Chapter 35

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FIVE

DILLION

I’m bored.

Beyond bored.

I hate that, too. I can’t remember the last time I was truly bored. Usually, I try to keep myself busy. I’ve got plenty to do around my house, usually. And if I don’t, I find something to clean. I’ve never been one to be bored.

But right now… I’m bored.

Completely and totally.

Staring at the ceiling, I wonder what is going to happen next. How long will I be stuck in here with nothing to do? I think about getting a book again but decide against it. I’m not a big reader. I like mysteries and smutty books, but I’m not really in the mood.

I’m not in the mood for anything right now. Not sleep, not books, not sex. Nothing. Forcing myself to sit up, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stand. Then I walk over to the window and glance down at the ground.

Nothing, nobody, it’s desolate out there. I’m not sure why I have to stay in here and can’t feel the warmth of the sun against my body. Feeling frustrated, alone, and just plain lonely, I make my way out of the room and down the hall.

I move toward the back of the bar and glance around, but nobody else is there. It’s as empty inside of this room as it is outside in the parking area. So why can’t I go outside? I need some sunshine. It’s been a couple of days since I’ve felt some. I need to feel it warm my skin.

Standing at the back door, I look behind me to see if anyone is watching. I feel like a little kid. Like I’m going to get my hand slapped the moment I push this door open. The moment I feel the sun touch my face, I need more.

I move outside. I know I was told not to. I know I shouldn’t go against Humble’s warnings… but I don’t care right now. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not doing anything stupid. All I’m doing is getting a little sun, then I’ll head back inside.

Nothing bad could possibly happen…

Which is everyone’s final thought before shit goes down, right?

I’m not sure I care enough about that, though. This sun, it feels too damn good. There are two Adirondackchairs with a little table between them. Sinking down in one of them, I lean back and close my eyes with a heavy sigh.

The sun is so warm, probably too warm, but I don’t care. I soak it up, every freaking ray. When I hear the rumbling of a motorcycle and then realize it’s more than one, I turn my head to the side and watch as five bikes ride down the club’s driveway.

Shit.

I recognize one of those bikes immediately.

It’s Humble. There’s no pretending I wasn't out here. He’s already seen me. His attention is focused on me. I watch as he veers away from his brothers and rides around to where I am, stopping and throwing his leg over his seat before he angrily stomps in my direction.

Instead of standing up from the chair, I stay where I am and crack one eye open. Smiling up at him, I decide to pretend I’m not doing anything wrong. I don’t really feel like explaining myself or arguing. I just wanted some sunshine. It’s as simple as that.

“What the fuck are you doing out here?” he demands the moment he’s close enough that I can hear him.

Keeping my smile in place, I watch him for a moment in silence before I respond. “I’m getting some sun,” I say.

I watch as he reaches up, grabs the side of his glasses, and rips them off his face. Humble’s gaze narrows on me, and he looks completely exasperated. I don’t blame him. I know I can be a bit much, but at the same time, I’m essentially a prisoner, and I miss the sun.

“You couldn’t sit by a fucking window? Instead, you’re out here completely exposed.”

“Exposed to what?” I snap. “There is nothing here.”

He shakes his head once, growing more annoyed by the second. I can see it in his eyes, in his face. I know I’ve pissed him off by coming outside. I don’t care, though. This is where I want to be, and I know I’m not doing anything wrong.

I’m right outside the back door, and the club is empty anyway, so it’s not like I had a guard or anything. If I’m in danger out here, I’m sure as shit in danger inside, too. He lets out a heavy sigh and crosses his arms over his chest as he stares at me.

“You better get your ass inside.” His words come out in a low growl.

I stand to my feet but don’t make a move to go back inside. Instead, I cross my own arms over my chest and look up at him. He arches a brow, clearly done with my shit.

I still don’t care, though.

“You want your fucking head blown off?” Humble barks.

I blink, staring at him, surprised by his outburst. I have no clue why he’s being this way. I open my mouth to ask him what the hell he’s talking about when he closes the distance between us in a single breath.

“There’s a fucking bounty on your head, babe,” he grinds out. “They’re supposed to take you alive, but I have no doubt they’d kill you if they had the chance.”

A bounty.

On.

My.

Head.

“What does that mean?” I demand.

He reaches out and wraps his arm around my back, then hauls me against his chest. Placing my hands on his pecs, I tilt my head back to look up into his eyes. Humble dips his chin, touching my lips as he speaks.

