“Hey,” I say as I smack the back of his head. “Show some damn respect.”
“My bad. You are one crazy son of a bitch, Prez,” he says with a grin.
“Better.”
I walk into the room and straight for Rose. I lay behind her in bed as close as I can without touching her back and lay my hand on her hip. She's too skinny. I can already hear Ma getting on my case about plumping her up.
“Are you okay?”
“What happened down there?” She asks instead of answering me.
My first thought is to say that it’s club businesses. We don't involve our women in club shit for a reason. It's too risky. Not only for the business for them as well.
I open my mouth to say just that. “I let her go,” comes out instead. What the fuck? This woman has me by the balls, and she doesn't even realize it. My jeans are getting tight just thinking about any part of her near my balls.
Rose rolls over to face me. My god, she's beautiful. Even with the black eye, and split lip.
Fuck, I should have killed Carrie.
“You let her go?” she asks. “For real?”
“Yeah, baby. I let her go. But right before she left, she said something that had me worried, so I have someone tailing her.”
“Tailing her? I'm not sure I understand.”
“It means, I have a brother following her everywhere she goes and seeing who she talks to,” I explain.
Her eyes go wide, and she gives a small nod letting me know she understood.
“What made you worry?” she asks. I want to tell her. I want to confide in this woman about everything. But this time I hold my tongue.
I hope she understands why I can't tell her. “That's club business, Baby. There are some things I won't be able to tell you. No matter how much I want to. My life isn't always safe, and the less you know about certain things the safer you'll be.”
Rose drops her eyes from mine and fidgets with the blanket. “My life is never safe, Bear. I think I will be able to handle what worries you so.”
The reminder of her past has me fuming. I hate that my sweet Rose has had such a horrible life. No, not life. She's never had the chance to live. She's had a horrible existence where she constantly fought to survive.
“I don't doubt for a second you're strong enough to handle anything thrown at you. But in this case, it's best if you don't know. At least at the moment. Please, trust me on this.”
A small smile forms on those perfect lips. “I trust you on everything, Bear.” Her face reddens at her admission.
I push my chest out like I'm a damn gorilla. Hearing that Rose trusts me to that extent makes me feel like a king. Fucking King Kong.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead. “Come on baby, let's get you cleaned up. We don't want to be late. Ma will have no problem trying to ground me if I'm even a minute late.”
Rose let's out a small giggle as she climbs off the bed. There it is again. My favorite sound. I grab her hand once she's standing and we head downstairs.
I take Rose to the kitchen and lift her up to sit in the same chairs we were at before.
“Someone grab me the Med Kit,” I yell out before looking down at Rose. “I've gotta go talk to Hawk about something. I won't be but a minute.”
Her eyes grow wide with fear, and her face pales. “Can't he come over here? I will hold my ears and hum a song. I won't listen to a word that is said.” Her voice is trembling. She's terrified. My brave girl from upstairs has vanished.
“What I need to ask him isn't for your ears, baby. I'll be just over there. Right by the front door. You'll be able to see me the whole time. I promise.” The need to wrap Rose in my arms is overwhelming. So, that's exactly what I do. Reaching my arms out slowly, so she knows what's about to happen, I wrap my arms around her upper back where I know there are no fresh wounds.
It takes about a minute for Rose to get her head in the game. Her stiff body relaxes, and she places her hands around my back.
“Oh my,” she whispers, and I chuckle.
“Here ya go, Prez,” Brick says from behind me. “It was still in Trigger’s room. Don't tell him I was in there. I like being alive.”
“He'll find out anyway,” I say as I release Rose and reach for the kit. “The crazy fuck will notice something out of place.”
“Or smell your fear,” Hawk says from by the door.
“Nah, I didn't touch nothin’ else. It was sittin’ on the dresser right by the door,” he says smugly.
“WHO THE FUCK WAS IN MY ROOM?” we hear Trigger yell from upstairs.
“Shit, I gotta go. Talk at ya later, Prez.”
“Will Trigger really harm Brick?” Rose asks.
Grabbing the alcohol pads and healing cream, I turn to Rose with a smirk. “Not too bad. Brick will survive to annoy me another day.” That earned me another giggle.
I finish with her bruised face and go to start on her back. Shit, I should have done this upstairs. I want no one else seeing any part of her unclothed body except me.
I slowly raise her shirt until the soiled bandages are visible. While I hate how she got them, I don’t care that she’s covered in scars. They just remind me of how strong my woman is.
I clean up the blood on the reopened wounds and apply cream and a new bandage before pulling her shirt back down. Leaning down, I kiss her head. “My brave girl.”
“I'm going to go talk to Hawk now, I'll be just over there.”
I get a small smile. “I'll be fine, Bear.”
With one last look, I turn and walk away. I need to talk to my brother. I know just what I want to get my sweet, beautiful, brave Rose for her birthday.
Chapter Twelve
Rose
The moment Bear walks away, I start to hyperventilate. So much for inner me sticking around for a while. My inner courage is a coward. I'm so focused on arguing with myself that I don't notice when someone sits beside me.
“Hey there, sexy.”
I spin around to see who it is and instantly lean back when I feel the stranger’s breath on my face. I would have fallen to the floor if it wasn't for the man's hands grabbing onto my hips. He gives me a full tooth smile and my heart races. Not in a good way. His smile looks lustful, and everything in me is screaming to run away and hide.
“What's your name, Freckles?” he asks.
Why does everyone keep asking me that? Except this time is different because I have a name. I have yet to say it out loud, but I do have one now. Thanks to Bear.
“Um, Rose,” I somehow say. Pushing the air through to answer his question was difficult. It feels as if he has his hands wrapped around my throat instead of my hips.
“Rose,” he breathes. “Mmm, that tasted delicious. Do you taste as delicious as your name, Rose? I bet you do. The names Derrick. Now that we officially know one another, what do you say to taking a ride on the back of my bike?”
“Get your mother fucking hands off her before I tear them from your body,” Bear says in a scary voice as he walks up behind Derrick.
Even though Bear's eyes are black with fury, I instantly feel myself calming.
“Oh, hey, Prez,” Derrick says, while still holding my hips. I try to back away, but his hands squeeze tighter.