36. Skylar

Chapter 36

Skylar

Two Days Later

I stare up at the ceiling of mine and Torin's new room at the clubhouse. Okay, it's actually the room I was assigned on lockdown. Torin wasn't exactly thrilled about giving up his old room. I can't help it. I threw a fit and refused to stay in a room where he had fucked a million other women. Admittedly, that number is definitely embellished, but I told him if I stayed in a room where I knew he had put his dick in other women, my pussy would probably dry up like the Sahara Desert and I'd never be able to have sex again. After a short stare down, I won that argument.

Life has been pretty good since we got back to Kentucky. There's still no word on Mattie. I refuse to give up hope he's coming home. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. Maybe Dad's right and I'm just extra stubborn. We're going to head down to North Carolina at the end of the week and scour the area. I'm hoping we can turn up something. I've decided to go door to door. I'm not sure Torin's a fan of that decision, but he's going to help me.

"What are you thinking about, Peaches?"

"A lot of stuff," I murmur, snuggling into him as he plays with my hair. "We've had a lot going on and I guess I was just trying to think it all over."

"Are you looking forward to going to North Carolina?" he asks, and I nod.

"It's probably a silly hope, but I'm praying I can do something to uncover where my brother is. I just can't shake the feeling that he's alive somewhere and needs us."

"You still need to prepare yourself for bad news, too, baby."

"I don't," I tell him stubbornly. He kisses my forehead but doesn't argue any longer.

"I do have a question for you," he murmurs a minute or two later.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Well, I know when we get back we're going to start looking at apartments?—"

"I know! I can't wait. It'll be our own place. No more quiet sex."

Torin laughs at me, his head thrown back and looking so beautiful that it takes my breath for a minute.

"Babe, you don't know how to have quiet sex. Last night you had the hounds outside howling you were so loud."

I slap him on the chest. "I did not! You take that back."

"Baby, you did. Shit, Killer is still asking me why we are fighting over paint colors if we're just going to move out anyway."

I blush so deeply that my face feels like it's on fire. When we got back from Diego's funeral, Torin and I had a frank discussion about the Dom and sub relationship. It's a lot different from what I had imagined. I can even admit that it suits me really well. That could have more to do with the fact that I'm doing this with Torin. I can't imagine giving anyone else the trust I've given him. Anyway, he assigned me the safe word Burnt Sienna . It made me roll my eyes, but I had to admit, I kind of liked it, too. During our first session, I used that word often. I didn't use it because he hurt me. No, it was the opposite. My man was overloading me on passion, and I thought I might black out. Torin took great pleasure in punishing me for stopping our play for the wrong reason. Heck, my ass is still tender. Although, honestly, I liked the punishment almost as much as the rewards he gives me.

"Then, I guess we can't have sex again until we've moved into our own place."

"Bullshit. You like my dick too much to go without it." I frown at him, but I don't argue, because he's not exactly wrong.

"Jerk," I mutter, making him chuckle and squeeze me tighter.

"Quit distracting me, woman. Now, as I was trying to explain. Since we're going to move anyway, would you rather we look for a place in Cincy that's close to campus for you? I can always transfer to the club there."

"Are you nuts?" I ask, thinking my man has completely lost it.

"What? It would be easier. You'll be going back there for school and I'm not about to stay away from you for long periods at a time."

"You are absolutely not transferring to Cincy. I love Wheeler and the guys, but there's no fucking way we're leaving Kentucky. I don't want you to give up the club. Besides, with Mattie missing, they need you."

"Baby, how am I supposed to live only seeing you on the weekends? Fuck, neither one of us could survive that scenario."

"It's just a little over two hours in distance. People have longer commutes than that. We'll make it work somehow. After this semester is over, I can transfer to UK. Lexington isn't a bad drive."

"If you're sure," he says, studying me to see if I'm lying.

"Positive," I answer with a grin.

"We may need an apartment there and here—at least until you transfer. That way, I can be with you when you can't come home."

"Torin, that's just a waste of money. There's no point in having two apartments. Cincy really isn't that far away."

"Peaches, your man is a full member of the club. It's not like I'm hurting for money."

"That's not the point. It's stupid to pay for two places to live. Rent isn't exactly cheap."

He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Then we'll rent a place here and stay at the club in Cincy when we need to. That is, if you can handle seeing me around Debbie."

"Debbie better stay the fuck away from you. I'll kill the bitch if she gets within shouting distance of you."

Torin grins at me. Dumbass man loves it when I'm possessive. "Damn, you're hot when you're jealous, baby."

"Shut up and kiss me, you big dummy. We both need some sleep."

He gives me a quick kiss but stops it before we can delve in deeper—leaving me disappointed. "Oddly enough, I'm not that tired," he answers, as I look up at him

"It's like two in the morning. How are you not dragging?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" I ask, completely shocked.

He winks at me, then reaches over to the nightstand and pulls out two boxes from the nightstand. They're black velvet. One is a rectangle and much bigger. The other is small. I stare at it and my heart jumps into my chest. He grabs the smallest first, opening it and turning the box so I can look.

I grab it quickly. Not quite believing how exquisite it is. It's a wedding ring set. The actual wedding ring is just a rose gold band, but there are little clusters of diamonds. The engagement ring has a massive princess cut diamond and is also made of rose gold. I've never seen anything so beautiful.

