A couple of weeks later at the clubhouse, Simon had Tabby on his lap and she was giggling like crazy as he tickled her. Some romance movie was playing on the screen in the cinema room that Lash had installed at the clubhouse.
“Sh,” Daisy said, laughing along with them.
“Stop it. Stop it. I mean it, stop it.” She couldn’t stop laughing and he loved to hear the sound spilling from her lips.
Pulling her close, he kissed her lips and those giggles turned to moans. “I love having you on my lap,” he said.
“I love being on your lap.” She gave a little wriggle.
Resting his hand on her stomach, his cock stirred, hardening. Tabby’s gaze turned heated.
As quickly as the arousal came and he wanted to be alone in a room with her, Lash cleared his throat.
“Simon, you’re needed.”
“Can I just finish watching the movie?” he asked.
“Now.” Lash was already leaving.
As he got to his feet, Tabby slipped off his lap and waved him goodbye.
He headed out of the cinema room and came to a stop when he caught sight of his dad with his crew. Devil looked angry, which changed as soon as he saw him.
“Hello, Simon,” he said.
“Dad.”
Silence fell and he looked at the bikers who’d been his family the entire time. He noticed Curse wasn’t with them.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
Simon wanted to tell him to fuck off. To get the hell out, but he couldn’t do it. Devil was still his father and telling him to leave just didn’t feel right.
Nodding his head, they left The Skulls’ clubhouse and walked outside. There were a couple of The Skulls, prospects, and a few of the old ladies. Folding his arms, he looked all around, then down at his shoes, not knowing where to pay attention.
“You don’t have to avoid me,” Devil said.
“What are you doing here?”
“Work. We’ve got another call that’s going to require both clubs. We’re going to be working together.”
“That’s good.” No matter the danger, his father was doing good and he respected that.
“Do you want to join us?” Devil asked.
“No. I’ve got stuff going on.”
“Lash told me he enrolled you in school. Dean and Eddie told me you’re doing well.”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Look, Simon, I get that you’re pissed, but you don’t have a right to be.”
“I don’t have a right to be? If I don’t, where is Curse? You think I don’t notice that he’s gone?” he asked, glaring.
Devil ran his fingers through his hair. “You had no right to find out that way.”
“Why did I have to find out that way? Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
“You want to know the truth? That I met Kayla on the road, fucked her, and she stole from the club. I didn’t even know about your existence. I followed her all the way to Piston County to discover she’d dumped you with Lexie. You know what she did to keep you in diapers and formula, clothes, toys? She turned to stripping. She could have fucking left you.”
Devil’s voice got louder. “A lot of women would have dumped your ass at a hospital. Not Lexie. No, she took care of you.” He ran a hand down her face. “From the first moment I met that woman, and yes, it was her getting her clothes off for money, I didn’t even know who she was, or that you were born.”
Simon felt sick to his stomach.
“From the moment I met that woman, she has always … surprised me. Even when she didn’t need to take care of you, she did. You know all about Kayla, Simon. Damn it, you’ve visited her fucking gravestone with her. Lexie may not be your birth mother, but she is your mother in every single right. She has been willing to die for you. Kayla, she dumped you. She put Lexie in danger.”
“You’d never kill her.”
“No, but in putting you in her arms, I came looking, and from that first look, I wanted her. Every single day since then, her life is at risk. Now that her cancer is … she’s winning. Look, I know you’re angry, but you don’t get to be angry at her. I was the one who said you would never find out the truth. Kayla isn’t worth your time. She was a fucking whore. The only good thing about her was she gave you to Lexie. That was all.”
“You don’t regret it at all. Sleeping with one sister and making a life with another.”
Devil cursed, hands on hips. “How can I regret what happened for a single moment, Simon? If I hadn’t fucked Kayla, you wouldn’t be here and I’d never have met Lexie. Am I proud of what I did? No. Do I regret it? Hell no. I love my life. I love my son. I love my woman. I’ve got a family, a place in this world. There’s nothing to regret. I’m the happiest motherfucker around. Hate me all you want. This was my decision, not Lexie’s, but don’t wait around too long to talk to her. She misses you. I miss you.”
“I can’t come back. Not yet.”
“Fine. You’ve got stuff you need to do, I get it. Don’t make her suffer for my decisions. That I can never accept.”
Simon nodded.
“I made any sense to you?” Devil asked.
“Yeah.”
“A lot?”
“Some.”
“Good. That’s all I needed to know. I can’t convince you to come back with me?” Devil asked.
“You can order me back.”
“No, I’m not going to do that. You know where your home is. I can wait. I don’t like you being here but at least I know you’re in good hands.” Devil rubbed at his brow.
“I’m shocked,” Simon said. “I expected you to order me back home.”
