“You’re such an asshole.”
He smiled gently. “I never wanted you to see me weak.”
“You were hurt, Rabbit, not weak. I don’t know anyone, outside of superheroes, who could survive, let alone come out unscathed from a bomb blast.”
“I don’t ever want to be less than a superhero in your eyes. You know this,” he said, stroking my cheek.
I did know this. He was always the strong one for me, both physically and emotionally. I dropped my forehead to his and closed my eyes. “Why won’t you just let me hate you?”
“You couldn’t hate me if you tried.”
“Bet you I could,” I grumbled.
“I love you,” he whispered, and I met his eyes.
I covered his mouth with mine and kissed him gently. “I love you, too.”
He grinned. “I know.”
“We can’t do this unless you promise to follow the ‘for better or for worse’ edict. It has to work on both sides, Rabbit.”
“I get it.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah.”
“So, you promise if you get hurt again, you won’t shut me out?” I pressed.
“I promise to do my best,” he hedged.
I rolled my eyes. “Who was on the video?”
He frowned. “A Spider. A very young Spider who no doubt is trying to earn his patch.”
The Spiders were a rival MC that weren’t on the up-and-up like the Dogs of Fire. They’d been making the club’s life a living hell for longer than I liked, and were behind the bomb that hurt Rabbit.
“I thought all of that was over,” I whispered.
“Not goin’ down this rabbit hole of a conversation, Pebbles, so let’s go ahead and change the subject.” He gave me a gentle squeeze. “What do you need me to help you with?”
I sighed. “I need to get these wedding arrangements ready.”
“You’re covered on that,” he informed me. “Willow’s watching the front with Dash, while Stevie works on the wedding shit.”
“I’ll check in with Willow, then help Stevie.” He finally let me slide off his lap and stood beside me. I smiled up at him. “Are you sticking around?”
“Yeah, baby, I’m stickin’ around, but you haven’t answered my question.”
“Which one?” I sassed.
“Are you stayin’ at the club, or am I comin’ to you?”
I gripped his cut and smiled up at him. “You can come to me, I guess.”
He grinned, leaning down to kiss me. “I like that answer, baby.”
“But… I need to go home for a bit. To my parents’,” I said. “Meet me at my place?”
Rabbit stroked my cheek. “One hour.”
“Two.”
He studied me for a few seconds, then nodded. We left my office and I found that Levi had stuck around and was currently helping Stevie move buckets of flowers around in the arranging room.
“Hi.”
“Hey, sissy,” he said, lifting a bucket onto the table.
“Thanks,” Stevie said to Levi, then smiled at me. “Want to see what I have so far?”
“Yes, please.” I walked over to the sorting table and Stevie and I went through our to-do list for the day.
* * *
By the time we closed the shop for the night, I was drained physically and emotionally, and just wanted to go home and soak in my tub. But I had a fluffy bunny who insisted on following me home, which meant I’d probably get no sleep, let alone soak time.
“Ready?” Rabbit asked as I locked the front door.
“Yep,” I said and followed him to the back. “If I say I’m going to go to my parents another day, does that mess up your plans for tonight?”
He smiled. “No, Pebbles, I’m all yours.”
I let out a relieved sigh and patted his chest.
After grabbing my things, I set the alarm and locked up the back, then we headed to my car. The club had two recruits watching the building, although, I felt like that was a bit overkill. Whoever was targeting me wanted to send a message to the Dogs. They’d done that, so I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be back.
Rabbit held my door and I slid into my car, driving almost on autopilot back to my duplex with Zane directly behind me. Pulling into my garage, I waited for Rabbit to guide his bike in beside my car, then I closed the garage door and we headed inside.
I suddenly felt nervous and couldn’t figure out what to do with my hands once I’d set my purse on my kitchen island. Rabbit dropped his jacket and cut on the arm of my sofa and faced me with a gentle smile. “You’re exhausted, huh?”
“You have no idea,” I breathed out. “I just want to soak in a hot bath and go to bed.”
“Do it, baby. I’ll check in with Doc and make sure your place is secure.”
I nodded and headed back to my bedroom, starting the water before stripping down and taking off my makeup. Sinking into the hot water seemed to melt the day away and I sighed as I leaned back against the edge of the tub.
I gripped Jasmine’s arm as we walked into the giant barn that housed the Dogs of Fire Savannah Chapter and positioned myself slightly behind her. The place was imposing, and I was suddenly terrified. Willow had fallen head over heels for one of their bikers and Jasmine and I had been invited to something they called ‘family night.’
“There’s no pressure, Parker,” Jasmine crooned. “You’ve met several of these guys at Willow’s house.”
“I know. But that’s one-on-one,” I countered. “Or three-on-one, not one hundred on one.”
Jasmine snorted. “You wish.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you always have to take everything to a sexual level?”
“Because I need it. Obviously.”
Before I could respond, a big, beefy biker wrapped his arms around Jasmine, pulling her away from me. “Mouse!” she squealed. “What are you doing, you weirdo?”
“Jesus, Mouse, let the poor woman go,” Alamo bellowed from a doorway. I’d met Alamo a week ago, briefly, but the man left an impression. He was tall and muscular, with flawless olive skin and dark hair. Gorgeous wasn’t really a good description, because he was so much more than that.
Mouse, I hadn’t met yet, and Jasmine introduced us before he pulled her away while Alamo glared daggers into their backs.
“They won’t burst into flames,” I said.
Alamo glanced at me, then went back to watching Jasmine. “Huh?”
I nodded toward Jasmine. “You know, she’s super friendly. You should go talk to her.”
He faced me this time and focused wholly on me. “She looks like she’s busy.”
I smiled. “She’s good at looking busy.”
“Yeah? Is she fuckin’ anyone?”
“Nope,” I said. “But I won’t let you mess with her.”
“I’m not gonna mess with her. At least, nothing she won’t want.”
I chuckled. “I think that makes me feel better,” I breathed out as my eyes caught sight of one of the best looking men I’d ever seen stalk through the great room. His eyes met mine and I could have sworn my panties melted off my body.