CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
A few months later
– FATAL –
All I can do is stare as I watch Norie walk toward me. She’s squeezing the salt water from her hair while her bare feet sink into the sand. The floral bathing suit is clinging to her curves. My woman is a stunner with a gorgeous mind, and a sexy-as-fuck body.
My gaze strays to the people around her, walking into the sea or getting out.
Some of them are members of the Lexmore Beach, Maryland chapter.
They draw a lot of female attention, but my woman’s eyes are locked on me.
I’m holding out a towel and she turns when she stops in front of me so I can wrap it around her.
“Enjoy your morning swim?” I ask and take a seat at the table.
“Loved it,” she sighs happily and snags a piece of toast from the plate in front of her.
I made breakfast, just like I do every time we stay here. The condo is right at the beach and in Norie’s name. It was a gift from Sevrin, to make sure she has a home with her family. Fucker. Though, seeing the smile on my woman’s face is priceless.
With Sevrin’s club’s new brewery up and running, our visits here in Lexmore Beach have become less frequent.
Yet, we make sure to stay at least one long weekend once a month.
The condo allowing one-on-one time with my wife makes it worth it, though.
The five-hour ride with her pressed to my back along with it.
“I like and simultaneously hate the fact that we’re going home tomorrow.” She butters another piece of toast and adds some strawberry jam.
Norie looks at the sea while she eats. The woman practically lights up with joy whenever we spend time on the beach.
Giving my attention to my phone due to an incoming message, I tell her, “We’ll be back soon enough. Your uncle likes his niece’s visits, even if you like visiting the sea more than seeing him.”
“Shush, don’t let him hear you.” Norie tries to hide her smile behind the mug filled with coffee.
“Hear what?” Sevrin rumbles.
“Where the fuck did you come from?” I grumble.
Sevrin snickers. “Easy enough to sneak up on you if your full attention is on my niece.”
“I’m allowed when I’m on vacation.” Fuck it. “I’m allowed any time of day ’cause she deserves it.”
Sevrin steals a piece of toast from Norie’s plate. “Sappy shit. You’re losing your edge there, Fatal. Giving a woman attention is one thing, but to leave yourself exposed is something completely different, even if you’re on vacation.”
“I feel sorry for you, man.” I get to my feet and place a kiss on my wife’s head. “More coffee, sweet thing?”
Her face turns to me and the full focus, open look filled with love and devotion? Solely for me? Yeah, that’s why she gets my full attention when there’s not one other thing to worry about.
“Why the hell feel sorry for me when it’s your ass on the line?” Sevrin asks.
“Yes, please.” Norie turns to her uncle. “Because you don’t have what we have, that’s why he’s feeling sorry for you. Me too by the way. Any progress yet with the arranged marriage you’re supposed to get tangled up in?”
“Don’t remind me. I only heard the woman is relocating here after a job offer.
She’s supposed to be some fancy public official who works closely with law enforcement.
Just what I need, right? Hell to the fuck no.
I’ll be dodging her as long as I can. Another reason why I should stay single for the rest of my life, besides kids.
I don’t do poop-machines, especially if I need to clean up.
Hey, Fatal, can you bring me a cup of coffee too?
Oh, and the dodging the woman thing? I’m riding back with you guys tomorrow and staying for at least a week, that’s okay, right? ”
I nod and step inside the condo. It’s way better to dodge the discussion than to point out to the fucker that a baby isn’t a damn poop-machine.
Before Norie became my old lady I’d only see Sevrin every once in a while, when they would swing by to pick up the weapons they ordered.
Now, we’re business partners in more than one business, Kings of Anarchy brothers, and plain family.
Grabbing a mug, I fill it for Sevrin, and refill Norie’s mug.
Faint footsteps make me grunt, “Why ask me to get you coffee when you’re comin’ inside anyway, Sevrin?”
“I knew you hadn’t lost your touch. You’re sharp as shit when you’re not swooning over my niece.
” There’s a hint of humor in his voice but when I turn his face becomes thoughtful.
“I still can’t believe you let her walk into your life with eyes wide open.
