Chapter 15

Rocky

The house was quiet. Eerily quiet, and it felt empty, though, somehow, I knew it wasn't. But something was wrong. "Peyton?" I called out to the empty house and there was no answer.

I figured she was ignoring me after Nolan's unexpected visit last night. Peyton had stayed in her room for the duration of my son's visit and well after, never emerging from the guest room. Though when I woke up early this morning, there were signs she'd made an appearance. Two slices of pizza were missing, and the kitchen had been tidied, otherwise she might as well have been a ghost.

"Peyton?"

She didn't answer. With a frustrated sigh I climbed the stairs and marched down the long hall where the guest room was located and knocked. "Peyton?"

She still didn't answer, which kickstarted my worry. The alarm would've sounded if someone had forced entry into my house but that hadn't happened, which meant she was upset and hiding. Or she'd run away. I balled my hand into a fist, knocking hard and fierce until I heard the door handle twist and then open.

But it wasn't the guest room's handle. I turned, surprised, towards my own room, as Peyton emerged looking gorgeous as fuck in a tiny, cotton pajamas that showed off tits, a small waist, and hips that made a man think of gripping them tight as he slid deep and brought her to the brink of erotic insanity. The second thing I noticed was that she'd been asleep and that her eyes were red-rimmed as if she'd been crying.

"Rocky? What are you doing back so soon?"

"It's after eight o'clock in the evening," I said, giving her a concerned once over. "Why were you in my room?"

Her eyes widened. "No? Seriously, it's that late?" She shook her head as if that move alone could clear the mental cobwebs from her late afternoon nap. "Shit, I'm so sorry. I must have slept through dinner." She rubbed her knuckles against her eyes and yawned. "I just need a few minutes."

She needed a hell of a lot more than that. "You've been crying. What's happened?"

Her arms wrapped around her waist, and she nodded. "I've been tired lately, that's all."

"Peyton, don't lie to me," I warned her. "You've been crying, and you were dead asleep in my room. What the hell is going on?"

"You're annoying, you know that, right?"

I tried not to smile at the accusation, crossing my arms without otherwise replying.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her torso, mirroring me but looking a lot more vulnerable. "I got another text message that spooked me." She shrugged, but the tight lines around her lips and the way she held herself so tight and tense told me what I needed to know. "I just… Your scent is comforting, so I slept in your bed. I was scared."

My stupid stomach fluttered like a fucking schoolgirl's. My scent comforts her?

I stepped towards her, but forced myself not to stroke her hair or take her into my arms. "Show me the message."

"My phone is in the kitchen." She motioned towards the lower level with a dismissive gesture.

"Show me," I repeated.

"Sometimes the bossy thing is hot as fuck. Right now? Not so much."

I chuckled, letting her break the tension as I followed her down the stairs and to the kitchen, where she tossed her phone at my chest. I shook off her hot as fuck comments and focused on the screen, which promptly made me wish I was thinking about fucking her again instead of the threatening message. "When did this come?"

"Today. This afternoon." Peyton wrapped her arms around her body in a protective gesture that made her look beautiful and vulnerable. I pulled her close, unable to resist the urge to comfort her anymore, until our chests were heart to heart, and dropped a soothing kiss on her forehead. Peyton didn't deserve this, and I vowed that I would make this motherfucker pay, no matter what it cost. "Right after… Right after Nolan left."

"He came by again?" I felt my shoulders tense, even as she dropped her head against my chest.

"Yeah. I didn't tell him about us, though."

I pursed my lips. I wanted to say there was no us, but frankly, that would be a lie at this point. There was definitely…something.

"D'you think that might be relevant?" she asked, and I had to shrug.

Could someone be watching her? Jealous of men visiting her? A chill ran down my spine, and I hoped to god that wasn't the case. I'd have to check my security cameras around my property, to be safe.

"Why is this happening?" her quiet voice whispered between us.

I had no fucking clue and all I wanted to do was soothe her, calm her fears. "Doesn't matter. I'll find him and I will make him pay." I knew that wasn't what she needed to hear, that the response was more about me than her. "I'm sorry that asshole scared you and ruined your day."

She laughed against my chest. "My day isn't ruined, it was just startling. That's all."

"Still," I said, and rubbed her back in long, slow strokes. "I'm sorry."

Her expression softened as she looked up at me. "Thanks for that, Rocky."

"Of course. Why don't you get dressed and we'll go out? Maybe grab a bite or a drink, get you out of here for a bit. There are plenty of places still open, and you need to get out of the house. You deserve a break from, well, from this fucking house." I laughed and pressed another kiss to her forehead.

