Prodigal Son

by Jayna King

  “Nowhere else I’d rather be.” I moved from the bedside chair to sit on the edge of her bed. “Krystal, I meant what I said earlier today. We are meant to be together. You’re mine, and I’ve learned how and when to protect what’s mine. Baby, no one is ever going to hurt you like he did, not if I can stop it.”

  “Luke, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I don’t need someone to fight my battles for me.”

  “Krystal, you may not need it, but you’ve got it. I did a lot of thinking on the road, and I know what I want. I want to be a Savage Son, and I want you. That’s it. It’s that simple. And I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to wait around and hope that I get what I want. Not anymore. I want you, and I’m gonna have you.”

  “You know what’s funny, Luke?” Krystal asked. “I had just — right before he knocked me out — decided that I was going to leave Bug once and for all. It had nothing to do with you, either, but it was a decision I had to make for myself.”

  Krystal stopped talking as the physician’s assistant came in the door.

  “Ah,” he said, seeing that his patient was awake. “Krystal, nice to have you awake and alert. How’re you feeling?”

  I stood up and got out of the way so that the man could examine Krystal, check her responses, and assess whether she was thinking clearly. He told her that there was — surprisingly — little chance that she had a concussion, and that their x-rays had shown not a single broken bone. He looked at me before he continued, and I noticed some hostility in his gaze.

  “Krystal, I know this wasn’t the result of an accident. Is there anything we need to know about how you were injured? Anyone we should talk to?”

  I could see him inclining his head toward me, and I realized that he thought that I might have hit her. Before I could say a word, though, Krystal spoke up.

  “I get what you’re asking. My ex-boyfriend hit me, and Luke is just cleaning up the mess. I don’t want to press charges, and don’t want to talk to the cops. I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

  “You know, we don’t usually see women in here just once for domestic violence, Krystal. You’ll be safer if you press charges and get a restraining order.”

  “No need. Luke will keep me safe, and if I see my ex around again, I’ll call the cops right away. That make you feel better?”

  “I guess that’s the best we’re going to get, isn’t it?” he asked, not convinced in the least, but resigned to her right to make her own decision.

  I finally stepped forward. “She’ll be fine, and we appreciate your taking such good care of her.”

  He nodded and turned back to Krystal. “As long as you’re feeling okay, we’ll go ahead and get started on your discharge paperwork.” He looked at his watch. “I’m afraid you’ll miss most of the fireworks, but at least we’ll get you home in a couple of hours or so.”

  Krystal shook her head and winced, holding her jaw. “That’s quite all right. I think I saw enough fireworks this afternoon.”

  ***

  It was nearly midnight by the time I helped Krystal out of the car after the valet opened her door. He was circumspect enough to keep any comments to himself, as he hurried to get the door for us, too. I kept my arm around Krystal’s shoulders while we walked to the elevator and she wrapped her arm around my waist for support as we left the elevator and headed for my suite.

  “I intend to wait on you hand and foot,” I said, as I got her settled on the couch and went to get an extra blanket to cover her up. “I’ll head downstairs and get you any toiletries that you need.”

  Krystal looked tired as she sat there, watching me fuss over her. “You know, I had turned around to go inside and pack a bag, when Bug came at me. I wish I’d had a chance to get my things.”

  “I’ll take you by there tomorrow to pick your stuff up. I’ll call ahead and get Joker to make sure that asshole’s not there. In the meantime, what do you need for tonight?”

  She thought for a bit. “I could use a hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste. That’s all, I guess. I’ll just throw these clothes on tomorrow until I get mine back.” She looked up at me. “Hey, do you mind if I take a bath while you run downstairs? I feel like I need to wash this day off.”

  “Anything you want, baby,” I said, covering her hand with mine. I leaned forward and pressed the gentlest of kisses on her mouth, hoping I wouldn’t hurt her. “I’ll go run the water for you if you’d like.”

