Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
They walked to the back door with him opening it wide. When she walked out, Ace was glancing over his shoulder into the strip club. At Ava? Addison could understand why. She was gorgeous.
Ace led her to her car and his bike parked next to it.
“You don’t have to follow me home.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Yeah, I do.”
She forced a smile, throwing her bag in the passenger seat and gripped the door.
“She a dancer?” He lifted his chin to the back of the building.
“Ava? No, she’s the manager.”
He furrowed his brows. “Since when?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged, not knowing her exact start date. “She’s been here since I started.”
Ace gave a curt nod and started up his bike. This was the most he’d talked to her one on one. He was definitely a man of few words.
With seemingly, a specific type for long-haired, green-eyed, beautiful managers.
Interesting.
****
After the five-hour ride home, he was still fuming about the incident from earlier.
After all the bullshit they’d dealt with in the last month, they’d come to an agreement, which entailed Cross keeping track of her.
It may have seemed over the top, but Cross was in protective mode when it came to Addison.
Being far away without any contact meant he had to have back up to go looking for her. Ace was the only brother available. I’m gonna catch shit for this. Cross would take it. Accept it as long as it meant Addison was safe.
He pulled into her driveway, passing her car and parking under the carport.
Their new house had a two-car garage, a luxury he was looking forward to having, especially with Knox’s bike.
It was currently being kept at the clubhouse.
Cue had made room in the garage for it while he continued to work on it.
Occasionally, Addison would join him. Cross wasn’t sure of the extent of her helping, but Cue didn’t seem to mind the company.
The house was quiet, and at this hour, he didn’t expect her to be up.
She’d gotten in just before three, and it was a little after nine in the morning.
He walked into the living room, stopped to use the bathroom, and then ventured into their bedroom.
It was small and impersonal. That would change once they moved into their house.
Cross got undressed and slipped under the covers.
He didn’t want to wake her, but he always wanted her close. He wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Hey,” she whispered, tucking her back against his chest and covering his hand with hers. “What time is it?” Her voice was groggy and still half asleep.
“Close to nine.” He nuzzled his face in her hair. Her shampoo always smelled like a sweet fruit.
She shifted as if to get up, but he tightened his hold.
A soft chuckle echoed. “Babe, unlike you, I’ve been sleeping all night.”
“You’re staying.” Cross tightened his hold.
“Why would you want that when you could have the bed all to yourself?”
“’Cause I want you here.” For a man who’d always valued his privacy and solitude, he found himself wanting to share everything with her. Including his bed.
She settled against him, strumming her fingers over his hand. It was soothing. Addison had a way of settling him, and for a brief second he almost forgot about the incident. Until she brought it up.
“You didn’t have to send Ace to check on me.”
“Yeah, I did.” Cross felt himself drifting.
“I’m a grown woman, who up until last month, took care of myself.”
“Yeah, but now you’re my woman.”
Her body shook against him, and he smirked.
“Are you always going to be this protective?” Her fingers lightly caressed over his skin up to his arm.
“Yeah.”
“Leave it to me to fall in love with a man who’s overprotective.” She chuckled, and he opened his eyes. Cross wasn’t sure she even realized she’d said it. If she did, she wasn’t trying to cover it up.
Cross couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in love with a woman, if ever. He’d had girlfriends when he was younger, and he’d heard those words. But he’d never returned them. He’d never felt it, and for a long time, he wasn’t sure he was even capable of it.
“Cross?”
Was she about to take it back?
“Yeah?”
“Oh, just checking. Because you know the second you pass out, I’m getting out of this bed.”
He snickered and closed his eyes. “I know.”
Seconds later, he was fast asleep.
*
It didn’t come as a surprise to find himself alone in bed when he woke up.
He glanced over at the nightstand. It was after five.
He dragged his hand over his face. He could probably spend another hour in bed.
His body still ached from the long ride.
It should’ve been two days, but Cross had wanted to get home to her.
His phone pinged, and he grabbed it from the nightstand. There were countless messages and missed calls from Ace and Wraith. A few from Cue, and even Gent. He dropped his phone on the table. He’d get back to them. But not now.
Cross threw off the covers, dropping his feet to the floor and staring at the open door.
She was somewhere in the house. His woman.
He’d spend the rest of his life waking up, knowing she was there.
He pushed up from the bed and grabbed his jeans but didn’t bother with his shirt.
He walked barefoot down the hallway and found her in the kitchen making a salad.
So fucking domestic. It should’ve scared him. It didn’t.
“Hey.”
Addison turned. “Good morning or should I say evening. You sleep good?”
Cross walked up to her and cupped her jaw. “I love you, too.”
She knitted her brows and parted her lips, but he cut her off.
“Not saying it ’cause you said it last night.”
Her lips twitched. “This morning.”
Cross snorted, strumming his thumbs over her cheek. “Didn’t say it back ’cause it caught me off guard. Can’t remember the last time I said that to anyone. But I felt it.”
Addison leaned closer, and he kissed her. This woman? This life? It was fucking perfect.
Cross ended the kiss, knowing he was in desperate need of a shower. He slapped her ass, and started through the kitchen. His phone pinged again, but he didn’t bother looking at it.
“You want breakfast or dinner?”
“Lunch.” He winked. “Gotta take a shower and call back Ace. He and Wraith have been blowing up my phone.”
“Wait, you haven’t talked to them yet?”
Cross turned, and she was grinning.
“Baby, I just got up.”
“Yeah, but I thought you would’ve called them first.”
Cross smirked. “First thing I did was come find you.”
Her eyes softened. “To tell me you love me?”
“Yeah.”
Addison flattened her lips, keeping her smile at bay, but he read through it. His phone pinged again, and he sighed. “Jesus fucking Christ.”
“It’s good news.”
Cross glanced up at Addison, watching her approach. “Cleo called a few hours ago. Wraith figured you were sleeping but wanted to make sure you were home.” She blushed. “I don’t think Cleo was technically supposed to tell me, but she was really excited.”
“What’s going on?”
“Jekyll and Hyde” —she giggled— “It’s going to take some time to say their names together and not laugh.”
“What about them?”
“They got released this morning.”
Early? Cross knew it was coming up but not for another few weeks.
“Cleo said Penny picked them up, and they’d be home by tonight.” Addison cocked her head. “That’s good news, right?”
Cross glanced up, his chest easing, and he drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s good news.”
Finally, all Inez’s boys would be back together.