Road Tripped (Satan's Devils MC Utah #1) - Manda Mellett Page 0,167
she was going to get a hearing dog will forever be etched on my mind.
Being taken unawares and kidnapped had really fucked with this strong woman’s head. Worse, I knew it was going to be hard for her to fully recover when she had a permanent reminder in the healing scar that’s now on her right hand where her little finger should be.
Swift needs to be in control of her world one hundred percent of the time. Knowing that soon she’d have a loyal companion to be her ears for those times when she’s vulnerable would restore her confidence in being able to live her life just how she wants to.
She’s in a daze as we walk back out to the truck. Eyeing the truck, she asks, “Did you think we’d be bringing him home?”
“Yeah. I didn’t think it through. I didn’t realise how much was involved, but him having specific training makes sense.”
She glances over her shoulder, then at me. “I hate leaving him there, but just as I was trained, he needs to be the best he can. This process will allow me to have confidence in him, you know?”
Placing my hand under her chin, I turn her face up to me. “In the meantime, you’ll have me.” She’ll always have me if I have any say in it, so I hope she understands what I mean.
A twinkle appears in her eyes. “So you’ll be my dog, allow me to pet you and groom you, get some practise in for when I bring him home?”
I smirk. “I’ve never been into puppy play before, but I’ll give it a try for you.”
She snorts, then tilts her head, half closing her eyes as though considering it.
I bark a laugh. “Come on, let’s get back.”
With one last longing look thrown over her shoulder, Swift swings herself up into the truck. As I go to start the engine, her hand rests on my arm.
“I didn’t think I needed anyone, Road. Thought having someone in my life would steal my energy, would stop me being able to concentrate one hundred percent on the things I have to do. What I never dreamed of was meeting someone like you. You don’t take, you don’t consume me. You just make things easier. With you I feel I could be more, not less.”
If that’s my role for the rest of my life, I’m not going to complain. This works two ways. “Swift, babe, I told you before, you complete me. You make me want to be better.”
This time, when she leans back her head and closes her eyes, a small smile plays on her lips. As I drive, I spare a look her way, noticing some of the worry lines on her face have eased.
I put that smile there.
I vow that’s what I’ll spend the rest of my days doing, if she’ll let me.
“So?” Pip’s in reception when we arrive back at the clubhouse and breaks off from his conversation with Gears. I notice the ex-prez looks somehow right without his cut, as if the leather was wrong on him. He certainly hasn’t appeared to resent the change.
Swift looks from me to him, her eyes narrowing as she realises Pip knows exactly where we’ve been, but then shrugs and fills Pip in. “I’m getting him. Well, so I hope.” Animatedly she explains what the process will be.
Pip listens and nods in all the right places, sparing a few amused glances my way.
Men start to pass us, heading for the cafeteria. I wait until Swift finishes talking to Pip, then suggest we too should get some food.
Every black cloud has a silver lining, they say. Well, that’s true today. The delicious aromas had alerted me Cowboy was having a bad day, and I’m not surprised to find there’s a fucking three-course gourmet meal on offer.
“I wish there was something we could do for him,” I murmur into Swift’s ear.
She glances over to the counter where Cowboy’s plating up amazing looking and smelling food. “I don’t think there’s anything that will take his hurt away.”
As I tuck into my beef wellington, cooked to perfection, a mushroom duxelles sitting atop of a prime filet steak, encased in light and buttery puff pastry, I muse Cowboy should be running his own restaurant, not here, cooking for the likes of me.
“It hits Cowboy harder some days,” Swift confides. “I think hearing the Tucson members talking about their kids and old ladies brought home to him what he’s missing.”