Chapter Twenty-Four
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DAISY
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My body aches, a good ache, as the last remnants of sleep disappear from my mind. I slowly open my eyes and turn my head toward the warm body beside me. Preach is still asleep, his naked body curled protectively around mine. I have to fight the urge to place my lips on his, but then again, I did enough of that last night.
As soon as we got to the clubhouse yesterday, he marched me straight to his room. Everyone watched as I struggled to get away from him, but no one said a word. A few of the brothers had the audacity to laugh. Yes, the dickheads actually laughed at me, instead of answering my pleas and getting me the hell out of the clubhouse. Needless to say, I was beyond pissed.
When we finally stepped into his room, Preach slammed the door behind me and tore my robe off. My anger over the situation transformed into something more feral and wanton. Standing in front of him completely exposed sent fire through my veins as I attacked him with my mouth, and he carried me to the disheveled bed. We spent the rest of the day and night having sex—hot messy sex. There was nothing sweet or soft about it. We didn’t make love. We fucked. It was ugly and raw. The bruises scattered across our bodies are proof of that.
I lay there for a while longer, just staring at his handsome face. The early morning sunlight is peeking through the curtains, bathing his face with its glow. I swear it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I know what I have to do, but I would rather spend the rest of my life right here in this moment. That’s not possible though. He’s gonna wake up, and then the true Preach will come out, the one that always leaves me.
As gently as possible, I pull out of his arms and climb from the bed. I silently grab my discarded robe from the floor and slide it over my body, before shoving my feet into my worn flip flops and heading toward the door. Just before stepping out of the room, I look back at the man I love, sleeping so peacefully, and wish I had the balls to stay. I don’t. I can’t, so instead, I turn and head down the deserted hallway.
I’m just about to the door when a sleepy Ice stumbles from her and Kidds’ room. “Where the hell are you going?”
I look around for an escape, but see nothing. “I’m going home.”
She shakes her head. “You know he’s just going to come and get you again. He’s claimed you, girl.”
“No, he won’t. He had his piece of pussy last night, which means he’ll not come around again for a few more weeks.”
She looks at me with pity shining in her eyes; more damn pity. That’s the last thing I need. “He’s changed.”
Not wanting to argue with her, I shrug her comment off. “We’ll see.” With that, I pull open the door and step back.
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PREACH
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I wake up feeling cold, colder than I have ever felt in my life. As soon as I open my eyes, I know she’s gone. “Fuck!”
Jumping from the bed, I grab my jeans from the floor and pull them on as I rush out the door. When I hit the common room, I see Chipper already nursing a beer. “Have you seen Daisy?”
He shakes his head. “Lost your woman already?”
I don’t have time for this shit, so I turn around and start to walk back to the hallway. I stop when he calls my name. “Preach.”
I look back and lift my chin. “What, brother?”
“I haven’t seen her or anyone else for that matter, but I did hear someone heading out the backdoor a few minutes ago.”
Not wasting time with a response, I rush down the hall and out the backdoor. The gravel digs into my bare feet as I rush across the parking lot. I’m just reaching the gate when I see her walking down the side of the road with nothing but her fuckin’ robe on. “What the fuck are you doing?”
I transition into a full on run to catch up with her and have her in my arms in less than a minute. “What the hell were you thinking? You’re damn near naked. Any crazy fucker could have picked you up, and there ain’t no telling what in the hell he would’ve done to you.”
She pulls away, damn near jerking my arm off in the process. “I already know all about the dangers waiting for me out in the world, especially since a crazy fucker brought me here in nothing but my robe.”
“Damn it, Daisy,” I growl out as I reach for her arm.
She steps even farther away from my reach and places her hands on her hips. “I’m not going back in there with you. You had your fun, so now I’m going home.”
“You’re not going anywhere but back to my room.”
She stares at me for a second before her face goes hard. “Why the hell would you want that? You’re a one trick pony, Preach. You’ve never once come back for a second helping. It’s a wham, bam, thank you ma’am, see you next month, so I can fuck your world up all over again. I’ve accepted it for what it is. A great lay with a good dose of heartache.”
Her words cut through me like a knife. “That’s not true.”
“It's not? Well then, Preach, tell me. When have you ever wanted me the day after?”
Not giving me time to reply, she forges on. “Exactly, you can’t.”
Oh, shit. She’s right. I’ve always treated her like a fuckin’ whore. I’ve always taken what I wanted from her before turning on my heel and walking right back out of her life. It doesn’t matter that I thought I had a good reason for doing it. I hate that I’ve put my girl through all of that bullshit, but I can’t change it now. It is what it is.
“I’ve told you I love you. Honest to God, Daisy, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’ve been such a bastard to you, but I love you, and I want to make it up to you. You just got to fuckin’ let me try.”
The words mean so little right now, but they’re all I’ve got. Fuck!
“You love me,” she growls out through clenched teeth. “I hear that a lot from you, but let me give you a heads up. You don’t treat someone you love like shit all the damn time. You wouldn’t fuck someone you love and then fuck the bitch that was supposed to be her friend the next damn day.”
“I’m sorry,” I again mutter more words that mean nothing; words that have to be proven through my actions.
Her face distorts in with rage as she moves toward me and places her hands on my chest. I vaguely wonder if she can feel my heart trying to fight its way out from behind my ribs. “You’re sorry? Well, so am I. I’m sorry I ever fell in love with such a bastard!” she shouts as she shoves me back.
I barely catch myself before falling on my ass. “I told you, I fucked up, but I ain’t gonna do that shit no more.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, her hand comes flying at my face. I dodge the slap by a hair and grab her wrist. My temper finally snaps. “Stop this shit right fuckin’ now, or I’ll put your ass over my knee.”
She ignores my threat and swings her free hand into my stomach. Instinctively, I drop her arm and step back. Daisy may be small, but she packs one hell of a punch. “Damn it! I said stop.”
Instead of listening, she goes on full attack. Her nails go for my face as her knee connects with my cock. My world goes hazy with pain. “Fuck!”
Trying to ignore the deep throbbing in my balls, I wrap my arms around her and growl into her ear. “Stop this shit before you hurt our baby.”
Her body goes instantly slack. She leans her face into my chest and mumbles, “I hate you.”
“That’s okay, Little Flower. I love you enough for both of us.”