Chapter 19
Ripper
Present
If she moved any closer, I was going to lose my shit.
Literally.
I growled at Bunnie.
I didn’t care for her at fucking all.
She was a newer club girl who had joined in the past year or so... or was it two years? Fuck, I didn’t know. And I didn’t give a shit.
All it took was her trying to rub on my cock without asking when it belonged to someone else, which stopped anything nice I could say about her.
And when she moved closer while ignoring my growl, I snapped, “Go take a fucking shower in something else.”
She jumped, “What?”
I glared at her, “I won’t repeat myself again.”
She licked her lips, “What should I use?”
I narrowed my eyes at her, “Anything but jasmine. That’s hers. Not fucking yours.”
Like they had planned the move, both Tank and Storm lifted their chins at me in response.
They got it.
“What’s wrong with how she smells? She smells edible,” Ratchet grabbed his junk.
Bunnie giggled, then looked over her shoulder at him.
Yep, that was her real name, and it matched the over-bleached blonde strands on her head.
“Get her away from me before I take care of it. She won’t fucking like it,” I snarled.
Bunnie gasped, then glared, “Why are you like that?”
Everything in the clubhouse froze.
Eyes came to me.
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Go. Leave him be,” Storm growled.
“But...” Bunnie startled.
Tank growled, “Bitch. Walk the fuck away.”
Ratchet leaned forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, “Come on, Bunnie. Let’s go.”
Needing my calm, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unlocked it, and then stared.
It was a picture of Creedence sleeping, not even a few feet away from me.
“You good?” Tank asked.
I lifted my chin.
Then I heard the news from the television we had mounted on the far wall.
“The storm we have been watching will be approaching these areas. Strong winds. Heavy downpours. Hail. Take cover. And if you have to drive, be careful,” the woman on the screen said.
I frowned as I checked my watch and winced.
Fuck.
“What’s wrong?” Clip asked.
I tilted my head to the television, “Bad weather. Creedence is off in an hour.”
He lifted his chin, “Whatever you need, brother.”
I nodded.
Forty-five minutes later, I was watching the weather app... and a strange feeling swept through me.
I couldn’t explain it.
Couldn’t give voice to it.
All I knew was that I had to get to Creedence. Right fucking now.
I stood up, pocketed my phone, and stalked out of the clubhouse.
“Where are you going?” Storm called out.
I heard Clip answer, “Cree is off in fifteen minutes.”
“Got it,” Storm said.
I heard Tank say, “I’ll follow.”
Then I heard Clip say, “Same.”
Then the door closed behind me.
When I made it to my truck, I was drenched already.
But I paid that no mind and blasted the heat.
I’d dry in time.
I pulled out of the clubhouse forecourt and drove in the direction of the hospital where she worked.
I kept an eye on the sky as I drove.
I had to go around some people who were taking the news seriously.
Then, once the hospital came into view, I saw that it was ten minutes after her shift.
“Fuck,” I growled.
Then... as if it was in slow motion, I watched it play out.
“Creedence!” I called out.
But it was too late, as if she could even hear me.
A smaller SUV hydroplaned and ran right into Creedence’s car. Into the fucking driver’s side door.
I slammed on the gas and raced to her.
Uncaring if I cut anyone off or not.
I slammed my truck into park and bolted out of it.
My boots ate up the distance, and then I had the passenger door open and was bending into her car, “Creedence,” I called out.
That dark hair, drenched, slowly moved as she turned her head, and then those mesmerizing hazel eyes of hers locked on mine.
“Alexander,” she whispered.
A breath I hadn’t known I was holding pushed out of me.
“Hey, you hurt?” I asked.
She shook her head, “No. I’m okay.”
I nodded, “Good. Unbuckle, baby. Let’s get you out of here.”
I grabbed her bag, switched the car into park, and turned it off.
Slowly, she unbuckled, and then I helped her over the center console and out of the car.
I swept her into my arms and buried my face in her throat.
My lips right at her pulse.
Feeling it beat against them... I started to slowly calm.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight.
Then I carried her to my truck.
“I need to check on that car,” she told me.
