Chapter 7 - Kyle

After the girls leave, I waste a bit of time feeling sorry for myself before I decide to go out. I’m supposed to start working with either Jack or Bailey, so I go to Jack’s warehouse to see if he has any work for me.

I spend a couple of hours unloading trucks before Jack sends me home. He promises me that he or Bailey will soon find me a regular job with good pay so I can support my new family.

I don’t say anything to Jack, but I know it can’t be easy to get a guy like me a decent job. I’m trying as hard as I can to make up for my past and prove I’m worthy of the pack, but I know it will take time for them to trust me.

Bailey and Jack do, at least, and that goes a long way.

As I pull into the driveway, I let out a sigh that is so deep, it leaves my ribs aching. Carla believes in me, too, and having the support of the whole family should be enough.

Except for Derek.

I get out of the truck and give the door a nice, hard slam. I don’t want to think about my uncle.

“Leslie?” I call out as I open the door. I’m full of high anxiety, mixed with breathless excitement. I can’t wait to see her again, but I’m terrified by the idea of trying to talk to her.

Since I got back, we haven’t had one positive interaction.

I look through the house, checking every room and calling her name. As I realize the place is empty, a chill of fear settles into my chest.

They should have been back by now.

My head starts filling with a multitude of worst-case scenarios. I know it’s unlikely that anything has happened to her, but the problem is, it’s not impossible. I’ve learned firsthand that the most terrible things can and do happen.

In the space of five minutes, an entire life can be shattered beyond repair.

My experiences with the Sawpit Pack have also left me pretty shaken. They are bad guys, and they want the resources the Silver Meadows Pack controls. They could be moving in on us, right now.

They’ve done it before. No one is safe.

I grab my phone, about to call Bailey, Jack, everyone and anyone I can find. Before I can blow up everyone’s phones, I take a deep breath and blink hard.

I send Bae a text, asking if he’s seen Gina and if Leslie is with her. Even though my heart is still fluttering around with nerves, I leave it at that and head out to Shelley’s. If the girls are fine, it’s a good place to wait. If they aren’t, it’s the perfect place to meet the others.

By the time I get to Shelley’s, Bae has texted me that Gina is out with the girls still. As I walk through the doors, I’m about to text him back, but then I see Leslie standing by the bar.

A wave of relief floods me, so powerful that my knees feel weak. I can’t believe she’s safe, and I don’t care what our issues are or how she feels. I have to wrap my arms around her and hold her, even just for a second.

I’m hurrying through the tables, my eyes fixed on my wife, when I see her eyes light up and a big smile break across her face. She giggles and bashfully brushes back a strand of hair from her face.

What the actual fuck?

There’s a guy flirting with my girl. With my wife.

As I approach from behind her, the guy sees me and pales a bit. He’s backing off before Leslie even knows I’m there. When she turns around, her eyes are wide. I can’t tell if she’s happy to see me or not.

“Kyle, what the fuck?”

“Don’t,” my voice comes out in a low rush. “Don’t you dare. Were you—were you actually flirting with that guy? Do you like him?”

“Kyle—”

“Answer the question!” There’s no space between my brain and my mouth. Everything I think is coming straight out with no filter.

“There’s nothing to say! I just—”

“Just what?”

“Whoa, big fella,” Gina says, joining the conversation. “Take it easy there. No one’s stepping on your territory.”

“I’ll decide that,” I snap, not looking at her. “I’m asking Leslie, not you.”

“If you’re asking me, then why don’t you listen to my answer?” Leslie shoots back. She puts one hand on her hip and turns all the way around, her long, light brown curls sweeping around like a gold curtain.

Fuck. What was I saying?

“Nothing was going on,” Leslie says, bringing me back into the moment. “He just said hi.”

“He was flirting with you.” My voice has turned into a full-on growl.

“But she wasn’t flirting back,” Lena says. “No way.”

I can hear Gina saying the same thing, but the sounds of the room are starting to fade around me. All I can see is Leslie, staring right at me, looking like the most beautiful thing in the world.

I can’t lose her. I can’t let it happen.

I grab her hand and turn towards the door, striding out of there without looking back. I know I just lost it in front of half the pack and this is exactly the kind of shit I shouldn’t be doing, but I can’t help it.

She’s mine. She is the one thing in this world that is completely mine, and I won’t lose her!

“Kyle!” Leslie cries as I stop at the truck to open the door for her. “Will you stop?”

“Get in the truck,” I mutter.

With an exasperated look, she does. I slam the door, then get in the driver’s seat and thrash the engine a bit as I pull out onto the street.

Leslie has her arms folded against her chest and is glaring out the window. I expected her to scream at me, so I’m a bit surprised when she stays quiet the whole way home.

