by KT Fisher
Bomber’s frowns as he watched me cry, swiping away my tears with his fingers and kissing my cheeks. “I won’t rush you.”
He kisses me sweetly this time, nothing like the heated one we just shared. This one feels as though he’s looking after me, caring for my emotions. Bomber understands me.
“I’m sorry.” I back away from him, only a little but I see the hurt in his eyes. “I want to, I really do but you hurt me and even though it was a long time ago, it doesn’t feel that way to me.” I place a hand over my heart, holding it together. “You broke me.”
Bomber looks down to the floor, frowning and shaking his head. “I had no choice, but don’t think I wanted to do that to you.” He looks back to me, begging me with his eyes.
“It’s not just that.” I add, and he nods. Knowing completely I’m referring to the Devils.
“I’m here now.” He steps closer, closing the gap I created between us. “I know I hurt you and what you went through, I want to make up for everything I did.” He pleads, but he doesn’t know everything I’ve been through. Nobody does. There’s some things I’ve only kept to myself.
I let my head fall onto his chest. He’s solid and smells so good, like mint, leather and sweat. Not the smelly sweat, but the one that makes any woman want to lean in closer for a sniff. I’ve heard that men’s sweat has pheromones in it, appealing to women who would be most fertile with the male and I smile a little when I breathe him in again. I secretly love his smell.
“Do you really think you can take it slowly?” I ask him. “Because it’s going to take some time.”
“As long as I know you’re working with me, I’m happy.”
“But I don’t know how long it’s going to take.” I look up to him.
“I don’t give a shit.” He smirks and I laugh, just a little bit.
“Ok.” I whisper.
I know I want him, and I know it’s not fair to keep pushing him away. Maybe if I let him in and get closer to me once more, my heart will heal and I can move on with Bomber. But there’s also some other things he needs to know, and I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to reveal those to him. Or anyone.
***
I knock on Franky’s office door, and he shouts for me to come in.
“Elise.” He smiles as I enter and stops whatever he was doing on his laptop. “Close the door behind you please.” He asks, closing the top and motioning for me to sit on the leather sofa.
“What’s up?” I ask my uncle, he rests his elbow on his desk and looks right at me. His smile showing me that this isn’t an interrogation. He’s not in President of The Kings of Rebellion mode, right now he is my uncle Franky.
“You have people talking.” He begins, and I inwardly sigh. I should have known he would ask me about this. My mouth presses together as I think about the kisses I have just shared with Bomber.
“They are?” I ask, hoping this isn’t going to be a conversation I’m now dreading it’s going to be. That would be awkward.
Franky chuckles to himself, nodding his head. “You did put on quite a show at your mothers party, which was a great day by the way.”
I smile at his compliment. “I did didn’t I.”
“We talking about the party or your claim on Bomber?” He quizzes me and all joking is put aside.
“Bomber.” I sigh, burying my face in my hands and the sofa dips beside me as Franky joins me. “Did I make a fool out of myself?”
“No.” Franky places his hand on my shoulder, supporting me. “It’s what we have to do in this life, and for women like Dallas, it’s the only language they understand.”
I laugh a little without humour. “As much as he broke my heart, I think I still love him.” I look up to him with the tears wetting my face and he gives me a little, reassuring smile. “Am I stupid?”
“No babe, you’re not stupid.” He answers. “And I can understand why you were so hurt when Bomber left, but you have to understand that was my call. I asked Horney Bill to take the job because the Devils didn’t know who he was, and Bomber was young and he wanted to go with his dad. I know that you were only sixteen and you were hurt by his decision, but you have to remember that you were young and Bomber was looking out for his dad.”
“But I understand that and why he went.” I insist. “But he stopped all contact with me while he was there. Not even an email.”
Franky nods. “It was dangerous for him to keep contact with you Elise, Bill found out and told him to stop. It would have been hard for him, but to keep themselves safe, it’s something they had to do and understand that if Bomber wasn’t there, we might not have found you in time.”
