Chapter Fifteen

Bullet

With Stormy’s driving, I’d be lucky not to have a punctured lung by the time we got to the MC. There wouldn’t be anything left for Willow to patch up.

“Slow and easy, brown eyes.” Labored breaths gusted over my lips. Sweat soaked my back, dripped along my bruised lats, and smeared with the blood on my chest. Every fucking bone in my body hurt, including my dick. Fuck, but she was fire. She’d charged into that building, a badass Heller, and faced her enemy.

Fucking slayed her enemy because she gave Kodiak time to get into position and the Hellers time to arrive. I’d reach for her hand, but she gripped the steering wheel with both. Her gaze darted left and right, and she continued to check the rearview mirror. “Talk to me, Stormy.”

“Okay.” Night surrounded the outside of the vehicle, and the lights from the dashboard reflected in her eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”

I laughed and winced from the pain.

“Sorry,” she coyly said. “I know what you want to talk about, but I don’t know what to say. ”

“He’s dead. You got no reason to keep looking over your shoulder.”

Tears slipped onto her cheek. “I know.” She wiped her face with her fingertips, then grabbed the steering wheel again. “But you’re hurt. Blue is hurt. Kiss is hurt. Everyone is going to blame me, as they should. I blame myself.”

“I hate to break it to you, but as far as fights go, this one was fairly one sided.” I tried to breathe shallow and even.

“If Kodiak hadn’t been there, this would’ve ended differently.” More tears fell from her eyes. “Barras would’ve killed you.”

“How am I supposed to be pissed at him for putting you anywhere near Barras when the asshole put himself on the line for both of us?”

Her brows furrowed. “You can’t. And he had nothing to do with my being in the warehouse.” She cast a quick glance in my direction. “I had to go.”

Cars and bikes filled the lot of the MC. Stormy drove up to the oil drum and hit the brakes.

“Ah, fuck,” I said, wrapping my arm around my torso.

“Sorry. Stay put, and I’ll get someone to help you inside.” She slipped out of the car and ran into the MC. A moment later, Romeo rushed out with Steele and Murph. Bristol hurried out with Lacey and Clover. Then the crew of Heller girls rushed out.

“Be careful,” Stormy said.

Jinx joined them. “How bad?”

“Just a scratch,” I said.

“He’s lying. He’s hurt.” Stormy’s eyes were red and swollen. Bristol wrapped an arm around her .

Levi stood next to her. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head.

Romeo squatted in the open passenger doorway. “You ready?”

I carefully swung my legs out the door. “Yeah.”

“On the count of three.”

I braced my hands on Romeo’s shoulders, and he wedged under my arm.

“One. Two. Three.”

I thrust with my legs. Romeo took the brunt of my weight and hauled me to my feet.

I roared as pain tore through my ribs.

“I said be careful,” Stormy snapped. “Hurt him, and I’ll hurt you.”

“She’s a bit of a scrapper.” Steele laughed and braced my right side. Romeo took my left and ushered me into the MC.

Stormy followed us down the hall to Blade’s room.

Willow burst into the room. “Any bullets, stab wounds, gashes, cuts, or broken bones?”

Romeo and Steele shifted me onto the bed.

“Got a couple of broken ribs,” I said.

“Then don’t lay him flat,” she said to Romeo.

“I’ll get more pillows.” Levi slipped out of the room.

Willow ran her hands over my ribs, and Stormy kneeled on the floor and removed my boots.

“You should be at the hospital,” Stormy said.

“You have a smart cookie here,” Willow said to me and winked at Stormy. “He won’t go.”

“We’ve been here before,” I said .

“Ice for the ribs and bandages for the blood.” Willow’s lips pursed. “But if you get a fever or shortness of breath, you’re going.”

Levi brought in pillows, left them on the bed, then cleared everyone from the room. “Do you need me?” she asked her mom.

“I’m good. Thank you, sweetheart. But will you keep an eye on Blue?”

Levi nodded and stepped out of the room.

With my boots off, I braced a hand on Willow’s shoulder and gingerly stood. “I’m not one to question your judgment, but do you think it’s smart to put Levi in with Kiss? Kiss hasn’t been good to your girl.”

“Kiss left.” Careful to hold me steady, Willow glanced down at Stormy. “Jeans need to come off.”

Stormy scrambled onto her knees, lowered the zipper of my jeans, and peeled them down my legs. Without saying a word, her brown eyes spoke to me and my dick wanted in on the conversation. Willow didn’t need to see me popping an erection, but I couldn’t control my reactions to Stormy.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“Good to see not all of you is broken.” She smirked. “You’re not going to be able to use it for a few weeks.”

I sat, and Stormy finished removing my jeans. Wearing my boxers, I gritted my teeth and leaned back against the pillows.

“Nothing to do for broken and bruised ribs except ice and rest. The cuts will heal.”

“What happened with Kiss?” Stormy asked.

Willow washed the blood from my chest. “I was in the room with Blue when she came in and told him she was leaving. He tried to reason with her. I tried to talk to her.” She dug into her suitcase of supplies for antiseptic. “He didn’t want her to go.”

I glanced at Stormy. I understood the shit going through Blue’s head. Stormy didn’t have a reason to run anymore. Fuck, but I wanted to be her reason to stay. There wasn’t a lot of good in my past. But I wanted to be good enough for her. She must have seen the question in my eyes.

“I’m not leaving,” she mouthed.

