“Kreed didn’t see them when he got home?”I finally ask, my voice barely above a whisper as my chest tightens and my heart hurts like never before.
“Annistyn, Kreed wasn’t even in town.I have full permission to tell you this now, but I don’t know many details.Sam called him right before he left work that day.His mom had collapsed at work and he rushed to her side.Didn’t say a word to anyone before leavin’ the garage.Reckless and Cali were there for a while because he needed the support.He hasn’t been back in Glendale for very long,” Viper says as my heart stops beating for a minute before kicking into overdrive once again.
“Is she okay?Does she need anything?I need to call her,” I say, keeping Oreo in my arms as I go to stand from the ground.
“She’s okay, Annistyn.She’s back home and has everythin’ she could need.Sam and Playboy are with her every single day and are keepin’ her on track.If she weren’t okay, Kreed wouldn’t have come back.You have to know he’s been out of his mind with worry.None of us have told him you’re here but we all know he has an idea because you wouldn’t go anywhere else.He doesn’t know you met the rest of your family,” Viper answers me and I take a deep breath while allowing the tension to leave my body.
“I don’t know what to do,” I say as I look between the two men in front of me.“I completely misread the situation and thought Kreed was just tired of me and didn’t want to hurt me by saying something.”
“He wouldn’t do that to you, Annistyn,” Roger says, his voice full of confidence as I look at him and Oreo nudges my hand with her head.“I think you need to go have a real conversation with him and talk this thing out.Let him explain why he didn’t call and you tell him how he made you feel.How everyone made you feel because part of that is also on him.”
“Okay.I’ll leave my things here and go talk to him,” I say, standing from the ground and keeping Oreo in my arms as I hide my face in her fur.
***
Roger dropped me offat the house.Viper called Kreed before I left the ranch and told him to go to the house because someone was going to see him.He refused to tell him it was me because that’s what I asked him to do.I slowly walk up the steps and come to a stop in front of the door.Looking at the keypad, I try to remember the code Kreed told me when I moved in here.Instead of trying to put it in, I knock on the door because I moved out.I’m simply a guest and no longer allowed to just randomly enter Kreed’s house.
It takes a few minutes for him to answer the door.The second I see him standing in front of me wearing nothing more than a pair of gray sweatpants I want to rush into his arms.Instead, I remain standing just outside the door.
“Are you really here, Pixie?”he finally asks me, reaching out to touch me before pulling his hand back.
“I’m here.We need to talk, Kreed,” I say, surprised with how steady my voice is.
“Okay.Come in.This is still your home, Pixie.It willalwaysbe your home,” he says, stepping back and letting me walk inside.
I head in and take a seat on the couch, looking at all the details of the house.Nothing has changed since I’ve been gone.Other than it needs to be cleaned up a little because it doesn’t appear as if anyone has been here since the night I left.Even the blanket I use to cover up with is on the back of the couch.
“I’m sorry, Pixie.The night I never came home, Sam called me at work because my mom collapsed at work.All I could think about was gettin’ to her side.I didn’t say a word to anyone in the garage, I just got on my bike and left.The entire ride back home, all I could think about was my mom.It took me six hours to get to the hospital with her.Six hours where I played every worst case scenario my mind could come up with on a loop.Every day, I spent time at the hospital with her from the second I could enter until a nurse kicked me out each night.When I left the hospital, I’d go to her house and work on things that needed to be fixed.Caleb and Playboy helped me while Cali cleaned.By the time I was done each night, it was too late to call you.Then I found out you left and didn’t take your phone so it wouldn’t have mattered if I called,” he says, finally reaching out and taking one of my hands in his as he silently pleads with me to believe him.
“Is she okay now?”I ask him, needing to know about his mom before we continue this conversation.
“She is.She overworked herself and just collapsed from exhaustion.They kept her in the hospital for a few days before releasin’ her.She has to take it easy from now on and the doctor put her on vitamins to help.Her bloodwork came back really good so that’s one less thing to worry about.She’ll have a follow-up appointment in a few more weeks.She ended up with a bump on her head and a bruised wrist.Playboy won’t let her go back to work until she’s completely cleared by the doctor,” he informs me as I release the breath I was holding.
“I’m so sorry, Kreed.I wish I had known all of that when it happened.None of this would have happened if you’d just taken a few seconds to send me a message.You didn’t even have to call me, Kreed,” I say as I look at him and see the pure pain and sadness on his face, filling every inch, especially his eyes.“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking while I was gone.Everyone here hurt me deeply.I felt like an outsider despite the time I’ve spent among everyone.You’re the one who hurt me the most though.I never thought you would.My first and only thought was that you were done with me and didn’t have the guts to tell me to my face.That you went out to have sex with someone because we’re not having it.I told you before I’m not holding onto it for any reason.I’ve just never had a chance to be with someone in that way.Now, I’m scared to let anyone see my body because of the scars.
