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“I’m not tired.”
“Even if you aren’t, you need to catch up on it. No doubt you’re still healing from the past two days.” My hand roamed her body in hopes it would lull her into a nap. “Besides, we have the rest of the day to kill, and we can’t leave the forest. This trailer is safe. Why not snooze?”
“Because…”
Her voice was so small I barely heard it. I pressed my cheek to hers, burrowing closer, holding her tighter.
“Because,” she whispered. “I have never felt this liberated before. Being with you like this is the most freeing feeling I’ve ever experienced. It makes me feel like I can be my own person. I can finally see a life of potential ahead of me. One so far removed from my father, I’ll never have to think his name again.”
I wasn’t good at comforting people, especially women. Most MC bikers weren’t. The only love we had was our bikes and our honor to our club. Most of the women we encountered, we didn’t expect to last more than a one-night stand or two. Few found real love, like Jackson and Sam. Hell, none of us wanted kids in the picture, and now we had two on the way and couldn’t be more thrilled.
Given the way Caroline and I were both raised, neither of us was suited to be a therapist. I was better at listening and nodding. Maybe that was all she needed. But first, I needed to bare my soul, too.
“I’m not gonna let anyone own you again. Not your father, not that merc prick, not anyone. You’re yours now.”
Caroline twisted to look at me, wide-eyed. I knew my words struck a chord. The vulnerability in her eyes made something possessive curl in my gut like a beast awakening from a slumber.
I wrapped my arm around her torso, stroking the heavy velvet weight of her breast with my thumb. “I’ll let you fight your own fights, baby, but I swear on my patch, if anyone lays a fucking finger on you again, I’ll rip ‘em apart with my teeth.”
Her throat bobbed, but she wouldn’t let herself be sentimental. “I slept with you once?—”
“Twice, technically?—”
“Shut up. I sleep with you, and now you’re promising your heart to me?”
“My patch and my fists, spitfire,” I corrected teasingly, tilting her head by a knuckle under her chin to kiss her. “But I’m not going to protest?—”
Outside, the forest roared with bike engines.
I moved faster than my thoughts, flinging off the covers and grabbing the gun where I kept it under the mattress.
“I want one,” Caroline hissed, jerking upright.
I shook my head, annoying her, but I didn’t care. I slid off the bed and dropped low so as not to be seen by whoever was coming closer fast. I crept to the door and locked it quietly because my dumbass didn’t lock it earlier.
Nobody knew we were here. Nobody had any business showing up here.
Well, besides Grant and Gabriel.
My heart was pounding in my ears. Please let it be them. Please don’t let it be the Wolverines—or worse, Jackson.
Either way, a locked trailer door won’t do shit to keep anyone out who wants to come in. I glanced at Caroline to make sure she was safe in bed. She didn’t look scared, just tense and ready to fight. I didn’t blame her. I would rather be spooning a beautiful woman than listening for potential threats.
The bikes pulled into the clearing and shut off their engines. Male voices followed—casual conversation. Familiar voices.
Thank fuck.
I stood, relief washing over me, and put the gun away. I remembered I was buck naked the second Grant and Gabriel started pounding on the door. Caroline and I hurried to yank on our clothes.
“Open up,” Gabriel called in a singsong voice. “You’re being evicted.”
“Fuck off,” I snapped, slamming my fist on the door once. “Knock it off.”
“Can’t, buddy,” said Grant seriously. “Jackson knows you’re here and that Caroline is with you. You’ve got about two minutes to pack up and leave. Otherwise, you’re going to pass him on the road trying to get out of here.”
“Shit,” Caroline and I hissed at the same time.
Not. Good. At. All.