We have so many traditions when it comes to women. ”
I hand him his mug. “It’s Norie. There’s no manual on how to act or to tell you what to do when it comes to women.
All I can say is when you meet the right one, and she yanks the damn rug from under your feet?
You’ll catch yourself before your ass hits the floor.
Believe me. It’s something Big Daddy told me, he’s the one who suggested I claim Norie. Best decision in my life.”
“You gave me a piece of my sister back. And I might comment on the smitten, sappy shit, but you’re damn good for her. She radiates happiness, unlike her mother at that age.”
Keeping my voice low, I ask, “Norie’s mother didn’t die in a simple car accident, did she?”
Sevrin glances over my shoulder before his voice becomes a mere whisper as well. “No. They finally managed to track her down and killed her.”
“Why didn’t she leave the country? I mean, staying in Maryland, only five hours away from you wasn’t really smart.”
He turns to keep an eye on the sliding doors.
“You know we’re not exactly the same as you guys.
..we have our weird ways, so to say. The arranged marriage between Norie’s mother, and the fucker who killed her involved a blood oath.
She physically couldn’t leave Maryland. It’s a miracle she was able to stay hidden for as long as she did. Probably due to Norie.”
So many questions pop into my head but Sevrin points a finger in my direction.
“That’s all I’m going to say about it. Leave the past where it belongs, Fatal.
Besides you have loads of reasons to focus on the future.
Besides, it’s my honor to dish out the retribution.
Believe me when I say I’m getting even sooner rather than later through my own arranged marriage. ”
Wait. Does this mean he’s going to kill the woman he’s set to marry?
Talk about some serious fucked up shit, no wonder the man is against any type of relationship when you hate the one you need to marry.
How the hell is this linked with the murder of his sister?
With what he just mentioned? He’s made it very clear it’s none of my business and all his.
I keep staring at him and eventually tell him, “Fine. But if you need help? You know who to call.”
Sevrin lifts his chin. “Appreciate it, brother. What time are we leaving tomorrow?”
Smooth change of subject.
I’m about to answer when Norie wanders inside and says, “After my morning swim. Now, get out of our condo because I’m going to have sex with my husband and don’t need your company when we get naked.”
Sevrin blinks a few times, slowly places the mug on the kitchen counter and leaves without a single word.
“Sex with your husband, eh?” I rumble and stalk toward her to sneak my arm around her waist and pull her close.
Her hands slide to my biceps, over my shoulders to glide under my denim cut. She shoves my cut down so I’m only wearing blue jeans. I tug on the towel wrapped around her body and it easily falls to the floor.
My lips land on hers, tasting her as our tongues swirl together. Kissing this woman is better than any sex I’ve had with random chicks. They were meaningless, and it shows what a damn difference it is when feelings are involved.
Pulling back, I place my forehead against hers and breathe out the words, “Fuckin’ love stealing your breath to breathe it as mine.
Your taste on my tongue, your lush curves against me, my hands on your skin, silver eyes on me, and the devotion and warmth staring at me are what makes me grateful you’re mine. ”
Her smile is blinding when she states, “I love you too, hubby.”
Love. Fuck Sevrin with his sappy shit. Hearing my woman say she loves me unleashes a rush of exhilaration and awareness to fill my veins.
I might not have given her the words, but she knows exactly how I feel about her.
It’s the underlying connection we have, a solid bond.
Who knows, our future might entail poop-machines, even if I’m not looking forward to wiping someone else’s ass.
Norie shoves my chest. “Why are you wrinkling your nose when I just told you I love you?”
Fuck.
“Poop-machines. I was thinking about poop-machines. Fucking Sevrin,” I grumble. “I damn well love you, Norie. Fully, completely, always and forever.”
A laugh bubbles out of her. “You’re weird.”
I reach out to pull her curves back against me where they belong. “Nah, sweet thing. Between the three of us? Your uncle is the weird one.”
She slides her arms around my neck. “Definitely.”
Her lips touch mine and that’s when nothing else exists except us, our feelings, and the orgasms we’ll give one another.