Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
RORY
Iwas exhausted. I was pretty sure I’d only had three hours of sleep combined between all the times Skeeter woke me up to fuck, but that asshole looked bright as anything when we sat down for coffee in the kitchen at seven the next morning.
My back hurt from the cut he’d given me, and I was shamefully swooning at the fact he’d helped clean it and applied ointment to it after my shower this morning as if he wasn’t the prick that gave it to me in the first place.
“How are you not tired?” I groaned as I studied him, struggling to keep my eyes open while he texted and sipped his coffee, his eyebrow quirking up with amusement.
“Some nights I don’t sleep at all. I feel fine.”
“I hate you, you know that? I can’t function like this.”
“All you have to do today is hang out at the bar. There’s no fights or anything on today, it’s easy,” he stated as he went back to texting, making me frown.
“If there’s nothing happening, why do you need me to work the bar?”
“We get thirsty,” he shrugged without looking up.
I huffed, downing more coffee and trying to force my eyes to stay open. A text came through and I checked it, finding Caden’s name on the screen.
Caden: You’re mine tonight, right? I call dibs. I hate waking up without you here.
Juggling the guys was hard. I’d spent a lot of the past two weeks at home with him, but all the guys wanted to share my time too. I’d spent a couple of those nights between the others, but it never felt like enough.
Rory: I’ll be home tonight. Just you and me?
Caden: I’d really like that. I’ll make Slash take Ty tonight.
I chuckled, finding it amusing that they were acting like it was a shared custody agreement.
Ever since we realized how lonely Tyler got when he was alone, we tried hard to make sure he had company. When Slash was busy last week and I was in Caden’s bed, Lukas crashed with him to make sure he wasn’t alone.
From what I’d heard, they’d had a good night of video games and popcorn, and it was good to see Lukas having fun too. He was struggling, but Jensen didn’t want to push him too much, so seeing Lukas spending time with Tyler was a good thing.
Tyler never let him get lost in his own head either.
Rory: I love you.
Caden: I love you too, baby. Tell Skeet I love him.
Skeeter glanced up at me when I laughed quietly, and I turned the phone to show him.
“Your boyfriend loves you,” I teased, and he rolled his eyes.
“Tell the little shit I’m not signing a prenup.” A small smile tugged at his lips as he said it, and I sent a reply back to Caden that Skeeter loved him too before putting it on the table to finish my coffee.
“Have you heard from D?” I asked, and he shook his head.
“No, but Slash said he’s been nursing a hangover from hell since he woke up at five. They were going to have breakfast and head to the Shed.”
“Should we bring pain meds?”
He eyed me for a moment before sighing and putting his phone down, resting his arms on the table. “I’m glad you care about him, but you have to let him wallow in his misery. He likes to soak it in as a reminder that she existed.”
“Or we could cheer him up and remember her with happy memories like we did earlier in the afternoon yesterday. You should’ve seen him, Skeet. He was laughing and telling me so many things about her. It was like she was right there with us. She’d want—”
“What she would want is irrelevant, Aurora. Sasha’s dead, she doesn’t have an opinion. Don’t guilt him into feeling any different either. You thought he got bad last night? Wait until the anniversary of her death. That shit’s hard to watch,” he said firmly, and I scowled.
“I won’t sit back and watch. I’ll—”
“You’ll leave him the fuck alone,” he warned, understanding in his voice despite the direct words. “He spends that day alone at home, and none of us are allowed at his place. I don’t want to think badly of him, but he’s unpredictable on that day. He’s not himself in that headspace.”
“You guys are a family. He should be able to lean on you when he needs to.”
“The crew is also the reason she’s gone.
It’s like a punch to the gut to be around us on that day, reminding him that if he hadn’t gotten wrapped up with us, she’d still be alive.
I know D, he’s a brother to me, and I’m telling you that I stay away not because I don’t care, but because I do. He knows we’re here if he needs us.”
The thought of him drunk and grieving alone made my chest ache, but I pushed it down. Skeeter was right, he knew Diesel better than me.
I just had to make sure Diesel knew he could call me if he needed me because we were friends now, and I’d have his back whenever he needed it.
We finished our coffee in peace, and I hated to admit that my stomach had gotten used to breakfast since moving into Caden’s house. Thankfully, Skeeter had bread so I could make some toast.
“Will you let me drive it yet?” I asked as we made our way out to the McLaren, and he looked thoughtful for a moment before snorting.
