Time Will Tell

by Chantal Fernando

  I smile widely. “Beating your son at pool.”

  Grim grunts. “What’s fuckin’ new? Zach, we’re going on a run tonight. So don’t be fuckin’ going anywhere.”

  Zach nods at his dad and glances back at me. “Who’s gonna keep an eye on Trill?”

  I roll my eyes. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.”

  Grim’s eyes soften. “Someone will be staying behind to watch her, don’t worry, but I need numbers tonight.”

  My eyebrows furrow. “Is everything okay?”

  “Club business,” both Zach and Grim reply at the same time.

  Grim walks off and Zach strolls over to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Xander’s been calling me.”

  “And?”

  “And he’s going insane. And I might be working him up to amuse myself.”

  I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean?”

  What’s he saying to him? I can only imagine.

  He chuckles. “Oh, come on, let me have my fun.”

  “Just remember that payback is a bitch,” I mutter under my breath. He hasn’t spoken to me about April. He never even mentions her and I have to wonder what’s going on in that head of his.

  “He’s been calling me twice a day,” I say. “It sucks being in the house without him, you know?”

  Great, I’ve turned into one of those women who can’t function without their man.

  Zach kisses my cheek sloppily, making kissy noises. “Don’t worry, he’ll be back soon. Trust me. He thought he could do this two weeks on two weeks off thing, but this isn’t some fly in and out job, this is his relationship with you. He doesn’t want to be without you. He’s probably sitting there imagining all the men trying to hit on you and it’s slowly driving him crazy.”

  Or maybe Persephone is going over to keep him company.

  I push that thought away. I know that he wouldn’t cheat on me. I know. I trust him. But she could still go to his house for a friendly chat or whatever she wants to call it.

  I wipe my cheek and glance at Zach as he runs his hands through his reddish brown hair. “You’re a great guy, you know that, right?”

  He raises an eyebrow at me, smirking. “What brought this on?”

  I shrug. “If you and your dad hadn’t been there for me… and then you brought Xander into my life. So thank you. I’m grateful to have you in my life, and one day, you will make a woman really happy. If you stop being a manwhore, of course.”

  He studies me. “April told you we slept together, didn’t she?”

  My jaw drops open. “What? What makes you say that?”

  “I knew it!” he says, leaning back on the pool table. “It happened. It was amazing. And now she’s avoiding me and pretending it never happened. I’ll never understand women.”

  “Probably because you slept with her when she was eighteen and then moved straight on to the next,” I say, blinking slowly.

  “She told you that, too? Jesus Christ, what did you have? A ‘bitch the shit out of Zach’ day?”

  I laugh at the expression of horror on his face. “No, she just mentioned it. Girl talk, you know? And I put two and two together and figured out that’s why you were in such a shitty mood on your birthday.”

  “Are you trying to have girl talk with me, right now?” he asks, scratching the stubble on his jaw. “Because, yeah, I’m not doing that.”

  I throw my hands up in exasperation. “You like her. Just admit it!”

  His eyes widen. “Where did that outburst come from?”

  My lip twitches at that. “I know you do. I just want you to admit it.”

  He looks away from me. The coward. “I like a lot of women.”

  “You like her more.”

  “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” he says with a small smile.

  “But you love me anyway,” I add.

  “I do,” he replies, “but that doesn’t mean I want to have deep conversations with you where I bare my soul about things I’d rather not talk about.”

  “Fine, but whenever you’re finished being stubborn, you know where to find me.”

  “Wherever Xander is?” he teases, laughing at his own joke.

  “You’re not funny.”

  “I’m hilarious,” he says, nodding. “Now, are we going to play or talk about our feelings all evening?”

  “We’re going to play,” I say, racking up the balls.

  I beat him, of course.

  But I baked him whatever he wanted anyway.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Trillian

  He moves inside me slowly, teasing me.

  “Xander,” I plead.

