CHAPTER 11
HONOR
Have to admit that once Spook committed, there was no stopping him. And I loved it.
Over the next few days, we settle into a new routine, not that it is much different from what it has been, with the subtle difference to our mornings. Now I got to wake up in Luca’s arms, instead of waking up alone. It was the best feeling in the world.
My SUV and my parents’ SUVs are arriving today, but not before first going to Axle’s garage to be looked over. Seems I’d gone from one overprotective father to another. Although Axle was far more subtle than my late dad had been.
Luca must have had a word with him and Maverick first about the modifications.
I was sitting with Angel and Siera on Angel’s front porch, watching Mason and Reed tootle up and down the road between the houses on their push-along bikes.
We’re laughing at the bike noises they’re making.
When my phone vibrates in my pocket. Taking it out, I smile when I see the message from Luca.
Hot Nerd: Hey baby, can you come to Axle’s garage?
Me: Let me see if Angel will watch the boys.
Hot Nerd: Bring them with you if you need to.
Me: K
“Everything okay?” Angel asks, looking concerned.
“Yeah,” I nod. “The SUVs have arrived, but they want me down at the garage for something.”
Angel laughs. “I bet Axle wants to look it over and make sure it’s safe.”
Siera rolls her eyes. “Swear to God, you’d think that none of us have a brain in our heads. Roman took my SUV for a service yesterday. Do you know how pissed I was when I came out of the garden centre to find it gone? I thought it had been stolen! The idiot forgot to tell me he was taking it!”
Angel and I share a look, and I cover my mouth as I try to hide my laugh. Roman and Siera were both a little volatile. Watching their relationship evolve had all of us reaching for popcorn as the fireworks exploded.
“Laugh all you want,” Siera says in a disgruntled tone. “At least yours tells you he’s got your vehicle,” she mutters under her breath.
“Here, take my keys,” Angel tells me, handing me her car keys. “We’ll watch the boys. If you’re longer than an hour, I’ll feed and bath them.”
Leaning over, I press a kiss to her cheek as I stand, “Thank you. I’ll try not to be long. The house is unlocked, so go right in. I’ve left a snack ready for them in the fridge.”
Angel’s eyes soften. “You’re a good mom, Honor. I’ll look after your boys. You don’t have to worry.”
My eyes prick at her praise, and I blink hard to clear the tears from my eyes, “Thank you, Angel. See you soon.”
Hurriedly, I walk away before I start crying. Our relationship was ever evolving. Angel never pushed for more than I was willing to give, and I loved her for that. Reversing, I wave at her and Siera who corralled the boys while I reversed.
It really did take a village, and I couldn’t have asked for a better one.
It’s not far to the garage, so it’s not long before I drive into the parking lot to find Luca waiting for me.
He’s standing with his feet braced apart, boots planted firmly on the ground, arms crossed over his chest, the muscles in his arms flexed, tattoos on full display under rolled up sleeves.
I gulp, whimpering low in my throat as desire courses through me. Good Lord, the man is HOT! I wonder how quickly we can get this done. He starts walking towards me, and I realise I’ve been staring at him like an absolute moron for who-knows how-long.
Luca stops at my door and opens it, one eyebrow cocked as he smirks. He knows me so well.
My cheeks flush. Panties ruined with one look.
“You should come with a warning label,” I grumble, swinging my legs out the door and half-heartedly pushing at his chest to get him to move.
His shoulders shake as he steps between my legs, gripping the back of my neck with one hand, he uses the thumb of his other to tilt my chin up to him.
“Missed you, baby.” He whispers against my lips and I sigh, opening for him.
I wrap my arms around him, running my hands up his back under his cut; I tug him closer, opening my legs wider.
God, the man can kiss.
We break apart when Maverick whistles, loud and obnoxiously. “Put Honor down and get your ass in here. We want to see what’s so special about these vehicles.”
“Fucking hell,” Luca mutters, lifting his lips from mine and gently grinding his forehead against mine. “That man’s woman needs to hurry up and find him. I’m going to give him so much shit.”
I giggle at his aggrieved tone. “Come on. Maverick’s a bit like a toddler. Impatient. He won’t wait much longer before he comes over here.”
Luca throws his head back laughing. I smile. It’s good to see him so happy. Gone is the slightly grumpy, exhausted man I first met. It makes my heart happy that I could give him this.
Luca wraps his hands around my waist and lifts me down. Shutting the door, he turns us, sliding his arm across my shoulders. The heavy weight amplifies the feeling of safety when I’m with him.
