“Koz, do you like it?”
“I love it.”
“I’m all in. Actually, let’s do this like that tattoo show on television. Don’t show me until it’s done.”
“Yeah, no chance.” He hands it over without any further chance for me to argue.
I get it, it’s a permanent tattoo, but in the same sense, Koz is a tattoo snob so I trust his judgement. Plus, you know, laser tattoo removal is available if it is craptacular. Of course, it’s not. It’s big, and so fucking pretty, I’m going to cry.
Koz has gone full old school. A swallow holding a ribbon with my name on it. Bold, oversized, and impossible to miss.
“Now when I wank, your name will be wrapped around my cock,” he stares at me, seeing my emotional wobble at his declaration, he’s distracting me in a sense. It’s not like he hasn’t been grand in the past telling those important in our world about me. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m being overly sentimental after seeing Talon, but it hits harder today. He tells me constantly he is my forever partner; I know and I believe it, but I thought I knew the direction of my life before too and I got kicked in the face. It makes me overly sensitive still. And I hate that. “Raney, get here now.”
He doesn’t wait, he nabs my wrist and drags me over to his lap. “No doubt. No regrets. You’ll be the first to know if that changes. You know that. Now come on, let’s get this done so I can show you exactly why I want your name on my hand.”
Only because Lew’s waiting at the door already does Koz let me climb out of the car first. His hand drops on my hip in case my knee gives out. It used to drive me fucking crazy he didn’t think I was strong enough, until I realised he also just likes to touch and hold me whenever he can.
“Did you tell King we were stopping here? That’s Jasper’s bike,” I say, pointing to the gunmetal grey chopper. “Unless he lost it in a bet again.”
There’s a few things guaranteed growing up in a MC and seeing men lose their bikes over stupid shit is one of them. But the other thing you see is this bear-minded logic for them getting it back.
Koz wraps his hand in mine and his gaze narrows at the bikes lined up. Neither of us are expecting trouble. If they’re Fallen, it’s going to be a loud reunion instead, but of course trouble is standing at the counter when we walk in, looking fucking stunning too.
Hayes must have grown another foot since I last saw him. His hair is a deeper brown, long too, but it’s all bundled up on the top of his head. The tats are new. So is the nose ring.
The biggest shock, he smells like a fucking hot cinnamon donut. My mouth waters, and I feel like a herd of elephants are thumping around in my heart. He was on the phone, but he drops the phone and all but pole vaults over the sleek desk he was leaning on.
He comes at me, fast like that herd of elephants running rampant in my chest. Hayes is charging right at me. Still holding my hand, Koz swings around, positioning himself in front of me.
“And who the fuck are you?” Koz barks.
“Hayes,” I answer, rubbing Koz’s back. Not for his benefit, but for mine.
Hayes throws his hands up, instantly trying to ease the skyrocketing tension. He takes a very visible step back, taking him in line with the desk. And all my uncles.
“Sorry,” he says, loud and clear. “I meant Raney no harm.”
Jasper, Twinkles, JB, and Grinder slide closer to Koz. The five of them going full alpha protective mode together.
“Yeah, well, you rushed up like you’ve got all the damn right in the world to touch a woman without fucking asking. Stand there and don’t fucking move,” JB snaps before he leans over to Koz and shakes his hand. Before he says hello to me.
I used to get so fucking caught up in this macho bullshit. Honestly, I don’t give a crap how these Neanderthals greet each other, it’s how they interact after that I focus on. And these men have seen me on some pretty horrific days; they’ve held my hand and stood watch over me protectively while I have battled shit they couldn’t see. They’ve also kept my rather large secret away from the world, despite them all being worse than a bunch of gossiping girls.
“Koz, King said you and Raney weren’t far off. Asked us to come down and welcome you into town.”
Koz nods, which in a way is his acknowledgement of what he said but also his appreciation.
“Raney, Koz looks like he’s treating you good.” He double checks with Koz before coming in for a kiss. Although at the last minute he has a change of heart and kisses my hand instead. “Fucking hell, Raney, King will go fucking ballistic if you show up with Koz all over your face.”
“Oh my god,” I hiss, touching over my lips, completely forgetting that my own suit wearing cave man basically rubbed his come all over my face not that long ago.
“Don’t put your fucking lips near my woman and there’s no issue.”
“You shitting me? You know me. So does she,” Twinkle asks, glaring at Koz. And Twinkles, despite his name suggesting he is a ray of sunshine, is as far from that as possible. He looks like he’s been cast from a block of concrete, with a temperament to match. He also has a mean left hook, but that’s beside the point.
Koz drops my hand and steps up, facing the wall of The Fallen. “And I don’t give a fuck. Back off, Twinkles, and don’t disrespect Raney like that again. I’m sure once you’ve all thought properly about the situation, you’ll remember I have a lot more respect for Raney than you just gave both her and me credit for.”
Before any of them can say a word back, Koz swings his attention to Hayes. His posture is too relaxed, his voice too calm. “You have three seconds to explain why you are here.”
