Chapter Five

Leah

I wake up to the sound of voices drifting up from downstairs and the delicious aroma of spices and… dough? I reach out, but Don isn't there. The huge rumple on his side of the bed is enough evidence of our night together, though. My cheeks warm up as the memory replays in my head. I never imagined my first time would be so… perfect. I can almost feel it now; the way he touched me, kissed me, the way he called my name as he pulsed inside of me. Hard and fast. I rub my thighs together as a familiar pressure starts to build in my core. I close my eyes and lean back against the pillow with a soft sigh. For a moment, I let myself get lost in the haze of last night.

‘I love you, Leah… ’

I remember the way he'd whispered those words in my ear… He'd sounded so sure. So real.

A loud burst of laughter breaks through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. I sit up, unsure of what to do next. I don't want to intrude on whatever is going on downstairs, but my curiosity soon gets the best of me. I grab Don's shirt from the floor and pull it over my head. It's oversized on me, the sleeves falling past my hands, but it smells like him—woodsy and warm. Hugging it around myself, I step out of the room and slowly make my way to the kitchen, where the voices are louder now.

When I reach the doorway, I stop in my tracks.

There are four people in the kitchen, laughing and cooking. Don stands by the stove, flipping pancakes. Shirtless. God, he looks yummy. My fingers itch to trail over the colorful ink covering the left side of his chest and huge biceps. Forcing my eyes away from him, I take in the other occupants of the room. Standing beside Don is a tall, dark man with tattoos all over his body and face, wolfing down a pancake. There's also a kind-faced elderly woman, chattering away as she stirs something in a pot. Near her is a pretty younger woman, with an air of melancholy about her, and then, sitting on the counter with a scowl, is a teenage girl with purple-dyed hair and piercings lining her ears. She's trying to look older, but she can't be a day over sixteen.

They seem like an odd group, but there's an air of ease between them that suggests they've known each other for a long time. I suddenly feel like an intruder.

I probably shouldn't be here…

I take a step back, careful not to draw attention, but the girl with the purple hair glances up just then. She tilts her head, eyes narrowing before her thin lips spread in a lopsided smile that pulls at her lip ring.

“Well, well, who do we have here?” she calls out, her piercing black eyes pinning me in place. “Hello, stranger.”

Everyone's heads turn in my direction, and I freeze, my heart racing. I feel the heat flood my cheeks as all eyes turn to me. I open my mouth to say something—an apology, an excuse, anything—but it comes out as little more than a mumble. Before I can gather my thoughts, Don stalks toward me. There's something about the way he moves, with a silent authority that commands respect. He's no doubt a hardcore biker and I wonder what he really is like in his element, out on the road, cleaning up messes. Deadly, no doubt. For an embarrassing second, my mind flashes back to last night, to the way those big hands slid gently over my skin, and the sinful way he used his mouth on me. Even then, I felt his restraint. He could be so much more… deadly .

Don stops directly in front of me, his sensuous lips curving in a slow smirk. He knows. He knows exactly what I’m thinking.

Before I can utter a word, he reaches me, pulling me to him in one swift motion. His mouth claims mine in a slow, possessive kiss. A soft gasp ripples through the room. Someone lets out a low whistle, but all I can focus on is the feel of Don’s lips against mine and the heat pooling between my legs. He pulls back, leaving me red, dazed, and burning from the inside out.

“Morning, sunshine,” Don murmurs, his sexy deep voice sending an electrifying ripple through my soul.

“G-good morning.”

He flashes me a quick smile, then wraps his arm around me like it’s the most natural thing in the world and turns to face the others. “Everyone, meet Leah. My woman.”

My heart skips a beat. Did Don Vincent just introduce me as his woman?!