Willow bandaged my nipple, cleaned the cuts on my face, and sat on the edge of the bed. She ran her hands over my ribs, pressed against my abdomen, and checked my vitals. “Bullet. I’m serious. Nausea, fever, or chills you need to come in for internal scans. You could have internal damage and bleeding.”

“Got it, doc.”

“I’m going to get some ice. Then you’re in bed. Do you want a painkiller?”

I grimaced and repositioned on the pillows. “Just some of your future son-in-law’s weed.”

Willow rolled her eyes and left.

“You know this is crazy, right?” Stormy sat next to me.

“Hundred percent.” I curled my hand around her neck and brought her mouth to mine. I kissed her, sipping her lips, sucking her tongue, and breathing in her sweet scent of vanilla and wildflowers. “Never again, Stormy. I can’t fucking lose you.”

Careful of my ribs, she lay next to me. “I already told you. I had to go. ”

“Kodiak was there. Rogue and the guys were on their way.”

She laced her fingers with mine. “Maybe, but I love you, and I couldn’t just do nothing.”

“Ah, fuck, brown eyes.” I ignored the pain and kissed her. She fucking loved me. I couldn’t fucking breathe without her.

“Bullet, wait.”

“I need inside you.” My dick strained against my boxers.

“You just told Willow you’d listen to doctor’s orders.”

“I did, but she didn’t know you were going to marry me and let me put babies in you.”

She laughed. “I think you need further examination. You’re hallucinating.”

A knock sounded on the door.

“Don’t move.” Stormy climbed off the bed, crossed the room, and opened the door.

“Willow said he’s patched up. I need to see him.” Scarlett tried to step into the room, but Stormy blocked her way, partially closed the door, and then she glanced over her shoulder at me.

A white gauze bandage covered my left breast where my nipple piercing had ripped from my skin. Blues, purples, and reds created a watercolor of bruises across my torso. Scarlett had seen me busted up after a fight. I’d been in her bed. We’d partied and fucked around together. Never again.

I couldn’t protect Stormy from my past, but I sure as fuck wasn’t going to give her a reason to doubt our future .

I was covered by my boxers, but my dick and my body belonged to her. Not Scarlett or any other woman belonged in a bedroom with me. But I didn’t want Stormy fighting my battles. I’d need to have a conversation with all of them.

“I know they’re worried,” Stormy said. “Do you want me to assure them you’re okay?”

I nodded. “But I need to start setting boundaries with the girls.” I was never going to be in a bedroom with another woman, except maybe Willow because she was stitching me back together. I was a changed man, but I was still a fighter.

Stormy smiled, stepped into the hall, and closed the door.

“Are you going to get out of my way?” Scarlett asked.

I heard their conversation through the door.

“No. He needs to rest.”

“What’s going on?” Bristol was getting in on the conversation.

I carefully slid my legs over the side of the bed.

“I’m going to stay out of his business,” Stormy said. “I trust him with you, Bristol, and the other girls. I’m not taking him away from you. He’s a good man, but he’s my man.”

My head was spinning but had nothing to do with the concussion. I loved hearing her get territorial and shit over me.

Scarlett laughed. “Do you think he’s going to be monogamous?”

Fuck, yeah, I was. I was going to ride my woman as hard as I rode my bike. I wanted to feel her wrapped around my dick, wet and coming, with her nails clawing my back.

“He doesn’t just belong to you,” Scarlett continued.

“He’s been hers for months.” Bristol was still coming to Stormy’s rescue. “We just didn’t know it. She’s the only one who’ll be riding his dick.”

Bristol understood me well.

“He cares about you, Scarlett,” Stormy said. “Don’t ask him to choose between us because he already has.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“I’m his old lady.”

“And she’s a badass, grand theft auto Heller,” Romeo said. “This is enough for a couple of joints. Let me know if you need me to roll for him.”

I preferred a pipe. Maybe I could get Stormy to smoke a bowl with me. If I could get her high, I could get her to ignore Willow’s warnings and ride my dick.

“Thanks.” After a moment, she asked, “Are we done?”

“He’s changed because of you.” I could hear Scarlett’s tears. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I fucking loved Stormy. “He doesn’t call any of us his kittens anymore. Only you. Why should I care if he doesn’t?”

A few seconds of silence followed the footsteps fading down the hall.

“He still cares,” Stormy said.

“But not the way he cares about you. Scarlett will get over it.”

“She’s going to have to. I’m not going anywhere. ”

“Good. I love you, girl. Bullet has always taken care of us,” Bristol said. “It’s about time someone takes care of him.”

Stormy came back into the room, climbed onto the bed, sat with her legs crossed, and handed me the baggie of weed. “Did you hear?”

“Did I hear my woman be labeled a Heller, an old lady, and accused of grand theft auto? Fuck, yeah, I did. We can add you’re a terrible shot with a Glock and shit behind the wheel. But you give great head, taste like fucking heaven, and you’re feisty as fuck.”

And she was mine.

“I love you.” She leaned in and kissed me.

I’d dreamed of her for months, of the woman who’d fiercely protected those girls. I wanted to chase the fear from her beautiful brown eyes. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to make my little old house a home with her. She was fucking everything I claimed I’d never have. I wanted everyone to know she chose me. I wanted the fucking ring on my finger. The one I swore I’d never wear.

She made me want to be a better man. I didn’t just want her to be my wife. I wanted to be her husband.