Scott’s phone ringing in his bedroom cut through our moment, and he reluctantly pulled away. “Sorry, I’ve gotta get that,” he muttered as he finally broke eye contact and left the room.
After he left, I let out a long breath and steadied myself against the door. The intensity of that encounter had left me in a state of wanting a whole lot more but at the same time, needing a moment to regroup. Being with Scott was going to involve a whirlwind of emotions; I just hoped I was strong enough to sustain them all.
***
Scott lay his arm across my pillow and pulled me to him so that my head was on his chest. It was just after two am and we’d been lying in bed talking for awhile now. I was exhausted after not much sleep last night and then a long day again today. Scott didn’t seem as wiped as I was though; he was in a talkative mood.
“So, your Dad passed away when you were a teenager?” he asked. He’d been asking me about my family; trying to work it all out in his head.
“Yes, he died of a heart attack. It was so unexpected because he was such a healthy, fit man. Mum was devastated and I don’t think she’s ever fully gotten over it. She’s only been on a handful of dates and doesn’t seem interested in finding a man. The café is her life now.”
“When did she move to Brisbane?”
“She left Gympie a few years after Dad died. I was eighteen when she left; I think the memories were too much for her there. Brisbane was where she grew up so it was a natural choice for her.”
“That must have been hard for you?”
“Yeah, it was. After Dad died, I felt lost. It was just me and Mum then, and so when she left, I felt completely alone. I mean, I had my friends but I’ve always been a family person so I felt alone without either of them around. Mum bought her café and started working every day. It was her way of trying to forget the pain, I think. But it meant she blocked me out, even though she didn’t mean to.”
He was quiet for a moment while he processed what I’d said. “So you had no family with you and then the two people you trusted like family did the fucking dirty on you by cheating with each other.”
I sucked in a breath. How did he get me so well? Sometimes it felt like he was in my head. “Yes,” I answered softly.
“People can be motherfuckers sometimes. Family too. But you know what? Family doesn’t always share the same blood. My boys are my family. I’d do anything for them and they’d do the same for me.”
“That’s what Storm’s all about isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It’s about family. We might argue and annoy the shit outta each other but when it comes down to it, we’re there when needed. We know we can count on each other. That’s what makes us as strong as we are.”
“I like that,” I murmured, feeling really sleepy now.
He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me closer to him. “Night, baby.”
I fell asleep feeling the happiest I’d felt in a very long time.
Chapter 26
Scott
“So, you two have been dating for a week now, right?” Madison asked Harlow as I was on my phone, pacing the room while I waited for Blade to come back on the line. We’d been discussing the Black Deed’s situation when he’d been called away for a moment. Harlow and I had dropped into Madison and J’s house after a bike ride. I’d taken her on a long ride; we’d started out early, just after six this morning and ridden up to Mount Tamborine and then down to the Gold Coast. It was now just after three o’clock and Madison had asked us to stay for an early dinner. Harlow was keen but I just wanted to get her home; having her that close to me on the bike all day had made my dick permanently hard.
I listened to Harlow’s response. “Yes, we’re taking it slow, seeing where it’s heading.”
What the fuck?
I moved the phone away from my mouth, and looked Harlow in the eyes. “We’re not seeing where this is headed, babe. I know where this is headed.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Really? Where is this headed, Scott?”
Always demanding; always challenging. Fuck, I was a lucky bastard.
At that moment, Blade came back on the phone and I didn’t have time to answer her. I walked outside to finish the call.
“Everything’s in place; we’ll be taking out Bullet in two days,” Blade said.
“I don’t want to wait two more fucking days, Blade. Bullet’s breathing down our necks at the moment about you. He’s on edge and capable of God-knows-fucking-what.”
“I met with him last night to discuss the coke issue. He believes that I’m about to agree to pull out of drugs. That should buy us enough time.”
I wasn’t convinced but was willing to give him those two days. After that, all bets were off; Storm would take care of the problem.
We finished the call, and I looked up to see J coming through the back door. He’d been at the hardware store when we got here; Madison had him doing some redecorating.
I lifted my chin at him. “You get everything you need?”