Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ifollowed Henley into the kitchen at his direction, suddenly feeling very much like an unwanted guest in someone else’s home.
It’d been nice for a while to be self-sufficient and cloistered like this with Claudia, but we both knew it was only temporary.
I wasn’t sure I was ready for it to end though.
“How’s she doing, brother?”
Henley set the coffee machine running, and turned to lean against the counter, looking relaxed and at peace. I guess that shit’s easy when you have a flashy house, and all that money, but then he also had the love of a good woman, his soulmate who’d been his best friend first, so maybe that was it.
“Still in shock, I think. Did we outstay our welcome? I can’t remember when you said you’d come back.”
Henley grinned and turned to grab mugs for the coffee.
“Should have been a day or so ago, but we figured you guys could hold the place a bit longer for us.”
“Meaning?”
He set the mugs down and turned to look at me again.
“Meaning, you guys deserved some time together, so we extended our stay at the camp. Sorry we couldn’t stay away longer, but work calls. Besides, when we got the Call to Arms about you guys, we packed and headed straight back.”
I swear I just misheard him. Did he say they’d stayed away longer for us? But rushed back, again, for us?
“You did?”
He shrugged, turning to prep the mugs, like he couldn’t face me for this discussion. This was the moment he’d throw us out, I could feel it. They may have changed their plans to help us out, but nobody helped me out for long.
“Henley?”
He turned to lean his hands on the counter between us, looking me right in the eye, the one thing I thought he was avoiding.
“You and Claudia, you’re family, right? We help out family. Now, I hope you don’t mind the company, what with us being back, but you guys are fine here until your room’s ready at the clubhouse. I’m not booting you out, brother, you get that, right?”
Fuck, who just stood on my chest? I pressed a hand against it as I felt my heart thudding heavier, not from fear, or panic, but from the realisation that he had my back. I’d never given him reason to, and yet here he was.
“Fuck,” I gasped, squeezing my eyes closed for a moment, trying to soothe the burning that I just fucking knew meant I was getting emosh in front of this fucker.
Only I wasn’t dissing him with that word, that’s just how we talk to each other in our world.
We’re all fuckers, but we’re all family.
We’re there for each other, and I was on the receiving end of it, only now realising how fucking amazing it felt.
“It’s all good, brother. I’m gonna order a takeaway for me and Glory, you guys want in?”
He was deliberately overlooking my reaction to his words, moving on like nothing was happening here. We were just two guys shooting the shit, right?
“Thanks, brother. I mean that. I uh… I’ll go ask her.”
An hour later, we were sitting around the dining table together, while Henley tried to coach Glory as she tried to sign to Claudia, and they both giggled between themselves as she got it wrong.
It was hitting me harder every moment that this was something she deserved.
Not having to focus on lips all the time to converse.
Having a method of communication that we both used, that was as difficult or easy for both of us.
“Henley?”
He froze, a slice of pizza right in front of his face.
“Any chance you could teach me some of this stuff? Like some basics at least?”
He nodded, taking the time to take a large bite of pizza and finish it before he spoke.
“Of course, but you realise that amazing lady of yours literally teaches this stuff, yeah?”
I watched her and Glory for a moment, as she demonstrated a signal, and Glory practiced it.
“Yeah. I’ll want her to teach me properly, but I’d love to surprise her with some basics. Just to get us started.”
He shrugged, shoving the whole stuffed crust in his mouth as he edged me for a response yet again. It was a dickish thing to do, but maybe he wasn’t doing it to piss me off. Maybe he just really liked pizza.
“I can do that,” he finally said, getting up to fetch another four bottles of beer for us.
The thought of talking with Claudia the way she found easiest, using the tools she taught others, suddenly felt like the most important thing I’d ever do.
The idea of surprising her with a little skill first was even more enticing.
She deserved that from me. She deserved everything I could possibly give her.
She’d shown me a few signs already, but I was ashamed that I hadn’t practiced them, and couldn’t remember them. She deserved better from me.
