"Get a room," Colbie says, strutting out of the gym. "Put on romantic music too. I suggest Charley Pride. Ooh, yeah."
Remaining silent, Bodie walks past us. Sawyer and I watch the twins hurry up the stairs. Once they're gone, I study Sawyer's beautiful face.
"Last night was great, but I need more," I admit, taking her hand.
"Do I have a choice in the matter?"
"Sure," I mutter, lifting her over my shoulder and heading for the stairs. "I'll carry you to bed, just in case you plan to say yes."
Laughing, Sawyer wraps her arms around my waist. I worry someone or something will interrupt our reunion, but we arrive at the bedroom unscathed. Tossing Sawyer on the bed, I plan to taste every freckle, no matter how hidden it might be.
Chapter 33
Sawyer
Golden Ring
Jace and I fuck for an hour or maybe two. I can't even remember when we arrived at the bedroom. All I know is Jace and I had a breakthrough in our relationship. Frenzied and insatiable, we celebrate after nine months of bullshit and even longer with our lies.
The truth is liberating, and the sex joyful. I understand him better than ever, making him sexier. Our bodies remain locked together until a knock on the door interrupts us.
We ignore the knock initially, but I soon notice a note shoved under the door. A spent Jace crawls out of bed and checks it.
"Here's lunch to help you keep up your strength during the marathon crotch reunion."
"They're sweet," I laugh, looking over the food. "Lots of protein and carbs to keep up our energy levels."
Jace opens the cans of soda while I set out the food. We eat in bed, feeding each other. Quickly, this plan becomes a mess.
Laughing, we end up in the shower. After washing the ranch dip from our laps, we connect our crotches again.
"I feel too empty without you inside me," I whisper against his ear.
Jace kisses me deeply, ending my giggles. I hold onto his wet body and ride Jace until he can barely stand.
We end up back in bed, and I feel Jace thinking. Resting against the headboard, he looks like a big sexy kid working on a math problem. I nuzzle my lips against his shoulder.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I don't think you really want the answer."
Even nervous, I whisper, "No more lies or hiding."
"I listened to my family die," he says, pausing to see how I react. When I only cuddle closer, he continues, "I heard my mother taking her last breaths as some fuck choked her. I saw another fucker stand over my baby brother and hold a pillow on his face. After I got away, I wanted to forget those sounds. I wanted to forget the blood splatter into my room when they shot my grandma in the hallway. I needed to forget, but I also had to forget them. I couldn't think of them the way they were alive without thinking about them when they were dying. I just had to forget everything."
"What about therapy?"
"We talked about dealing with my weird habits. How I wanted to hide in the house or didn't like talking to people. I said I couldn't remember what happened that night, and she never pushed me. After the first year, we never brought it up at all."
"I don't know if remembering would help. The only bad stuff that happened to me was losing you and Pop. I liked thinking about you both."
"Even me?"
"There were times when I thought about hurting you. Other times, I pretended we were still together."
"Lies comfort, but I can't think of my old family and lie. They are dead. I don't remember much else about them."
Hurt by his tone, I want to squirm away. Jace looks at me and waits for me to bail. I force myself to remain plastered against his naked body.
"Can we hunt down the club who killed your family and get you revenge?" I ask, staring at his cock to make him feel uncomfortable.
"Give it five minutes," he says, grinning at me.
"I don't like being talked down to."
"No, really? Is this a new side of you I'm seeing?" he teases, smacking my ass lightly.
"What about my revenge idea?"
"I don't think any of those guys are alive anymore. I asked Tad about them years ago when I was paranoid they'd find me. He said they weren't the kind of crew to last long. Apparently, they were too violent and stupid to control more than a single small town. When I joined the Reapers, I asked Cooper if I had to worry about the club that killed my dad. He said no. Not like we'd handle them if they caused trouble. More like they were just gone."
"You don't know for sure. We could still hunt them down."
"Killing some old fuckers won't fix me."
"You won't know that until you've killed the old fuckers."
Jace rolls his eyes and shifts lower on the bed. "I don't want to talk about killing them. They're not the problem. I am. They could die a million times, but I won't magically get stronger."
"I know, but revenge feels good."
Jace says nothing while I rest my head on his belly and stare into his conflicted eyes.
"My real mom had dark hair. Maybe even black hair. I remember that. Also, how she was wearing a ponytail the night she died," he says, playing with my curls. "I can't remember her eyes though."