Page 140 of Tracking Luxe

“From the way you’re looking at me, I think you just did.”

“Every part of me belongs to you, from forehead to dick. If you want it.”

Luxe chuckled. “Has anyone ever accused you of being a smooth romantic? That’s quite the offer. I would have taken the beard.”

“Not my enormous junk?” he smirked lecherously enough to make her chuckle, his chest over-pouring with love.

“I see that concussion didn’t dampen your ego.”

Those words, bigger than anything either have ever spoken before, bounced between them as if they’re the only words they can speak anymore. Fucks sake, he was happy.

Grinder moaned them.

Luxe begged them.

Inside feral kisses that tasted like forever.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

“My old lady is a volatile thief. I win.” - Grinder

A burly shadow filled the hospital room doorway several hours later. Grinder had no idea of the time, Luxe had confiscated his cell phone one of the boys dropped off so he’d sleep. With her curled up against his ribs, her bare feet tucked into his calf and her hand rested on his belly he’d only dozed a little.

He had too much on his aching mind.

The nurse had checked on him a bit ago to give him pain pills, eyed Luxe on the bed and he only shook his head. There was no removing his woman. He needed her where he could see her. Still not recovered from seeing her there tonight, or was it yesterday now? Fuck knows.

On one end of the spectrum his girl loved him. The other was going to be the fallout of just what Rider had to agree to for Grinder to be here holding his girl. Fuck.

There was no panic seeing the body in the doorway. Grinder recognized the man. “Pop. I told you I was good, you didn’t have to come.” He spoke quietly. The only light came from a small yellow lamp hung above his head.

“I hear my boy is in the hospital, you think I’m staying home to grill steaks? Your uncle is parking the Rig. I had to stop your aunts from coming, they’ll fuss over you at home, fair warned.” Dylan Frazier was a gruff, gentle graying man of sixty and Grinder smiled as his Pop leaned over and kissed his forehead like he was four years old again. “Rider said you’re doing okay. You can tell me all about it.” His eyes flit to Luxe and Grinder found himself inhaling pride for his girl, dying to introduce her but that would have to wait, she was exhausted and he wasn’t waking her if he could help it. “First, you can tell me all about this lovely girl. She’s yours, I take it?”

Emotion caught at Grinder unexpectedly. His arm tightened around her. She stirred but didn’t wake. “Yeah, she’s mine. This is Luxe, Pop. She’s a firecracker.”

His dad chuckled pulling the chair nearer to the bed. “The good ones usually are, Son. Keeps you busy.” He smiled sadly. They were both thinking of his mom. Grinder had thought he’d dealt with her leaving them both all those years ago and then dying suddenly in a car accident a few years after that, but it had taken loving Luxe to realize he’d only masked it in the club, in his shady work, booze, women, anything so he didn’t attach himself to anyone else.

Was that the same way for his dad, he wondered? He’d never remarried. Only had a handful of not so serious girlfriends over the years. Was he still pining for the lost love? Fuck, he hoped not. It twisted his guts. His dad was still young enough to have that someone special in his life. Loving Luxe was opening his damn idiot eyes to a lot of new things.

“She’s moving in.” He announced.

“In that tiny shithole you call a condo?” Grinder grinned. His dad said it like it was. The condo wasn’t good enough for his girl, he agreed. “We’ll house hunt for something better. Jerry knows a guy.” His uncle knew a guy for everything. No doubt he’d get Grinder a good deal. And that was fine by him.

“Despite you looking like ground beef, you look happy.” He noted quietly. Those dad eyes of his saw everything.

Luxe stirred once again in her sleep, her hand pushing through the blanket he had over her and crawled up his chest until her fingers were touching the side of his neck, she settled and resumed her sleep.

His dad watched it all.

“Yeah, I am.” He really was.

Being in love with a thief never felt so good.

******

A few miles away inside the Renegade Souls compound two serious presidents conversed.

"I helped get your boy back, I hope you know we're square now, Rider, you don't have a favor to call in anymore."