“Asshole,” I rasp, still feeling the piercing sting on my now throbbing ass cheek.
He bites my bottom lip into his mouth, then tsks. “When are you going to learn that calling me names is just going to get you fuck–”
I shut him up by pressing my lips to his urgently. My tongue sweeps across the seam, begging to taste him, and just as Harlen groans, dragging me closer, I pull back, biting his bottom lip.
He growls, and I release it with a smile.
“Fucked, right?” My eyes challenge his. “When are you going to learn that is exactly what I want?” I look down at him.
“You’re so fucked,” he states, throwing me over his shoulder and stepping back from the railing.
“Bring it–” I start to say, but when my eyes catch on the shadow standing at the edge of the deck, I yell, “Keaton!” Then I begin to kick my legs, and just as Harlen places me to my feet, I take off toward my older brother.
“The one and only, sis.” I pounce directly into his open arms, wrapping my own around his neck, legs high around his waist.
I haven’t seen him since we put an end to the sick fucks who took everything from me, from him,from us.We’ve spoken on the phone, but there’s nothing like being in your brother's arms. That has always been something unmatched, a moment I cherish greatly.
Keaton’s mouth comes down to my ear, and when he growls his words, I’m almost certain he is looking directly at Harlen. “Not sure how I feel about seeing you in his arms.”
I snort, jumping down to my feet and fisting his leather cut, noticing the Vice President banner embroidered across the right side of his chest. “You’re gonna have to get used to it, Vice President.” I pause, dropping my voice a couple of octaves so Harlen doesn’t hear me, then I say, “I love him.”
His hand wraps around my chin, and he angles it up at him, his brow furrowed as his stark white teeth appear behind a rough smile. “What the fuck did you just say?”
I grin, licking over my lips nervously. “I love him.”
“Does he know that?” he asks curiously, dropping my chin.
“He will soon,” I reply beneath my breath.
Harlen steps up behind me, grabbing my waist. I slide my fingers through his on my lower stomach, though I keep my eyes on Keats, a smug grin widening on his face.
Keaton steps around us, pulling Harlen off me and putting him in a playful headlock. Harlen is strong, but Keaton, well, he’s just fucking scary.
Tyler and Rusty are over within seconds when Harlen refuses to tap out, as usual, and as they’re finally pulled apart, I watch Tyler and Keaton reunite for the first time in a long time. It has my heart beating a little faster.
They look so happy.
“President, huh?” I nudge Rusty, and he turns, dropping his arm around my shoulder. I tilt my chin up at him when he presses a kiss to the top of my head.
“Yeah, sweet girl, President.” He jerks his chin toward Keaton who is still catching up with Tyler and Harlen. “Your brother is a good man, loyal as hell, and works fucking hard. The club wouldn’t be what it is without him.”
I nod. “We’re all lucky to have him.” My voice comes out in a whisper.
Rusty smiles. “That we are.”
I find myself staring out at the lake, and I shiver when something that resembles peace washes over me. It’s so foreign and unfamiliar that I wonder if what I’m feeling is right, or maybe it’s all a fragment of fiction?
I keep my eyes on the water and my teeth chatter when I realize something quite profound. My legs tremble slightly because when you have listened to your demons, your trauma for so long, it’s hard to believe that maybe there is an entirely different narrative.
The water ripples from the slight breeze, and I swallow, watching how it glistens from the last rays of the fading sunset in the distance.
I was so scared of the water, believing it was an unruly beast that snatched everything from me. Only now, I realizeit was him, the force that droveusright into it, the force that threwmeover the edge.
It was never the water;it was the hand above it.
I keep my eyes locked on the lake when I murmur to Rusty, “Hey, I’ve gotta do something.”
Rusty steps back and winks. I think he knows exactly what I’m thinking. “You got this, sweetheart.”
