his voice quiet, but the anger is coming off of him in waves.
My gaze goes to the door, to make sure that Daisy is not there.
“Did you?”
“Jesus, you think I’m a punk ass bastard who is scared of his shadow and will go from fucking you every chance I can get to sticking my dick into someone else? That’s a great opinion you have of me, woman.”
“That’s not answering me, Luke.”
“I didn’t, although if I knew you were going to pull this bullshit maybe I would have.”
I moisten my lips, trying to sort through all of the bullshit running in my brain.
“I don’t want you to do that, Luke. If you did…I think it would kill me.”
“Why’s that, Red?” he asks, pressing me, not letting me get off easy.
“I love you, Luke,” I murmur. I keep my voice so quiet that I can’t be sure he can even hear me.
“Don’t think I heard you, Red. You’re going to have to speak up,” he complains, arms crossed at his chest.
“I said I love you, you asshole.”
“Then come over here, Red.”
I think about denying him, but the truth is, I ache to be in his arms again. I’m standing outside in the heat because I was miserable inside, thinking he was about ready to end everything. So, I go to him quickly, without another word. Before I even get there he opens his arms up and envelopes me in them as I fall into him. I crush the side of my face against his chest, taking in a big gulp of air.
“I was a bitch and I know you wouldn’t be afraid of my father or the rest of the club,” I mumble against his chest.
“Fuck that. I might be afraid. A little fear keeps a man smart and on his toes, Red. But, I wouldn’t run away from them or you. Get that straight.”
“Got it,” I murmur.
“Maybe we’re making progress,” he mutters.
“What do you mean?”
“You just ran outside today. There was a time you would have gone back to Kentucky,” he says and for the first time since this mess started, I see a ghost of a smile on his face.
“Well, technically, I was going back. I just had to wait on my ride,” I feel the need to point out.
“Yeah, but not so long ago, you would have taken a taxi or hitched,” he says, pulling back to look at me. He puts his hand under my chin, his thumb brushing against my lips and sweeping along my jawline.
“Probably,” I admit.
“So, see? Progress.”
“It really would have killed me if you’d been with another woman,” I tell him, pointing it out, even if I shouldn’t.
“I wouldn’t do that to you Jasmine,” he promises. “Besides, there’s not a damn thing out there that can compare to the way you take my dick.”
I blink, then laugh, the sound freeing after the way last night was spent.
“You’re such a sweet talker,” I laugh
“I try.”
“I got Bear-Bear! Daddy. I had to potty first,” Daisy announces, coming out of the house. She immediately runs to us and hugs us, her body pressing against my leg and thigh. I hug her close, my eyes closing as the sweetness of this moment surrounds me.
“What are you thinking, Red?” Luke asks, and I force myself to open my eyes and look at him.
“Just thinking what a wonderful family I have,” I respond.
“That’s my girl,” he praises, and it does feel like a praise. “Let’s load up and go meet Jasmine’s family, Daisy baby,” he says picking her up into his strong arms—all while keeping one arm around me.
“But, Daddy! You said we were Jazz-Min’s family. Aren’t we?” Daisy asks, looking at me, confused.
I smile because I like the broken way she says my name, stressing the Jazz part and rushing the last. My smile deepens, because she clearly doesn’t want anyone else taking her chance to be part of my family.
“You are, baby,” I hasten to assure her. “But, I have a mommy, a daddy, and a bunch of other family that will love meeting you and claiming you as part of their family too.”
“Babe,” Luke warns, and I look up at him, shaking his head.
“They will,” I tell him, answering his unspoken question.
“They might her, her daddy I’m not so sure of.”
“You planning on letting me walk away anytime soon, Luke?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“You can try, Red, but in case you haven’t realized it yet, I’ll always come after you.”
“Yeah! We’ll come after you, right,