32. Dom

"You okay, Gorgeous?" I ask, glancing over at her before bringing my attention back to the road.

I keep repeating myself, but Thea is being too quiet. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. It was just the two of us, away from all the bullshit. I showed her my test results, and we threw the condom rule out the window. We had sex so often last night that my damn balls are sore. I may have to ice them later at this rate. For her part, Thea has been yawning more than she's talking. There's a certain amount of pride that comes with knowing you wore your woman out. I'd take time to enjoy that, but I'm busy dreading what I'm about to do. I never thought I'd hand my cut in. I never saw a future before me that didn't involve the club. It's going to be like cutting off my right arm. I don't have a choice, though. I just don't.

"I'm fine," she laughs. "Just like the last fifty times you've asked me. Quit worrying about me. You're the one I'm worried about. I'm also majorly pissed. You may have to help me keep my mouth in check."

"How about I talk to them and do what I need to do, and you start packing up my shit in my room? All I really need is the clothes I have in the closet and the lockbox in the dresser drawer."

"Dom," she sighs.

"I know you want to be with me. I'm not saying you can't, but it is club business. I just don't want one of them to hurt your feelings because I may have to kill them."

"Please. I'm a lot of things, but there's no way some overly testosterone filled man will make me cry."

I laugh despite feeling like part of me is dying today. I know I'll get through it. I've got Thea and if she's got my back, I'll dig my way through to the other side. That much I am sure of. The rest of it, I will deal with as it comes.

I keep reminding myself of that as I pull my truck into the club's drive. Thea reaches over and squeezes my hand. "You don't have to do this," she whispers.

"I do, sweetheart. Regardless of all the other bullshit, I can't stay in a club where none of them have my back and think I'm a liability they have to keep secrets from. That's not how the club is supposed to work. I have fucked up. I freely admit that. Everyone else, though, is doing the very thing they're holding against me. I can't be in that club and wonder what else they are keeping from me or worry about what will happen if I fuck up again. How am I supposed to trust them?"

"Shit," she mutters under her breath. "How can I help you, Dom?"

"You are helping me, baby," I respond, but as soon as I realize what I said, I wince. "Sorry, I know you don't like it when I call you baby. I'm trying, but I seem to slip up here and there."

"I don't mind it. You have found other ways to make me feel special. I don't feel like I'm one of many any longer."

"That's good, because you definitely aren't. I've said it before, but maybe I need to repeat it daily so you'll believe me. You're everything to me."

"I won't complain if you tell me often," she confesses.

"Let's get this over with. We have a bed to go shopping for."

"Dom, maybe we should hold off. I mean, you're not with the club anymore. I know you'll need time to adjust to life away from it."

"What does that have to do with us shopping for a bed?"

"Well, money could be tight until you either find a job or join a new club. I have money, but we need to be conservative?—"

I squeeze her hand and shake my head. "I have money, Thea. Are you really worried I can't take care of you?"

I can admit that the thought of her not having faith in me hurt my feelings a little. Yet, I immediately know that my question has upset her. It flashes over her face immediately. "I can take care of myself, asshole," she huffs. "I'm just trying to think about things logically. You love being in a club, Dom. If you're not in your father's club, you may have to move to get that elsewhere."

"That's something we need to talk about, but not right now."

"You're getting ready to go inside and turn in your cut. Don't you think this is something we should discuss before you cut all ties?"

"No, because regardless of what happens, I'm still leaving the club."

"Then you'll be moving," she whispers. It might be my imagination, but her words are filled with sadness.

"Thea, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"We need to," she insists.

"We don't." I shut it down, knowing that we shouldn't have this discussion here, of all places.

"We do!" she insists, proving she's as stubborn as I am.

"No, Thea. Not right now."

"Why?"

"Because I've already spoken to Crusher and Diesel. I can move to that chapter easily."

"Then—"

"I'm not moving unless you agree to go with me."

"I… uh… Dom?" My name comes off like a question on her lips and I shake my head.

"I know you're not ready for this conversation right now. I'm not going to push you. I'm not leaving you, Thea. I'm not leaving us." She stares at me. I let out a sigh and rub the tension in the back of my neck. "I need to get in there, Gorgeous. I know we need to talk more, and we will. I didn't tell you that to scare you off. That's the last thing?—"

She stops me from saying anything else by leaning over and pressing her lips against mine. Her tongue meets mine as our kiss deepens. I give myself over to it, trying to show her how much I truly care for her. I'm about ready to push the console between us up and drag her into my lap when she pulls back. "Let's get this over with, then we can go buy a new bed and make sure we send our old one away the right way."

I laugh, surprised as hell. "You got it, sweetheart," I respond, kissing her forehead. If I had kissed her lips again, I'm not sure we'd get out of here without me fucking her and I don't figure that'd be good for my health with Bull inside. I didn't tell Thea, but all of them are here. I can tell from the bikes out front. They know I'm coming. I was secretly hoping to leave my cut and get the fuck out of here quickly. It is what it is.

I get out of the truck, carrying my cut over my arm. It feels fucking weird not to have it on, but I'll eventually get used to it. There's a chance my father is going to insist I get rid of the club tattoo on my back and chest. I'm prepared for that. I've already started it. That's why I'm wearing a long-sleeved Henley. Thea didn't notice last night what I'm working on and I'm glad. It probably would have made her sad. It helped that I kept the lights off and was out of bed before she woke up. I thought she would question it, but she was tired and over emotional, too. We were both mentally exhausted last night. At least that played in my favor.

Thea comes around and grabs my free hand. "Your brother and father are here, you know," I warn her.

"So?" she says with a smile.

"This won't be pretty."

"I'm here for my man. That's all that matters."

I kiss her forehead again before pulling away and shaking my head. "I don't deserve you."

"Probably not," she sasses, making me laugh. "You have me, though."

"I'm damn grateful," I respond.

"You better be," she laughs. I join in as I open the club door, nodding at the prospect who stands back and lets us inside. If he has any idea what's going on with me, he doesn't show it.

"Glad you think this is a laughing matter," Dad says immediately as we walk in.