Chapter Twenty

Reynolds

I need a vacation. As much as I enjoy this job, I need time off to spend with my family.

“I think I need a couple of weeks off, brother.”

I send the text to Taylor as I wait for my replacement to arrive. I hate babysitting jobs. Put me on club security any time.

“Consider today your last day for the next month. Got a feeling you’re going to need it.”

Okay, not sure what he means by that, but I accept.

“Thanks.”

“How’s everything?” Bill asks.

“All quiet,” I answer, shaking his hand. “She’ll be out for the night. Took a Vicodin with a glass of wine.”

“Good. Her constant nagging that I’m not guarding her properly wears on my nerves. See ya.”

Wanting to get home to my family, I nod my goodbyes and hop on my bike. It’s cold outside, but I’m going to need the bite to wake my ass up. I’d like to spend time with my family before falling asleep for the next ten hours .

***

By the time I get home, it’s almost midnight, and I know everyone is asleep. So, I park my bike in the garage and make my way inside. Grabbing a beer out of the fridge, I take the time to remove my boots and jacket. As always, my beautiful woman has me a plate of food wrapped in foil on the table. Beside it sits a sticky note.

I missed you today. I love you.

So damn sweet. I pocket the note and make my way up the stairs.

I take my time, my thoughts on Freckles, the kids, and what life has been like since those hellish four days. It’s not perfect, but we’re making it work. I open the bedroom door quietly, not wanting to wake her. She’s always been an early riser, and I’m sure she’s exhausted after everything that’s gone down, even if it’s been two months since.

However, what I find inside isn’t what I expected.

“I’ve missed you,” Freckles says as she lays across the bed wearing my cut.

And only my cut.

“Fucking hell,” I groan.

I’ve wanted this woman under me since the moment we met, but I’ve been patiently waiting for her to make the first move. It will always be her choice. Always.

“This thing is heavier than it looks,” she giggles shyly. “But it smells just like you.”

“You’re killing me, baby,” I groan, adjusting my cock as it presses against my zipper.

“I can… I can help you with that,” she says, her face turning red.

“Is my baby shy all of a sudden?” I ask as I shut the door softly.

I can feel the tension in the air, thick and electric, as I take in the sight of Freckles lying there on our bed in nothing but my cut. Her eyes are a mix of uncertainty and longing, and it’s all I can do to keep my cool. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything, but I won’t rush her. This is her move, her choice, and I’ll be damned if I don’t respect that.

“You know,” I murmur as I walk toward the bed, “You’re making it real hard to keep my hands off you.”

She shifts a little, her fingers brushing against the leather of the cut, the scent of it clearly comforting her, making her feel closer to me. The sight of her in it, vulnerable and yet undeniably sexy, sends a rush of desire straight through me.

“I’m not shy,” she says softly, her voice laced with a nervous laugh. “Just… unsure.”

I sit beside her, my hand reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to be unsure with me, baby. You’re safe here. You know that, right?”

Her eyes meet mine, and I can see the battle inside her. She wants this, I can tell. But there’s still something holding her back, some fear that she’s fighting against.

“Freckles,” I say, my voice low and steady, “I’m not going anywhere. This is you and me. No more running. No more waiting. It’s just us.”

She bites her lip, then finally nods, her face flushing as she gives me that smile. The one that always gets to me. “Okay,” she whispers, “But I’m not gonna lie. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Then let me show you,” I reply, my voice thick with need. I pull her into my arms, feeling her body melt against mine as I kiss her slowly, deeply, as if to reassure her that it’s safe, that we can take this slow. There’s no rush.

Her hands move hesitantly, first to my chest, then lower, and I can feel her trying to match the intensity of the kiss, her confidence building with every second.

“Don’t think, Freckles,” I murmur against her lips. “Just feel.”

She responds by pulling back slightly, looking at me with wide eyes, a bit of the uncertainty fading away. “Okay,” she says again, her voice more confident this time, “Just feel.”

And then she kisses me back, with more urgency, more heat, and I know this is the moment we’ve both been waiting for. Slowly, carefully, we start to peel away the layers on my body, each movement deliberate but full of passion.

I can’t wait any longer. I need her.

But I’ll go at her pace because this is the woman I want forever.

“I’ve waited so damn long for this,” I whisper, moving her away just enough to unzip the cut. “I won’t hurt you, baby. Not ever. I want you to keep this on while I fuck you. But I want to see all of you while I do it.”

