Page 35 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)

Faith

T he moment I came into consciousness all I felt was pain.

White-hot, blinding pain in my left side and my whole damn head.

I tried to open my eyes, slowly at first, but even the tiniest sliver of light caused more pain.

I tried to lift my arms to cover my eyes, but one hand was heavier, there was more pressure on it.

I gasped and opened my eyes despite the pain, needing to know what, or who, was holding me down. It took a moment until the blinding pain faded but when it did, the room was unfamiliar, but the figure was very familiar. “T-Bone,” I rasped out. “Where am I?”

He didn’t move. His head was tilted forward, chin resting on his chest, sound asleep with my hand still clutched in his.

“T-Bone,” I tried again, a little louder but my throat was dry. He didn’t stir so I squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back and then froze before his eyes snapped open and turned to me.

He sat up quickly, intensity in his eyes and relief sagging his shoulders. “Fuck. Faith. You’re awake.” He smiled. “You’re here.”

I couldn’t help it. I smiled. “I’m here.”

“How are you feeling?” He leaned forward and enveloped my hand in both of his. His gray eyes took in every detail of the trainwreck I knew I must’ve looked like.

“I feel like I got shot and beaten up.” I tried for levity but as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I was right back in the Shiloh Valley Forest with Nate and his biker goons.

Every moment replayed in quick flashes that gave me exactly the details I needed, or maybe the ones I was trying to forget.

“I killed Nate,” I stammered out slowly, not remembering the moment he died but knowing I’d stabbed him too many times for him to survive.

“I know.”

My gaze met his head on and there was no judgment there and no pity either.

“He had two bikers with him, I killed them too. I had to,” I insisted even though T-Bone hadn’t argued with me.

In fact, he hadn’t said anything. Tears pooled in my eyes.

“I knew I needed to do it because it was them or me. I didn’t hesitate but I hate that I had to do it, even if it was the Ghost Riders MC. ”

“You saved yourself Faith.” He squeezed my hand tight, his voice was thick and rough with emotion. “I’m damn glad you did. But the minute you’re better we’re going to have a serious fucking conversation.” The fierceness faded and turned to something else. “I got your message.”

My brows shot up, suddenly everything came into focus as I remembered my last conscious thoughts. “Gemma? You got her?”

He nodded, but I saw something, an emotion that I couldn’t read, flash over his face. Trying to sit upright, I asked, “What? What’s wrong?” but then a wave of dizziness had me lying on my back again. T-Bone was leaning over me, his expression concerned.

“Nothing’s wrong. You’ve been through a lot, take it easy for a few minutes, okay? She’s safe, I promise,” he said as he stroked my hair out of my eyes.

“So the message…” I started.

He smiled, “I’m glad you see me as something more than a biker and a criminal, because I see you as something more too, Faith.

” His lips brushed my knuckles and then he held my hand against his cheek.

“The last thing I wanted was to fall for a woman. For the past few years I seen brother after brother fall at the feet of a woman and don’t get me wrong, the girls are great.

But the process of them getting there? Brutal. ”

I tried for a laugh and pain ripped through me. “Oh damn that hurt.”

He got to his feet. “Do you need me to get Katey?”

“No.” We needed to have this talk and now was the perfect time. I was too exhausted, too happy to be alive, too emotional to wait. “Come. Sit.”

T-Bone studied me carefully, his expression wary and hopeful as he moved the chair closer to the bed and took my hands again. “I’m here.”

“I’m sorry. I misjudged you horribly.” I shook my head and tried to sit up again. My head was still spinning, and it took a few tries but I managed. “I took my negative feelings about Marcus and what he did to Chloe, and thought all bikers were like that.”

“I know that, Faith.”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t fair. You showed me every step of the way who you really are.

” He’d been by my side throughout all of this madness.

“Sure, you’re gruff and bossy and you can be overprotective as hell a lot of the time, but you were there for me.

You were strong and solid when I needed you to be and you backed off, mostly, when I needed you to. ”

He shrugged and looked away.

I laughed and the pain lessened this time.

“Don’t be embarrassed about it, I loved it.

I thought I couldn’t trust you. All of this time we spent together I still thought I couldn’t trust you but when I called and left that message I realized that I was wrong.

I’d been trusting you the whole time, I just hadn’t realized it. ”

“Faith,” he whispered. “I thought I lost you last night. I couldn’t find you and I was fucking furious.”

I smiled to myself. “You were scared and that’s okay. You were worried about me, which I needed because I wasn’t sure I would survive the night.”

He squeezed my hands tight. “Fuck.”

“But you know what was on my mind as I laid there on the forest floor, too exhausted to do anything to save myself other than attempt to call someone, anyone? You and Gemma. I was sad that I’d never see her again, that I’d never see you again.

I cried thinking I would die before telling you I’d fallen in love with you. ”

“Faith,” he groaned.

“I’m serious. The only thing that gave me peace was knowing you’d give Gemma the life she deserved.

” I could see it all so clearly now. “Because the man I’d fallen for, had given my heart to, was a lot of things, including honorable and trustworthy and kind.

” His cheeks turned pink, and I reached up to touch him.

“I was too scared or too stubborn to admit it to myself before last night. And when I thought I was going to die, the two people who meant the most to me in this world were on my mind.”

He leaned forward, his movements quick and careful as he hovered over me and cupped my face in his big hands. His forehead touched mine. “You came in here and you turned my whole damn world upside down and I’m not even mad about it.”

I smiled at his gruffly whispered words.

“You’re so damn strong but stubborn as hell, refusing to let anyone give a damn about you like you don’t think you’re worthy.

” His grip tightened, not enough to hurt just enough to make sure I was paying attention.

“You are worthy, Faith. You are so fucking worthy that I would move heaven and hell and burn down everything in between just to keep you safe.”

“Same.”

He smiled. “I didn’t want to love you. I fought it every goddamn step of the way, but every time I thought I put enough distance between us to keep that from happening, there you were, finding a new way to pull me back in.

” He laughed and shook his head. “I know you weren’t trying to make me love you, which somehow made me love you more. ”

My heart raced inside my chest. T-Bone’s intense expression was so raw and so filled with love I felt it all the way down to my bones. “I love you.”

He smiled. “Yeah, and I love you too. More than I ever thought I could love anyone outside my MC.”

I knew what those words meant to him. Those men weren’t just his friends, they were his brothers. His family. “Wow, that sounds pretty serious.”

He nodded. “It does, doesn’t it?” His kiss was soft and gentle but filled with a promise. “You know this means you’re stuck with me, don’t you?”

“That’s what I’m hoping.” I was breathless as I strained to reach his lips again. “You and me?”

“Fuck yeah, babe.” He pulled back and stood tall. “But it might be a few more people than just me and you, if that’s all right.”

I nodded. “I know you and your MC are a package deal. Just like me and Gemma. You found her, right? She’s really okay? You aren’t just saying that?”

“I did. She is.” He took my hands and pulled me up. “Think you can walk?”

My lips spread into a grin. “To see Gemma? Hell yeah!” It took a few minutes to get to my feet, but the pain wasn’t nearly as bad anymore. “I should probably talk to whoever stitched me, right?”

“The bullet sliced through the skin, but it didn’t hit anything. Let’s do this first, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, wrapping both of my arms around him because I could not because I needed to. “Let’s do this.” I swallowed hard, my mind racing as I went to greet my niece.