“Jesus,” I cursed with a groan. “Taro, I’d like you to meet my dad, Stoke.”
It was comical how wide Taro’s eyes shot open. A few brothers laughed.
Dad stepped forward and jutted his hand out, which Taro took and shook. “I promise to take care of your son. I care for him deeply.”
If I wasn’t around the brothers, I would have grabbed him and kissed the fuck out of him.
“You’d better,” Dad said gruffly.
“All right, enough of that. How about we get some food goin’ before you get on the road again?” I suggested.
Beast snorted. Knife laughed outright before he said, “Meanin’ he wants us gone as soon as possible so he can get down and dirty with his man there.”
Taro turned beet red as I slung my arm around his shoulders. “Shut the fuck up, Knife.”
“Agreed,” Dad said and then quickly added, “I don’t give a fuck you two are dudes. It’s just wrong hearin’ about my son doin’ the—”
“Dad, just no.”
“Lunch,” Taro blurted. “Katon,” he called, and the door opened to a smiling Katon. “Lunch for all of us, please.”
Katon bowed. “Of course, Taro-sama.” He quickly disappeared.
As the brothers started talking, I pulled Taro aside. “Are you okay?”
He gripped my tee at my stomach. “Honestly?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“I’m perfect because you’re here.”
I cupped the back of his neck and dropped my forehead to his. “We’ll talk more soon, but know I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”
“I wasn’t thinking when I sent you away.”
I pressed a finger to his lips and then tugged on his hair. “Talk soon. Let’s get rid of my family first.”
He pulled back and nodded, smiling softly. “You’re lucky to have them.”
Grinning, I glanced back to see them talking amongst themselves. Only Dad was watching me, smiling to himself. I sent him a chin lift, which he returned. “Yeah,” I said, looking to Taro again. “I am lucky.” But I wasn’t only talking about my family. I meant it for the man in front of me, who opened my eyes when I didn’t know they’d been closed.
“Come on. Let’s get them fed.” I curled my arm around his shoulders again and pressed my lips to his temple. He relaxed against me.
“Any other day I would be intimidated being in a room full of bikers.”
Knife stepped up and punched Taro in the arm. I glared at him, which he ignored when he said, “We can still mess you up a bit if you want.”
“I think I’ll be fine. Thanks for the offer though.”
“Anytime.”
The door opened, and Ryo stepped through, holding it for Katon and a few other servers who held trays full of food. “Holy fuck,” Knife commented. “I think I want to move in here.”
“Not happenin’, brother.” Shit, I didn’t even know if I was living here. Taro and I had a shitload to sort through, but I wasn’t in a rush. For now, all I needed to know was that he was protected from his fucked-up uncle, and we’d be spending the night together.
Now that I looked forward to.
Chapter Twenty
Wolf
I had never had many people in my life who made me feel like I was worth something. When I saw Josh stalking into the meeting with his club brothers, I knew he saw more in me than what I saw in myself.
I was enamoured by him.
I had worried he would see sense when he went home. But he hadn’t. He was back, and just after one night. I couldn’t stop looking at him as he sat next to me, talking and eating with his family. When he glanced my way with a gentle smile, my body reacted. My pulse raced, stomach tingled, and my cock throbbed.
His hand slid to my thigh and squeezed as he spoke to his father. I couldn’t look away. How had I become so lucky to have Josh here with me? Wanting to stay.
Ryo leaned into my other side. “You look like a lovesick puppy.”
My face heated. “I do not.”
Ryo laughed. “The men have stopped speaking to you because you didn’t answer, only stared at the man beside you. He’s real, Wolf. He’s here for you. Let that sink in.”
I couldn’t because having him as mine seemed too farfetched. What did he see in me to come back? For Josh to have told his family about me meant so much. I couldn’t believe he’d decided to do it, and all within a few hours being home.
Ryo was right. I did need to let the knowledge Josh was here for me sink in. The man had proved enough already that he wanted me in his life.
“Were the others really speaking to me?”
Ryo grinned. “Some.”
“You should have nudged me.”
“They didn’t care.”
They didn’t either, else they wouldn’t be sharing a meal with me. I never thought I could be this happy. But here I was, full of the warmth Josh provided for me in everything he did.
As with every relationship, we wouldn’t always see eye to eye, but when we did fight, I would make sure we made up in the best of ways. Already I didn’t want us to be apart again.
The past twenty-four hours had been a nightmare. All my insecurities played with my head, but most of all, I had been scared I’d lost Josh by pushing him away. I knew he could handle difficult situations; the ones we’d already had showed me so. It didn’t stop me from wanting to protect him though. But I figured in the end, we could have each other’s backs. I wouldn’t push him to leave again, and definitely not from the fear that’d coursed through my body and heart when I thought of him in danger.
Further down the table, Talon stood. “Let’s hit the road.” He turned to me. “Thanks for lunch. No doubt we’ll see you again.”
I could feel Josh looking at me. I squeezed his hand. “You will,” I told Talon.
The Hawks men started filing out as I stood with Josh. His father was the last to leave. “Call your mother,” he ordered Josh.
“I will.”
Stoke glanced from his son to me. “Take care of him.”
I tipped my head down. “You have my word.”
“It’s not forever,” Josh said. “I still gotta come home and get my shit….” He looked to me, eyes wide a little. “That’s if—”
I gripped his upper arm and told him, “You are moving in.”
He smirked. “That an order?”
I grinned. “Yes.”
“I’ll need to find a job.”
I nodded. “I’m sure you will.”
“You’ve always got work within the Hawks,” Stoke said. “You know that.”
“Yeah, I know, Dad.”
Stoke’s jaw clenched. He reached out, and I let go of my hold on Josh for Stoke to tug him forward. They rested their foreheads together. “Love you, kid.”
“Back at you, Dad.”
With a slap to the upper arm, Stoke shifted away.
“Please thank Talon again for his assistance. I will forever be in debt to the Hawks MC.”
“It’s all good, Wolf. Just do good by him.” He thumbed towards Josh.