I shook my head, “Two of my brothers have it. I’m getting you home.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
I got her in my truck and made sure the vents were blowing directly on her to keep her warm, then I buckled her up and shut the door.
I caught Clip and Tank’s gaze as they checked on the smaller SUV and gave them chin lifts.
They returned the gesture.
I climbed in and put the truck into drive, then rested my hand on her thigh and drove her home.
Neither of us said a word.
Not when I parked outside of her apartment building.
Not when I turned the truck off.
Not when I carried her into the building, into the elevator, and to her front door.
Not when I carefully maneuvered her so I could reach into my pocket and pull out my set of keys.
Not when I unlocked her door, stepped through it, and closed it.
And not when I carried her to her bathroom and sat her on the counter.
“You’re sure you're not hurt?” I asked as I brushed the wet strands out of her face.
She shook her head.
I sighed, “Good. The best way to warm you up is with a shower.”
I started the shower, helped her undress, and then shed my own clothes and stepped into the shower with her.
She didn’t say anything else, nor did she take in my body.
After I had washed and dried her off, I carried her to the bed, turned down the covers, and laid her down gently.
Then I stalked to her medicine cabinet in the kitchen, grabbed the ibuprofen, shook out two pills, grabbed a bottle of water, and carried them to her.
I sat down on the side of the bed and helped her take them.
I brushed the strands out of her face again and started to run my fingers through them, working out the tangles.
“Alexander?” she asked.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“Help me make sure I’m alive,” she said.
My fingers froze in her hair.
“Come again?” I asked.
She repeated herself, “Help me make sure I’m alive.”
“How do you want me to do that?” I asked.
She looked into my eyes, and it was there, written in those soul-searching eyes of hers.
It was then that I realized my mistake.
A mistake that’s been years in the making.
‘Cause it didn’t matter that I didn’t think I was where I needed to be to win all of her back.
She wanted me.
Therefore, she was going to have me.
I slipped off the towel, lowered the covers, grabbed her thighs, and hauled her to the edge of the bed, “You sure?”
She nodded.
I bent my head, and finally, fucking finally, I kissed her.
And with that single kiss.
That single moment in time.
Our lips touching each other’s... time seemed to stop.
Our hands moved over each other.
We growled.
We moaned.
Her little hands tangled in my wet hair, and I buried my face in her neck as I lined my cock up with her entrance.
“Shot?” I asked.
“Yes,” she answered.
“No one since you,” I told her ‘cause I needed her to know that.
“Same,” she growled.
And hearing those words, I shoved into her in one powerful thrust.
“Fuck,” I groaned.
She whimpered, “Alexander.”
I froze.
She slapped my ass, “Move.”
I chuckled, “Yes, ma’am.”
I moved.
I pulled out of her and thrust inside of her.
Over and over again.
I pressed my lips to the pulse point at her neck, then lifted my head and locked my eyes on hers.
She was moaning as she met me thrust for thrust, her heels digging into the globes of my ass.
I slammed into her over and over, driving her up the bed.
I felt that all too familiar tingle at the base of my spine, and muttered, “Fuck.”
“Give it to me, Alexander,” she ordered.
I glared, “You first. Now, baby.”
And like a rocket, she detonated.
“Alexander!” she yelled.
I moaned, “Fucking heaven.”
I emptied my cum in her still tight as fuck pussy.
Our breaths mingled as we both caught our breath.
“Give me a second, and I’ll be ready to go again. Just gotta quit seeing stars.”
She smiled, then her smile vanished.
Something in my chest tightened.
“Did you cum?” she asked.
I frowned, but where she was concerned, I still chuckled, “Baby, you know I did.”
She nodded, “Good. It’s nighttime. You’ve got ten more minutes before you're usually gone. See you next time.”
And then she was sliding out from underneath me and walking to her bathroom.
“Baby?” I called.
She didn’t slow.
“Creedence,” I growled.
She stepped into the bathroom, flicked on the light, and started to close the door.
I swallowed, “Star Shine.”
The door stopped its movements.
And in a tone I’d never heard from her before, she whispered, “Don’t.
Not until you're ready to pull your head out of your ass and realize what I meant when I said I wanted all of you.
The demons. The nightmares. The same ones you told Uncle Knox about and not me.