His voice comes out low and sexy. “It means someone wants you. They want to take you, use you, kill you, I’m not sure. They just want you, and it’s a way to get to me, but I won’t allow that shit. However, you put yourself in danger, and I can’t fucking protect you.”

I open my mouth to respond, but I have no clue what to say. His words scare me, and not just a little bit. I’m not sure why anyone would want to take me. I hold zero value. Sure, my grandfather and brother used to be someone, but they’re gone.

“I don’t understand,” I whisper.

I feel his tongue slide across my bottom lip, and then he lifts his head, his eyes searching mine. “It’s all bullshit, and we’re going to make sure nothing happens to you, but you need to stay inside the clubhouse so I can keep you safe, so we can keep you safe.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” I whisper.

His mouth brushes mine as he murmurs. “It’s okay, baby. I fucking get it. I couldn’t be cooped up like that, either.”

CLINK

The sun is hot, so fucking hot that sweat slides down my back. We need to get into the clubhouse. Dillion is exposed out here. Anything could happen to her. Slipping my hand away from her back, I cup the side of her throat, my thumb sliding up and down the column of her neck.

Searching her gaze, I dip my chin and rest my forehead against hers. “Baby, I’m sorry this shit happened. Keeping you safe is my mission. But you can’t be out here.”

She lets out a heavy sigh, then takes a step backward. I watch as she takes another, then turns toward the clubhouse and moves toward the door. Her fingers curl around the handle before she gently tugs it open.

My fear and anger have both dissipated. I shouldn’t be pissed off at her. I wouldn't be able to be locked up the way she is, not again, anyway. I would lose my fucking mind, and I almost fucking did for three years.

She’s handled it great, better than I ever did, and we still have shit to work out between us. Although, I’m hoping that by the time this is done, she knows how I truly feel about her. That she’s ready to start a life with me.

Because when this is all said and done, we’re going to get married and start a life together. I want what Spencer and Brew have. What all my brothers have with their old ladies.

“I never wanted any of this,” she whispers. “This life with the Southern Mafia. I left for a reason. This sense of fear and constantly living with that feeling that tomorrow might be my last. I hate it all. The loss of control.”

“There is no loss of control here, Dillion.”

“Yeah?” she snaps. “Then let me walk around the block.”

Shaking my head a couple of times, I let out a humorless chuckle, then move toward her. I refuse to let her walk inside, thinking she has no control over her life. That was the exact reason why I didn’t just take her. I know what it’s like to not have a say in your life, and I didn’t want that for her, even if that’s what was happening.

I wanted her to at least feel like she had some kind of control, a false sense if nothing else.

“You have control over your life, baby. I’m keeping you safe, but I won’t stop you from walking away. As much as I want to protect you, I don’t own you, baby. I don’t want to imprison you. I want you to love me as much as I love you.”

And I do fucking love her. Fell in lust the moment I laid eyes on her, fucked her once, and knew she had to be mine. Then fell in love with her the moment I realized I couldn’t ever walk away from her. The moment I knew I wanted her to carry my babies.

Tears fill her eyes. They are on the brink of sliding down her cheeks. We stare at one another in silence, standing in the blistering-hot sun, her hand on the knob of the back door entrance.

“I love you, Humble. I’ve loved you since you were my secret lover. As much as I want to pretend I didn’t fall in love with you then, I know I did. I can’t deny it to myself any longer. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Then I saw you in person, your face, your smile, the way you looked at me as you moved inside of me, and I fell in love with you all over again.”

“Yeah,” I murmur.

She lifts her head slightly, her eyes so focused on mine that I swear to fuck she can see right through me, down to my marrow, to my goddamn soul. I grip the back of her hair tightly, feeling the strands between my fingers and wishing I were inside of her right now.

I want her to look into my soul like this when I fuck her again. “You love me?” I ask, needing to hear it again. But I’d rather hear it when I’m balls deep inside of Dillion’s sweet cunt.

“I do. I have. I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to believe it, but I do, Humble. Even though you lied to me. Even though you betrayed me, I love you.”

Ignoring the fact that she just claimed I betrayed her, I tug on the back of her hair before I slam my mouth against hers and kiss her. Hard. Long. And fucking wet. She is mine. All mine. She’s going to stay right fucking here by my side, not because I own her, but because this is where she wants to be—and where she belongs.

Where she’s always belonged. She was never meant for the Southern Mafia. She was born to be mine. Born to be an old lady for the Dark Horse MC and born to be my fucking woman.