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The strength to surrender. To rely on someone other than myself. The strength to take a risk of trusting someone again.

“I love you, Travis. You make me feel whole. Like I can conquer anything with you beside me.”

He didn’t respond, and it amazed me how he knew I didn’t need him to. He just held me tighter. Which was exactly what I needed.

Words were important; they had meaning. But sometimes they weren’t enough. Sometimes it was the things that were said in the quiet. The actions that spoke so much louder than words ever could.

Sometimes those actions had the power to destroy. A harsh glance or a sneer. Turning your back on the people you love.

But sometimes, when you found the right person; their actions had the power to restore your faith. A hug, a kiss. A helping hand when you needed a lift up, physically and metaphorically.

A sensual night of love making to show the other person you love them when they’re too stubborn to listen to the words.

Who would have thought that a chance encounter, a hard and fast fuck in a dirty bar bathroom, would be the catalyst to finding the one person in the world I could give my life to without fear?

Who would have thought that the man I ran from, because I let my past trauma create a red flag where there wasn’t one, would be the one to help me heal that trauma?

Certainly not me.

Some people believed life was what you made it. While others believed your life was predetermined and that no matter what choices you made, fate would always step in and direct you back to where you needed to go.

I used to be one of the former. But after the last few months, I couldn’t help but question what Travis said about not having a choice. That our destination was inevitable. That fighting fate was pointless.

“You’re thinking awfully hard. Did I not fuck you enough?”

His dick twitched at my giggle and it only made me laugh more. “That was not fucking.” I looked up at him with a smile. “That was making love. Something I’ve never done before.”

“Me either,” he said. “But fuck, if it wasn’t the best goddamn time of my life.”

I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to tell him everything I was feeling. Everything I wanted for us. But when he rolled me over and kissed me, shoving his tongue in my mouth to explore, every thought disappeared. All that was left was the feeling.

Travis did that. He had that power to take everything away. Every hurt, every tear, every unpleasant thing in my life. I wanted to do the same for him. But first, I wanted to make him feel what I was feeling.

Pushing on his shoulders, he rolled to his back, and I swung my leg over, straddling his belly. His cock was hard and nestled against my ass. Of course, any thought I had of taking control was quickly dashed away when Travis growled and said, “Ride my fucking cock, Princess.”

What could I do but obey?

Chapter Fifty-One

Melissa

The smell of bacon permeated the air. My muscles pulled as I stretched under the thick comforter on the bed. Reaching over, I searched for Travis, knowing he wasn’t there.

Who would be cooking bacon if not him?

Tiptoeing out of the bedroom, I snuck into the bathroom to take care of the morning necessities before joining Travis in the kitchen.

The sound of his angry voice halted my steps.

“I told you no, goddammit.”

I wondered if it was King on the other end of the line.

“I’m not asking her that.”

This was about the club. I leaned in the doorway, careful not to make a sound.

“Because it’s not what she fucking needs. Why don’t you worry about your own fucking old lady?” Another pause. “And whose fucking fault is that?”