Chapter 32
Riptide
Afew days later, we were all standing around, talking and laughing with our MC family. Lockout had planned a barbecue. There wasn’t anything quite like having everyone here and spending time with them all. The only one missing was Ricochet. Something that wasn’t lost on us.
Word had gotten around that I’d proposed to Sloane, so the women were admiring her ring. As soon as they dropped her hand, she resumed her way of standing that hid her arms. She refused to cover them up, but it was very clear to me that she was still uncomfortable.
Sighing, I took a drink from my beer. I wasn’t sure how to help her over this hurdle.
“Why’s she standing like that?” Butcher asked.
I glanced over at him, then looked back at my wife. “She’s self-conscious of the scars on her arms.”
He took a thoughtful pull from his own beer bottle, handed it to Toxic, turned and left.
“Where the hell’s he going?” I asked.
Toxic shrugged and started drinking from both bottles in his hands. “Who knows.”
“Toxic…” I asked, eyeing Butcher’s back as he left. What I was about to ask felt wrong. I knew Butcher. Knew how he was, so I was sure that he didn’t have eyes for my woman, but still…
“She’s incredibly kind and sweet,” Toxic told me, understanding there in his eyes.
We all knew each other so well I didn’t even have to ask my question aloud.
He already knew. “But it’s more than that for him.
There were so many innocent women and children he wasn’t able to save during his time with his task force.
There were, well, some that had to be put down.
Much the way Ricochet did. Butcher didn’t have many wins on that task force.
” Toxic shrugged. “Sloane might be the first real victory. She’s kind of become the embodiment of those he couldn’t save.
Despite everything that’s happened to her, she is still kind to people.
She’s smart. Brave. He’s drawn to her.” He took a swig from the bottle then realized what he’d said and choked on the beer. “Not drawn like that,” he wheezed.
“I know that,” I told him, pounding him on the back harder than I needed to. “I just needed to understand why there seemed to be this connection for him. It makes perfect sense.”
“If it bothers you, he’d gladly stay away.”
“I hope he—and you—won’t. She can use all the friends she can get.
” I told him. With that, I walked away. Hearing it from Toxic was as good as hearing it from Butcher himself.
I was a possessive man, and even though I knew, deep down, that my brother would never feel that way toward my wife, I’d needed to hear it.
Call me a selfish piece of shit. I needed to know she was mine and that I could trust her with the others. Now I did.
Hellfire looked up from where he was sitting in a camp chair. “Rip.”
“How you feeling, Brother?”
“Fine. Ready to get back to work.”
“I’m sure you are,” I told him with a chuckle. None of us did well when we were injured or sick. We weren’t used to being laid up.
“Have you spoken with Ricochet?” he asked, worry knitting his brows together.
“Lock has. He’s spending time with his sister and her kids. We’re all going to have a talk with him once he gets back. We’re going to figure out how to set him straight.”
Hellfire nodded, then a grin broke out on his face. “If it isn’t the little mama.”
I looked over and smiled as Seek came up. She sat down next to him and patted her still flat stomach. “I don’t even feel pregnant,” she said with a grimace.
“We’ll check back in a few months,” I told her with a laugh. “See how you feel then.”
She stuck her tongue out at me. “Hopefully it’ll be smooth sailing the whole time.”
“Hopefully,” I agreed.
“Where did Butcher disappear to?” she asked, jerking her head.
We looked over and watched him come back into view. He’d been gone for about twenty minutes. “Not sure.”
He was carrying something in his hand. As he passed, Toxic fell into step beside him. The men approached Sloane and Butcher thrust whatever he was holding at her.
“What’s that?” Seek asked, voicing my own question.
All three of us got up and headed over just in time to hear Sloane’s confused question. “Thank you, Butcher…but what are they?”
I grinned when I saw what she was holding. “Why the fuck didn’t I think of that?” I asked in a low voice. Seek gave me a confused look.
Butcher took the pieces of material back from Sloane. “May I touch you?” he asked in a gruff voice, motioning to her arms.
Sloane’s eyes darted to me, asking permission. She didn’t need it, but I nodded anyway. She held out her arm, nerves causing her to shake a little.
Butcher was overly gentle as he slid the stretchy cloth over her arm. He did the same with the second and then stopped to admire his handy work.
