Chapter Twenty - Five #2
I drag her downstairs and into the main room, placing my hands on her shoulders and putting her in front of the clothing rails. “Lexi has a friend who owns a small place. She brought you one of everything she sells so you can pick some outfits.”
She remains silent. Lexi gives me a worried look before stepping forward. “Hey,” she says gently. “Why don’t we kick Shadow out and have a girly minute?” When Remi still doesn’t speak, Lexi gives me a nod then takes Remi by the hand and leads her to the couch.
I watch for a second before backing out.
“She didn’t like it?” asks Kasey, who’s leaning by the Pres’ office.
“Hard to say,” I mutter. “She didn’t speak, and Lexi kicked me out.”
“Have you been honest with her?”
I sigh impatiently. “About what?”
“How you really feel. Not the part where you wanna be all caveman and save her, protecting her. But the real part. That you love her. That you want to claim her.”
I shrug, hating that I’m being forced to talk about feelings, especially to Kasey. “I told her I’m claiming her, yeah.”
She narrows her eyes. “Told her or asked her?”
I think back. “Erm . . .”
“You asked her, right?”
I swallow the panic in my throat. “I didn’t really . . . I just said Axel was pushing it to happen today.”
Kasey pinches the bridge of her nose, groaning with annoyance. “You bikers are so stupid. She probably thinks you’re doing it because Axel told you to.”
I frown. “So?”
“She doesn’t feel special or wanted, dumb arse. You haven’t told her it’s what you want. You’ve told her Axel demanded it. Jesus, Shadow. She already feels like a spare part here. Now, you’ve confirmed her fears.”
“She knows I like her,” I argue. “Why else would I keep rescuing her?”
“Sometimes, you have to state what you think is obvious . . . because it really isn’t. Pit reckons I don’t understand feelings.” She scoffs, rolling her eyes. “I understand them way better than you.”
“You reckon she’s upset about it?”
Her eyes bug out of her head. “Yes, Shadow. She’s clearly upset. She thinks all this is on Axel’s order. You need to show her how you really feel about her before you lose her for good.”
I watch as she marches off, shaking her head.
“What’s up with you?” asks Axel as he steps out his office.
“Kasey reckons I need to show Remi how I really feel.”
Axel scoffs. “You’re claiming her, ain’t that enough?”
“That’s what I thought,” I mutter, “but apparently not.”
Axel snorts. “Christ, don’t start letting the women around here tell you how to feel. You’ll end up like Fletch, cooking her breakfast in bed.”
I manage a half-smile, but it doesn’t stick. Because underneath it, Kasey’s words are still echoing. You haven’t told her it’s what you want.
I scrub a hand over my jaw. “She’s been through hell, Pres. She’s walking around like she’s scared to breathe wrong. If she thinks this is another thing she’s being told to do—”
“Then make her understand it isn’t.” Axel shrugs. “You’re not exactly subtle, brother. Just tell her. And for fuck’s sake, do it before tonight. We’ve got the Avengers coming in, and I don’t want her looking terrified when you stand up to claim her.”
He claps my shoulder once, a final warning in the gesture. “Handle it, Shadow. Do it right.”
I nod, but the nerves in my stomach twist tighter. This should be easy—it’s just me, her, and the truth. But there’s something about the way she keeps looking at me, like she’s waiting for me to kick her out again.
Lexi and Remi are still in the main room when I find them. Lexi’s crouched near the rails, holding up a black dress. “This one’s soft, see? Stretchy. You’ll be comfortable.”
Remi’s sitting quietly, fingers tracing the fabric. Her eyes are somewhere else entirely.
Lexi looks up and spots me. “Good timing,” she says, passing the dress to Remi. “I think we found some nice stuff.” Remi forces a small smile and nods, then heads upstairs to change.
When she’s gone, Lexi crosses her arms. “She seems really distant, Shadow . . . like she’s sad.”
“I think I know why,” I mutter. “She thinks I’m being forced to claim her.”
“She’s fragile right now, and if this feels like a performance instead of something real, you’ll lose her before the night’s over.”
Before I can answer, Remi reappears at the top of the stairs. The dress clings to her in the right places, modest but still showing her curves. Her hair’s brushed out, falling soft over her shoulders. She looks like herself again, just a little more haunted.
My throat tightens.
“Does it fit okay?” Lexi asks.
Remi nods. Her hands twist together. “It’s perfect.”
I smile. “You look beautiful.”
Her eyes flick to mine, surprised, then dart away.
Lexi catches the shift in energy immediately. “I’ll leave you two,” she says, smirking as she walks off.
I wait until the sound of her steps fades before I move closer.
Remi doesn’t step back, but she doesn’t look up either. “Lexi said the meeting tonight’s big.”
“Yeah,” I reply. “Avengers are coming over to talk business. Axel wants to make sure we all stand united. So, it’s the perfect time to announce our news.”
She nods slowly, still staring at her hands. “And that’s when I’m supposed to face everyone?”
“You’ll stand beside me,” I correct. “Because you’re mine and I’m yours, so we’ll face everyone together.”
She goes still. “Because Axel said so.”
I take a breath, rubbing the back of my neck.
“No,” I say, moving closer. “Because I want to. Because I’ve wanted to since the first night you walked into this club and looked at me like I wasn’t the monster everyone else saw.
” Her brow furrows, and she finally looks at me.
I keep going. “You think this is about the club? About rules? Fuck that. I don’t follow orders when it comes to you.
This is me choosing you. Every single day.
Even when it’s messy. Even when you hate me. ”
Her eyes glisten, her lips parting like she’s about to speak, but I don’t let her.
I step closer, until there’s barely an inch between us. “So, tonight, when I say your name in front of everyone, it’s not Axel’s idea. It’s mine. You understand me?”
Her voice is a whisper. “And if I say no?”
My chest tightens. “Then I’ll walk you out of here myself, make sure you’re safe, and never follow you again.” She studies me for a long moment, searching for a lie. “But know this, Remi. It will kill me to let you go again. I barely survived the first time.”
Finally, she exhales and whispers, “Okay.”
I brush my thumb along her jaw, gentle. “Okay, what?”
“Okay, I’ll stand beside you.”
Relief hits so hard, it almost hurts.
I lean in and press my forehead to hers. “We do this together, Rem. No more running. No more fear.”
She nods. “Together.”