Things were fine until we’d been sleeping a while, and that’s when she lunged across the bed with a scream, and I scrambled to catch her before she fell to the floor.
My fingers were clumsy with sleep, hell, all of me was clumsy, but my fingers latched around her arm as she started to topple, and crisis was averted. Or so I’d hoped.
She buried her face in my chest, sobbing loudly, her fingers fisting the t-shirt I wore purely because we were no longer alone in the house, and all I could do was hold her in the darkness until she started to calm.
Light under the closed door was my only warning that we’d woken the others.
A soft knock on the door followed, so I called out to come in, and in walked Henley, doing his best ‘hair band’ impression.
Seems long hair gets bigger when you sleep, or at least it does for him.
“Sorry, Mr Bon Jovi. Did we wake you?”
His fingers idly teased at his hair as he rolled his eyes at me.
“Is she okay?”
“What do you think?”
Claudia’s head suddenly shot up, and she realised we had company right around the same time that I realised that fucker was only wearing lounge pants, and had his fucking tattooed body on display for my lady’s eyes.
“Fucker.” I wanted to cover her eyes, but I wouldn’t only be ridding her of a single sense, but any attempt at communication. I hated her eyes being on him, but I would never isolate her like that. I could always punch him later for it.
Henley’s hands were flying and she was nodding, responding in kind, and fuck me.
This is how every day must feel for her.
Being left out because you can’t understand the conversation.
Hell, many of my club brothers would argue that I’m always in that situation, but fuck them.
I’m smarter than I look. Only, right now, I’m worse than useless.
I eased out of the bed, and headed past Henley to go grab some water from downstairs. She’d need that after all the crying, I’m sure.
Glory appeared a few moments after me, wearing a Phoenix MC oversized t-shirt, and sporting bare legs that did nothing for me, because they weren’t Claudia’s. Wow. I’m really growing at last.
“Here for water too?” I asked, turning to speak to her because it was just my go-to now. She didn’t need to see my lips to hear me, did she?
She smiled, heading past me to the fridge, pulling it open to dig out a strawberry yoghurt.
“Peckish. Want one?” She waved one at me, but I shook my head. My mind was too busy to concentrate on navigating food right now.
“Is Claudia okay?” She asked as she peeled back the foil top and lifted it to lick it. Jesus. I turned my head, not disgusted or offended. Just not interested in seeing another woman doing something I’d probably jump on Claudia for doing.
“Stag?”
I cleared my throat, grabbing a glass and filling it with water from the chilled filter jug in the fridge, because Henley’s a posh fucker and I’m starting to love the way he lives.
“Nightmare, I think,” I finally said, setting the glass down to lean back against the counter, “I don’t really know what to do for her when things like this happen. Do I hold her? Make her talk? Let her absorb it in silence?”
Glory ate a spoon of yoghurt while she pondered my question. Again, it would be sexy as hell if Claudia was the one doing it. Instead it was just a person eating.
“I guess you just have to leave it up to her whether she talks, but always, always hold her, Stag. You’re her safe place.”
I liked that. The idea of being a safe place for anyone, but especially her. I’d never be anything else where she’s concerned.
“Do you think she’ll have more of them?”
She laughed, idly stirring the yoghurt as she shook her head at me.
“Stag, I have no idea. Nobody does. Well… maybe Lissa. You should see if Claudia wants to talk to her, she’s been amazing for helping me. Well, and Lenore, but that’s because she rescued me. Her and well, the Bennetts.”
I groaned, folding my arms as I realised that actually I didn’t mind those bellends as much as I had in the early days. Look at how they’d let us drop everything to save Claudia. No bitching, no hesitation, just go help him. He’s one of ours. I’m one of theirs, me.
“Yeah, they’re not as bad as I expected them to be. You know… for bosses.”
Glory widened her eyes at me. “You work for them? Wow. I didn’t realise that, but I’ll be honest with you.
If I didn’t know them through the charity, I’d assume they’re monsters.
They’re… well, they are, but they also have good hearts underneath it all.