I look up at Torin, his face blurry because of my tears. I had no idea he was even thinking about marriage. "Tor …"

"You're mine, Skylar. I want you tied to me in every way imaginable."

"Baby—"

"You will need to decide what you want for a wedding. I'm good with whatever you want. I just want you legally mine. I want to create our home together. I spent a lifetime in foster homes and my life not being in my own control. I need you to be tied to me in every way I can get you."

"Tor? Don't get mad at me, but I think I want to wait until we get word on Mattie. It just wouldn't feel right."

"Baby, I know you're positive Breaker is going to return to us, but what if?—"

I cut him off by putting my fingers against his lips. "If we don't turn up anything soon, we'll worry about it then. But I already belong to you. I don't need a marriage license to tell me what I know is already true in my heart."

"I thought that would be your thoughts on the matter. I planned for it, actually."

"You did?"

"Hm … That's why we'll put your engagement ring on now and save the band for whenever you're ready to say I do," he says with a wink. I watch as he gently pulls the engagement ring from the box and slides it onto my ring finger. It's a perfect fit. I'm not sure why that surprises me. My man is perfection.

"I love it, Tor. Almost as much as I love you," I whisper through my tears, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him with everything I have. The kiss lasts for a good bit, but just as it's getting really good, he pulls back. "Baby!"

His eyes sparkle as he grins at me. "Patience, brat. I still have one more gift."

"You're spoiling me."

"I'm going to spend a lifetime doing that, Peaches," he murmurs, reaching for the rectangular box.

"I kind of knew that you wouldn't want to get married just yet. So, I planned ahead. I know you said you wouldn't wear my collar, but I'm hoping you were saying no because you envisioned a thick black leather one and everyone asking you a million questions. The one I picked out is a little different. It's not made for bedroom play. It's more symbolic. It's also as meaningful as a wedding ring to me, because I've never wanted to let anyone close to me before you. I've never had anyone in my life I cared about until I found the Savage Brothers. When I got my first taste of you, I knew you were all I would ever want or need. Then, in the blink of an eye, I thought I lost you. When I say I love you, Skylar, it in no way encompasses how I truly feel, because there just aren't words invented. You're my world, and I'm thankful just to be beside you. It's where I want to be for the rest of my life."

"Torin," I whimper, tears falling down my face as I stare at him. "God, I feel the same exact way about you. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you never regret being with me."

"I never could. Still, I wanted to give you something special. I had this made for you. It's a collar, but a little different from what you might have imagined. It's called a discreet collar. Most people won't even know the true meaning behind it. Yet, those that do will know that you belong to me," he explains.

I hold my breath. I'm not quite sure what to expect. When he opens the lid, I can't stop the gasp that comes out. It's a beautiful gold chain. There's a gold ring that's attached on each side of the chain by diamond encrusted infinity symbols.

"This collar is not for play time. If you ever get curious about that, we can look into them. This is more to show my devotion to you and yours to me. It tells the world that we belong together. When we're able to get away. I'll get Venom to ink me, showing the world that we're together and that I'm devoted to you."

"I want that soon," I whisper, anxious to have anything on him that shows he's mine completely. He gives me a knowing smile and kisses my lips, sucking the bottom one into his mouth and playing with it with his tongue, before releasing it. "Will you put the collar on me?" I ask.

"Turn around and hold your hair up for me, baby."

I eagerly do as he asks, not wanting to go another minute without it on my body. He puts it on me, and I shiver as the heavy gold—which is cool to the touch—rests on my heated skin. I reach up and touch it delicately. I might be new to all of this, but I know how significant it is to wear his collar. I know how Torin grew up bouncing from an orphanage to foster homes and back and forth a million times. He's declaring that I'm where he belongs. That I'm his family, the one he will always love. It's a gift that I will never take lightly.

I slowly turn to face him, tears still slowly trailing down my cheeks. "How does it look?"

"Like you're overdressed," he complains.

He reaches down and gathers the hem of his tee that I'm wearing. In one quick and efficient movement, he lifts it over my head, leaving me completely naked and my breasts bouncing from the force of him undressing me. Torin's gaze is centered on my breasts. He reaches out a finger and slides it carefully over the chain. He just keeps staring as the silence wraps around us.

"Tor?"

He looks up at me, his eyes dark and intense. "You look good enough to eat, Peaches."

I moisten my lips as I feel the throbbing ache inside of me spring to life. I need my man. "I've been thinking, Tor," I respond softly.

"About what, baby?"

"I was thinking that we could try to test a few of my boundaries and make sure I know how to properly use the new safe word you gave me."

I watch as his entire face lights up. "Don't forget your safe word," he warns me.

"I got a really good feeling that I won't need it tonight. I've got a man who I know I'll be safe with for the rest of my life," I respond.

"Is that a fact?"

"Yeah, so, show me what you got, big boy."

"Assume the position on the bed, brat. Spread those legs and present that sweet little cunt to me," he orders, and I swear desire rolls over me in waves.

"Yes, Sir," I say at once, and my instant reward is the look of unadulterated pleasure all over my man's face.

He flattens his hand and slaps it against my pussy, making sure to include my clit in his slap. "Hold that pretty little cunt wide open, Peaches."

"Anything for you," I vow, and as his face presses against me and his tongue goes to work, giving me pleasure upon pleasure, I know in my heart that I've never meant those words more in my life.

I'd do anything for this man—absolutely anything.