  She smiled and nodded, and as I laid out the thick white robe and added some perfumed bubble bath to the hot water, I realized that being around Krystal — even after the awful circumstances of the afternoon — felt right and made me happy. She came into the bathroom before I left, and I watched, speechless, as she stripped out of her clothes, folding them neatly and placing them on the expansive counter, and slipped into the water.

  She sighed as she eased herself into the hot water and I watched, aroused, as the bubbles covered her breasts.

  “Heaven,” she said, looking at me with a smile. “Thank you, Luke.”

  “Want a glass of wine?” I asked before I left the room.

  “Hell, yes,” she laughed. They didn’t give me painkillers, and I think a bath and a glass of wine will send me right to sleep.”

  “Your wish is my command,” I said when I handed her a glass of the very same red wine that she’d had the first night I’d met her.

  I scooped up her clothes from the counter, figuring that I could find someone in the hotel willing to launder them overnight, and I headed down to the front desk.

  ***

  When Krystal finally emerged from the bathroom nearly an hour later, I’d poured myself a scotch and was standing in front of the window, looking at the city lights.

  “Better?” I asked as she walked into the room carrying her empty wine glass.

  “I feel like a new person,” she answered, looking even younger than she usually did, with all of her makeup washed away and her hair all wet.

  “How’s the jaw?” I asked, as I poured her another glass of wine.

  “Sore,” she answered. “But it could have been worse, I guess. If people hadn’t been there, he might have hit me more than once.”

  “You’re never going to have to worry about that again,” I said. “You’re safe now.” I pointed at the end table next to the couch. “I got you a little something.”

  She smiled at me and looked puzzled. “Where did you find a shop that was open? It has to be nearly midnight.”

  “Oh, I talked the nice lady at the front desk into opening the gift shop for me. Thought you might like this,” I said, pointing at the box that the woman had thoughtfully wrapped.

  Krystal untied the ribbon, and lifted the lid on the box, pushing aside the tissue paper to see what was inside. She reached in and lifted the pale pink silk straps, letting the rest of the nightgown ripple to the floor. “Oh, my,” she whispered reverently. “That’s just gorgeous.”

  “I guessed at the size, but I figured you could use something lovely and soft to sleep in.”

  “I’ve never had anything this beautiful,” she said, eyes shining.

  “Well, that ends right now,” I answered. “Want to try it on?” I asked, dying to see what she looked like in silk.

  She left the room and returned, having brushed out her long, dark hair. She stepped inside the room, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She looked sweet, and my heart just ached at the thought that Bug had hurt her so badly. I tried to ignore the fact that I could see the hard buds of her nipples beneath the thin silk, and I held my arms out to her. She crossed the room and laid her head on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her.

  She looked up at me. “Thank you, Luke,” she said.

  I couldn’t resist, and I bent to kiss her, gently, because I didn’t want to hurt her, but I was surprised when she pressed her lips to mine even harder and opened her mouth, her tongue seeking mine.

  “Come to bed with me,” she said.

  “I thought you mig
ht just want to sleep, with everything that’s happened today,” I protested, trying desperately to ignore my hard-on.

  “I’ll sleep,” she said with a smile. “But first I want you to make love to me.”

  Without another word, I picked her up and carried her to bed. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that she hadn’t said that she wanted me to fuck her, and I was pleased at her choice of words. I had every intention of fucking her, hard, fast, and every way we could think of, but some nights — this night — was for making love.

  I slid the silk from her perfumed skin, and I licked and sucked her nipples, pleased to slip my hands between her legs and find her wet and ready for me. As I looked down at her, gorgeous, beneath me in my bed, I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be. I slid my cock into her, and we both gasped with pleasure. I took my time, with slow, deep strokes intended to bring her to orgasm slowly and surely. When I felt her breath quicken, I drove a little quicker, savoring the sensation of having every inch of my cock covered by her pussy.

