Chapter Eight

Pit

"Did you get her to call him?" asks Axel.

"No answer, Pres," I say. It's easier to lie over the phone when he can't see it on my face. "I'll keep trying."

The truth is, I haven't even raised the topic with Tessa yet, and right now, I don't want to. The house is still full of brothers who are taking turns to show up here and keep me company, ensuring the road doesn't call to me. So, I split my time between them and her, sneaking off to the room whenever I can and spending the nights beside her, making her come. When I'm with her, everything else fades away, including the nagging desire to hit the road. We don't even fucking talk. We touch each other like teenagers exploring for the first time, but no words pass unless they're words of encouragement from me as she explores what she likes.

"And things are good?" Axel asks, bringing me back to the call.

"Yeah."

"Grizz reckons you're keeping her under lock and key."

"Ain't that the idea of a prisoner?" I ask.

"Sure, as long as that's what she is."

I frown. "What are you asking me, Pres?"

He sighs heavily. "I don't even know," he mutters, "but, Pit, whatever is happening with you two, don't let it go too far."

I bristle at his words. It always was hard to pull the wool over his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't fuck her, Pit," he says firmly. "Whatever happens, don't fuck her. She's bought and paid for, and if we let her walk, he'll want her in the exact condition she was."

His words are like ice-cold water being thrown over me. She belongs to him . "You're way off, Pres." I force the words to leave my mouth before disconnecting the call. I slam the mobile on the table and clench my fists as jealousy courses through me. It's not like it wasn't in the back of my mind already. That's the reason I haven't fucked her, cos lord knows I've wanted to. The thoughts of sinking into her wake me through the night, which usually leads to me waking her so I can fuck her mouth.

I hear footsteps padding across the floor, and before I turn, arms wrap around my waist, and I instantly know it's her. I immediately pull away and glance at the window to see my brothers sitting around the firepit. "What are you doing down here?" I snap.

She takes a step back. "Sorry, I was thirsty."

"Then you go to the bathroom and drink water," I say coldly. The last thing I need is Grizz seeing us together and witnessing shit between us. "Go back upstairs."

"Pit, are you coming outside?" I turn to the sound of London's voice as she appears in the doorway.

"I'll be right there," I say.

She leans against the doorframe, her eyes running back and forth between us. "Tessa, it's been a few days since I saw you. Are you okay?"

"Fine," Tessa mutters.

"She was just going back upstairs," I say coldly.

"Why don't you join us?" asks London.

"Because she's not here for fun," I interject.

Tessa brings her eyes to me, arching a brow. "Just when it suits, right?" And she spins on her heel and heads back upstairs.

London moves closer, pushing the door closed. "Okay, what was that?"

"Nothing," I mutter.

"Didn't sound like nothing, Pit. Are you and her—"

"Of course not," I snap, cutting off her words. "She's got it in her head she likes me. Probably that fucking syndrome."

"Stockholm?" she asks, and I nod.

"Perhaps let the Pres know," she says, eyeing me warily, and I know she hasn't bought my bullshit. "Yah know, just so he's in the loop."

I step to her, tucking her hair behind her ear, "No need," I tell her. "I've got it under control." I place a kiss to her head and move around her, heading out to join my brothers.

It's almost three in the morning by the time I stumble upstairs. I open my door to find my bed empty. I'm surprised how pissed that makes me as I stalk towards Tessa's room and shove the door open to find her curled up in the centre of the bed, sleeping soundly. I march over and scoop her up in my arms. She immediately wakes, and I hate that she's on high alert, like she's just waiting for something bad to happen.

"Relax," I whisper, nuzzling my nose into her hair. "It's just me."

I carry her to my room and dump her on my bed. She sits up, bringing her knees to her chest. "I don't want to sleep in here with you," she mutters, eyeing me warily as I get undressed.

I shouldn't force the issue. She's giving me an out here. I could let her go back to her room, stop this fucking insane need I have to sleep beside her, and get on with my job. Instead, I climb into bed and turn the bedside lamp out. "Go to sleep, Tessa."

I hear her move and then the sheets rustling, and I smile to myself, thinking she's following my orders. But then her lamp turns on and illuminates the room once again. I sigh heavily. "Why?" she asks.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me in here with you?"

"It's what you want too," I say, closing my eyes in the hope she'll follow my lead.

"Bullshit, Pit. I'm so fucking confused."

When I open my eyes, she's resting her forehead on her knees like she's exhausted. "Why have we got to question it and pull it apart, Te? Let's just enjoy it."

