Chapter 40
CHAPTER FOURTY
Wilder
WHILE HE enjoyed having Emmett’s undivided attention, he could do without the headache and sore muscles.
Emmett was sticking to Emma’s orders of ‘no strenuous activities,’ and aside from the two hours he’d been allowed out to celebrate the opening of the gym, he’d been forced to stay in bed for days.
Having Emmett right there and not being able to do everything he wanted to with him was pure fucking torture.
“You need anything? Something to drink?”
He raised his head, biting back a sigh as he met Emmett’s gaze. He was standing by the foot of the bed, hands on his hips as he looked down at Wilder.
“I’m fine.”
Emmet’s lips twitched, and he watched Wilder for a moment before he crawled onto the bed, making his way up to Wilder. He damned near bit his tongue off when Emmett slid into his lap, hands braced on the headboard behind him.
“Careful, or you’ll get us in trouble with the Doc,” he said through his teeth, hands fisting the sheets on either side of him to keep from grabbing Emmett and rolling the man under him.
“Then tell me what’s bothering you.”
From the determined look Emmett gave him, he knew he’d have no choice but to spill.
“I don’t like being taken care of.”
“Not even when I’m the one taking care of you?”
There was no insecurity in Emmett’s voice, just slight amusement.
“Depends on the ‘taking care of’ portion,” he teased, a laugh slipping through when Emmett rolled his eyes.
“I know you’re always the one taking care of everyone else,” Emmett said, arching a brow at him. “But you stay in this bed.”
“Or?” he teased, a grin spreading on his lips.
Emmett shook his head. “No ultimatums.”
“I have one.” He lifted his hand to run his fingers through Emmett’s hair, admiring the way the blond strands shone in the sunlight coming through the window. “Never change. Not for anything or anyone. I love you just as you are.”
Emmett’s lips twitched. “Even when I annoy you?”
“Especially then.”
“What about when I tease you?”
“Depends on the teasing,” he said, lowering his voice.
Emmett hummed, then leaned closer.
“Like this?”
Lips pressed a soft kiss to the raging pulse in his neck, his head falling back against the headboard as he tried to hold back a moan.
“Or this?”
Those lips found the curve of his collarbone, then moved down to a nipple. A groan pushed past his lips when Emmett scraped his teeth lightly over the hard nub, and his hands found Emmett’s thighs, digging in.
A door slammed somewhere in the clubhouse, the sound quickly followed by a whole lot of cursing. Emmett sat up, head turning toward the door.
A smile spread on Wilder’s lips as he looked up at Emmett. “The boys are here.”
The frown between Emmett’s brows smoothed out, and he rolled off Wilder’s lap to stand.
Alvis and Dash had been complete menaces from what Steel had told him, so he’d asked the boys if they wanted to come stay with them instead.
He’d asked Emmett what he thought, but he’d barely gotten the words out before Emmett had agreed to it.
He was still worried about those boys, guilt still plaguing him about being the cause of their injuries.
He pushed himself upward with a groan, Emmett’s gaze snapping onto him. He opened his mouth, then closed it to purse his lips.
“Nothing’s gonna keep you in this bed, is it?”
He refrained from shaking his head, knowing it might leave sparks in his vision along with a pinch of pain behind his eyes.
“Only one thing,” he teased, gaze moving slowly down Emmett’s body. He was wearing jeans that showed off the ass he was desperate to get his hands on.
A huff had him looking up, blue eyes sparkling with promises he was definitely going to cash in on later.
Emmett walked to the door, turning to lean against it as Wilder got out of bed. He ignored the pain as best as he could, though a groan slipped out when he pulled a shirt over his head. Once the fabric was in place, he looked up to find Emmett watching him with narrowed eyes.
“I’m fine.”
Emmett arched a brow at him but kept his mouth closed, shaking his head slightly before turning and opening the door.
He followed Emmett into the living room, grinning when he saw Alvis with his arms crossed and a disgruntled look on his face while Dash stood by the dining table, shoving food into his mouth courtesy of Kian’s excessive cooking.
He only cooked that much when he worried, which in turn made Emmett worry about him, and Wilder didn’t like that one bit.
Alvis stepped up next to Dash just as Emmett reached them and put his arms around them both, drawing them into a warm embrace.
Alvis’s blue eyes widened for a moment, and then he gave in, hugging Emmett back.
Wilder stayed back, watching those three with tears lining his eyes.
Who knew that the thing the boys needed to finally trust them was a bit of Emmett?
He couldn’t claim to be surprised. Emmett was exactly what and who he’d needed, too.
He wasn’t much for sharing his man, but he’d survive sharing him with the boys. Once in a while. Maybe.
“Alright, get off my man.”
Emmett pulled away from the boys to throw a glare at him over his shoulder. There was exactly zero percent heat behind it.
“So that’s what it is, huh?” Dash asked, his grin making Wilder flip him off.
“I might have a concussion, but I can still whoop your ass.”
“There will be no whooping of asses.” Emmett met Wilder’s gaze and signed, “Only mine.”
“Deal,” he said with a wink.
The blush spreading on Emmett’s cheeks as he smiled did things to his heart. It filled his damned chest with butterflies. He hoped it always would.
Emmett stepped back between the boys and put a hand on either’s shoulder.
“You can have my old room,” Emmett said, tugging them toward the stairs. “Ezra’s been sleeping in the office for some unknown reason anyway, and Talon… I don’t even know where he’s gone.”
He was pretty sure the two were avoiding each other. It was the why he wasn’t certain of. Nor was he sure he wanted to know. They were adults. They could figure it out on their own or man up and ask for help if they couldn’t.
He watched as Emmett and the boys disappeared up the stairs, a smile finding his lips when he heard Alvis’s voice among the chatter. He had a feeling those boys were going to thrive here. He might make Kings out of them yet.
Laughter brought his attention to the couch. Miles was sitting the furthest away, Kaz next to him, his hand on Miles’s thigh as he watched him talk amicably, hands gesturing excitedly.
Jane sat in Solo’s lap, looking up at him as if he hung the moon, whereas he looked at her as if she were the damned moon.
He still found it strange to see, but there wasn’t that bite of betrayal in his gut anymore. Yes, they lied. Yes, they should’ve told him. They were well aware of that. They were making amends, and he was letting them. He wanted to trust them again. He wanted his family back.
Jane looked up, catching his gaze, and warmth filled him when she smiled and waved him over. He stepped closer, sitting down next to them, chuckling when Jane leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek.
He was too busy smiling at Jane to hear whatever made her gasp and whirl around, almost falling off Solo’s lap, his arms around her the only thing keeping her from sliding onto the floor.
It didn’t even make her pause before she was crawling across Solo and Kaz to get to Miles, who only laughed and wrapped his arms around her.
Solo huffed out a laugh, and Wilder breathed a sigh of relief when it only brought a smile to his lips. Solo glanced at him, those dark eyes filled with affection. He put a hand on Solo’s shoulder, giving him a nod.
He couldn’t be certain, but he thought that might be a sheen of tears in his brother’s eyes as he nodded back, a hand covering Wilder’s to squeeze it.
His family was back together. There was only one thing missing, and he didn’t have to wait long before Emmett returned. He pulled him into his lap, grinning when he went willingly and turned his face up for a kiss. He happily obliged, as he knew he would for the rest of his life.