“Anyway, what I’ve discovered is that I can’t be with someone who doesn’t show me I’m important to him.Every single other day you’ve been at my side and helped me in any way I needed.The one time it’s important and you really need to step up, you choose to ignore me.You chose not to tell anyone here they could talk to me about you.I understand that’s also on me because I’m not ready for you to claim me.I don’t even know what that means, Kreed.We don’t talk about that kind of stuff because I feel as if you’re holding back in some aspects.”
“I’m not tryin’ to hold back, Pixie.Well, not with everythin’.I am holdin’ back when it comes to certain aspects of our relationship and that’s okay.I would never cheat on you or be done with what we’re buildin’ together.You’re the only woman I want in every aspect of my life.I told you before I want to have all of your firsts and that won’t change.I don’t care how long I have to wait,” he says while bringing my hand up to his mouth and pressing a soft kiss against my skin.“I can’t honestly tell you why I didn’t call you or why I haven’t told the guys before all of this happened that they could tell you what’s goin’ on.All of this is on me and I’m so sorry.You have no idea how sorry I am.”
“I know you are.I don’t know how I’d react in the same situation.Until recently I never had anyone in my life that important to me.Now I have you, Roger, Cali, the kids, and the rest of my family on Roger’s side.I met them a few weeks ago.They’re all amazing and I love spending time with them.I’ve also discovered how to enjoy my own company.I think this needed to happen, Kreed.There were parts of me I still had to discover and it couldn’t be with you at my side.I forgive you, Kreed.We just need to work on our communication and talk about everything else we’ve been avoiding up to this point,” I tell him as I move closer to him.
“I’m so fuckin’ proud of you, Pixie.Maybe you’re right and this needed to happen so we could both see what the other one needs from us.I don’t need anythin’ other than what you’ve been doin’, but I can clearly see now I have a lot of room to improve.You’re so much stronger than any of us give you credit for and I have to keep that in mind.Now, let me explain what it means to claim you,” Kreed says as he pulls me in his lap and wraps his arms around me while I rest my head on his shoulder.“When I claim you, it’s nothin’ outrageous.I bring it up for a vote in church.As long as it’s a unanimous vote, you become my ol’ lady.Then, in front of everyone, I present your rag and we have a party.An ol’ lady in the club is a huge commitment.It’s more than us bein’ married.When I claim you, it’s for life.There are no takebacks and we don’t separate when things get too hard.That’s why we take a very long time to consider who we want as our ol’ lady.”
“That’s all it is?”I ask him, shock filling my voice because I thought there was a lot more to it than that.
“That’s it, Pixie.There are other clubs who do things a little differently.Some clubs the couple have sex in front of a few members to show their loyalty.I wouldnevermake you do anythin’ like that.The couple havin’ sex aren’t seen by anyone else.Well, the guy is but he protects his ol’ lady from anyone else seein’ any part of her body.At least that’s what I hear.Other clubs have ceremonies you have to do.Some clubs, the ol’ lady’s get a tattoo for their man.We wanted to keep everythin’ simple and not have our women feel as if we’re forcin’ them into somethin’ they aren’t comfortable doin’.The guys are just waitin’ for me to bring this to church for a vote.I’ve already got your rag, a leather vest like mine you’ll wear at club events and when you’re in public.On the back it says, ‘Property of Link’ and has our club colors in the center.On the front is your nickname along with my name again.It’s more for your protection durin’ club events than anythin’ else.And you wouldn’t actually be my property.I’d never make you feel as if you were,” Kreed says as I take it all in and know this is something I want to happen.However, there’s one more thing I’m ready to have happen right now.
Leaning in, I press my lips against Kreed’s.He places a hand on the side of my face like normal when we kiss and I wrap my arms around his neck, playing with the hair at the back of his head.Sliding my tongue across his lips, Kreed opens his mouth for me to deepen the kiss.I can’t stop the moan from escaping this time because it’s been far too long since I’ve felt this man close to me.We spend what feels like an eternity just kissing until I pull back, completely breathless.
“Kreed, I’m ready for more,” I tell him, looking in his eyes as he goes completely still.
“Are you sure, Pixie?We don’t have to do anythin’ you don’t want to,” he asks me, as he leans forward and rests his forehead against mine.
“Kreed, we've been dancing around this for a long time now.I want you.I finally understand that’s what I feel when I’m close to you,” I say as I pull back and remove the sweater from my body.“I’m ready to lay myself completely bare for you.I want you to see every inch of me.Even the parts I’m ashamed to show you.”
“You’re beautiful, Annistyn.Inside and out no matter how many scars cover your skin.They’re part of your story as I’ve said before and I will prove to you they mean absolutely nothin’ to me,” he promises as he stands from the couch with me in his arms.
Kreed helps me wrap my legs around his waist after I turn to fully face him without him ever setting me down on the floor.My body is completely wrapped around his as Kreed carries me up the stairs to the bedroom we’ve shared since I moved in here with him.Kreed carefully sets me down on the bed before he leans over me and presses his lips to mine again.He climbs on the bed next to me and presses his body against mine.
