“Don’t think I forgot about what you said earlier, about becoming Mrs. Hudson.”
“Remember that, do you?”
“It’s burned into my brain forever. I just need you to know I’m in no rush. I want you to take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
I contemplate his words, turning each of them over in my head. I can so easily imagine a fulfilling life with Rhys. With children, with animals. It’s simple. I really would marry this man tomorrow if he asked.
“With Blake, there was always something there in the back of my mind that tried to push forward, a warning maybe? Something telling me to hold off, that it didn’t feel right. It’s why we were engaged for so long and hadn’t set a date. I knew, deep down, I didn’t want to marry him. That I couldn’t marry him. But with you? From the moment I heard your voice, I knew I wanted you in my life forever. At the time, I didn’t know in what capacity, but now I do. I’d fuse myself to you if I could, Rhys. I love you. You’re it for me.”
“Hearing you say that, fuck, Bristol. I was willing to be your friend until the day I died if that’s all I could be. But to have the privilege of having you like this? My heart is yours. My soul is yours. My home, my bed, everything I have to offer, is yours. I’ll never hurt you, I just want to make you happy, whatever that looks like.”
He pulls me into him then, squatting down at my level, capturing my lips with his own. My hands grip the sides of his face, holding him secure as we press against each other, the water cascading over both of us.
“You are everything, Rhys.”
Just like I know Rhys is the one for me, I know everything is going to be okay. We can handle anything together.
I sit nervouslyin the common area of the clubhouse, my hands twisting together in my lap, my leg bouncing. It’s been a few hours since I woke up, and everything came crashing back in. Just like Rhys said they would, Malice called him as soon as they found Kira at Blake’s cabin. Our phone call put her at ease, as soon as she realized she wasn’t being taken to a new location by people she didn’t know. By the sound of it, though, she gave the crew one hell of a fight. I don’t even want to know how Blake managed to get her up there in the first place.
I’ve got a lot of explaining to do.
The roar of bikes echoes through the air. My eyes meet Rhys’, looking for confirmation. With a subtle nod from him, I’m outof my seat and hauling ass to the front doors like there’s a fire. A group of six motorcycles rides down the dirt road toward us, but there’s too much dust and dirt for me to pick out who Kira is riding with. I recognize Malice and Wrath in the front, but Kira clearly isn’t on the back of their bikes. Then a truck comes down the path, and I know she’s inside.
“They took a truck?” I ask Rhys, who’s taken up residence next to me, sliding his hand through mine in a show of silent support.
“The back of a rider’s bike is reserved for his old lady. It’s important, almost sacred. Even if these men have no plan to settle down, they aren’t just letting any woman ride on the back of ’em.” I look up at him in silent question. “You’re the only woman who’s ever been on my bike, my love. I would have put you on it the day we met if it had been up to me.”
The tattoo, the seat on the bike, him showing up time and time again just to be my friend, even though he may never get me in return. Rhys waited and hoped and never asked for more.
Just as I’m about to open my mouth to respond, a door slams, pulling my attention to the driveway. Kira stomps up the dirt path toward the deck with fire in her eyes. I didn’t know what to expect, but she thankfully looks like the same Kira I’ve known my entire life, just much more pissed off.
I meet her at the bottom of the steps, our arms wrapping tightly around each other. I take a deep breath of her sweet jasmine scent, squeezing her impossibly close.
“You gonna tell me what the fuck is going on? Jackass number one and two,” she says as she points to Malice and Wrath, “wouldn’t give me any information except where we were heading.”
“She threatened to chop off my balls and put them in a blender! She’s a monster! I need my balls!” Malice yelps, covering his junk with his hand.
“Shut the hell up, Mal,” Rhys snaps, joining Kira and I in the driveway. “We didn’t really get to meet the first time, and I hate that we’re meeting like this, but I’m Rhys. The members around here call me Sin.”
“Oh, I remember you. I like you. Where’s the little fucker who convinced me to go to the cabin only to lock me in the primary suite with the windows boarded up for a week? I want to know where that one is so I can rearrange his face.”
“Kira, oh my god,” I gasp.
“Told me it was a surprise weekend for you to force you to relax. Actually sounded like he was trying, and since I promised you I would try, I packed up my shit and went. Imagine my shock when fuckface was there and led me to the bedroom where you were supposed to be unpacking, only to lock me in the fucking place. With my phone on the counter with my goddamn purse.” Kira recounts her story, and my mouth hangs slightly ajar. I can’t fucking believe the lengths Blake would go.
“How the hell did you survive a week?”
“Oh, shit bag had it planned. Gotta give it to him. The room was fully loaded with the bare living essentials. So, clearly, he didn’t want me to die in there. Like he’s going to once I get my hands on him.”
Rhys and I share a look. I don’t want to know where Blake is or what happened to him, and I don’t need to tell him that with words.
“You two have a lot to catch up on. How about we go inside?” Rhys suggests.
I take Kira’s hand, wanting to keep her close.
Kira and lock ourselves in Rhys’ bedroom, where I scoop up Mr. Bun-Buns to snuggle him through this conversation. We hash through it all, from beginning to end. I hate that I kept things from her, but like I would expect any less from her, Kira understands why.
“I knew there was something more fucked up about that little needle dick. It’s always the ones with a complex, tiny cocks or bald heads, that are the worst of the worst. Always wanting to hurt women to make themselves feel better about the shitty cards they were dealt.”