A lump in my throat forms and I don’t want to lie to my family, but I’m doing it to protect them.
“I thank God that we found you before anyone could lay their hands on you. Lauren and Tasha mean so much to my family now, but what Demon and The Devils did to them was disgusting and the girls have to live with those terrible memories for the rest of their lives.” Uncle Franky gathers himself together before continuing. “I don’t want that for you.”
Tears form and fall down my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
Franky frowns. “Don’t you ever be sorry Lissy.” He kisses me on the forehead. “Anyway, Bomber is good man and you will do well with him, but if you’re going to be an Old Lady you have to prepare yourself for a lot of fights coming your way.” He puffs out his chest, looking proud. “Your Aunt Laura had to fight through many for me.”
“Right.” I can’t help but laugh and Franky’s smile drops.
“Bomber’s a new toy around here, so you need to keep an eye out for bunnies like Dallas.”
“I hear you.” I nod, appreciating his advice.
“Bomber isn’t the only reason I asked you to come here.” He confesses with a straight face.
“It’s not?”
Franky shakes his head. “Do you like the area that Drew and Tasha’s salon is in?”
My eyes nearly fall out of my head with how much they widen because the answer is that obvious. I love the area the salon is in, it’s gorgeous and they have potential customers walking by every minute and most of them end up walking in. The building itself is beautiful and so eye catching with all the bright colours, that you’re naturally driven to it. “I love that area, why?”
“Well, I thought you might like to know that there’s a building two doors down from Drew and Tasha’s. It’s a little small, but I wanted to run it by you.” He looks down to his phone that has just alerted him to a text message, and my brain is running so fast with ideas.
“I only need a small space for a boutique. I’ve seen the building because I pass it every time I go and drop by the salon, it needs a little work from the outside I think, but it would be ideal.” However, I think to myself that it may be a little pricey. “But I haven’t seen it advertised, I was just looking last night for any new spaces.”
Franky smirks. “No, you wouldn’t have seen it yet because I know the owners and they’re friends of mine and ran it by me first before they advertised it.”
I ponder for a few seconds as to who these friends would be to my uncle.
“It has a small apartment above it, just like the girls have but obviously smaller. Unlike all the work the girls had to go through, this one is ready to use and all set up.” He adds.
I’m speechless. It sounds perfect and I imagine myself being so close by to Drew and Tasha, it would honestly be a dream. The business I could potentially get from being in such a great location would be wonderful for the boutique. I don’t know what to say and I look at Franky with what I think is an amazed face and he laughs.
I take a deep breath. “Is there any pictures that I can see?” Just so I can get more of a feel to how I can set everything up. I love to get a visual.
“I can do better than that.” Franky answers, his eyes twinkling and he suddenly stands from his seat next to me and walks towards the large doors. Opening them he smiles to whoever is standing th
ere waiting.
I’m shocked when I see my dad walk in, with a huge smile covering his whole face. “Dad?” I ask, completely confused as to what is happening here.
His hand comes from behind his back and he jingles some keys from his fingers. “It’s already yours baby girl.”
“What?” I cover my mouth in surprise. My arms begin to shake and I decide that I won’t get up from the sofa as my legs may also be shaking.
“When your Uncle Franky rang, I just knew what I had to do.” My father continues to smile and I hear a slight choke of emotion in his voice. “The building is yours Elise.”
I sit for about a minute I think in pure amazement. Letting this fantastic news settle in and when it does, I make both my father and my uncle jump when I quickly stand and run to them as I squeal in my delight. I wrap my arms around both of them and jump up and down, both men laughing in my ears.
“I think she’s pleased.” Franky grumbles.
“You think?” Dad laughs.
