“You gave me something I thought I’d never have.” He rests his forehead against mine like he’s savoring the moment.
“I never wanted the club,” he finally says after a few beats. He pulls back, looking me in the eyes, his face serous. “I love my dad, but this place started to fall apart after my dad lost my mom.”
I can see the pain flash across his face, and I bring my hands up to rest on his chest, rubbing little circles.
“I was thirteen when she died. It was rough, but hell, it almost killed my dad. He stopped spending so much time at home and more and more here at the club. Not that I blamed him. She was all over that house. Everywhere I looked, I saw my mom, so I did the same thing when I turned eighteen. I enlisted to get the hell out of here.”
I bring my hands up, wrapping them around his neck, wanting to hold him close.
“It got easier with time. Then I got word he died, too.”
“Oh, Lucias.” He’s breaking my heart. I lost my parents, too, but I didn’t even know them. Didn’t have to go through the pain.
“He was gone long before that. He died with her. After she was gone it was wild. Club was full of drugs and sex. Went downhill and I couldn’t find the need to care or a drive to come back. Then Savage got blown to shit in Afghanistan, and we came home. We needed something. I wanted to put this place back together again, so I did. We cleaned up shop. Kicked the trash out and played more by the rules. The drugs were gone; I didn’t want any of that shit. So were the women. Unless you were tagged, your ass wasn’t coming in those club doors. I only wanted people that were trusted to be here. Kind of like I was telling you before. We don’t have ass running around the club. You have to go down the road for that,” he says. It’s all making sense now.
“When I got back here, all my focus was on this club and getting Savage back together. And well, Savage never chased ass because he only ever had eyes for Julie. Then there was you. What I’d been wanting since before I even took off for the military. A family. I’ve gotten it with the new club we built. Everyone down there is my family, but I was missing something. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were it. Fuck. Been busting my ass getting this place together and I knew in that moment I’d been doing it to get it ready for you. I wanted it ready so that when I got you, I’d already have my shit together and I’d be ready.”
“God, I’ve wanted that for so long, too.” I lean in, resting my head on his shoulders. He wraps his arms around me. “Since I was a little girl I’ve wanted that. Wanted what all the other kids had that I didn’t, but I got too lost in books and my computer. Scared to take a chance. To get hurt.”
“I’d never hurt you, and I’ll kill anyone who tries.”
16
Lucias
I lay Izzy down on the bed and come over the top of her. I slowly strip our clothes away, needing us to be skin on skin. We’ve been a long time in the making, and now everything I’ve ever wanted is in my arms.
Kissing my way down her silky skin, I move my lips to her belly. I nuzzle her there, giving my thanks to whatever is looking over us that she’s carrying my baby. Laying my cheek against the curve there, I close my eyes. I know it’s too soon to feel the baby, but I want to burn this memory into my brain. The day we became a family.
Her hands go to my hair, and her fingers thread through the locks. I hum against her belly, and she lets out a little giggle. Then I put my lips against the skin and whisper my words of love and devotion. Both to this little baby and its mama.
I continue kissing my way down between Izzy’s thighs and throw her legs over my shoulder. I need to make love to all of her body tonight, showing her what I can’t form in words. I know how to do a lot of things well. I can rebuild the engine of anything, I could out-PT anyone under my command, and I can do damn near anything if you tell me I can’t. But finding the words to tell Izzy just how much she means to me feels impossible.
Reaching up, I thread our fingers together as I eat her *, and feeling the cool band of my engagement ring on her finger settles something in my chest. Knowing she’s mine and always will be fixes something in my heart that I didn’t know was damaged. Having her and having a baby together is a dream I never thought could come true, and now I’m holding it in my hands.
Tasting her sweet juices and sucking on her clit are the icing on an already perfect fucking cake. I lick her just how she wants me to, with no teasing. Her orgasm hits my tongue and I drink her down, hoping that some of the pure, untouched perfection that’s inside her will seep into me. I want to be good for her and good for our baby.
When her body is relaxed and she’s caught her breath, I give her * one last kiss before crawling up her body and putting my cock where my mouth just was. I need to be inside her, connected as much as possible.