“Is heactuallyunclaimed?”
Eli tries to pull his hand away again…but I’m in no way letting him go.
I ignore his gasp, keeping my eyes locked on Spike as I shake my head.
He raises a brow. “What’s his patch going to say, brother?”
And suddenly the entire room feels smaller. Hotter. Closer.
I know what Spike’s doing. Once I answer this? There’s no taking it back. Not unless Eli walks away from me.
Am I truly ready?
Ready to settle down?
To choose one person?
To hand over my freedom, my bachelor life, my everything…and give it to him?
I look at Eli.
Exhausted, hurting, scared… and still somehow blushing because he thinks his ‘cute’ isn’t ‘sexy.’
And my heart makes the decision for me.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know one thing for fucking sure.
Eli is mine.
I want nothing more than to wipe away his fears and uncertainties… to make sure he’s never this exhausted again. To take care of him in ways I never even dreamed of before.
Smiling, I look into Eli’s eyes and say, “Property of Skip, of course.”
Spike smirks and pockets his phone.
“See you both at home,” he says. “Maverick had one of his men bring a car around. He’s gonna take your bike back.”
“What’s happening?” Eli asks as Spike leaves.
“We’re going home,” I say, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “Then after you’ve rested until your body is happy, you and I need to have a nice long chat.”
“Sir,” a man says, setting a duffel bag next to the hospital bed, “I’ve taken the liberty of collecting some of your husband's clothes from his apartment. I’m here to take you both home when you’re ready.”
“Let’s get you dressed, baby,” I tell Eli, glancing back at the man dressed in head-to-toe black. “Then this fella can take us home while I grill the life out of him about Maverick.”
“Who is he?” Eli asks, squinting up at him.
“One of Maverick’s people,” I say with a grin.
I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time.
“Maverick haspeople?” Eli blinks, genuinely shocked.
“That’s the same question I asked when I found out,” I snort. “Maverick’s not officially one of us, but we treat him like he is. He’s the Shadows’ Outlaw.”
“That sounds kind of fun, actually,” Eli mumbles, eyes drifting shut again.
“It does, doesn’t it?” I chuckle, slipping an arm around him to help him sit up. He’s so tired he practically folds into me. “Come on, pretty boy. I need to get you home and into bed.”