  “I missed you,” he replies against my breast, licking one nipple and then the other before kissing up my neck, my jaw, and finally, my mouth. I thrust my hips upwards, silently begging for more. He’s taking his time with me, drawing it out. I’m so wet that I can feel myself dripping.

  “Missed you, too, Xander,” I reply, my fingers digging into his taut ass and pushing him down into me.

  Need more.

  Harder.

  Faster.

  “Greedy,” he murmurs. “You feel so good. I want this to last for-fucking-ever.”

  I suck on his neck, biting gently. He grinds his hips down into me, and his hands cup my face.

  “Come for me, Trillian,” he demands. “I want to feel you coming around my cock.”

  He increases his pace, finally giving me what I wanted from the beginning.

  “Yes,” I moan. “So good.”

  It doesn’t take long for me to erupt. I clench around Xander, and soon, he’s coming with me—our eyes and our souls connected.

  “I love you,” I say, barely a whisper.

  “I love you, too,” he whispers back. “That’s why I’m not leaving again.”

  “What?” I ask, loudly this time. “What do you mean?”

  He slides out of me, heads to the bathroom and returns with a cloth. After cleaning up, he sits against the headboard and looks down at me.

  “I hated being there without you,” he admits, looking a little sheepish. “It didn’t feel like home anymore, you know? So I made a decision. I’m going to move here, permanently.”

  I sit up and straddle his lap, looking into his beautiful hazel eyes. “Are you sure that’s what you want? I don’t want you to regret anything.”

  “I’m sure,” he says. “I would never regret anything to do with you, Trillian, never.”

  He’s moving to Channon for me?

  I reach down to my arm and pinch myself.

  Ouch.

  Yeah, it isn’t a dream.

  “Did you just pinch yourself?” he asks, chuckling softly.

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” I reply. “I missed you so much when you were gone. I can’t think of anything better than you staying, but what about your family and work?”

  He puts his index finger against my mouth and I nip at it.

  “I’ll sort everything out. We can go and visit my family or they can come here. The business can be sorted out, too.”

  I rest my forehead on his shoulder. “I kind of love you.”

  “Good, because you’re kind of stuck with me.”

  He kisses my lips, and I feel him getting hard again.

  When he slides into me with one smooth, long thrust, a moan escapes my lips.

  I could get used to this.

  “Baby?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Marry me.”

  “What?” I ask, stopping my hips. “Xander…”

  “Marry me, Trillian. I know it’s soon and I know we’re young, but I know what I want. I want you.”

  My breath hitches. He wants to marry me?

  Do I want to marry him?

  Fuck yes, I do. I want him.

  There’s no doubt in my mind at all.

  “Say something,” he pleads, hands running down my back. Gently sliding me off him, he goes to where his jeans are lying on the floor
and pulls out a little black box. Crawling onto the bed, he opens the box and holds it out to me. The ring is stunning. Gold with a princess cut diamond. I love it.

  “Of course, I’ll marry you,” I say, tears pooling in my eyes as he slides the ring onto my finger.

  It fits perfectly.

  Just like him.

  *****

  “All it took was one trip away from her, one, and you came back forever?” Zach says, slapping his thigh and laughing.

  Xander just smirks and kisses my temple. “Laugh all you want. I get her, so I don’t give a shit.”

  “It wasn’t one trip, he went away before,” I add, defending my man.

  Zach shakes his head. “Yeah, but this was the new plan. Two weeks here two weeks there. One trip, that’s it.”

  “Keep laughing, dickhead,” Xander mutters. “Looks like we’re going to be permanent neighbours.”

  Zach sobers, his eyes softening a little. “Trillian could do worse, bro. I’m glad it’s you.”

  I smile, looking down. “I’m glad you say that, Zach because I have something to ask you.”

  “What?” he asks, standing straighter. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine,” I tell him. “I know it’s unconventional, but I was wondering if you would walk me down the aisle.”

