Chapter 22
Ripper
I pressed a kiss on her lips, then I tagged her hand and said, “Where do you want to eat?”
She giggled, “Follow me.”
I grabbed the bag of food and followed her.
When we entered what I knew was the breakroom, she led me to a booth against the wall. She slid in, and I followed.
She lifted a brow, “Really?”
I winked, “Been away from you for too long. Get used to it.”
Those hazel eyes of hers sparkled.
I opened the bag and took out her food and then mine. Then I grabbed the bottle of water for me and the Cherry Lemon Sundrop for her.
She saw it and burst out laughing. When she was done, she bumped me, “Thank you.”
As we dug into our food, I said, “Plans after work?”
She moaned as she chewed a piece of sweet and sour chicken, then said, “Bed. It’s already been a shit show today, and if you weren’t coming to bring me lunch, I would have had to skip it.”
“Sorry, baby,” I told her.
She shrugged, “It’s...” Then she stopped as a tone dropped.
I lifted my brow, then she smiled, “It’s okay.”
She managed to get ten more bites of her food before Malinda ran into the breakroom, “We need you.”
I slid out of the booth and stood up as she chugged some drink down, then set the bottle on the table, and slid out of the booth.
She lifted on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss on my lips, “Thank you. Sorry you had to come all this way for this.”
I shrugged, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that fell out of her ponytail. “I get to see you, no worries. I’ll drop this at home.”
She smiled, then she asked, “Home?”
I nodded, “It’s where you are. It’s home.”
A tear trailed down her cheek, then she whispered, “You're not making this easy.”
I winked, “If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth it. Get back to work.”
She nodded, then she stepped around me, and I called out, “Love you, Star Shine.”
She flipped me the middle finger.
I burst out laughing.
***
After I placed the food in the fridge at home, I smirked, then headed to the clubhouse to finish packing.
I wasn’t lying. She’s where my home is.
And to get her back, well, I’m going to be up her ass so much she won’t have any other choice but to give in to me.
Was it underhanded?
Yes.
But was it going to be worth it to sleep next to her each night until I did it?
Fuck yes, it was.
After I had all my shit loaded up in a box and two duffels, I stalked down the hall, down the stairs, and it was Red who asked, “Where the fuck are you going?”
“Home,” I said.
He chuckled, “I’ll dig you a grave for when she buries your ass.”
I looked at him and said, “Garret already promised to bury me if I really hurt her. Just made him promise to put her in the grave next to me when God calls her home. Get with him on that, yeah?”
He had been smiling at the start of my words, then that smile vanished, and in its place was seriousness. “Well, fuck. Knew she meant something to you. Didn’t know it was like that.”
I lifted my chin, “Been like that since I was eighteen years old, brother.”
He lifted his chin, “So in other words, even though she ain’t your ol’ lady yet, she’s got our protection.”
I shrugged, “Like that she has it. But she’s got me.”
He scoffed, “You ain’t invincible, boy.”
I smirked, “For her, I will be.”
I walked out of the clubhouse then, loaded my stuff in the back of my truck, and climbed in and started the drive home.
***
Once I had all my stuff unpacked and mixed in with her stuff, I couldn’t help the contentment that spread through my entire frame.
***
Then I headed to my truck to grab my bike, and then I made the fifteen-minute drive to my side project.
I smirked.
She was going to fucking love this.
***
Hearing her key in the lock, I looked at the coffee table, the dinner that would keep, and the candle I had lit, and nodded.
Then I stood there and waited.
The moment she opened and closed the door, I said, “Welcome home, baby.”
She smiled as she looked at me, then down at the coffee table, and her mouth dropped open.
“What’s this?” she asked as she walked to the island and set her stuff down.
I could see it.
It was written all over her face.
Damn, but she was tired.
I winked, “Grabbed dinner for us.”
She smiled, “Thank you.”
“But first, come on,” I said as I walked to her, tagged her hand, and led her to the bathroom.
Then, as I opened the door, she gasped.
I looked at her face and then at what I’d accomplished.
Candles were lit on the bathroom counter.
As well as three on the corners of the tub.
I had hot water in it with some scents I knew she would like, as well as bubbles, and I had towels for her in the dryer waiting to be started so they would be warm for her.
“Alexander,” she whispered.
I winked, “Enjoy your bath. Relax.”
Then I reached into the sink that I had filled with ice and pulled out the bottle of wine I had gone and grabbed, opened it, and poured her a glass.
I handed it to her and pressed a kiss on her temple.
I stepped around her and opened the door.
But before I could close it, she asked, “Why did you do this?”
I stopped, leaned around the door, and said, “I knew you would be tired. And I have a lot to make up for. This is just something I should have been doing for you all along.”
Then I closed the door.
I gave her half an hour, and then I started the dryer.
Ten minutes later, I pulled them out and headed to the bathroom.
I opened the door to see her with her hair piled atop her head and her eyes closed.
She wasn’t snorting, so I knew she wasn’t sleeping.
“Hot towels on the bathroom counter. Okay?” I told her softly.
She peeled one eye open and nodded, then she whispered, “You're making it hard again.”
I winked, “Good.”
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting on the edge of the couch as I watched the bathroom door open, and then she stepped out and walked through her bedroom and into the living room.
Then she came straight to me.
“I don’t know how hun—” I stopped what I was saying as she placed both of her hands on the sides of my face, bent, and pressed a soft kiss on my lips.
I kissed her back, needing that simple touch.
She pulled her lips away, and then I leaned into her touch.
Fuck, but I’ve missed her touch.
I didn’t realize how badly until just then.
Softly, she ran the pads of her thumbs over my cheeks, then she whispered, “Just because I’m saying this doesn’t mean you’ve won. Got me?”
I opened my eyes and looked into hers and whispered, “Yeah.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
I winked, “Good. Glad you never forgot.”
She pinched my cheeks.
I chuckled.
Then she sat down beside me as I unwrapped the subs I got, and we both dug in.
Enjoying each other’s company.
Then she looked at my left hand, and then she looked deep into my eyes, then she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her name on my left ring finger.
I winked at her, and then we finished eating.
And after her fourth yawn in five minutes, I gathered her in my arms and carried her to bed.
She was in a tee and short shorts. That would work.
I tucked her in and pressed a kiss on her temple.
Then I went and cleaned up, locked the door, turned out the lights, did what I needed to do in the bathroom, and joined her.
The moment I lay down, she rolled over while lightly snoring and curled up into my body.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face and my nose buried in her hair.