get.”
She unbuckles her seatbelt and leans across the center console. Her lips brush my ear as she whispers, “Such a damn sap.”
I pull into the garage at my parents mansion, seeing that the only vehicle missing is Justin’s Jeep. Alicia’s car is parked next to Ross’s truck, leaving only one empty bay for Justin and Jace to occupy.
Despite the letter from Harley’s mother, we haven’t heard another word from them. The tail they had on her disappeared the day after she didn’t show up for dinner. And despite not seeing or hearing anything the past week, I can’t get rid of this sneaking suspicion that it’s not over yet.
Killing the engine, I drop the keys into the cup holder. “Ready for your first full moon, pretty girl?”
Harley rolls her lips before trapping the bottom between her teeth and nodding. “So ready. Alicia said she was pulling out all the stops. I’m ninety-nine percent sure there’s a charcuterie board with my name on it behind that door.”
“Are you going to share with me?” I ask, leaning closer to her.
She lifts her finger to her lips, flashing her bright red nail as she taps her mouth. “I don’t know. What do I get out of this?”
She can have fucking anything she wants, and the gleam in her eyes tells me she knows it, too. “What do you want, Davidson?”
Reaching out, she drags her nail from the hem of my t-shirt sleeve down to my wrist. “To pick your costume for the party,” she says, feigning an innocence I know doesn’t exist.
“You’re gonna have to offer up a lot more than a charcuterie board,” I murmur, bringing my mouth a breath away from hers.
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’m thinking it’s time to mark up this perfect body of yours, Davidson. Maybe a piercing, a tattoo, you decide.”
“And the corruption continues,” she breathes against my lips. Flinging the door open, she slides off the seat. “I’ll think about it,” she quips with a wink.
I watch her disappear through the door that connects the garage to the house. Once the door closes, I throw my door open, barely remembering to grab the bags before chasing after her.