Devil blew out a breath. “Sometimes we’ve got to get a shitload of stuff out of our system. Whatever you need to do here, I’ll respect that decision, so long as you talk to your mother.”
Simon pulled out his cell phone. He found his mom’s number and called. Part of him wanted it to go to voicemail. Of course, he wasn’t that lucky and she answered right away.
“Hey … Mom,” he said, hesitating just slightly. “It’s me.”
“Oh, honey. It’s you. I bet your dad is there, isn’t he?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, he’s here. He’s watching me right now.”
“You tell him that I’ve told him to leave you alone.” He repeated it and Devil just stared.
“He’s giving me the evils.”
She chuckled. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, Mom,” he said.
“You have?”
“Yes.”
“I wish … oh, Simon, I wish a lot of things could have gone differently. I hope you know that.”
“I know it.”
“Good. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“I know. I get it.”
“I do have some pictures of Kayla, not a lot, and they are old. None of her pregnant. You see, I didn’t know she was pregnant with you until she came. You were such a beautiful baby. I loved you so much.”
Tears filled his eyes as he imagined a young Lexie. There were plenty of pictures of her younger, and she’d always looked so sweet and kind.
“Thank you,” he said.
“What for?”
“For taking me in.”
“Of course I would, silly. You’re my son. I mean, nephew. I’m not good at this.”
“No, you’re my mom. You will always be my mom. I’ve been stupid. That’s all. I was so confused and hearing Curse, I made a mistake.”
“We can talk about it anytime. I’m a phone call away unless you’re coming home soon?” she asked.
He heard the hope in her voice and he hated the thought of disappointing her.
“No, I can’t. Not yet. There are a few things I’ve got to do first.” He ran a hand down his face, clearing his eyes from the tears.
“O-okay, well, I’m here, always. Go easy on your father. He misses you, and he was only ever making the right decision for you.”
He said his goodbyes and hung up.
“You can hate me all you want to, son, I don’t mind. Never, ever take it out on her.”
He nodded his agreement.
“How are things going with Tabitha?” Devil asked.
“You’re not going to be a grandpa yet.”
Devil laughed. “So long as it stays that way.”
“It will.”
“I’m going to head back. You sure you don’t want to come?”
In his mind, he saw Tabby, Luke, and what he hoped to do come her eighteenth birthday.
“Not yet.”
“You’re sure?” Devil asked.
“I’m sure. I’ve got things I need to do.”
“You’re still wearing the colors,” he said.
“Because there is no other club I could ever want.”
“Good answer.” Devil stepped toward him and Simon was surprised as he hugged him. “Thank you.”
He slapped his dad’s back, feeling the emotion clog his throat. He didn’t want to cry and he felt like such a fucking loser for it.
Tabby came to join him as he saw his father and the crew off. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he held up his hand, waving them goodbye.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I will be.”
“You didn’t go back with them.”
“I’m not ready to leave.”
“Good,” she said, kissing his neck. “I don’t want you to leave.”
****
“I can’t believe you’ve been on dates and you haven’t told me about them,” Tabitha said, flopping down on the grass beside her best friend.
Daisy sighed. “Just be silent and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.”
“That is your way of not getting me to talk,” she said. “I see your game. I do.”
“Tabs, it hasn’t been a big deal. It’s been ice cream and not a lot else.” Daisy rolled onto her side. “What is it you want to know?”
“Have you kissed?”
Daisy’s face gave the game away.
“You have. Was it good?”
“Tabs, you kiss Simon like all the time.” In the past couple of months, Simon had gone back home a couple of times. She always expected a call from him to say that he was staying at home, but he continued to surprise her by returning each and every time. She loved him being around.
Of course, it meant a lot of sneaking. He stayed with Lash most of the time. They’d set him up in a bedroom as a permanent feature for him. Of course, he didn’t always stay in his bed as he snuck out all the time to come and sleep with her.
“Yeah, I know, and now we can talk about our boys’ kissing.”
“I don’t know if Anthony is mine.”
“He is totally yours. Now, tell me, is he a good kisser?”
“You tell me, is Simon?”
“Hell, yeah, of course he is. I love it when he starts at the corner of my mouth. His tongue tracing, and okay, I can go into graphic detail.”
“No thanks. I don’t want to hear about him. Hearing about Simon is kind of like a brother.”
“Simon is no brother, believe me. Anthony is kind of like it but I need some material to tease him with. Is he good? Bad?”
“Anthony is awesome,” Daisy said.
“You’re only saying that so I don’t tease him.”
Daisy shrugged. “You can’t tease him. He’s like amazing. I don’t think there is anyone in the world who is going to beat him in the kissing department. I’m sorry. But I can officially say I got the best boyfriend in the world.”
“Not possible,” she said, laughing.
Daisy joined in and they collapsed to the ground, chuckling. “Damn, this is so much fun.”
