“Katie,” I growl.
“Yes!” she finally cries out. “Okay! Yes! I do! But … I have to put my sister and niece first, Hunter. Bethie risked everything for me. She saved me!”
“Sweetness, I told you that, whatever happened, Skull was not involved. You said he had a traitor who helped set Beth up before. Is it too hard to think that person is the one who sent Beth that note?”
“I’m not stupid. It occurred to me, to both of us. But, that was Skull at the movies, that was Skull in that picture, and Colin told us that Skull was working with him because he wanted his daughter, that he would stop at nothing to get Gabriella back.”
“And you can trust Colin? And not me?”
“He had a recording of Skull swearing revenge.”
My spine stiffens at this new bit of information. “You never mentioned this before.”
“I was… Shit, Hunter, I’m not even sure I’m doing the right thing, talking to you now.”
I rest my forehead against Katie’s. “I know it’s hard. I do. But I don’t want to walk away from this. I want more of you. I want all of you.”
“If you’re playing me, Hunter, I will cut off your balls.”
“I care about you. I don’t want to give you up, not ever. I don’t care if it’s been days, weeks, or months. I know that you’re it for me. Trust me, Katie. I won’t let you down.”
My club always came first—until her. Katie is an obsession I can’t give up. An addiction I crave. She’s a fire deep inside, a beautiful flame that leaves me burned with a heat that I keep wanting over and over. I will find a way to make this work. I don’t have a choice because this woman is my future.
Katie watches my face closely. I don’t even blink. I’ve laid it out. I have nothing to hide from her. She is my priority. Then, finally, she nods her head.
“Tell me, Katie.”
“Okay, Hunter. I don’t want to give you up, either.”
Her voice shakes and I know how hard this decision was for her. I kiss her gently, conveying the hundreds of things I’ve told her and all the things I haven’t yet. I will make this work.
I have to.
“Hunter! Let’s get going, Romeo. Shake a leg!”
“I’m coming! Geez, woman. I had to fix my hair. It takes time for this perfection,” he says, strutting out to the jeep.
I can’t help but smile, watching him. It takes me ten minutes. Hell, he’s been primping for forty. I can’t say it wasn’t worth the wait, though, especially when I get a look at his latest t-shirt.
“Seriously?” I ask him.
“What?”
His shirt is black, and on it, it has two figures in a square. The first square is a depiction of a woman like you would see on a restroom sign with the triangle dress. Under that square, it reads: Your Girlfriend. The next square has a naked woman with huge tits bent over and offering her butt, and it reads: My Girlfriend.
“You’re ridiculous, you know.”
“Just bragging on you, babe,” he says. “What can I say?”
I ignore him with a smirk and hand him my duffle bag that has my clothes. “Remind me again why we’re moving so early?”
“We need to make tracks, sweetness. I plan on getting you to Kentucky today.”
“I’m not sure I’m as excited for that as you are.”
He slides his hand under my hair and pulls my face to him. “I promise you, you’ll love it.”
“If you’re wrong I’ll—”
He puts a finger to my lips, hushing me. “I wish you’d quit threatening my balls. They love you. You hurt their feelings.”
I smile despite the worry and stress I’m feeling. “I’ll see if I can make it up to them later.”
“I don’t know. They’re pretty upset. Still, a tongue bath might help them. They respond to physical attention.”
“You’re a freak.” I place a gentle kiss on his lips. “Now let’s go for food. I’m hungry.”
Torch fake sighs. “Your wish is my command. Too bad you didn’t wish for me to bend you over the hood. That would’ve been more fun,” he complains, throwing our bags in the back of the jeep. He walks me over to the passenger side and helps me climb in, then secures the seatbelt around me like I was a little child. It should annoy me, but instead, I like it. I feel like he’s trying to take care of me and I’ve never had that.
Thirty minutes later, we’re pulling into a small restaurant that has a big sign up advertising breakfast twenty-four hours a day. He helps me to my seat, then slides in beside me instead of across from me.
“Couldn’t we talk better if you’re over there?” I ask, pointing to the empty seat.
“I like feeling you close to me. Plus, I can’t sit with my back facing the door, sweetness. Too many years of training have taught me not to do that.”
“I could—”
“That would leave your back exposed and me unable to protect you. Not happening. Besides, you’ll like me eating next to you.” He dips his head down and his lips find my ear. “And eating you.”
“Pervert.”