Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“I love you,” I whisper as darkness tries to close in around me.
“I love you, Daphne,” I think I hear. I want to try and pull myself awake, but it’s impossible. I think I feel my body being lifted and something soft that smells so much like Eli wrap around me. I smile. There’s a warmth against my pussy and I frown. Thinking it’s strange. It feels like a washcloth against my thighs, but that can’t be right. I’m in bed not in the shower. I try to grasp solid thoughts, but Eli’s lips press against my forehead. “Sleep, baby. I’m going to lock up.”
“Hurry back,” I murmur, giving into the darkness with a smile on my face. “I love you,” I say again, and this time the words blast away any bit of fear that I had left inside me.
I’m safe with Eli. I always will be.
Chapter 25
Pez
“If I were any other man, I’d be pissed seeing you coming out of my daughter’s house looking so damned satisfied,” Sabre grumbles as I make it outside. “And where the fuck is your shirt?”
I laugh and for maybe the first time in my life the sound is carefree and happy. I’m wearing my cut, but my shirt is indeed gone. It’s covering my woman—my woman who just came so hard for me that she passed out. I don’t even bother to try and hide the satisfaction I feel. I’m sure it’s written all over my face.
“I’m not going to reply so I don’t piss-off my future father-in-law,” I brag.
“Future father-in-law? You’re sounding pretty positive of that,” Sabre says, studying me.
“I am. I’ll wait on her until she’s ready, but I’m not letting her go. I … I love her, Sabre. Her and Cammie, they’re mine.”
He nods. “Good to see you got your head out of your ass. You’re exactly what my daughter needs. Hell, if it wasn’t for you, I’d still be drowning in whiskey rot. While I was lost in grief and losing my mind, you took care of my family. I don’t know how to thank you, Pez, but I’m in your debt.”
I back out of the drive once we get settled and then steal a glance at Sabre. I frown. “Something has changed for you, too,” I reply.
A half smile spreads on his lips that I can see despite the scruff on his face that is more gray than anything else. His hair is a sandy color with gray mixed in. He keeps it shorn close to his head these days, though I’ve seen pictures of when he was younger that it was longer.
“I’ve decided that I need to start concentrating on living my life instead of running from my past,” he finally says, sounding pensive and looking out the passenger window.
“Good for you, Sabre. Cammie and Daphne both will be so happy to have you back.”
“They should turn their backs on me after the way I’ve been with them,” he says, regret thick in his voice.
“They love you. Now, I do need your help,” I tell him, not wanting him to get lost in the past again.
“What’s that?” he asks.
“I need to make sure that asshole Dane doesn’t hurt my family anymore. Can you go with me to meet with the guys in the morning and see what we have on him? If we can’t find anything, no matter how much Daphne cares about me, my past may keep us from being together.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Sabre says at once. “I know you have that in your head, but I’m telling you it won’t. You need to have faith in your brothers. You joined the club for a family that would always have your back, and I promise you we will, Pez.”
“I feel more a part of this club than my last. I respect my brothers here, Sabre. I know they wouldn’t do the shit that I experienced the last time. They can’t help me with this, though. I have a past and marks against me. No matter what the ruling was, that prick can use it to try to keep me out of Cammie’s life and in doing that, I’d lose Daphne, too. I know you may think I’m crazy, but I’m going to tell you right now, I was born to be with them. I feel it in my bones. They’re home for me. Since the moment I was old enough to know what a relationship was, I only had one wish for my entire fucking life. I wanted a family, an old lady that I could work my ass off for, pamper and I’d make her proud to call me her man. I wanted kids, a house, part of something bigger than myself. Now, that’s all shifted. I still want it all, but I want it with Daphne and Cammie. I wouldn’t want to live without them, Sabre. I don’t want to take one breath without them.”