They did a lot to help me, and I know I’m not alone in that. ”
I picked up the water again, ready to head back up to check on my lady. I couldn’t believe I’d left her alone with a shirtless fucker, but he was the only one who could talk to her in that way. I’d work on fixing that for the future, but for tonight he was my only option.
“Yeah, I had my doubts, especially after… I mean, they didn’t even hesitate today. They just told Danno to get me to Claudia, and sent their doctor to help. I think they’re exactly who I need to be working for, at least for now.”
Claudia
When Stag left the room, I was worried he’d felt left out or ignored, but when I signed that to Henley, he just shook his head.
*He’s probably just taking a leak. So do you want to talk about it?*
He dropped onto the plush chair by the window and adjusted the angle of it so we could ‘talk’ easily. I was wrapped up in the bedding, and even though I wore just a t-shirt and underwear beneath it, I felt perfectly safe with him. Something about him was calming.
*I think I’ll dream about being in that car for a while. I was so sure we’d die in it.*
He offered me a sad smile, lifting his hands to respond.
*I can imagine it must have been terrifying. You do know you have a whole club of bikers at your back now? Plus I hear you had other help too.*
I giggled, despite everything, because everyone got the same look on their faces when they referred to Stag’s bosses.
Wary, almost disgusted, but I had a feeling they preferred it when most people had that reaction to them.
The reality was that they’d allowed him and his partner to abandon their post immediately to come to my rescue.
And they’d sent their doctor to help too.
Bad people didn’t do such things. Hell, I’d worked for managers in offices who wouldn’t have made any effort to support me if the situation were reversed.
Henley was still waiting for me to reply so I signed back to him.
*I don’t think they’re as bad as they want everyone to believe. I think Stag quite likes working for them.*
Henley grimaced again, keeping an eye on the door as he replied, even though we both knew Stag wouldn’t pick up his words anyway.
*I think we all need to be careful he doesn’t get in too deep with them. They’re demanding Grimm’s club for an event of theirs now too. He doesn’t want to let them in, but looks like he’s going to allow it, for the sake of the club.*
Stag reappeared before I could reply, a glass of water in hand, which he passed to me before he rounded the bed to climb in beside me again. Henley got up, and I saw Glory waiting in the doorway for him.
“Sorry I woke you all.”
They both smiled, shaking their heads as they backed out of the room and closed the door.
Stag was sitting beside me, not demanding my attention, but he deserved it.
I sipped the water, sighing with relief at the crisp coldness as I swallowed it.
I offered him the glass and he took it while I wriggled back over to him, half turned so I could watch him if he spoke.
He sipped the water briefly and passed it back to me.
“You doing okay?”
I nodded, cradling the cold glass in my fingers as I marvelled at how different my life was.
I thought I was happy before, even if I felt a little penned in by an overbearing sister, but this was happiness.
Sharing a room, and a bed, with the man of my dreams, being surrounded by caring family, who proved that blood was irrelevant when it came to who you could rely on or trust. My life felt fuller than it ever had, like I’d waited this whole time to find him.
“Is it weird that I’ve never been happier?” I watched his face morph from concerned to practically beaming with pure joy.
“Really?”
I nodded, hiding behind the glass for a few more sips of rapidly warming water.
Stag pumped his fist then laughed, got up off the bed and did a silly little dance, somewhere between a rain dance, and a jig, before he joined me again.
He was laughing at himself, but that joy seemed to be intensifying.
He suddenly sobered and glanced towards the door.
“Sorry,” I read as he spoke to someone other than me.
“I think Henley’s rethinking his kind offer,” he said with another laugh.
“The dance was adorable though. Maybe if he saw it for himself… Let me get my phone and we’ll vid-” He silenced me with his lips, heating me up in an instant with his hot lips, his talented tongue, and the way he was holding me to him, with one hand threaded through my hair at the nape of my neck.
Yes, this. This is why I’m so happy. This man.
So why the sudden icy cold shock that pulled us apart with another little scream from me? The glass of water, the one that’d still been half full, and as it turned out, was still cold enough to shock the hell out of me.