Her breath hitches, and I watch her eyes flicker with a mix of hesitation and desire. Slowly, she nods, her body a little tense as if she’s testing the waters, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she reaches up, fingers trembling as she touches the edge of the cut, keeping it in place.

I lean in close, my lips grazing her collarbone, my breath warm against her skin as I pull her closer. She exhales a shaky breath, but she doesn’t pull away. She’s trusting me, and that trust makes my chest tighten.

“I want to feel you, baby,” I murmur, my hands trailing under the cut and down the curve of her spine, following the gentle arch of her back until I reach her hips. I press her closer to me, and she lets out a quiet gasp, her hands resting on my shoulders for balance.

“Feel me,” she pants. “I’m yours.”

“Damn right, you are.”

With one hand still at her back, I slide the other to her thigh, lifting it slightly, urging her to open herself to me. Her body responds, her legs parting just enough, and the sight of her, so damn beautiful, so open, sends a rush of heat to my core.

“I’m not going to rush you, baby,” I whisper against her lips, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “This is all about you. All about us. But I need to taste you,” I murmur against her neck. “Desperate to taste you. Lay back, baby.”

She obeys, her chest rising and falling in quick breaths as she reclines against the bed. I watch her for a moment, taking in the curve of her body, the way she welcomes me, open and vulnerable. Her knees widen further, and I nearly lose myself in the beauty of her. She’s perfect in every way.

I drag my fingers down her stomach, tracing the soft lines of her skin, feeling her muscles tighten beneath my touch. My mouth follows the trace of my fingers as I kiss the path I make. I make my way down slowly, savoring the journey, until I reach her most delicious scent, a blend of warmth and desire that drives me wild.

Heaven.

I don’t hesitate. Leaning in, I take one long lick, letting my tongue explore her, tasting her like I’ve dreamed of for far too long. Her gasp rips through the air, and I can feel her body arch under my touch, her hips lifting as if she wants more.

“Fuck, you’re perfect,” I groan, pressing my mouth against her again, this time with more urgency. Her taste is everything I’ve imagined and more, and I lose myself in the way she responds to me, every flick of my tongue, every small movement of her hips, drawing me deeper into the moment.

She’s panting now, her hands gripping the sheets as she desperately tries to hold on. But I can feel her letting go, trusting me, and it drives me to keep going, to give her everything she needs.

I can hear her whispers now, her voice breaking as she tries to tell me she’s close. But I don’t stop. I only intensify my pace, determined to take her there, to make her feel how much I want her, how much I need her.

And when she finally breaks, when her body trembles under me, I hold her, my lips still on her, savoring every second of her release. She’s everything to me, and in this moment, I’m going to make sure she knows it.

I pull back for just a moment, my chest rising and falling, my breath ragged. Her body trembles beneath me, her skin flushed, and the need to be inside her completely burns through me like wildfire.

She looks at me, her eyes dark with desire, but there’s something else too. Trust. That’s what hits me the hardest. The way she’s giving herself to me, letting me in, letting me lead her.

“Are you sure?” I ask, my voice rough, my hands trembling as I hover above her. “We don’t have to rush.”

She looks up at me, her lips parted as she reaches for me, pulling me closer. “I want this. I want you.”

I feel my control slip, her words like gasoline on the fire inside me. I slide one hand to her waist, the other moving to position myself at her entrance, feeling the heat of her skin against mine.

“God, you feel so good,” I whisper, my voice hoarse, my body fighting to stay in control. Slowly, I push inside her, the sensation of her warmth surrounding me, nearly driving me crazy. She’s so tight, so perfect, and I fight the urge to bury myself in her all at once.

I move slowly, inch by inch, giving her time to adjust, watching her face as she reacts to the sensation. I’m not about to hurt her. Not now. Not ever.

“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, my forehead pressed against hers.

She nods, her body responding to mine, her fingers digging into my shoulders as she pulls me closer. “Yeah. I’m good. Please, don’t stop.”

At her words, I can’t hold back any longer. I push deeper, her body wrapping around me, taking me in, and a groan slips from my lips as I feel her tighten, squeezing me.

I start to move slowly at first, my pace steady but growing faster as the need for her builds inside me. Each thrust is met with a soft moan from her, her hands gripping me tighter as she matches my rhythm. Her body moves with mine, and I can feel the connection between us grow stronger, deeper, as if we’re becoming one.