“No. I’ve seen how you drive my Corvette.”
“I drive it better than you do.”
“My car,” he shrugged, sliding into the driver’s seat and waiting for me to get in and buckle up, then he backed out of the yard and headed towards the Shed.
The air was crisp when I rolled down the window for a cigarette, my eyes taking in our surroundings.
“Any word from the Soldiers?” I asked, and I sighed when he winced. “What is it?”
His fingers flexed on the steering wheel, his elbow resting against the door.
“We haven’t heard from them directly. I went to Fairview Prison to talk to Yoyo yesterday. He said he’d heard some gossip.”
“And?”
“Apparently, they’re looking for Max. Yoyo wanted to give me a head’s up in case they tried to use you to get to him, or just targeted you instead.
Technically, you’re my girl, so the Psychos should protect you, but the reality of it is you're not their favorite person and half of them would happily let the Soldiers take you at this point to keep us out of it.”
“What did Max do to piss them off? He’s already got the Devils looking for him too. He owes them money,” I answered, his eyes sliding to me.
“I know Hunter’s got a boner for you, but why do you know so much shit about them?”
“He tried getting me to spill where Max is hiding and told me he owes them money. I told them if I find him, I’ll send him their way because I want the prick dead,” I replied honestly, his jaw clenching.
“If anyone gets to kill that asshole, it’s you or me. Fuck their debt.”
I didn’t argue, not wanting it to set the mood for the rest of the day, and I texted a good morning to the other guys, reminding myself that I really had to work on reaching out first.
I wasn’t used to having people check in, so if I messaged them, they knew I was okay.
Lukas: Morning. Can I see you today? Starting to forget what you look like.
Tyler: Good timing, I’m just heading to bed. Have a good day. If you get bored, feel free to sneak in and wake me up. With your mouth on my cock. Bring my big grumpy bestie too. But he can keep his mouth to himself.
Jensen: Look at you being a big girl and messaging first. Did Skeet wear you out?
Holloway claimed he was stealing you today, so if he’s an asshole, I’ll be at home.
I think Luke’s coming over later, so just text in case I convince him to get naked or something.
He probably wouldn’t like me choking on his cock when you walk in unexpectedly.
I rolled my eyes and replied to them all, looking over at Skeeter to find him glancing at me.
“What?”
“You don’t glare at your phone when they text anymore,” he observed, reaching over to rest his hand on my thigh.
“Of course I don’t. I like them. They’re going to be pissed about you carving me up, you know?” I said dryly, a low chuckle leaving him.
“They can get over it.”
“What if they all demand I get their names tattooed on me? You’d have to see it every time you got me naked and you know you’d flip the fuck out about it.”
“That’s different. It can be a reminder to them that I’ll always be there.”
“You don’t play fair.”
“I never intended on it. I’m not asking permission to mark you. That’s between you and me,” he stated as he drove into the yard at the Shed and parked beside Slash’s Mustang.
Diesel’s truck was also here already, and I tried not to seem too desperate to check on him, knowing he had to appear to have his shit together.
We walked inside and the atmosphere shifted instantly when people noticed me.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” Matteo spat, thrusting a hand in my direction.
“She’s not banned,” Skeeter grunted as we walked past.
“Nah, man. Fuck that. Get the little bitch out of here. She’s nothing but a troublemaker.”
Skeeter stopped walking, turning to face him. “My girl took my hits better than any of you fucking could. She took her punishment, let everyone cool down, and now things are back to normal.”
“Does Slash know about this?” Samuel demanded as the office door opened and Slash stepped out, his voice firm.
“It was my idea. She handled her punishment, so get over it. Matteo, you’re with Brick this morning.
I need the two of you to guard the shipment.
Samuel, you’re with me. Skeet, you’re behind on fucking paperwork for the fights so catch up on that before that other thing.
Donovan? You stay at the bar today. Diesel’s got to handle something else. ”
Snorts went around the room when my name was called, and Matteo laughed dryly.
“She’s one of us now? You’ll just let her—”
“At least when she’s given a job, she fucking does it. Why are you still here? I told you your job, so fuck off,” Slash barked, Matteo’s eyes narrowing on me.
I quickly moved behind the bar to prove Slash had made a good choice, but my attention shifted to the door when I heard multiple vehicles outside.
From the way everyone else heard it and tensed, their visitors weren’t planned.