Chapter 13
Devyn
“Have you eaten?” I asked a few minutes later when we broke off the hug.
“No.” He grabbed my arm, halting me as I turned toward the kitchen. “If you don’t mind me in your kitchen, I’ll make something. You hungry?”
I motioned for him to go ahead. “No. I ate.”
He studied me. “How much?”
“Enough,” I told him. As much as I could anyway.
“Okay.” He went into the kitchen and started digging around in my fridge.
I sat at the small dining room table I had shoved into a corner and watched him. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
He sighed as he pulled out bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. “Look.” He paused, as though trying to find the right words.
I watched him competently slice tomatoes as he considered his words. For some reason his silence put my guard up again. What was he hiding? Could it be that bad, whatever it was?
“I know you have questions. My club…doesn’t always do things that some people would…approve of.”
I blinked and watched as he put bread into the toaster and then bacon, which I was glad he was eating because I couldn’t seem to eat it anymore, into a pan. “What does that mean?” I asked.
He leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, as the bacon sizzled on the stove. “We take care of this city.”
Sounded reasonable. “Like…helping with food drives and stuff?”
“That too,” he agreed. “But more we help clean up the trash.”
My eyes narrowed, brows drawing together, but I didn’t interrupt this time. I was just going to let him get to his point.
“There are some…” He sighed and shrugged, as if he was just going to go for it. “There are shit bags in this city and we clear them out.”
My brain stuttered as I tried to follow that. “...shit-”
“Criminals.”
“Isn’t that what the cops are supposed to do?” I asked, arching a brow.
He nodded. “And when they do their job we don’t get involved. How many times have you investigated a fire and the person who started it got off on some bullshit technicality?”
More than I liked.
“So…you’re like…vigilantes?”
“That’s what the cops would call us,” he said with another shrug of his massive shoulders. “Really we just want to protect the people of this city. Our city.”
“Why?”
He grinned. “Same reason as you.”
I understood exactly what he meant. That need to help others was the reason I went into firefighting to begin with. Nodding, I studied his face. “Why not do it the right way? Become cops?”
He considered the question for a moment.
“Every man in my club was in the military. Most of us finished up our term and got out. Some extended, but none of us were lifers. Don’t get me wrong.
The military taught me a lot. Was good for me really.
” He gave me one of those sexy grins of his.
“But I’m finished with all the rules, procedures, hell, the chain of command. ”
“Your club doesn’t have a hierarchy?”
“It does,” he admitted. “But they’re men I respect.
Men I’d happily follow into battle. Leaders who would put themselves in danger before asking anyone else to do so.
It wasn’t always like that in the military.
Here, I don’t have to deal with someone that is appointed over me, someone unknown and untested. ”
I nodded again. “Aren’t you worried about getting into trouble?” I asked.
He grinned. “I know bikers and law enforcement have a reputation for hating each other. And for the most part they can’t stand us. We’re mostly ambivalent to them. We stay out of their way and off their radar as much as possible.”
“But if they caught you, they’d arrest you?”
He nodded. “In a heartbeat.”
I folded my arms under my breasts, considering what this meant. “If you end up in jail, I’ll be here alone.”
“That’s why I’m telling you this, Dev. You have the right to know.
You need to know.” Our eyes locked. “I’ll do everything in my power to stay with you and my kid.
My club is a huge part of who I am. Which means I can’t give up the things we do.
Not when there are times we’re the only thing standing between people and the assholes hurting them. ”
My eyes traced his face. He looked determined. Fierce. I’d be lying if I tried to say my heart didn’t jump at the conviction he was wearing like armor. He was strong and capable.
“I hope you can accept that.”
“I…need to think about it,” I told him, trying to be honest. It was a lot to swallow. It wasn’t every day that I met people who admitted to breaking the law in such a blatant manner. I just hadn’t grown up around anything like that.
“Understandable. I’ll answer any questions that I can, for now. Then later, I’ll fill you in on it all.”
“Why not fill me in now?”
“Because we don’t exactly tell people about club business.”
A quick flash of anger went through me. He was still holding out. But a little voice in my head told me not to act rashly. “No, I guess you wouldn’t,” I said in realization. The more people who knew the more likely they were to get into trouble. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“Appreciate that sweetheart.”
“So…why was Relay here? And your other brothers?”
“That’s the other part you need to know about. It’s more important than the cops. We’ve got a group we’re…dealing with right now,” he said, picking his words carefully. “They took a shot at coming after us today and I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
His eyes were clear and bright. He was telling me the truth.
I appreciated that. He could just lie to me about all of this.
Or keep me in the dark. Instead, he was being upfront before we got so involved I couldn’t get out of it as easily.
That was worth more than he knew. My promise to Sophie was ringing in my head as he drained out the bacon grease, wiped down my pan, and assembled his BLT.
I swallowed hard as the smell of the bacon grease hit me. I’d been so focused on what we were discussing that I hadn’t noticed it until now. “Could you open that window please?” I pointed to the small window over the sink, stomach bile trying to inch its way out of my belly.
“Sure.” He slid it open, watching me. “Shit. Is the smell getting to you? Didn’t even consider that.”
“It’s okay,” I told him with a weak smile. “I didn’t know it would either.” I paused, watching as he sat down next to me at the table. “Am I in danger?”
His head snapped up, the sandwich looking tiny in his large hands as he paused in the act of taking a bite. He shook his head. “No. There’s no connection between you and me that they could find. We took care of it. I just wanted to take precautions…just in case.”
No connections right now, but soon there would be if he and I continued with this. Our baby would connect us. There would be birth records. “But…I could be in the future?”
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised, something dark and primal sparking there in his eyes. “No one will touch you or our baby.”
