“Bellamy and Butch are coming home tomorrow, right?” Dais’ asks Elena, who nods at her in response.
“Yup. Hopefully they won’t get summoned for another pop up tour date for a little bit. I want my sister home for a while, as selfish as that may be.” Bells is always being dragged across the states for tour dates. She’s basically a pop star and as her fame is rising, it means that she travels more. She comes home for maybe a night sometimes, and if we’re lucky a weekend. Her manager has been planning these pop up tour dates last minute and carts her across the states to work. I guess the lucky part of her going is that she and Butch have gotten the luxury of missing most of the drama.
“It’s not selfish. You just miss Bells. We all do.” I comment. There’s something about Bellamy that causes us all to just relax a little bit. Maybe it’s because she didn’t grow up in our lifestyle, that she has a certain type of naiveté, or it could be her ridiculous humor and how she somehow manages to snap the whip when it comes to Butch. Kyle comes around the side of the building, making his way directly across from me.
The group breaks out into stories and then discussions about what we’re doing for Thanksgiving. I can’t believe it’s this time of year already, and we’re only about three weeks away from the big day. “I think we should all split up the cooking this year. It’s not fair to leave it all on one person,” I comment, looking to Elena who always wants to do everything. This year she isn’t going to, and no it’s not because she’s pregnant. We’re all a family, a unit, which means we will help one another whenever we can. For instance, on the most laboring day of cooking.
“Fine.” She huffs out, causing us to all chuckle to ourselves.
My gaze ends up landing on Kyle, thinking about the way he had touched me earlier. I take notice how he isn’t uttering a word to his brother and wonder if there is trouble in paradise yet again. Those two fight like cats, I swear.
Max comes out the back door. Our eyes lock, a shiver runs down my spine and it’s not because of the cold. It’s just the way that Max makes me feel. As if my body knows, the cold heartedness of the man who takes each step closer to me.
The next thing I know, there’s a thunk next to me on the picnic table and Kyle has wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer to him.
“What are you doing?” I ask him, brows furrowing together.
“Bein’ a gentleman, I saw that little chill that came over you.”
“Nothing about you is a gentleman,” I mumble, giving him a questioning look.
“You’re right. Maybe I’m just being a selfish bastard who’d rather keep his hands on you opposed to himself.”
“Maybe?” I comment.
“Most definitely,” he responds. getting a smile out of me.
I look over to Max, who is glaring razor blades at me, and then back to Kyle. “You realize what you’re doing, right?”
Kyle looks down to me and then to Max, his eyes returning to my own quickly. “Do you really think I give a fuck about your jealous ex? I used to be your jealous ex, remember? Tell the bastard to take a number. It’s my turn.”
“Your turn? What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I don’t plan on sitting around and watching you get hurt by him, yet again. We didn’t work out once and there was a reason for that. We were both too young, we didn’t know who we were. Now we do. We aren’t the same people anymore, Princess.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re here to profess your undying love and devotion to me in a tender moment,” I mumble sarcastically.
“Exactly!”
“So, where is it?” I ask.
Kyle gives me a confused look.
“Where is my grand gesture, Prince Charming?”
“You would like a grand gesture, wouldn’t you sweetheart?” He laughs, a little louder than usual which causes everyone to look in our direction.
“I am a princess after all. You said it yourself”
“Oh, very true. How dare I forget it?”
“Shame on you, Mister.”
Kyle grazes his fingers over my thigh, slowly dragging his hand up my side, over my shoulder until he’s on my neck.
I wince, not realizing what I’ve done until he gives me a completely concerned expression. He doesn’t stop, though. Instead, caressing me tenderly before he brings his lips down onto my own, his lips matching the tenderness of his touch. I open for him, allowing his tongue to dart into my mouth, daring him to play with mine. His tongue moves over my lips, before sucking my bottom lip into my mouth making the most lustful growl. I bring my hand to his chest and pull my mouth from his, knowing that if I don’t, we’ll end up in his bed tonight.
I rest my head on his pec, breathing in slowly, his quickened heart beat giving me peace. I hadn’t kissed Kyle in years, and I didn’t know how much I missed it until right now. Until he had me in his arms.
It’s the best place on earth.
Chapter 6
We have our own language, you and me. One that doesn’t have a word for goodbye.
JmStorm
Kyle
I kept my hands on Michelle for as long as I could, and we were out there for hours, sitting with everyone, talking about the pointless things in life that would give us all a good laugh. Little by little, everyone left, leaving Michelle alone with me. I told Reed I’d be sure to put out the fire, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ll be out here half the night with her.
Looking up to the stars, I take a deep breath, rubbing up and down Michelle’s arm. For the life of me I just wanted to comfort her, which is exactly why I moved next to her when I saw her face drop the second she saw Max. I knew he made her uncomfortable, but she’d always been able to stick up for herself. It immediately made me wonder why her face turned so quickly, what he could have possibly said or done that would have made her scared like that.
“Are you going to tell me about it?” I ask her. Michelle knows me well enough to know that I picked up on the way she flinched. She’s not a dumb woman.