The room falls into a brief, stunned silence before everyone smiles, murmuring their welcomes. I'm not sure who's more shocked—me or them. Don seems completely unbothered by their reaction. "This is Agnes," he says, nodding to the elderly woman with a warm smile. "She's been my housekeeper for twelve years." Agnes nods at me with a kind smile, her gray hair tucked into a neat bun. He gestures to the teenage girl who caught me trying to sneak away. "This is her daughter, Lily," he says with a smirk, and she gives me a casual wave. "And that's Rick." Don points to the man covered in tattoos, his arms folded across his chest. "Second in command of the Black Vipers." My stomach tightens at the mention of the biker gang. Rick nods at me in greeting, his expression neutral but respectful. Finally, Don's gaze shifts to the last woman with the soulful brown eyes. "And this is Natalie," he says simply, and she offers me a small smile of acknowledgement.

Agnes steps forward, wiping her hands on her apron. “Well, sit yourself down, darling. You came at the right time. Breakfast’s about to be served.”

Once the table is set, everyone moves toward the dining area, naturally finding their places at the table. There's an extra seat beside Rick and another beside Lily. I'm still trying to figure out where to sit when Don suddenly tugs me into his lap.

“Don!” I gasp, my face instantly heating up, I look around the room, mortified. "You can’t–"

“Yes, I can,” he cuts in with a cheeky smile, his arms locking around my waist as he nuzzles my neck. "Hmm… you smell so good, sunshine. I could eat you up right now."

“Don…”

He casually reaches for a plate and begins to pile food on it. Eggs, bacon, and toast. He scoops a forkful of eggs and raises it to my mouth.

"Eat," he says softly, his deep voice sending a flutter through my stomach.

The protest dies in my throat, partly because I'm mortified but mostly because, despite myself, I like having him all over me. I love being in his arms like this. No one actually seems to mind as they go on about their meal like having a grown woman being fed at the table is the most natural thing in the world. At first, I'm painfully aware of every chuckle, every glance, but as the minutes pass, I start to relax. Despite my embarrassment, there's something comforting about being the focus of Don's attention. The way he feeds me, his arm securely wrapped around my waist, makes me feel safe.

I used to hate Christmas mornings because it reminded me of the day I lost everything. But today, it doesn't feel so bad. Rick says something to Lily about some boy she's dating, and Lily lets out a confronted sigh, ready to attack him with a slice of toast.

"Oh, quiet down, you two," Agnes says sternly while Natalie just watches on quietly with a fond smile. I wonder what her story is. Natalie... Strangely, I feel a strange sense of kinship with her even though we've barely exchanged a word. Maybe it's because behind those rich brown eyes of hers is a sadness and loneliness I can relate to. Before Don, at least.

"Don,” Rick calls, his deep voice cutting sharply through the hushed chatter. “I need to talk to you about the Daggerheads. They—”

"Not now,” Don cuts in quietly.

His grip around me tightens just for a second before he relaxes again, but the shift in his tone is unmistakable. I glance up at him, catching the hardened edge in his endless blue eyes, and in that instant, I'm reminded of who Don Vincent really is: the leader of a biker gang. Leader of a ruthless arms dealing gang. He's just as dangerous as Harry, maybe not as cruel, but capable of violence all the same.

Rick gives a quick nod, clearly respecting Don's decision not to talk business in front of me, and the conversation shifts back to lighter topics. But I can't shake the brief exchange. Don might be charming, protective, and warm around me, but I know what he's capable of. I should be afraid of him, yet… I'm not. Instead, I find myself liking him even more, craving that part of him that's unrestrained. I wish he wasn’t always so cautious around me, like I'm some fragile glassware that'll break at the slightest impact. I shift in his lap, trying to get more comfortable, but as I move, I feel something hard press against my lower back. I freeze for a second, confused, but don't think too much of it. I shift again, trying to ignore the sensation, and that's when I hear Don mutter a low curse under his breath. My eyes widen, heat flooding my face as realization hits me like a rock.

Oh. Oh. He’s rock hard.

I stay completely still, mortified. I risk a glance at Don, my heart thrumming loudly in my chest. His mouth tilts upward in a slow, unfazed smirk, his eyes burning with an intensity that sets my body on fire. He takes my hand beneath the table and guides it behind me, so I’m touching his penis. My breath hitches, my face burning hotter as I feel the hard pulsing beneath my fingertips.

"Feel what you do to me, sunshine?" he murmurs, his voice dangerously husky.