Two Months Later
Since that fateful night, my life has been a non-stop flurry of police interviews and doctors’ visits. My therapist is pleased with my progress. Even though I occasionally have nightmares, she says it’s normal. It’s just the way my brain is dealing with the trauma. Eli has gone back to the rehab center. He felt that with everything that happened to him, he was worried he’d start using so admitted himself voluntarily for inpatient treatment. I admire him for admitting he needed more help and for deciding to ask for it—it’s the first step toward him staying clean for good this time.
Cherri survived her wound, though she required multiple surgeries and is still recovering in the hospital. The police are charging her with aiding and abetting Chopper in the kidnapping of Eli and me. She seems truly remorseful for her actions, and in exchange for testifying against Chopper, she may get a more lenient sentence, but she’s still going to serve jail time and accepts that.
Chopper’s injury was more serious than we initially realized. The doctors were amazed that he somehow remained upright and talking after such a blow. He needed surgery to reduce the swelling in his brain, and if I’d hit him one more time, he would have likely died. I’m grateful that he lived so that he will go to jail for his crimes. The detective in charge of the investigation called me this morning. Chopper finally confessed to orchestrating my parents’ murders and a whole bunch ofother crimes. He also handed over his co-conspirators. Finally, my parents will have justice. If they accept plea deals, it might not even go to trial. But if it does, I’ll be there to make sure they pay.
The cops aren’t pressing any charges against me for assault against Chopper, despite how much he wanted them to. It was a clear case of self-defense.
It might not be entirely over yet, but I’m ready to move on with my life and build a future with the men I love.
I study my reflection in the mirror, self-consciously adjusting my dress. The guys told me to dress up for dinner, and I feel odd wearing such a fancy dress. However, I’ll admit, I look good. The form-fitting black dress I’m wearing has iridescent sequins that shimmer in the light, the same colors as the streaks in my hair. It hugs my body, highlighting my new curves. I’ve gained weight since living with the guys—they’re feeders, it’s the one way that they know how to take care of me and nurture me. Instant noodles and microwave meals are a thing of the past, and now it’s family dinners that we each take turns cooking at home and always sit down together to eat. I’ve even started learning to cook, and I’m finding I quite enjoy it.
I’ve no idea what the guys have planned for tonight. It’s my birthday, and despite my insisting that I didn’t want a big fuss made, they insisted on doing something. I slick on some red lipstick, and after one last glance in the mirror, I leave my room. Now that the danger is over, we’ve moved out of the safehouse we were living in and into the house the guys usually live in, at the back of the clubhouse. Our sleeping arrangements with the guys taking turns staying in my room still work for us, but we’re planning on moving into a bigger place in the spring.
I wobble as I walk down the stairs, unsteady in my heels, and I cling to the banister for support. Noticing my tentative descent, Gage rushes up to offer his arm, taking two steps at a time.
I gratefully take his extended hand, grinning at him. “My lady, you look absolutely ravishing tonight,” he says with a slow, sexy grin that makes my stomach knot.
“You’re looking pretty hot yourself,” I reply. It’s true, Gage looks incredible. His hair is tousled in its usual style, though he’s freshly trimmed it and tried to tame it into submission. His beard is also similarly groomed. He’s wearing a fitted black shirt that clings to his muscles and tight pants that show off his firm ass.
Ace and Cash are waiting at the bottom of the stairs, both looking devastatingly handsome. Ace is wearing a white shirt and charcoal gray pants, and Cash has gone one step further, wearing a full suit, which only makes him look even sexier. They, too, have groomed and trimmed their hair and beards for the occasion.
Ace pulls me into his arms when I reach the last step, leaving my feet dangling as the world falls away from under me. “You look incredible, Naomi, happy birthday, darlin’.” He kisses me deeply, and I kiss him back, coming away breathless and flushed. He puts me back down on the floor, smiling broadly, and I’m rendered speechless for a moment, thinking how lucky I am as I grin back at him.
“Thanks,” I finally manage.
I move to Cash, who takes my hand and makes me do a little twirl to give him the full view. He pulls me close to him, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear and whispering,“I’ve half a mind not to let you go out like this. I think you’d look far better tied up in your new swing while we give those presents another try.”
My cheeks blush, and my pussy throbs at the memory of this morning’s birthday gift, the guys gave me, pleasuring me for hours in bed and then in the new sex swing Cash got me. They’d bought an array of sex toys for us to experiment with. For the first time since I got out of the hospital, they treated me like I wasn’t made of glass. The thought of doing it all again is a tempting one, screw my surprise. “That sounds like a brilliant idea,” I reply seductively, kissing him lightly. “This morning was the best birthday gift a girl could wish for anyway, but I’m happy to try to beat it.”
“That wasn’t your birthday gift, my beautiful, insatiable woman,” Cash replies with a chuckle. He begins removing his tie, and a ping of arousal shoots through me as I anticipate what he might do with that tie. “Turn around,” he orders me. I do as he instructed, catching sight of Ace and Gage’s amused smirks before Cash places the silk tie over my eyes and fastens it gently around the back of my head, being careful not to snag any of my hair. Cash takes my hand and leads me toward the living room.
We come to a stop, and I hear them rustling around. Excitement courses through me as I feel Cash move behind me. But then, to my surprise, he removes the blindfold. I blink, momentarily confused as I take in the scene before me. Ace and Gage are grinning like idiots in front of a pile of wrapped presents. The only gift that isn’t wrapped but is by far the biggest one is a gleaming cherry-red Harley-Davidson with a bow on it.
I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth, looking between them all in shock. “Are these… is that…?”
“Yep, they’re all for you,” Ace says triumphantly. “This one’s from me,” he adds, moving to touch the Harley’s gleaming handlebars.
“Trust Ace to outdo us and get the biggest, flashiest present,” Gage grumbles, but his voice is filled with humor.
“But Ace… I can’t accept this,” I say, even as my feet move toward the bike on their own. Drawn like a magnet.
Ace looks at me, worry knotting his brow. “You don’t like it? I know you love your Indian, and I’m not expecting it to replace it, just this is good for touring and—”
“No, no, I love it, it’s beautiful,” I say, cutting him off, not wanting him to think I’m ungrateful. “It’s just too much.”
Ace sags with relief. “No, it’s not too much, it isn’t enough to even begin to show you how much you mean to me. You deserve it and so much more, Naomi.” He moves to hug me, and I realize that it means a lot to him that I accept this gift. That it is his way of trying to make amends for everything that has happened, even if none of it was his fault.
“Okay. Thank you, I love it,” I say, kissing him.
Ace grins triumphantly, he still loves to win. “You’re more than welcome.”
I giggle as I realize something. “How the hell am I supposed to get it out of here? How did you even get it inside? I would have heard if you guys drove a damn Harley in here!”
They laugh too. “Don’t worry, we’ll get it out again. With enough of us, it wasn’t too difficult to carry it in here,” Ace says. I can tell from their expressions it wasn’t as easy as he’s making out, but I don’t push the point.
“Me next!” Gage says, like a kid on Christmas, gesturing to several gifts next to him.