Chapter Seven
Elise
I place the last jewellery hanger on the black shelf. It’s shaped like a tree and is painted lilac, each of the bare barks holds sparkling rings and bracelets. I take a step back and admire the shelf. It’s one of those floating style ones, but there’s seven of them zig zagging across the silver wallpaper behind it. This place isn’t that big, and I wanted some colour to brighten it up but I didn’t want it white. Silver was my next best option and with the glossed black shelves that team with it, I couldn’t be happier with the result.
“Looking good.” I hear, and I spin quickly to see Bomber standing at the door. A cheeky smile decorating his handsome face.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, glancing at the backdoor which leads to the room at the back. It’s storing all the furniture and at the minute, my dad and Scrappy who are helping me today.
“Thought I’d come and support my girl.” He steps inside and he suddenly looks huge and dangerous in my small and girly shop. I should tell him that I’m not actually his girl yet, but I can’t bear to hurt him. Bomber looks around and I follow his eyes. Opposite the wall I had just been admiring is another silver wallpapered wall that matches the other, the two other walls are painted lilac. Black, silver and lilac will be the only decoration colours in here, apart from the stock I will have in here of course. “This looks completely different from the clubhouse.”
I laugh. “I should hope so.”
His comical face turns to me and he takes another step closer. “I’m happy for you Lissy.”
“Well, it’s not completely mine.” I shrug. “Franky made me put my name down on all the forms, but he and my dad are the ones who paid for it all.”
Bomber nods, placing his hand on the crook of my neck and I fight to close my eyes. “You are legally the owner that way babe, you’re part of the club and you know how we all take care of our girls.”
I smile, drowning in his hazel eyes. So many beautiful colours. Bomber tenses his jaw, looking down at my mouth. Memories of our secret kiss at the clubhouse the other day comes back and I crave it again. I want his mouth to touch mine and claim it again. I know I said I want him to take it slow, but since that kiss my body has been craving him more than ever. I lean in closer to him, wanting his body against mine, but an alarm rings off inside my head with the reminder that my dad and Scrappy are in the back room. It returns my sanity and I step back. Bomber smiles as I pull away and groans.
Their bikes are out front, so of course he would have known that we weren’t alone and he also would have noticed who those bikes belong to. “My dad and Scrappy are in the back.” My plan of taking it slow would have been ruined if they would have caught us. “You should go.”
Tilting his head to the side, he frowns. “Why? We’re not doing anything we shouldn’t.”
“I need to work.” I point to the unopened packages on the floor.
Bomber can’t hold his taunting smile. “You mean, you can’t help yourself around me?”
My silence is his answer and he reaches out for me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close.
“Jamie.” I warn him and he groans.
“Fuck I love it when you call me that.” He presses into me and I feel him, all of him and my eyes snap up to him. Bomber nods, knowing I can feel his hard cock. That does nothing to kill the need I have for him.
“Not while my dad and Scrappy are here.” The regret clear in my voice. Bomber takes a steps back and slowly makes his way to the door.
“Come out with me this weekend.” He asks with a serious expression, no hint of teasing.
“Out?” I quiz but I know what he’s asking. Bomber wants to date and as much as I want to run into his arms and say yes, I can’t let him know just how much I want this.
Bomber rubs the stubble on his chin, quietly laughing to himself. I’m making him work for it and seeing him like this, a little shy and uncomfortable, is totally worth it.
“Dinner.” He answers. “Growing up, I thought about taking you on dates and everything else that goes with it.”
My eyes widen, not expecting that. “Oh.” I’m a little pissed if I’m honest. If that’s what he thinks is going to happen then he’s sorely mistaken.
Bomber holds his hands up, quickly shaking his head. “Shit, I didn’t mean it like that.”
Crossing my arms across my chest I watch him squirm, enjoying this a tad more. “No?”
“No.” He insists.
“So you don’t want sex with me?” I tease, pretending to be hurt but I know exactly what he means.
This time, it’s Bomber’s eyes that widen. He looks over my body and walks back over to me. “Elise, I dream of the day I get to have you, but I meant being together, finally after all these fucking years of being apart. We’ve wasted so much time Lissy, I want you to be mine. No more fucking around.”