I can’t stop now. Not when she’s so responsive, so fucking perfect beneath me. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m going to make sure she knows it and that she feels it in every single movement.

“God, Freckles,” I groan, my hands gripping her hips as I guide her with me. “You feel so good, so fucking perfect.”

Her eyes lock onto mine, her chest rising and falling in sync with mine, and I can see the moment she lets go, when she loses herself in me, in us. Her body trembles, and I feel the way she tightens around me, pulling me deeper. She’s so fucking close.

But I don’t want this to end. I want to make it last. I want to take her to the edge and back, show her just how much she means to me. But we have plenty of time for that.

“Let go, baby. I’ve got you,” I whisper, my lips brushing against her ear as I speed up, our bodies moving together in perfect rhythm.

I move faster, feeling the heat building inside me, the tension thickening with each passing second. Her nails dig into my back, pulling me deeper into her as she lifts her legs higher, wrapping them around my waist, urging me on.

“Come for me, baby,” I growl, pushing deeper, harder, the words slipping from my mouth before I can stop them. “Let go for me. I want you to feel everything.”

With a cry, her body goes rigid beneath me, her back arching off the bed as she comes apart, her walls tightening around me in the most mind-blowing way. It pushes me over the edge, and I can’t hold back anymore. I let go with a growl, spilling into her, my body trembling with the force of it.

For a long moment, we stay like that, tangled in each other, our breaths ragged, the world outside fading away. I bury my face in the crook of her neck, kissing her gently, trying to catch my breath.

When I pull back, she looks at me, her eyes soft but full of that same fire. She’s smiling, but there’s something deeper there, something I see every time I look at her.

“I love you,” she whispers, her hand resting against my cheek. “So much.”

And I know, in that moment, that this is it. This is forever.

“I love you too,” I reply, my voice full of raw emotion. “You’re mine, Freckles. Always will be.”

“It’s about damn time. But, next time, warn me so I can take my sister and go next door. You’ve ruined our ears for life.”

The heat of the moment slightly cools as I laugh at a disgusted Eli and an embarrassed Freckles.

“You got it, son,” I call out. “Here’s your warning now. Take your sister to your room and crank up the cartoons.”

“Gross,” he groans, and I hear him open Jessica’s door. “Come on, Butterfly. She’s wide awake, by the way. We need thicker walls.”

Laughing, I finally pull myself out of my woman and fall beside her.

“I’m mortified,” she whispers, her face blood red.

“You look sexy as fuck in my cut,” I say. “I’m gonna fuck you in the ass one day while you wear it. Or maybe one that says property of Reynolds. Yeah. Fuck yeah.”

“You’re an animal,” she laughs, but her face is no longer red.

“Love you, baby.”

“I know,” she smiles. “And I love you. By the way, I came to a realization earlier today.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

Instead of answering, she simply holds out her right hand and wiggles her ring finger. It takes several moments before it hits me.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I groan.

“You probably could have found us within hours,” she smiles. “Had you just remembered the ring you got me.”

“I can’t believe I forgot about that,” I say. “I can’t believe we all forgot about it.”

“In our defense, I just got before everything went down,” she says. “So, it’s really no big surprise that we all forgot.”

“I could have gotten to you days faster.”

“Maybe so,” she smiles, cuddling against my chest. “But, I believe everything happens for a reason. If I hadn’t spent those days with Steel, he and I wouldn’t be best friends. And that simply wouldn’t do.”

“I guess so,” I say, but I’ll never forgive myself for not remembering that damn ring. On the plus side, I get to watch her torture Steel for the rest of our lives with her best friend dates. A memory of walking in on them both with facials on makes me chuckle. In the end, our life now is what’s important. So, I’ll come to bed each night and hold her tightly, just as I am now.

As I lay here, watching the pieces of our lives fall into place, I know one thing for sure: the echoes of danger will never fully fade. They’ll always be there, lingering in the background, reminding us of everything we’ve fought for. But what I’ve learned through it all is that love, loyalty, and the will to protect those we care about are stronger than any threat. The danger may have passed, but the lessons will stay with me, and as long as I have this woman by my side, those echoes will only remind me of how far we’ve come and how much we’ve survived. They will simply be… Echoes.

The End