When I pull into the driveway, Leslie gets out and hurries to the front door, waiting for me to open it. She slams her way into the house and stomps away from me.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going? We need to talk.”

“Oh, do we?” she says, turning around. “What exactly would you like to talk about?”

“Don’t fuck me about like this,” I mutter. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I think you said everything there is to say,” she scoffs. “In front of the entire bar, half the pack, and my friends.”

“I’m not having other guys sniffing around you!” I roar, losing my shit. I take two steps towards her, and our faces are almost touching. Leslie keeps staring at me, her big gray eyes completely unmoved by my outburst.

She tilts her head, and her lip trembles. Her eyes shimmer, and I suddenly get the feeling she’s going to say something truly devastating.

No. No, I can’t. Not again!

“Wait,” I whisper. “Did you… like him? Did you like that guy?”

“So what if I did?” she says flippantly. “This is a sham marriage. I can do whatever I want.”

Her words seem to echo through my soul. I’m paralyzed, as though someone just poured concrete over me. Suddenly, all I can hear is my own harsh breathing.

Our faces are still very close together. Her scent is rising from her warm skin, wafting straight into my face, filling my nostrils. It’s sweet and thick, filling me with anticipation. Just like a sweet, tart apple pie cooling on the bench, waiting to be devoured.

Something cracks inside me. I feel it, a huge fracture that cuts through my heart and soul. Before I know what I’m doing, I’ve grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her close until our bodies are almost touching.

Leslie tilts her head, her lips very close to mine. Her sweet breath blows across my face, and it tastes like chocolate and cream.

I’m not even aware of making a move—her lips are just suddenly touching mine. Both of us moan at the same time, and my body shudders as the sensation shocks me through to my bones.

Leslie’s hands wrap around my waist, and she writhes against me. Our mouths are locked together, hot lips sliding and tongues tangling together. My hands slide down her back, and I grab her big, beautiful ass cheeks and squeeze them hard.

She gasps and jumps in my arms, grinding her hips into me. Her head falls back, and she laughs before she grabs my shoulders and kisses me again.

I’ve missed this. Oh my God, I’ve missed this so much.

I didn’t realize how incomplete I felt without her. I had been shut down for so long, holding myself back from any real emotion, it now feels like I’m being crippled by it.

I run my hands up her back, caressing her waist, wrapping my arms around her, and pressing her soft body against mine. I want to touch every single inch of her lovely, silky-soft skin. I want to fill my mouth with her huge tits and feast on them.

I want to worship you. Oh, God, Leslie.

My arms tighten around her, and I kiss her even more deeply. She welcomes my tongue into her mouth, giggling around our kiss as she digs her fingers into my waist to writhe against me. My cock is so hard, I feel like I’m going to tear right through my zipper.

When I feel her hands drop to my waistband, though, I feel a moment of doubt. My body begs me to ignore it, but I can’t.

“Leslie,” I mutter through the kiss.

“Uh-huh?” she mumbles, smiling.

“I can’t.”

She stops kissing me, pulling back a little. Her eyes are wide and confused.

“What?”

“I can’t. Not this. Not right now.”

Her expression doesn’t change; she just keeps staring at me. I can see emotions flashing in her eyes, but I have no idea what they are.

Relief, probably.

I can’t take her like this, in a moment of heat and passion. She’s pretty drunk, I’m out of my mind with jealousy—this is not how I want it to be, our first time as a married couple.

She has to want me. Really want me and accept me.

As I stare into her eyes, an ache starts to burn in my chest. I have boxed myself into a perfect corner.

Leslie cannot know me, accept me, or want me until I am fully and completely honest with her. Until I am, those secrets will stand between us, as impenetrable as a steel wall. She is so innocent, so beautiful and sweet. She deserves so much better than a street dog like me.

That doesn’t mean I’m about to let her go, though.

Leslie takes a step back. I see her mouth turn down at the edges, and her bottom lip trembles. Before I can say anything, she turns and runs down the hall.

I want to follow her, more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my whole life. I can’t, though—she needs space. She needs to feel comfortable here, and I’m more than happy to give her the bed and the bedroom.

Just admit it. You feel like you need to be punished.

I sit down on the couch and put my head in my hands. It’s true. I do think I deserve to be punished. I should be sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Even the couch is too good for me.

No matter what I do or where I go, I’ll always be the bad kid. The one nobody wants. And that’s how it should be.

I sit back and try to relax, but I still have Leslie’s scent all over me. It’s so rich and sweet, it makes my head swim. Every part of my body is rock-hard with tension, especially one part in particular.

Looks like it’s going to be an extremely long night.