That actually did make me feel better, as weird as it sounded. My logic brain was screaming that this wasn’t good, but that look he held…he would protect us. I knew he would.
“I guess it’s a good sign you’re not kicking me out on my ass,” he said with a grin, then took a huge bite.
Laughing, I shook my head in disbelief. “I probably should. This is…crazy. It feels more like something that would happen in a movie than in real life. Especially in my life.”
“But?”
I pressed my lips together. How did I explain it to him when I didn’t fully understand it myself?
“I…trust you, Bolo.” At least with what he’d told me.
That he’d protect me. I was still scared that he might hurt me in other ways, but I knew—deep down—he wouldn’t allow anyone else to.
Which was insane considering we’d really only known each other for a little over a week.
He reached out with a free hand and grasped my chin. “That means more than you know, Dev.”
My nose wrinkled as I made a face.
“What?” he asked with a laugh because the seriousness of the situation was now broken.
“I’m pretty sure you just wiped mayo on my face.”
“Hmmm…”
I reached forward for the napkin he’d brought to the table, then let out a gasp when he plucked me right off my chair and plopped me into his lap as he scooted his chair away from the table. It was so smooth and effortless I was semi impressed. “Bolo.”
He didn’t answer. His bright blue eyes were focused on my face in a way that made me want to squirm.
“Bolo!” I yelped when he licked my damn face, right where he’d deposited the mayo. I smacked his chest as he started chuckling. “That’s gross.”
“You don’t want me licking your face?” he asked with a mischievous smile. “How about somewhere else? Your choice.”
The breath left my lungs, but I just shook my head because I wasn’t quite ready to take it there with him. Again, that was. Not yet. Even though my body was screaming, yes please!
The playfulness left his face as he searched my eyes. “Don’t pull away from me, Dev. Not over this. There will be times I’ll need you to do things, so that I can keep you safe, but otherwise this won’t affect your life.”
“Things?” I asked, the word coming out breathless.
“Like move onto the club compound for stretches of time. Not going as many places until whatever current threat is taken care of.” He shrugged a little.
“Nothing too crazy. Just things that keep you and our baby in the same area as the other women and kids so that we can watch over you all at once.”
I huffed out a laugh. “That sounds crazy, Bolo. Who lives like that?”
“We do,” he replied. “Just…give it a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”
He didn’t need to say the other thing he was asking for. To give him a chance, too.
God, I wanted to. “I’m…sort of a cautious person, Bolo.”
“Yeah. I noticed.”
“I really need to think this over. Like how will this affect my family? My work? Our baby?”
“I understand. I’m not saying you have to decide right now. Just asking that you don’t run from me.”
For some reason I had a feeling if I did run he wouldn’t be far behind me. “Just give me some time.”
He nodded. “That’s not a problem.” His eyes dropped down to my lips.
Sucking in a breath, I swallowed hard as he leaned toward me. He wiped his hands on his jeans, then cupped my face, making sure I didn’t move away. That wasn’t about to happen. His kisses were…disorienting. Drugging. Delicious. I wanted more of them.
This attraction I felt for him was part of the reason I hadn’t kicked him out on his ass. Because I hadn’t been lying. This was crazy. My life was boring. I was just a regular person. Exciting things didn’t happen to me. At least, they hadn’t until this biker had barreled his way into my life.
Now I was pregnant. Dealing with an attraction that made me want to rip his clothes off every time he was near, and oh yeah, he just so happened to moonlight as some kind of superhero type in his off time. Watching over the city like he was Batman or something. It was…preposterous.
His lips moved over mine and I moaned, leaning further into the kiss.
And yet, I didn’t seem to care enough about all that.
The time and attention he was giving to me was addicting.
He was addicting. I only wanted more. I had a feeling this was all going to come back and bite me in the ass, hard, but I just couldn’t bring myself to care.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I deepened the kiss, trying to chase away all thoughts.
There’d be enough time later tonight—when I was alone in bed—to over-analyze the hell out of the situation.
For now, I wanted to drown in him. I shifted, gasping into his mouth as my butt rubbed over his hard-on.
He made this sound, deep in his chest. It was all rumbly and sexy.
I may have wiggled again, just so I could hear it a second time.
He broke off the kiss, trailing lips and teeth over the column of my neck. “You’re going to fucking kill me, Devyn.”
I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips.
I liked knowing he wanted me as much as I wanted him.
He was being patient. A complete gentleman…
Okay that was going a bit far with it. But he was letting me call the shots as far as when we landed back in bed.
And I knew I wasn’t exactly ready yet. But that didn’t mean that this didn’t feel good.
That I didn’t want it. This made me feel closer to him.
Pulling back, I smiled down at him. He was watching me like a predator watched prey. “Sorry. Wouldn’t want to do that.”
“In the best way,” he amended. “Forget I said anything. It was fucking stupid.”
I laughed. “Why don’t you finish your sandwich. I’m going to go wash my face.” I could still smell the remnants of the mayo and my stomach was starting to cramp.
He arched a brow. “You’re not kicking me out on my ass?”
I copied the gesture. “Should I?”
He grinned and it kept getting wider. “Probably. But fuck no, I don’t want you to.” That predator smile was still fixed firmly on his handsome face. “Besides, if you do, I’ll probably just kick down the door.”
I gulped. Now I was tempted to throw him out, just to see if he would.
Shaking my head at him, I turned and walked back to my bathroom.
He was honest. And I liked that. A lot. It went a long way with me.
I wasn’t sure this was what my sister had meant by giving him a shot.
Or if she’d still say that after hearing what he’d just told me, but I was going to follow her advice anyway. Probably.
Definitely.