  I considered asking Grim, but Zach is the one who was always there for me, and he didn’t have to be. He was my friend, my family and my protector for so long. I love the hell out of him.

  His eyes pop from his head. “You’re fuckin’ getting married?”

  He looks down at my hand and I flash my stunning ring.

  “You two are fuckin’ insane, you know that, right? Certifiably,” he mutters, his face looking a little pale. “Married? You want me to walk you down the aisle? Fuck, I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever asked me.”

  “Is that a yes?” I ask, batting my eyelashes.

  Zach’s expression softens on me, his pale blue eyes gentling. “Fuck. Anything for you, Trillian, you know that.”

  I step to him and he wraps me in his arms. “You deserve everything, Trill. All the happiness in the world.”

  I pull away from his embrace and lean up to kiss him on the cheek.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Xander says, only half joking, grabbing me by my hips and drawing me against him. “Keep your hands off my woman.”

  Zach and I share a smile.

  Xander grins at Zach and claps him on his shoulder. “Thank you. For everything.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” Zach replies. “Always here for the two of you, you know that.”

  I watch as his eyes lower to my stomach. “No reason to rush the wedding, is there?”

  I purse my lips. “I’m not pregnant. And the wedding isn’t going to be rushed. I thought we’d wait a few years.”

  “Good,” he replies, mouth twitching. “Just checking. Now, will you feed me? When you told me to come over, I thought I was just coming here for some food.”

  I roll my eyes.

  And then I feed the two most important men in my life.

  Epilogue

  Five Years Later

  Trillian

  It’s official.

  I am going to swoon.

  At my own wedding.

  But not because of my husband.

  “Nice to meet you, Trillian,” Saxon Tate says, lifting my hand to his mouth and placing a kiss on it.

  Holy fucking shit.

  “Get your hands off my wife, Sax,” Xander growls, walking up to me and pulling me to his side.

  Xander got Morning Alliance to play at our wedding.

  Morning Alliance.

  At my wedding.

  He’s the best husband—ever.

  In the world.

  In the history of husbands.

  God, how I love him.

  “So how did Xander get someone as beautiful as you?” Ryder, the band’s lead singer, asks.

  I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

  Xander elbows Ryder in the stomach. Summer, standing next to me, laughs so hard she’s clutching her stomach.

  Pull yourself together, Trillian.

  “Th–thank you for coming… for playing tonight.”

  Yeah, that’s smooth.

  Not.

  “You’re welcome,” Jet replies.

  Jet.

  He’s hot, too.

  So is Kidd.

  And Trey.

  Oh, my.

  Arrow, Rake, Sin, and another biker named Tracker were here, too.

  Hotness overload.

  Sin’s old lady Faye was gorgeous and gave me her number so we could catch up sometime. Total sweetheart.

  “Trillian,” Xander whispers into my ear. “You better give your husband some attention right now or I’m going punch one of them in the face.”

  Grinning, I turn to him and kiss his mouth. “I can’t believe you got them to play.”

  “Anything for you, Trill, you know that. Even watching you drool over men who I now want to kill.”

  Best. Husband. Ever.

  *****

  Xander

  Three Years Later

  “Fuck.”

  I look down at my daughter, Skye, and cringe. “Baby, that’s a bad word, you shouldn’t say that.”

  “Fuck.”

  I glance around, glad Trillian isn’t home yet. She’s still at the primary school where she works as a full-time teacher. I work as a mechanic, and I have my own garage in Channon. Today, however, I am spending the day watching Skye, who is now two. I’d said ‘fuck’ accidentally when I noticed that our new puppy chewed Trillian’s shoes, and she heard it.

  And now she’s repeating it.

  I am so fuckin’ dead.

  Whose idea was it to get a puppy when we already have a toddler, anyway?

  Vixen is a German Shepherd and a beautiful dog. She is also a pain in the ass.