"While it lasts?" she questions, turning her head to the side so she can see me. "Because I can't do this anymore, Pit. I lie beside you, wondering if tonight will be the night that you," she swallows hard, "kill me."

"We're waiting on your man to come rescue you."

She gives an empty laugh. "He isn't fucking coming, is he? If he was, he'd have been in contact by now."

"He paid a lot of money," I say, the words turning my stomach. "He'll come for you."

"And when he does, then what?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"See," she snaps, throwing her feet over the edge of the bed and standing. "I know what will happen—you'll kill him for taking your stuff, and then you'll kill me. I'm the fucking bait, right?"

When I don't answer, she heads for the door, but before she's even touched the handle, I'm out of bed and grabbing her around the waist. I hold her to me, pressing my nose to her hair and inhaling. "Just give me more time," I whisper, not really knowing what the fuck I mean, just knowing I need her to stay. "I'll work it out."

"What does that mean?"

"It means give me more time," I grit out.

"Are you and London . . ." Her words trail off, and I feel her relax into me.

"No," I say firmly. "It's just you."

She turns in my arms. "Really?"

I nod, brushing hair from her face. "Now, please, come to bed." She gives a slight nod, and I relax, taking her hand and leading her back.

Once she's settled against my chest, I close my eyes.

"Pit?" They shoot open again. "How did you get the scar?" She runs her fingers over the jagged scar that runs across my cheek.

"A piece of glass," I tell her, allowing my eyes to shut once more while she continues to touch my face.

"Who did it?"

I smirk. "Did you have a nice childhood, Tessa?"

"Not really. You?"

I shake my head, and her hand falls from my scar and rests against my chest. "No. My mum cut my face."

I feel her stiffen slightly. "Why?"

"Because she was off her face on drugs and thought I was the devil." I laugh. "Maybe she was right."

"How old were you?"

"Eight."

"Jesus. Did you get taken from her?"

"No, Te. I didn't tell anyone."

She cranes her head back to look at me. "Why?"

"Because she was my mum."

"Did she hurt you again?"

I run my fingers through her hair. "More times than I care to remember."

"I'm really sorry, Pit."

I kiss the top of her head. "Don't be. It was a long time ago, and it made me stronger."

"No kid deserves that."

"What about you?" I ask. "Where did you grow up?"

"In the countryside at first, then we moved because of Dad's job. It was a council estate, not a good one."

"Both parents?"

"In the beginning. Mum died when I was little. My dad raised me."

"What'd she die of?" I ask.

"A broken heart," she says, her voice laced with sadness. "If you asked him, he'd say that was stupid, that you couldn't die from that, but she did."

"Your dad broke her heart?"

"He broke her completely. Body, mind, soul. He beat her down until she was nothing but an empty shell."

"It's a shit thing to live with as a kid, ain't it? Broken parents who hate each other so much, yet they can't be apart."

"She wouldn't leave," says Tessa. "Even though she hated how he treated her, she stayed for me. And when he realised that, he got a lot worse." We fall silent, and then she throws her leg over mine and pulls herself to sit over me. "Let's just forget about all that," she says, leaning down to kiss me.

Tessa

I wake the same as I have the last few mornings, with Pit bringing me breakfast in bed. Once we've eaten, and he's joined me in the shower, cleaning me mainly with his mouth, he takes me back to the bedroom, where some clothes have been laid out. "I got London to pick you up some things," he says, looking unsure. "I don't know if it's your style, but London seemed to think it would suit you."

I pick up the pair of jeans and hold them out. "They're great, thanks," I say with a smile. After days of wearing Pit's shirts, I'm looking forward to being clothed fully. I pick up a fitted T-shirt. It's something I'd usually wear, so I smile, adding it to the jeans hanging over my arm.

"In the bag, there's some new underwear. We went off the sizes on your others."

I peek inside and smile. There's a lot of underwear, mostly lace. "Thank you."

"And trainers," he adds, nodding to the floor where some brand-new Nikes sit. "Maybe you can get out into the garden?"

I nod eagerly, wanting to stretch my legs beyond these four walls. "I'd love to."

"Okay, get dressed and join me downstairs. We can take the dogs for a walk."

By the time I head down, Pit is waiting with both dogs sitting at his feet. King wags the second he spots me, and I smile, knowing I've won him over completely. Gigi, not so much, but I'm working on it.

Pit hands me a tennis ball. "They love this," he says as he heads for the door, whistling for the dogs to follow. I fall into step beside him, and he slips his hand in mine, leading me up the garden path and towards the field at the back of the farmhouse. The dogs run around my feet, King barking, eager for me to throw the ball, which I do, laughing as they rush off after it.