We go through a side door and into the main part of the garage. Axle, North, and Maverick are waiting for us.
“‘Bout time,” Maverick smirks. “Now, what’s so important that you want to show us?”
Sliding free of Luca’s arm, I walk towards my SUV and open up the back.
Leaning forward, I find the lever that releases the mat and pull it up.
“I wanted to show you this,” I explain. “Each of these vehicles has one. My dad made them. I’ve got the schematics.
Luca thought that you might want them to make changes to some of your vehicles.
” I peer over at Axle who is looking a little stunned.
“My dad was always looking for ways to make sure we were safe,” I shared.
“Sometimes I wonder if he thought the end of the world was coming, because he had plans to move to a property away from the city, and become self-sufficient.”
“Nothing wrong with a man wanting to keep his family safe, sweetheart,” Axle says, coming closer. “I’m glad he was such a man. What’s inside?”
I put my code in and slide the compartments back to show him. He whistles low. “Fuck me, sweetie, your dad wasn’t fucking around.”
“No, he wasn’t,” I agree, leaning against Axle as we look at the back of my vehicle.
It’s exactly as I described to Luca, handguns, a rifle that’s broken down, hand grenades, MRE’s, a first aid kit, a groundsheet, sleeping bag, a tent, admittedly it’s a small one, but it would do for shelter.
Bullet proof vest and there’s also a bullet proof jacket that dad had mom make for each of us.
“And they all have this?” Maverick asks, crowding closer. Axle and I move away so that he, North and Luca can get a better look.
“Yeah,” I answered. “I’m going to give my mom’s SUV to Angel,” I say to Axle. His eyes soften. I hurry to continue, “She’ll know how to use it all, if Jake’s anything like my dad.” Then turning towards Maverick, I add, “And the other one is for the MC to have.”
“Honor,” he responds. He’s surprised, I can tell. “Are you sure?”
I nod, “Yeah, my dad would have liked knowing that they were being used by people I care about. We’ll need to clean all the guns and test them though.
They’ve been in storage for a few years.
I can start doing that while you all have a look at everything.
There’s a cleaning kit under the passenger seat. ”
“Fucking hell,” Maverick grumbles. He side-eyes Luca, “Are you sure you want to be Spook’s Ol’ Lady. I’m free, you know?”
Luca growls and wraps an arm around my stomach holding my back to his chest. I pat his arm, arching a brow, and reply to Maverick with a deadpan face.
“I’m sure,” I tilt my head to the side and eye Maverick. “Besides you do nothing for me. I’m not into pretty faces, I prefer manly ones.” I bite my lip to stop my spurt of laughter at the look of mock outrage on Maverick’s face as Luca, North and Axle crack up laughing.
“Well hell,” he laughs, not in the least put out by the teasing. He runs a hand over his smooth-shaven cheek. “Maybe I need to grow a beard.”
“You’d still be pretty,” North needles and ducks when Maverick swipes at him.
Luca presses his lips to my temple. “Love you, Honor,” he whispers. I tilt my head back and press my lips to his throat. “Right back at you, honey.” I pause, “Want to help me get the guns out, and I’ll start cleaning them?”
“Yeah,” he agrees. He lets me go. I go to the passenger side and get the cleaning kit out, taking it to an empty bench and laying out a cloth before getting the rest out of the kit.
Luca and Maverick bring the first ones over, and I start disassembling them to clean.
It’s an old routine and one I enjoy doing.
Luca picks up one of the handguns, and looks it over.
“Honor,” I turn to look at him to find his eyes focused intently on me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Baby, there’s no serial numbers on these.”
Frowning, I wonder what the issue is. I mean if you were living off grid or doing something that you shouldn’t be doing, you don’t want your guns to be traced.
“I know. Is that a problem?”
Something flashes in his eyes as he shakes his head. “No baby, just checking you knew.”
I shake my head and continue with my task as I reply, “Luca, you need to get over thinking I’m soft. My family never kept secrets from each other. We all knew the consequences of travelling in vehicles modified like these are. But I’d rather have a way to protect myself and those I love, than not.”
Luca grips my chin and turns my head to him. My eyes meet his. I blink at the heat blazing from them.
“Fucking perfect, baby.” He presses a hard kiss to my lips before releasing my chin. “I’ll go help the guys. Are you okay here?”
I look down at the guns spread out in front of me. “Yep, I like doing this. Go have fun.”
And I was fine. I’m hoping that he’s starting to understand that I’m not as soft as I look. Mentally, I shrug. He’ll learn.