  As I felt myself start to lose control — felt my own orgasm beginning — I looked down at her to find her blue eyes seeking mine. We held our gazes while the wave of our mutual climax rose and subsided, and not until I shuddered at the very end, did I let myself relax and fall to the side of her naked body, careful not to hurt her. I wrapped her up in my arms and drifted off to sleep, happy to have Krystal in my arms, safe and satisfied.

  Chapter 30

  Krystal

  Friday, July 5, 2013

  I opened my eyes, and had no idea where I was. I felt a warm body and strong arms wrapped around me, and the events of Independence Day came back to me in a tangled rush of horror, pain, and deep satisfaction at Luke’s body beside mine. I realized I was naked and that I needed to pee, so I shifted a little to see if Luke would let go so I could slip out without waking him.

  Managing to extricate myself from the gorgeous man who was still sound asleep, I slipped on the night gown he’d gotten for me and smiled as I looked down at his messy blond hair and relaxed, sprawled out pose. Was it possible that I could really end up with a guy like Luke?

  In the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror, and all things considered, I didn’t look too awful. My jawline was starting to show a bruise that I figured would blacken a good portion of my face. I might need to talk to Mark about my work schedule, because I wasn’t sure he’d want a bruised-up bartender on duty. I’d just have to figure out a way to deal with the lost wages, but I kinda figured that Luke wouldn’t mind if I spent a few days with him while I sorted a few things out.

  I was certain that I’d left my clothes on the bathroom counter, but I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I put on a robe over my nightgown and headed out to the living room, intending to order some coffee from room service. Looking over the menu at the ridiculous prices, I decided to just order coffee and some fruit. Luke had been amazingly generous, but I realized that I could spend more money on breakfast at the Ritz than I pulled in in an entire shift. No one could possibly have enough money to live this way forever, and I wasn’t going to needlessly blow Luke’s inheritance.

  When room service arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bag with my clean clothes inside, neatly pressed and folded. I signed for the food, thanked the man, and got down to the very serious business of getting myself a cup of coffee.

  I was just pouring my second cup from the elegant silver coffee pot when Luke emerged from the bedroom, running his hand through his messy hair, bare-chested, and drop-dead gorgeous. He dropped a kiss on the top of my head and poured himself a cup of coffee before joining me at the table.

  “Morning, gorgeous,” he said, making me feel like the sun had just come out, filling me with the warmth of genuine affection that went beyond just wanting to fuck my brains out.

  “Good morning,” I answered, thinking that I could get used to starting my morning with Luke around.

  “Sleep okay?” he asked.

  “Better than I expected. Face hurts like hell, but I think I’ll live.”

  Luke sat up and examined my face in the sunlight from the window. “The bruise is gonna look worse before it looks better, but I’m just glad you’re safe and here with me.”

  I smiled at him and leaned over and kissed him. “Me, too. And thanks for having my clothes cleaned. I was afraid I was gonna have to walk outta here naked. Couldn’t find them anywhere.”

  Luke laughed with me before he set down his coffee and leaned over to take my hand. “Krystal, I want you to know that I meant everything I said yesterday. This isn’t just about the sex — although there’s gonna be a lot more of that. I really like you, and I want to be with you. You’re mine now, and whatever we have to do to sort that out with the Sons and with Bug, that’s what we’ll do. You belong to me, and I don’t share.”

  Well, I’d wanted Luke to be more assertive, and it looked like I’d gotten that … in spades. I squeezed his hand. “I’m all yours, Luke, and not just because you’re protecting me. I’m yours because you’re a good man, and I want to be with you.”

  “Fair enough,” he said, returning to his coffee. “So what’s the game plan for today?”

  “I looked in the mirror, and I’m definitely not going to be able to go to work for a few days. I’ve already texted my manager, and I’m waiting to hear back from him. Really, the only other thing I need to do is find some way to get my stuff out of Bug’s house.”

  “I’ll call Joker and see what we can do about getting Bug out of the house so you can get what you need.”