His words, as rash as they are, hit me hard and with tearful eyes, I nod. Bomber wraps his arms around me and I sink into him. Letting him hold me for just a minute more.
“Ok.” I nod, stepping back from his strong arms. “Let’s have dinner.”
“Tonight.” He grins, stepping backwards towards the door.
“I can’t tonight, I’ll be here.” I look around the room we’re standing in. “I have to get it finished if I want to open by next weekend.”
Bomber just flashes me his cocky smile, continuing to walk back. “I’ll meet you here at seven.”
“But my dad might still be here.” I panic. He said he would stay with me and help.
“Seven.” Bomber repeats and as I stand in silence, I hear the rumble of his bike and it sends shivers through me.
“Who was that?” Dad appears from the back room, along with my brother as they carry my brand new desk through. It’s painted silver, to match everything else and will be where my customers pay for their goods as the black till I have purchased will sit on top.
I point to the back corner, telling them where I want it as I answer. “Bomber.” I say honestly.
My dad looks surprised, but I notice my brother tries not to react at all, although I see the tense of his jaw. I order them to angle it in the corner and stand back, admiring the table.
“Coming to congratulate you?” My father asks as he joins my side.
“Yes.” I nod, thinking of a plan. “I’m going over to the salon later, have a glass of wine with the girls.”
“Oh.” He frowns. “I thought we were staying here late, getting as much done as we can?”
“We can do tomorrow.” I smile. “I think I need a catch up, that’s all.”
My dad looks at me and I know that he can see right through me, but he nods anyway and kisses me on the head. “Then let’s get as much as we can done before then.”
Letting go of the breath I was holding in, I nod and watch him return to the back room where everything is being stored.
“Bomber coming back then.” Scrappy looks at me from across the room. I do
n’t know what to say. I don’t even know if he’s ok with Bomber anymore. Scrappy sighs and unfolds his arms. “Look, I know you told dad the biggest bullshit, and he probably knows that too.”
“Then why didn’t he say anything?”
“Because he thinks I’m going to kick off, just like you do.” Scrappy answers, walking towards me with an annoyed look. “But I won’t.”
He ruffles my hair and joins dad, leaving me standing in shock. I was going to text Drew to let her know my fake plan, but it seems there’s no point.
Half past six arrives and I make my father and Scrappy leave, still going along with the plan, even though we all know it’s all rubbish. “I’m meeting the girls in five minutes, so you need to go home.”
“We could stay while you go?” My brother taunts. “You know, we could stay and continue while you’re out?”
I scowl at him while he smirks. “No, that’s fine. You will probably mess it all up anyway.”
“She’s right.” Dad adds before Scrappy can say anything else. “Let’s get going, your mothers doing dinner and I don’t want to keep her waiting.”
I watch them go, pretending I’m about to lock up and leave the store. As soon as they are well away for them to see, I step back inside and lock the door behind me. What I’ve learnt with my family, is that you can never be too safe. Especially when the women of the family are alone. I take out my little compact mirror from my bag, along with a few bits of my make-up to make sure I am looking at my best for Bomber.
It’s not long until there’s a knock and I push aside the door blinds, and see a handsome man standing on the other side of the glass. He’s grinning back at me, his hazel eyes shining with mischief and I can’t help but smile back at him as I unlock the door and let him in. Bomber’s smile is contagious, at least it is for me anyway. I let out a little giggle as he steps in and I’m hit in the face with the smell of takeaway pizza.
“I brought dinner.” He holds out the three boxes in front of him for me to see, a fat grin on his gorgeous face.
“I know, I can smell it.” I eagerly look to the food he holds and I’m suddenly very hungry after organising everything today. I’m now in need of a feast, and it just so happens it comes in the hands of Bomber. I’m just worried that I’m going to look like a monster as I devour whatever is making that delicious smell. “Please say its ham and pineapple.”