“It was nothing. You just haven’t touched me in a while like that and – “
“Stop your lyin’ Michelle,” I grumble out, not giving a damn if my tone is nasty. “What did he do?”
“He didn’t do anything. We got into it earlier and it shook me up a bit,” She tells me.
I can tell that she’s hiding something. “You’re an awful liar.”
“You’re awful at digging for the truth.”
“See. There is something you’re not telling me”
“There’s a lot that I don’t tell you, Kyle. You aren’t exactly privy to everything that goes on in my life! You aren’t my ol’man, so stop acting like it.”
“That’s going to be changing,” I snap out at her.
“Oh, really? Are you just going to chain me up in your room until I agree to being your ol’lady. Is that how this is gonna go?”
“Dammit, Michelle. It’s not real hard now, is it? You damn well know I’m the best for you. I’m not going to leave you alone to deal with whatever it is that’s going on. I’m not gonna fuckin’ leave you, ever.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes,” I firmly state.
“It’s just funny, ‘cause you did a damn good job at leaving Dais’ when she needed you!”
I look down at her, wanting to see her face when she realizes what a bitch she just was to me. That was a low blow, even for Michelle. “Are you done yet?”
“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep. I’m damn tired of empty promises. I’m tired of being let down time after time. I deserve more than that. I’m worth more than that.”
She’s right. With every word she speaks, she is right. She deserves the best, and I’ll be the man to give it to her. She just has to wait and see for herself. “I can’t force you to tell me what happened. I’m just hoping that you will. You’re gonna have to learn to trust someone, Michelle. Doin’ what you’ve been doin’ isn’t healthy. Not everyone in your life is going to let
you down.”
“Not everyone, but mostly everyone,” she retorts.
I can’t disagree with her. I know about her, her past and how every important person has let her down. For once, I’m not on the shit list. “If he’s scaring you, I need you to tell me.” I may need her to do something, but she won’t. Michelle is far too stubborn for that.
All I get is a look that proves my point, telling me that she is absolutely terrified.
“That’ll do.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to,” I tell her, taking her hand in my own and standing from the picnic table. “Now I’m gonna put this fire out, and take you to your room.”
I put the fire out, as Michelle speaks, “You don’t have to escort me back.”
“I know I don’t have to, Princess. I want to, plus it’s the prince charming thing to do.”
When I’m finished, I walk with her to her room inside the clubhouse, standing at the door like some kid who’s dropping his date off for the very first time.
She stares up at me, neither of us really sure what to say.
“Get some sleep, Princess.” I press my lips softly to her temple, before turning to walk away.
“I will, I need the beauty rest.”
Her words cause me to turn back, catching her before she’s completely in her doorway. “No, you’ve never needed the beauty rest. You’ve always been a vision and you always will be. Don’t ever doubt yourself, Michelle. You’re the most majestic thing I’ve ever known.” At that, I walk down the hall until I reach my room, sliding into the bed, fighting every urge to bust down her door and be with her.
Fuck, she doesn’t make this easy.
Chapter 7
He felt warm and familiar. He felt solid and safe. I wanted to cling to his shirt, bury my face in the curve of his neck, and never let go.
Anonymous
Michelle
I’m sitting down in the clubhouse, pretzel style on the couch and am terrified out of my candy crushing daze to the sounds of high pitched screams. I whip my head around in the direction of said screams and expect it to be Butch, but sigh, realizing it’s actually Bells.
She’s jumping up and down, flailing her arms around like a drunk bird.
The only thing I can do is raise my eyebrows and stare because, really?
“He put a ring on it!!!” She screams, and out runs Elena from the middle of nowhere. Daisy I know for a fact is out with Seamus going shopping for all of us, plus she needed some stuff for Ryder too.
I take a gander at her hand, seeing the very big diamond on her hand. Holy shit, who would’ve known Butch had it in him?
“Nice job, Butch!” Elena comments, grabbing her sister’s hand and getting a good look at it.
I hop off my seat on the couch and walk over to take a look, solid princess cut, and super Bellamy. “Very pretty,” I comment.
Butch walks over to where Reed, Pain and Chaos are playing pool.
Max is standing over on the side but I don’t pay too much attention to him, doing my best to ignore his ignorant ass. I’m not really sure where Kyle is, but he is great at disappearing. Crap. I think about the comment I made to him last night and while I wasn’t wrong in saying it, it was a shit thing for me to do. I hit him where it hurt, bringing Dais’ into it. I know it’s got to be hard for him to be here, watching her being happy with one of his closest friends, or someone who was one of his closest friends. I don’t think they have that same friendship anymore, granted I wouldn’t either if the roles were reversed.
“Holy crap, we have to plan a wedding! The spring is so beautiful here, we have to do it in the spring!” Elena says excitedly.
I notice how Bellamy’s face drops.
“What’s the matter?” Elena asks her, seeing the same thing I just did.
“I can’t have a spring wedding, El’.”
“Well, why not? Oh! You want it to be another time of the year, right?”