"You're not doing bad to say you hate dogs," says Pit, his tone teasing.

"I don't hate them. Well, not all dogs, just big ones . . . and some small." I laugh again. "Okay, most dogs, but I have a history with them."

"Dogs are loyal, a man's best friend. The ones that are trained well don't attack for no reason."

"My dad kept big dogs," I admit, wondering where the need to tell him my life story seems to have come from. "He used them to keep us in line."

He side-eyes me. "That's fucked-up."

"Yeah. He was."

King drops the ball at my feet, and I scoop it up, throwing it again. "Why won't you have sex with me?" I blurt out, instantly regretting it when Pit stops and stares at me. "It's just, if you're going to kill me, I don't want to die a virgin." I don't add that he's driving me insane, and even though he always brings me to orgasm, sometimes even twice, I want him so badly, I'm dreaming of him.

"And what would your hubby have to say about that, Te?" he asks, smirking as he begins to walk again.

"So, you're handing me back to him?"

"I don't know," he mutters. "I told you, I'll come up with a plan."

"To set me free?"

"To try and keep everyone happy," he says, his tone irritated.

"But if your boss wants me dead then . . ."

Pit turns, pulling me against him and kissing me until my toes curl. When he pulls back, I'm panting. "I don't want to talk about it, Te. Let's not ruin the day."

By the time we get back to the house, I'm surprised none of Pit's friends are around. He indicates for me to sit at the table while he makes us a drink. When he joins me, I take the coffee gratefully. "Could you live here all the time?" I ask, looking around the kitchen. "It's so cosy."

He shrugs. "Not alone," he says eventually.

"Okay, if you found the right woman, would you stay here?"

He shrugs again. "I like the road."

"But you can't ride forever, right?"

He smirks. "I'll ride until my hips won't allow it."

"Haven't you ever wanted to just settle down?" I had dreams of finding the one so I could marry and have kids. I used to list baby names and wedding venues, even though I knew deep down it would never happen. Not for love, anyway, because who would love me? Then, the older I got, the more I realised kids weren't going to be part of my plan. I'd never want to put a child through the sort of things I've had to deal with. The world is too cruel.

"I never really thought about it," he admits. "I've always done what's best for the club."

"How did you even get into the club? Is it like a membership?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "No, Te, it's a brotherhood. I met Axel in prison a few years ago. He talked about the club like it was his entire life, and I thought, fuck, that's the kind of life I want. When I got out, I reached out. He's a good man, and he would lay his life down for any one of us."

"Sounds nice."

"It's a lifelong commitment, so if I settle down, my woman has to be into that life too, and trust me, that's rare to find."

"What about London?" I ask, tapping my fingernail against the table.

He grins. "You're jealous."

"I'm not," I snap.

"London is a club whore, Te, just like Ebony and the others. They're not old lady material. At least, not mine."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want a woman all my brothers have fucked. I'm jealous, insanely so, and I want all her firsts." His words trail off as my heart slams hard in my chest. He stands abruptly, like he wants to erase what he just said, and pours his coffee down the sink. "You should go back upstairs before they get back," he says, placing his hands on his hips while keeping his eyes to the floor.

I feel my heart sink. Whenever I think we're getting somewhere, he shuts down and pushes me back up to the damn room. "Maybe we should try calling Alec," I suddenly suggest. If he gets jealous, he'll react to my suggestion, and that usually ends up with us in bed.

Instead, he scoffs. "Don't you think we've tried that?"

"Off my phone?" I question.

"Yes, Te, of course, off your phone."

"Then let me text him."

"He knows we have your mobile. He isn't responding."

"I have a codeword, so he'll know it's me," I say, and he narrows his eyes. "He had a nickname for me," I add, biting on my lower lip.

"A nickname?" he repeats, arching a brow.

I nod. "Firecracker."

Pit clenches his fists at his sides. "Go upstairs, Te."

"If I can get him out of hiding, you can sort it between yourselves and I can go."

He sniggers. "That's not how it works."

"Wouldn't you rather see me because I want to spend time with you, Pit?" I throw at him. "Instead of it being forced?"

"Room, now!" he bellows, and I jump in fright. The look in his eyes reminds me of how he would glare at me in the beginning, I haven't seen it for a while, and I forgot how much I dislike it.

"I hate you," I spit angrily as I head for the stairs.

He sneers. "Not enough to stop dry humping me though, sweetheart."

I sit on the bed seething. I hate not knowing the plan, even though I'm pretty certain he'll never let me walk out of here alive. He's using me to lure Alec in, and it isn't working. Soon, he'll have no choice but to end me.

I bury my head in my hands and sigh heavily.