  Despite my aching jaw, and the fact that I had one set of clothing in my possession, and I wasn’t sure where I would live, I felt warm and safe, and like a very fortunate girl.

  “Do you have things set up?” I asked an hour or so later, after I’d had a chance to shower and get dressed.

  “All set,” Luke answered. “Joker talked to Bug, and he’s left town for a couple of days — going to visit Jimmy in Fort Collins.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Does he know I’m going to get my stuff?”

  “Joker told him, and he told him that he’s not to come anywhere near you.”

  “Does he know about you and me?” I asked, worried about what would happen when Bug got back into town.

  “Don’t know. Don’t care,” Luke said, jaw set in a determined line. “I’ll deal with Bug if I need to, but he’ll realize soon enough that he’s better off just staying the fuck outta my way.”

  Wow. It was like Luke had gone to Arizona a boy and come back a man. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll move to the Fort Collins chapter,” I said, hoping that somehow, I’d never have to see Bug again.

  “He can do whatever he likes, except for touching you again,” Luke said, in a tone of voice that said he’d entertain no arguments to the contrary.

  “Ready?” he asked, holding his hand out for mine.

  “Absolutely,” I answered, looking forward to leaving Bug behind and moving on to the next chapter of my life.

  On the way to Bug’s, Luke and I talked about the future. Luke knew that he couldn’t live at the Ritz forever, and I was surprised to hear that he’d looked into a few houses for rent.

  “I want to buy or build something eventually, but renting will give me a chance to figure out exactly where I want to live in the area.”

  “Are you going to sell your condo in Arizona?”

  “Ever been to Flagstaff?” he asked.

  “No. I hear Arizona’s hot.”

  “Parts of it are, and Flagstaff gets hot during the day in the summer, but because of the elevation, it cools down at night. It’s a gorgeous city, and I think I’ll keep the condo. I can take you there and introduce you to my old friends — before my MC days.”

  We both laughed, and I realized how much his life had changed in a relatively short period of time.

  “Aren’t you worried about money?” I couldn’t imagine having enough money to be able to pay for more than one place to live.<
br />
  “I told you that my parents left me some money. If I’m smart — and I am — I won’t have to worry about money ever again. And if you’re smart — and I’m sure you are — neither will you.” He reached out and took my hand, and we were quiet for the rest of the drive to Bug’s neighborhood.

  Luke pulled into the driveway, and I realized that all of my muscles were tense. I wanted to get my shit and get out of there.

  He put the Jeep into park. “I’m going to stay out here and keep an eye out for Bug. I don’t trust that he won’t come back and try to catch you here.”

  I nodded.

  “When you have everything packed up, let me know, and I’ll help you carry it out.”

  “Will do.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Luke. “Thanks again.”

  “No thanks necessary, gorgeous,” he said, getting out of the car and leaning against it. “I’ll be right here when you’re ready.”

  I was smiling back at Luke when I unlocked the door, and I must have been in a fog from the flood of emotions, or I’m sure I would have noticed that something was wrong before I stepped inside, closed the door, and felt the hand cover my mouth and the knife blade at my throat.

  “If you make a sound, I will kill you right now, and then I’ll kill that little prick outside.” Bug’s whisper was deadly serious, and I felt all the blood rush from my face. “You understand?” he asked.

  I nodded, feeling his hand pressing painfully on the jaw that he’d bruised the day before. He pulled me — slowly, so I wouldn’t stumble — into the master bedroom, the furthest point from the front door, and I knew that even if I screamed, that there was no way Luke would hear me. My only hope was to stay alive and hope that Luke came inside to check on me.

  Bug picked up a roll of duct tape from the dresser, tore a piece off, and covered my mouth with it, grabbing me by the jaw after he’d silenced me and examining the results of his handiwork the day before. “Looks like you’re a little bruised up, you fucking cunt.”

  I stood still, shaking in fear, trying desperately to think of a way to get out before he killed me.