I jerk my hips forward, filling her to the hilt.
She squeaks in surprise.
“You tell me.” I lace my fingers over the top of her head to hold her in place while I drive into her.
“Ergh.” She moans an unintelligible noise and plants her heels in the mattress, arching to meet each hard thrust.
Her mouth falls open and her body locks in pleasure. Her pussy clamps hard around my cock. I keep going, riding right through her climax and pushing her into another. I drop my forehead against her shoulder, falling into the pleasure and pain, losing myself in her body. I come inside her in a rush that races down my spine, burying my face against her neck, licking salt from her skin.
Breathing hard I roll to the side. She shifts, snuggling closer, and I curl my arm around her waist. She tilts her head so she can see my face. I use one finger to brush sweaty strands of hair from her cheek.
“I love you,” she whispers, curling her hand around my wrist and bringing it to her lips. “Are you okay?” she asks without shifting her gaze.
She’s not asking about my external injuries.
“I don’t like putting myself in this role of vigilante justice warrior,” I say. “I feel like an asshole even saying it like that but I’m not sure how else to word it.”
She props herself up on one elbow and stares down at me but her gaze is almost distant. “What do you think would’ve happened if we’d just let the cops handle it?”
I frown, unsure of how to answer that question.
“Let’s say Empire PD is actually full of competent individuals.” She slants a look that says she doesn’t believe that’s the case at all. “And they took my brother’s abduction seriously. How long do you think it would’ve taken them to find Carter based on the information Bianca gave them?”
“I don’t know. Merlin never would’ve gone to the cops. And he had the missing pieces of the puzzle.”
“Exactly.” She traces one finger against my stomach. “That hole in your side is from someone shooting at you. Their president beat his own daughter?”
“Yeah.”
“If you hadn’t killed them, do you think they would’ve just gone quietly away? Or would they have kidnapped me next? Or Heidi?”
My jaw tightens.
“Just because you and your club would never go after a daughter, or sister, or nephew, to get to them, doesn’t mean other MCs play by the same rules.” She rests her hand over my heart. “You have honor.” She closes her eyes briefly. “I don’t care what ‘the law’ says. Sometimes, killing your enemies is the only way. I will defend your actions with my last breath, Marcel.”
My breath stutters. She truly sees and understands every part of me—even the sinister ones—and loves me anyway.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Teller
I sit up and slide out of bed.
“Where are you going?” Charlotte asks. “You need to rest.”
“Can’t. If I fall asleep now, I won’t get up for at least a day. Rock will want all of us at the table. And I still need to see the doctor.” I lean over and kiss her cheek. “You can stay here, though.”
“Like hell.” She sits up and wrinkles her nose, glancing down. “Boy, you better have put a baby in me that time.”
I laugh so hard, I swear I rip my wound open wider. “That’s what you’re thinking about?”
Her smile fades. “I can’t help it.”
A sigh escapes me. I’m too exhausted to talk about this now.
Someone bangs on our bedroom door and Charlotte scoots off the bed, rushing to hide in the bathroom.
“Give me a minute,” I yell. Where the fuck are some pants? I find jeans in the closet and slip them on, then open the door.
Blake’s leaning against the frame. “Rock wants us downstairs.” His gaze drops to my side. “You see the doc yet?”
“No, Charlotte cleaned me up.”
He cranes his neck, searching the small bedroom. “Where is she?”
“Bathroom.” I jerk my thumb over my shoulder.
“She okay?” he asks in a low voice.
“Yeah.”
His smirk returns. “Swan and Bianca are, uh, taking turns helping Carter through the healing process.”
Charlotte pops out of the bathroom, running a brush through her long, damp hair. “I hope that’s not a euphemism for my brother’s having a three-way downstairs.”
“Definitely not,” Blake says. “Purely medical for the moment. Just saying, it might be headed in that direction, though.”
“Looks like that offer to stay at Rock and Hope’s will come in handy,” Charlotte says. “I don’t need to know about my brother’s intimate matters.”
I grab a shirt and my cut, then we follow Blake downstairs.
The clubhouse is a bit livelier now. Carla’s sour puss is nowhere to be seen.
“Is the doc even still here?” I ask Blake.
“Yeah. Carla’s helping him stitch Rooster, then it’s your turn.”
“Fucking great. I don’t want that bitch anywhere near me.”
“Heard she got mouthy with Hope.” Blake flashes an evil smile. “That’s why she’s sticking close to the doc now.”
Rock’s waiting near the war room doors. For the first time in a long time, he actually looks weary.
I stop next to him. “Do you need me to do anything?”
“Nah, this is going to be quick.”
Thank fuck.
I ease into my chair and nod to each of my brothers as they enter the room. When everyone’s in place, Rock takes his seat. I catch his eye. “Can I say something, first?”
He regards me carefully, then nods once.
I stand so I can see everyone. “I want to say thank you. Tonight was rough.” I knock my knuckles against the table, suddenly unable to find the right words. “I couldn’t have gotten Carter home safely so fast if it wasn’t for your help. It wasn’t club business, yet you all had my back. Charlotte and I both…thank you.” Feeling like a naked asshole, I drop into my seat.
Blake pats my back.
“We got you, brother,” Dex says.
“You’d do the same for any one of us,” Bricks adds.
“I’m sorry I didn’t do more,” Sparky says in a low voice.
I look up and meet his bloodshot eyes. “You did, though. Charlotte said you helped keep her mind off things. Appreciate you looking out for her, brother.”
He straightens in his chair. “We did have an enlightening conversation. She’s brilliant.”
“Yeah.” I smile wide. “She is.”
I meet Rooster’s bleary eyes across the table. Whatever the doc gave him must be hitting him hard. “I’m sorry you got hurt too, brother. Anything you need, just let me know. Anything.”
He lifts his chin.
“Okay,” Rav interrupts. “Now that Carter’s home safe, can we please talk about the fact that he has two hot chicks fussing over him?”
How’d I know Rav would be the one to ruin the moment? “No,” I growl.