“No, I…crap. Evie just told me last night that I have to tour overseas for a year. I… I won’t be back in the states until next Thanksgiving. I had an option to do it over two years with a two month break every couple months, or I could tour for a year and get it over with… so I opted to get it over with as quickly as possible.”
“Oh, my god…” Elena mutters, eyes filling with water. “You won’t be here for any of it…” Her hand shoots to her stomach, and she bites her lip. I know very well that she’s fighting off the tears, so I take my hand to her back and rub.
“She’ll be here as soon as she can, so she doesn’t have to miss any more time than is needed,” I tell Elena, before speaking again to fill the silence. “What dates are you looking at for the wedding?”
“I… well, I had this silly idea. I know things haven’t exactly been the best around here, and I’d really like to get married before I have to go back on tour… so I was hoping we could throw something together this weekend.”
“This weekend, are you out of your damn mind?!” Elena shouts, looking at Bellamy like she’s grown a second head.
I just laugh at the sudden outburst.
“Ah, she must have told you the plan!” Butch smirks, walking back over and wrapping an arm around his wife to be.
“She’s lost her damn mind. Go find it,” Elena grumbles at him, making all of us crack into laughter.
“Oh c’mon Elena, you’re the wedding planner. We know you’ve got this,” he teases her, and
I really think it’s the last thing that he should be doing right now. You never fuck with a pregnant lady, ever.
“Are you two serious, you really want your wedding this weekend?”
Both Bellamy and Butch nod, smirking at Elena, all of us finding the same level of amusement.
“Shit. Fine, then! Crap! Okay… um… lake house?”
“Okay, let’s be honest. You handle the location, food and all that shit. I just need my dress and we’re good to go!” Bellamy tells her, “Which means we have to go dress shopping tomorrow. You too Meech. El, you, Dais’ and Mar. We’re going shopping!!”
I nod my head, agreeing to get out of the clubhouse. It would do me some good, and um hello, shopping, hell yes!
“I’ll have Kyle and Chaos escort you all tomorrow,” Reed pipes up.
I give him a sideways glance. He hasn’t said anything to me about the public display of affection Kyle smacked on me last night in front of everyone, but he doesn’t have to. I can already feel his judgement, and boy is it there or what?
Chapter 8
Characterize people by their actions and you’ll never be fooled by their words.
The Mindset Journey
Kyle
I grab a box and fill it with the lovely presents that I know we can only blame one person for. He deserves all the credit and I’ve had it. I’m done with this shit and we all need to talk about it. There is no more pussyfooting around the war that has been heading our way. I bust through the clubhouse doors and immediately set my gaze on my brother, the one who I haven’t said many words to since out disagreement at the cabin.
Normally, I may give him a warning that we should have this discussion in church but like I said before, I don’t give a fuck. It’s funny, some people worry about the price they pay, but not me. I don’t, it’s just easier not giving a damn. The group of us are all here, and boy are they about to get a sight.
I yank one of the presents out from the box, and hear Maria’s scream, seeing her dart out of the front doors like the building was on fire. I drop it on the floor below me, pulling out one after another.
Reed is off the couch right in front of me. “Did you really have to do that?”
“Seems Ramirez happens to think we’re rats, and given the threats we’ve already gotten I’d say it’s time to figure out how the fuck we’re going to handle this situation.” I ignore his question, focusing on the problem at hand.
“He hasn’t done anything too dramatic yet. He’s only made
idle threats,” Reed comments, and it takes every fiber of my being to not grab him by the throat and shove him against the wall. I’m wondering if my brother is just getting dumber, or if he’s becoming weak. Hell, it could be a combination of the two.
“This isn’t dramatic?” I ask him, pointing to the dead rats below me, their throats are slit and that just shows me what Rafael has planned for us if we don’t squash this shit soon. “We need to stop sitting on our asses and do something!”
“No, we can’t do anything. Not yet.” Reed hisses
“What sort of joke is that? Not yet. It’s bullshit. Fist just called the Sons of Gods, Brotherhood and Raiders to help him handle their Demons problem. I’d say it’s about time we start calling in favors too”
“They aren’t going to want to help us take down the cartel,” Reed snaps.
“I’m not talking about the whole damn cartel, bro. We just need to get rid of the snake that runs it. He’s got brothers, who are far less senile then Rafael is.”
Reed nods.
“We have bigger fish to fry,” Reed finally tells me, giving me an unspoken signal.
There is something that he’s dealing with, but I wouldn’t know what. He hasn’t said a word to me. “Who would be a bigger fish than Rafael Ramirez? Not those mobsters who were here the other day?”
He shoots me a glare. “No. Not them.”
“Then who the fuck is it?”
“Dwayne is back in town,” Seamus tells me.
I take note of the way that Reed’s face drops.
Dwayne, the motherfucker who is responsible for Celine’s death. Reed’s first love, the woman he would’ve married if Dwayne hadn’t killed her. She was strung up like some little doll, put on display just for Reed to find her. I wasn’t her biggest fan, but no one deserved that.
Reclaimed (Skulls Renegade MC Book 6) Page 3
