Gunnar A Motorcycle Club Romance - Nina Levine Page 0,80
really like her. Always looking out for you guys.”
Locating the utensils and pan I need, I cook us bacon and eggs. Mason sits quietly, watching me. I’m usually a talker and will happily take lead on a conversation, but right now with him, everything I want to discuss feels off limits.
I want to talk about this morning. About last night. About us. But none of those things can lead anywhere good because they can’t lead anywhere, end of story.
And I want to ask him about his mum, but I don’t want to force him to talk about her until he’s ready.
So, I cook. And I hope that just by being here it’s helping him in some way.
“I can’t remember the last time I ate bacon and eggs,” I say as I sit on the stool next to him, trying to find safe ground for a conversation while we eat.
Mason looks at me. “No one cooks it for you, princess?”
His attitude blazes from him, and I don’t know what causes it, but I realise I’m done with taking his hate. Placing my fork down, I say, “I know you’re angry with me, Mason, and I understand why. Up until now, I’ve taken all of it. I’ve let you throw your hate all over me because I know you’re hurting, but I’m done. I won’t take it anymore. I can’t take it anymore. It hurts too much. One minute, we’re kissing and having sex, and the next, we’re back to this. It’s too much to bear. I want to be here for you tonight to help you, and I’ll stay as long as you let me, but after tonight, I won’t be back if all you’re going to serve up is that anger and hate. I love us too much to completely ruin what we have.”
A myriad of emotions flash through his eyes while he sits silently processing that. When that silence continues past the point where I expect him to speak, I wonder if he will actually say anything. And then he shows me the boy I fell for all those years ago and the man I love with all my heart.
“I’m jealous and possessive, and I feel like you’ve locked me in a fucking fire and left me to burn on my own, but I don’t hate you, Mayfair. I could never fucking hate you. Not when I love you more than I know what to do with.” He takes hold of my stool and pulls me to him. Curling his hand around my neck, he says, “I don’t know what we are now, but I sure as fuck know I need you in my life. And I don’t want to completely ruin what we have either.”
His lips come to mine and he kisses me. There’s no hate in sight. Or anger. There’s only love and a plea for me to stay and fight for this together.
When he lets me go, he rests his forehead against mine. “Mum’s cancer treatment is causing nerve damage.”
“What does that mean?”
He lifts his head and meets my gaze. “I don’t know the full details. She only told me this afternoon and she didn’t say much, but it doesn’t sound good.”
I reach out and cup his face. My beautiful, broken man. I’ll do whatever it takes to help him get through this. “Let’s eat, and then I’ll do some research. You can watch Game of Thrones while I do it maybe.” Mason isn’t one for details, so I can’t imagine him spending time researching this. And watching TV is how he relaxes and switches off, so this is a good option for him tonight.
He nods. “Yeah, sounds good.”
Looking down at the stool, I say, “You need to push me back.”
He eyes the stool, which is pushed right up against his. “Fuck that,” he says, reaching across me and pulling my plate across the counter to me. Then, placing his hand on my thigh, he jerks his chin at my food and says, “Eat up. We’ve got a date on the couch for the rest of the night.”
Butterflies.
In my stomach.
So many butterflies.
I really need to crack that fucking password on Joe’s computer because I really need this man back in my life. I need to drag him from that fire I left him in and put us back together.
28
Chelsea
I wake up with a start, not knowing where I am for a moment. It’s Mason’s arm tightening around me that helps me remember.