Sloane stared down at her arms in shock and delight. Butcher had found some of the fabric sleeves that go over your arms, making it look like a sleeve of tattoos. He’d found a pair that had beautiful butterflies and flowers all over them. They suited Sloane.
She looked up at him and swallowed hard, tears forming in her eyes.
With these pieces of fabric on, she could still wear the clothes she wanted to, but no longer had to worry about anyone staring at her scars.
For all they knew she had full sleeve tattoos that went from her wrists, all the way up her arms until they disappeared under her shirt.
“Thank you,” she told him, her voice wavering. Then she did something that had all of us biting back laughter. She hugged Butcher.
The stunned look on his face said he didn’t know quite what to do with her gesture. He glanced over at me and again, I nodded. Slowly his arms wrapped around her and he hugged her back.
Their reactions to each other made me feel like an asshole for having to ask about Butcher’s intentions, even if it was just to understand. Toxic gave me an understanding glance.
There’d been no need for me to worry. Butcher would never betray one of us in that way. And Sloane wouldn’t do that to me either. She already knew she was mine. I planned on proving it to her for the rest of our lives.
They broke apart and I swear Butcher was blushing, but everyone wandered away, giving us space.
“Thank you,” I told him, shaking his hand. “I never even considered getting those for her. They’re the perfect solution.”
“At least until she wants to get the real thing,” Toxic said in agreement.
The idea of my wife getting full sleeves of tattoos on both arms was intriguing.
My dick hardened beneath my jeans at the thought.
I was on board, if she wanted to. Mostly, I just wanted her to see her scars the way that I did.
That was a hard ask since she’d borne the pain and humiliation of receiving each of them.
Butcher grabbed his beer out of Toxic’s hand, then scowled at the empty bottle.
He snagged the second one and then muttered, “You finished both of them? Fucking asshole.” The two strode away, heading toward the cooler of beers, arguing about what it meant to leave a man’s beer in another man’s care.
Sloane laughed and shook her head. “They’re funny.”
“They’re something alright,” I admitted. “Do you like them?” I asked, motioning to her arms.
“I do! They’re pretty.” She smiled at me and brushed a hand over the sleeves. “I-” She hesitated, looking nervous.
“What is it, Angel?”
“I don’t know what the rules are here?”
“Rules for what?”
“Am I allowed to be friends with other men?” She peeked up at me through her lashes, searching for any sign of anger on my part.
Anything she offered my brothers was going to be pure friendship.
I’d known that from the beginning. That was why I’d needed to double check Butcher’s intentions.
Even though I’d been mostly sure prior to talking to Toxic, I had to find out.
That’s why the guilt of questioning him only lasted for mere moments.
Neither Butcher, nor Toxic, would ever hold that against me.
“They’re your family,” I told her. “You’re welcome to be friends with any of my MC brothers, or my brothers-in-law.” I swallowed some beer before I told her the next part. “I can’t tell you who you can or can’t be friends with, Angel, but I’m not the kind of man who shares well.”
Her eyes flashed fully up to mine, a knitted brow accompanying her confused look. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Any man who isn’t our family that you become friends with is going to end up getting the shit kicked out of him.”
Her mouth dropped open, forming a little ‘o’. “Why?”
“Because I know what men want,” I growled at her, tugging her body against mine. “And they won’t get it from you. You’re mine. They can fuck off and find another friend.”
She bit the insides of her lips, making my eyes narrow on her. She was doing her best to hold back either a grin or laughter. “Are you mad at some theoretical man before I’ve even met him?”
“There’ll be no meeting him. Also, yes.”
This time she did laugh, ignoring the glower I gave her. “Okay, okay,” she said between peals of laughter. “I won’t have any male friends except family members. Better?”
I gave a satisfied hum of a sound, then bent my head, lips pressing to her neck. “Better.”
“Rip,” she said, sounding embarrassed.
No one within The Order had given public displays of affection. I wasn’t sure if that was because it’d been against the rules—I hadn’t really learned all of Ethan’s stupid laws—or if it was because there really wasn’t any affection to be had. Either way, she’d get used to it here.
Both of my arms wrapped around her. “What?” I asked, tongue stroking her soft skin.
“There are people around.” She sounded so scandalized, I couldn’t help but grin.
“They can look somewhere else then.”
“Actually, I had something I wanted to talk to you about.” Now she sounded nervous.
The tone made my muscles tense. I looked up at her. “What’s that?”