with it. He won’t. Remember, life for a life. Your girl is still alive, right there in that room.”
“For now. But what if he gets off and comes back to finish the job? I can’t let that happen, Doc. I cannot allow that to happen.” Seth’s voice was full of conviction.
“If he isn’t sentenced, punished enough for our liking, then I promise, I swear to you, brother, we will break our one rule to make sure nothing happens to her nor her sister. They will never be at risk, on my life.”
That wasn’t just a man threatening to kill someone for hurting his woman. That wasn’t just heated, exaggerated words of violent passion. No. These men weren’t just shit-talking; they actually planned to murder Brandon if he hadn’t gotten the sentence he had. And if he somehow managed to get out of his thirty-five-year sentence early, Twyla and I would still never have to worry about him. And for that, I’m… grateful.
I am grateful to these men who would commit an act I’d never have the courage to do myself. This team who serves justice when the system fails.
And as I lift my head to look into his stormy blue eyes, so clearly bracing for my response to this revelation, actually fearful that I would not accept this part of him…
I forget about the ink and my shirt and launch myself upward into his lap, his huge arms automatically coming around me in a tight hug around my waist that feels desperate for acceptance. I sit up tall and wrap my arms around his neck, pull his head down to my naked chest, holding him there with a hand to the back of his head, cradling him tighter when I feel his body shudder.
I think I feel wetness on my chest—but surely not. There’s no way my giant, strong, alpha Viking of a man could possibly even produce tears, let alone shed them.
But then I remember his story, the sweet, shy, introverted boy who was finally pulled out of his shell by his childhood love. The gentle, scholarly, bookish teen who wanted to be a doctor. The man who’s spent his lifetime wanting to help heal people, to give them a new life they could enjoy and be happy. A selfless man who has worried about making this world a safer place for everyone else instead of focusing on his own life.
He’s been alone without this kind of closeness for twenty-four years. And while I know he’s been with women at the club and I’m sure others well before he got into the lifestyle, he hadn’t felt this intimacy, this love, this need and acceptance in all this time. Not until now. Not until me.
He’s a true gentle giant of a man, and while he may look like a hardened warrior on the outside, and he’s most definitely the toughest and most intimidating man who could bring his enemies to their knees, he’s also still that same sweet little boy on the inside deep down. And that’s the tiny part of him that’s at the forefront in this moment, as he holds me like I’m his lifeline and weeps against my chest.
I tighten my arms around his head, wanting to pull him into my very heart to give him the catharsis he needs right now, and just in case this physical embrace isn’t enough, I place my cheek against the top of his head and tell him all the feelings I have about him and his confession.
“You really are a hero, Neil,” I whisper. “I thought you were before, with just the amazing work you do as a therapist, and furthermore with a security team who protects those who need all of you guys. But now? Oh my God, Viking, I’ve never felt safer, more protected. I never knew I could feel so secure and free to just live and not ever worry anything will happen to me. And now I know. Now I know nothing will ever get me or my sister or even our friends, because we have these amazing men who will literally kill anyone who tries to hurt us. How many wives and girlfriends in the world have that sense of security? How many know for a fact that their man would stop at nothing to make sure they haven’t anything in the world to fear? I’m so lucky. I’m so fucking lucky to be yours. I love you so much. I love you so, so