I want all of it. You're just too much of a fucking idiot to understand that.”
And with that, she closed the door, and yes, I heard the lock go.
I could have broken in.
But knowing her... that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
And taking in her words... I realized just how badly I’d hurt her.
And that meant I had my work cut out for me.
Not working on me... ‘cause she was right. She’d been right all those years ago.
I needed to make good memories with her.
But I had been right in leaving.
I just should have waited a year and taken her with me.
But if she thought I was going to leave now, she was sorely mistaken.
I went to the corner where the chair was and bent, tagged the black bag I kept there, the one I knew she knew about and had chosen to leave there.
I smirked as I opened it, grabbed a pair of boxers, and pulled them on.
Then I went back to her front door and flipped the locks.
I was lying in her bed waiting for her to come out of the bathroom when her phone pinged.
I looked at the door, then decided to say fuck it.
I opened her bag, pulled out her phone, and checked it.
There was a text from Malinda.
Malinda – God, that was awful. Are you home, okay?
Me – Yeah. Just now. Explain tomorrow what happened.
Malinda – What?
Malinda calling.
I let it roll to voicemail.
Malinda – You're okay, though, right?
Me – Yeah.
Malinda – Okay, girl. Talk to you tomorrow.
I silenced her phone, then grabbed the charger and plugged it in.
I wasn’t going to worry about my own phone.
Fucker could die for all I cared.
Besides, they all knew where I was.
There was no doubt about it.
Just then, the bathroom door opened, and she walked out of it.
I stared at her.
Her eyes came to mine, and then she tensed, “It’s been ten minutes.”
I nodded, “I know. You were right. You wanted all of me, but I didn’t give you that. You're going to get it now.”
“And if I don’t want it?” she asked.
I shrugged, “Tough shit. Made you fall for me once. I’m going to do it again.”
She snapped, “You're such an asshole.”
I winked, “I know. But, Star Shine, this asshole still loves the fuck out of you. I’ll make you love me back.”
She growled as she shook her head and stalked toward the door, “Where are you going?”
She looked over her shoulder at me and said, “To lock up.”
“You think I haven’t already done that?” I asked.
Her shoulders tensed.
Then she turned on her heel, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared, “You know, you could have been doing that for the past fucking decade instead of me having to do it.”
I winked, “Been doing it every night for the past four years.”
She glared, “How’d you know about this place?”
I said I was giving her all of me, and I meant it.
She also told me to never lie to her again; therefore, I opened my mouth and tossed her brother right under the fucking bus, “Connor.”
She growled, “That little shit.”
I chuckled, “Come on, baby, let’s get some sleep, yeah?”
She growled again, and fuck, but it was cute coming from her five-foot-four height.
She rounded the bed and crawled in on my right side.
Then I covered her up and smirked when she immediately curled into me.
I pressed a kiss on the top of her head, “Night, Star Shine.”
“Asshole,” she grumbled.
I chuckled.
Then with the light of my life back in my arms, I fell asleep.
Sometime later, a sound woke me up.
I narrowed my eyes and strained to hear it again.
It was someone knocking on the door.
I growled softly, then shifted her off my chest and sat up carefully.
I shouldn’t have slept with it.
I winced as I stood up and hobbled to the door.
Through the peephole, I saw Clip.
I frowned as I flipped the locks and opened the door, “What?”
“Need you,” he said.
I looked back toward the bedroom, then I looked at Clip and lifted my chin.
I knew that it was important if he was here, of all places.
He stepped in and closed the door as I walked back to her bedroom.
I stopped in the doorway and watched her sleep. Just like I’d done so many nights before.
Once I had this new memory sealed into the vault in my mind that consisted solely of her, I stalked to my bag, opened it, pulled out fresh jeans, a tee, and socks, and got dressed.
Carefully, I then headed to the bathroom, lifted my jeans, tagged my keys, wallet, and phone, pocketed them, then tagged my kutte and pulled it on.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and just looked at her for a beat.
Then I pressed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, “Star Shine, I gotta go. Club.”
“Mmkay. Love you,” she whispered in her sleep.
I smiled, pressed a kiss to her pulse point, and whispered back, “Love you, too.”