  “Fuck!” Skye yells, looking proud of herself. Her inky blue-black curly hair is sticking up in every direction, her hazel eyes sparkling with mischief. She is absolutely perfect, and I’m going to need to invest in a baseball bat when she hits her teens.

  Or a crowbar.

  Oh, hell, I’ll just pass out the information that her godfather is a member of the Wind Dragons MC. That will do it.

  “Skye, don’t say that word around Mummy, okay?” I try to barter with her.

  “Okay, Daddy,” she replies.

  I hear the front door unlock and Trillian walk in, looking as beautiful as she was the day I met her.

  “Hi, Mummy!” Skye yells, running to her. Trillian lifts her in her arms and kisses her. Then she heads straight to me, bends her head, and kisses me on my mouth.

  “How was your day?” I ask her, pulling both Trillian and Skye onto my lap.

  “It was good,” she replies, smiling at me. “I missed you both, though. What did you two get up to?”

  “Took her to the park and swimming lessons,” I reply. “Then we both napped.”

  Trillian giggles. “Of course you did.”

  “I missed you,” I tell her, capturing her lips in another kiss, this one open-mouthed.

  I still can’t get enough of her.

  I never will.

  “Fuck!’ Skye yells.

  Trillian glances down at her and then back at me. “Xander Kane!”

  I shrug sheepishly.

  Fuck.

  Turn the page for an excerpt from Arrow’s Hell, the second book in the Wind Dragons MC series by Chantal Fernando.

  Arrow’s Hell

  (Wind Dragon’s MC #2)

  Prologue

  Arrow

  I stare down into my Scotch, twirling the amber liquid around in the glass. The clubhouse moves around me, people talking, laughing and carrying on, but I feel like I’m frozen. Like the world is moving around me, but I’m stuck in place. I know I’m held back by my own demons, my own guilt, but I don’t deserve any redemption. My neck strain
s as I tilt my head back, memories playing in my mind like an old movie.

  Mary gathers her clothes and dresses slowly.

  I take in her every move.

  Everything about her is gentle.

  Beautiful.

  What the hell am I doing? Why do I keep her at a distance?

  Faye is right—Mary is one of a kind and I shouldn’t be fucking around on her. Even if she knows about it. Mary has never once tried to change me. She’s taken me as I am—my many faults and all.

  How many women would do the same?

  “Have a safe run, Arrow,” she says softly, lifting her dark hair off her back and tying it up.

  “Come here,” I demand softly.

  She instantly complies.

  She’s good like that, always wanting to make me happy, but at the same time—she’s not weak. She’s intelligent, sharp, and knows what she wants in life.

  I’m just lucky enough to be one of those things.

  I want to tell her that I only want to be with her and that I’m going to do right by her.

  I want to tell her I want her as my old lady.

  But I don’t.

  “We need to talk when I get back,” I say, needing time to gather the right words.

  She nibbles on her bottom lip. “Is everything okay?”

  “It will be,” I tell her, kissing her heart-shaped lips.

  It will be okay the moment I tell her how much I love her.

  My eyes snap open, and I shake my head, laughing without humor.

  I never did tell her that I loved her.

  She was dead because of me, and she died thinking . . . What would she have been thinking? That I didn’t care for her? That I should have been there to protect her? To save her? Maybe before her life faded away she wished that she’d never met me, never wasted her time on me.

  She might have been right.

  I lift the glass to my lips and drink, the warm liquid sliding down my throat with ease. Since getting out of prison, I’ve been spending some of my time at local strip clubs, and I know everyone thinks I am getting laid, but I’m not. I let them think that. The truth is, I go there to torture myself. I drink; I watch; I keep my mind busy. What I didn’t do was fuck anyone. I haven’t been with anyone since Mary. It has been years—five to be exact. She doesn’t get to move on and live her life, so why should I? I like the fact that she is the last woman I was with. What I couldn’t give to her in life I am giving her in death.