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“Fuck.” He leaned back. “The pain.” He doubled over like he’d been punched in the gut. “Fuck, Katrina.”

“They bent you over and hurt you. I had to close my eyes and slap my palms over my ears. But inside, Rain,” my voice faltered, “inside my head, I screamed.”

“I did, too.”

I threw my arms around him, holding him close because I knew the toll and havoc it caused on his soul. The horrible, shattering agony that stripped away our childhood. We’d been robbed of so much. “I love you, Rain. Give me the sorrow. Let me take it away.”

A sob shook loose from his chest before he clutched me against him, burying his head in my neck as I felt his tears. What happened to us, it never should have been possible. It left a jagged hole in our hearts that we’d had to live with our entire lives.

“I love you, Rain. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Something settled inside me. As he dared to expose his vulnerability, I realized we could help one another heal. Maybe that was what we had been destined to do. The reason he reentered my life at this time. We needed each other.

Together, we could face the past and finally overcome it.

“I love you,” I repeated for a third time, letting all the conviction I felt power my voice and add determination to the words. “We’ll get through this.”

He didn’t say anything for several minutes; he just held me in an almost brutal embrace before finally lifting his head. God, that stormy sea in his eyes sent pains shooting through my chest. No one should ever suffer that horribly.

Cuckoo released a deep breath. “I love you so fucking much, Katrina. Thank you.” His mouth brushed over my lips. “I’m so fucking lucky.”

“I think we both are, my biker boyfriend,” I teased.

“Your biker mate. Your forever,” he corrected.

“I can live with that.”

CUCKOO SHUT OFF HISengine and stood, reaching for me as I lifted the helmet from my head. “The Roost is special to me, to all of us.” Crows cawed overhead, and I watched them land on trees, the roof, and nearby structures as he interlaced our fingers. “It’s our clubhouse and our home. Come on. I want to introduce you to everyone.”

I really needed to ask him about all these crows later.

Cuckoo led me inside the Roost, and we entered the bar, which greeted you as you stepped inside. I supposed it was built that way for functionality since the biker brothers probably needed a drink before they went to their rooms or church. Cuckoo mentioned how they often hung out and played pool or darts in the common room. It seemed like the hub of the Roost.

It was crowded as we entered. People stopped what they were doing to stare at us, and all conversations ceased.

Cuckoo slid an arm around my shoulders and grinned. “This is Katrina, my mate.”

A couple of heartbeats passed in silence before a figurative bomb went off. The room erupted in cheers as men raised glasses in celebration. Quite a few walked toward us, slappingCuckoo on the back. Some shook his hand. Others grinned and joked, giving him a hard time.

He took it all in stride.

I laughed when he got pulled away. It didn’t take long to be surrounded, smiling at the women who approached me.

“I’m Bella, Crow’s ol’ lady.” A gorgeous brunette with long legs pointed to a blonder, shorter version of herself. “This is my sister, Bree.”

“I’m Raven’s ol’ lady,” she informed me.

“You’ll get used to this,” another blonde announced. “I’m Callie, Hawk’s ol’ lady.”

“And I’m Crow’s sister, Gail.” I had seen a photo of Crow and some of the guys on Cuckoo’s phone. “Mated and ol’ lady to Talon.” She had dark raven hair like her brother.

“Don’t forget me!” A redhead wearing long braids that cascaded over her slim shoulders approached, nearly tackling me with a hug. “I’m Rebel, Heron’s ol’ lady.”

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Katrina.”

“Oh, he’s waited so long for you,” Bella gushed.

“You’re gorgeous!” Bree added.