She tilted her head questioningly. "You sure? I haven't eaten, but—"

"Yeah, sweetheart. I'll take you out to dinner."

"Dinner?" Her brows raised as she looked at me. "You…just want to feed me, right. Sure." She tried to push back from me, but I squeezed my arms.

"No," I said, making sure she was looking at me so she would understand. "Will you go out to dinner with me?"

She bit her lip, looking like she was trying to hold back a smile. "Are you asking me out?"

I leaned down slowly and stole another kiss, because I couldn't resist those pillowy pink lips. And when I pulled back, I couldn't help my smile, because… "Yes."

"Okay," she whispered, and was that a blush that stole across her cheeks? "I need to get dressed," she said, and skirted around me with a hesitant smile. "I'll be quick."

"Take your time," I told her, waiting until the door closed to her room before I pulled out my phone to update Diesel and ask a favor of Slate, promising to stop by with Peyton's phone before we headed out to dinner.

"Okay," she trilled about thirty-five minutes later. "I'm ready."

I took in the vision of her in the sexy little black dress that clung to her tits and hips, hugging her waist expertly. She wore strappy sandals that crawled up her legs, making me want to unravel them slowly. "You look beautiful, Peyton."

Her cheeks flushed beautifully, something I wasn't sure women still did anymore. "Thanks. I think I got a little excited about the prospect of going out. Is this all right?"

I licked my lips and her nipples beaded. "I have no problems with it." That wasn't a lie. My fingers itched to reach out to touch her, knowing how soft her skin was, how easily she responded to my touch, but I resisted because she really did deserve a night away from the house. "Come on."

She stared at the bike for a long moment before she hiked up her skirt and hopped on the back, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Ready," she said in my ear, and squeezed me a little tighter.

I wasn't ready for this next part, but it couldn't be helped. I was supposed to be protecting Peyton, not hiding her from my brothers. When she slipped off the back of the bike and straightened her dress as the brothers spilled out of the clubhouse, I knew the next part was inevitable.

Diesel smiled wide, his arm wrapped around his missus, Ellie. "What's all this?" he shouted before I even shut off the bike.

"This is Peyton. I told you about her." I sounded like a fucking grumpy old man, and I couldn't help myself.

Hawk and Maverick, our sergeant at arms, laughed loudly.

Slate was the third to join in. "Now I get it," he said, and offered Peyton a hand in greeting.

"Get what?" She frowned and looked at the large group, only looking slightly overwhelmed.

"Why Rocky has been keeping you all to himself."

She rolled her eyes and let out a good-natured laugh. "I need to thank you guys, all of you, for the help you've given me the past few weeks. I don't know how to repay you, but I really appreciate it." She cut a sweet laugh in my direction and stage whispered to the group. "Pretty sure he's sick of having me around and is only tolerating me because he refuses to let you boys down."

Ellie laughed out loud. "Oh yeah, it's such a hardship to look out for a gorgeous redhead with curves for days and big blue eyes."

Peyton blushed up her chest and to her cheeks. "Have you guys found anything to get me out of his hair yet?"

"The laptop is clean and I'm still working on identifying that Zachary asshole, but I can't hack into the sheriff's office until he's looked at the footage. Unfortunately, his name and description are common as fuck, but I haven't given up yet," Slate promised.

"Okay. Thank you. Really." She shook her head and tried for another smile that didn't quite reach her big blue eyes.

"All right, get back inside. I'm starving." I waved my brothers inside.

"How in the hell can you look at a woman like that and think of food?" Gio, my stupid younger brother, asked, drawing laughter from the rest of the group.

"It's called self-control, dick. Try it sometime." I flipped off my brother and hooked an arm around Peyton, guiding her back to my bike. "Don't mind them."

"I think they're nice," Peyton proclaimed with a teasing smile. "It's what I imagine having a dozen teasing brothers would be like."

"Yeah? Annoying as fuck? Because you nailed it."

She tossed her thick red hair back and laughed. "But I'll bet they always have your back," she said with a smile.

"Always. It's why I don't suffocate them while they sleep."

She laughed again, and this time when she settled behind me on the bike, she laid her cheek against my back and it was damn near impossible to focus on the road, the traffic, or any-fucking-thing else with her warmth, her curves, and her scent wrapped around me.

It was the perfect blend of heaven and hell. I couldn't wait to get to the restaurant, but I wanted the trip to last forever.