It hangs between us. I don’t clarify one single bit, because she’s right. For now, is very much what I meant. But isn’t that the way of every relationship? For now, until something changes, until someone changes? As humans, we don’t stay the same, we’re forever changing and I assume that relationships do as well.
Considering my entire family has left me in some way, shape, or form, I know that nothing is forever, not even blood. So, I can’t promise her or anyone else forever—that wouldn’t be fucking fair.
LEIGHTON
He’s not telling me something. I pack my small bag and wonder if I’m making the right decision by going back with him. I should stay here with Ana, work for the Sinister Skulls, save money and then fucking run.
But when he looks at me, looks at my belly with awe. When he said we were his, even if the baby really wasn’t, she still was. That sealed the deal for me. I want this to work. I feel like I’ll regret this, but I know without a doubt that I’ll regret it if I don’t at least try, too. So, I have to choose which regret I want to live with.
There’s a knock on the front door when I throw the small bag over my shoulder. Mountain marches over to the front door and yanks it open.
There, standing on the front porch, is Dutch. He looks at Mountain, then his gaze shifts behind him to me and he frowns.
“I see you’re taking our girl,” he grunts.
“Our?” Mountain growls.
Dutch holds up his hands, palms facing Mountain. “I’m assuming she didn’t tell you nothing ever happened?”
Mountain slowly turns his head to look back at me, his brows lifted. “Leighton?” he warns.
“Oh, yeah. Nothing happened between me and Dutch, or anyone. Just you,” I say, shrugging a shoulder.
Mountain’s lips straighten into a thin line, then before I can say anything else, he bursts out into laughter. Taking a step to the side, he turns to Dutch and jerks his chin before he walks over to me. He lifts his hand, cupping my cheek as he looks into my eyes.
“Babe, you had me believing the worst,” he rasps. Arching a brow, I narrow my gaze on his, only causing his smile to hitch even higher.
“The worst?” I ask.
He grins, touching his mouth to mine in a simple brush of the lips. “Yeah, the fuckin’ worst.”
“Good to know you think that’s the worst. I’ll remember that,” I breathe.
He chuckles, shaking his head, then he touches my mouth with his own before his hand falls away from my face and he takes a step back. I shift my gaze from his to Dutch, and I look at the way he watches us. It isn’t with jealousy, but more with envy, and I know he wishes that he and Ana had this exact thing.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Mountain says, holding out his hand.
Dutch takes it, shaking it, and the two of them stare at one another for a moment before their hands drop and they take a step backward. I watch them. The man I’m falling for, the man who watched out for me when he didn’t have to. The only man I have ever known that has never expected a single thing from me.
My feet carry me over to him, and I don’t care if Mountain gets mad or not, I reach up and wrap my arms around Dutch in a hug.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“Girl,” Dutch sighs.
Holding him tighter, I inhale a deep breath. “No, thank you,” I repeat.
“Okay,” he rasps.
I release him and take a step back, my eyes watering. I wipe the tears away. He shakes his head, his eyes finding mine. “Any time, babe. Any time at all you need me, I’m right here.”
His meaning is clear. If Mountain fucks up, he’ll come and gather me up, bring me back here, take me away. I like that. Not that I have a backup plan for failure, though I honestly don’t mind that, but that there is someone who is willing to help me like that. I’ve never had anything like it before.
Ana rounds the corner, she’s wiping beneath her eyes and Dutch glances at her before he flicks his gaze back to meet mine. Without a word, Ana wraps her arms around me.
“You’re ditching me. Just like Maria. I hate this,” she whispers against my ear.
I still don’t know everything there is to know about her. I wish that I did. I have a feeling that she has a story behind her eyes, one that would have my mouth dropping in awe. But she comes from a hard life, one that I fear is similar to mine in a lot of ways. She’s said as much, though not in detail.
“Be nice to Dutch, give him a shot,” I whisper.
Taking a step back, I don’t miss the look of surprise on her face as she blinks at me. Nodding, I smile and give her a wink.
“Are you ready?” I ask, looking back at Mountain.
His gaze flicks from Dutch to Ana, then back to meet mine. “Yeah, mi reina, let’s go home,” he rasps.
“My queen?” Ana asks.
He grunts. “Yeah, she is,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine. “She’s a fucking queen and she’s mine.”
Without another word, he grabs my hand and we walk past Dutch and Ana. Looking back, I give them a smile and a wave. Dutch jerks his chin up, but Ana stares at us, her lips parted in awe, before a smile slowly appears on her face.
“As much as I want you on the back of my bike,” Mountain calls out when we reach his bike. “I am not going to put you in danger like that. You’ll go home with Gator in his truck.”
“Okay.” I nod. “When do you leave?” I chance asking.
It’s been on my mind the entire time I packed and gathered my things. He has made me a promise, but my heart has been racing since he said he was leaving. Racing so damn fast that I’m not sure if I’m even really breathing properly.
“I should leave tonight. But I’m going to leave first thing in the morning.”
Nodding, I lick my lips and stare at my feet.
“Leighton,” he calls out softly.
Lifting my head, my gaze shifts up to meet his. I watch him, waiting for him to speak again.
“I made you a promise, and I will fulfill it.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
He takes a step toward me, lifting his hand, his palm cups my cheek and his eyes focus on mine, they dance beautifully for me. It takes my breath away—he takes my breath away. I can’t believe that I want to run from him.
I was so scared of getting hurt, and I still am, but I’m more terrified of never being with him again. He is different, he is special, and even if he causes me more pain than I’ve ever felt in my life, I think that it will be worth every single shard of my heart that breaks.
Mountain dips his chin, his lips touch mine. “I will fulfill my promise,” he breathes against my mouth right before he completely consumes me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
LEIGHTON
I should probably feel embarrassed walking back into Mountain’s clubhouse. I should probably feel a lot of things, but I don’t. I left for a reason, and I’m seriously still not completely convinced I need to be back here, but I am.
“Shit,” a man hisses as soon as we walk into the dark bar room.
My feet falter, and I almost trip over them. Lifting my gaze, I look over at him. He’s huge, with a beard. I remember meeting him, but it was all a blur, the short time that I was here. I ran as quickly as I possibly could.