“Yeah, we’ve got to do this more often.” Tabitha took her friend’s hand. “Can we make a pact or a promise to each other?”
“What kind?”
“The kind that says no matter what choices we make in life, or if we hate each other, we’ll always be best friends and it means we can hate each other for a little while but we’ve always got to stick together?”
“You’re going to follow Simon to Piston County, aren’t you?” Daisy asked. “It’s why you want to make this pact.”
“I love him, Daisy. I know he would give up the club for me and I’m not going to do that.”
“What about you and this club?” Daisy asked. “We’re your family.”
“And I will always be your family no matter what. It’s not like I’m ever going to be a patched-in member, is it? I’ll wear the property patch of my dad and then onto my husband, even if I was to stay here. I love Simon. He is my entire world and I know that now. I see it. It’s all clear.”
“It took him having to come here for you to realize it?” Daisy asked.
“Yeah, I just, I don’t want us to ever fight, you know? I love you so much and I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’ll never lose me,” Daisy said. “It will always be me and you, no matter what the guys say. They can go and suck it.”
Tabitha laughed, hugging her friend close. They sat up now and she closed her eyes, happy with her decision. Of course, she still had to tell Simon, but that would come in time. She had no intention of moving away soon.
“Well, lookie what we got here.”
Tabitha tensed up. She and Daisy got to her feet as they looked across the field to see Ryan and Luke. They weren’t alone either. It looked like a couple of guys from their crew were with them. They were in Fort Wills territory.
“You need to leave,” Tabitha said.
“Why? We’re on open land.”
“Skulls’ land,” Daisy said. “You’re in Fort Wills. The Skulls could see this as an act of war and you don’t want that.”
“Maybe we do.”
She looked at Luke. He was glaring right at her and she did the same right back. There was no way these guys were going to intimidate her.
“I’ve got to say. We were out for a stroll and I didn’t expect to come across two whores begging for it,” Ryan said, stepping away from the group.
“Ryan,” Luke said. His voice was firm.
Tabitha kept Ryan in her sight. Now if she knew Anthony, he wouldn’t allow Daisy to go anywhere without some form of protection. So long as they waited this out, he’d come to her rescue. She had no doubt.
She was tense, waiting for the impending fight.
If Anthony was close, Simon wouldn’t be far. He’d been dealing with something with Lash about his upcoming birthday.
Ryan was getting closer and Tabitha stepped in front of her friend. She wasn’t going to show fear. Rather than back down or try not to fight, she got into Ryan’s face.
“Fuck off!” she snarled at him.
He grabbed her arms and she went to knee him between the thighs, but he shoved her away hard.
Just as he was about to kick her, a rock hit Ryan in the head.
Anthony was already making his way across the field. He tossed another rock. This one hitting Ryan in the face. Tabitha scrambled back. She remembered as kids that Anthony would spend hours tossing rocks or balls. He didn’t stop until he’d mastered the perfect aim to hit every single target.
Ryan stumbled back and Luke came forward.
“I suggest you take your boys and get the hell away,” Anthony said.
Fear ran down Tabitha’s back. Anthony kept on walking toward them. The stones were gone but the intention was there.
Luke held his hands up. “We were just walking.”
“Then walk elsewhere. You want to start a fight, you come to me. Stop cornering our women like a bunch of pussies.” Anthony stood, hands on his hips, waiting.
Tabitha’s heart raced.
Luke looked at her, turned, and left.
“I don’t get him,” she said, hugging Daisy. “You okay?”
“I should be asking you if you’re okay. I don’t know what their game is.”
“Luke wants to fuck with Simon. He likes you,” Anthony said. “Be careful there. Ryan’s unhinged.”
“And you’re sane.”
“I’m not pissed at my leader’s infatuation. Ryan is.” Anthony turned toward her.
“I don’t encourage any of that shit! We were here first.” Her anger built.
Anthony held his hand up. “I didn’t say you did. What I’m saying is what I’m seeing. I’m making you aware. That’s all.”
“Did you follow us?” Daisy asked.
“You don’t go anywhere where I can’t guarantee your protection,” he said.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means I will always be there if you need me.”
Okay, she was starting to feel like she’d invaded a private moment. “I think it’s time we headed back.”
Daisy kept staring at Anthony.
Tabitha tugged her arm.
“Right, heading back. Yes. Let’s head back.”
“Is Simon free yet?” Tabitha asked.
“They’re negotiating his party,” Anthony said. “Chaos Bleeds are coming to town.”
“Oh, joy,” Daisy said. “When they come to town, there’s always a chance they could argue. I hate it.”
“They’ve been on good terms for a long time,” Tabitha said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I can’t help it. It feels like something big is going to happen and that scares me. Doesn’t it scare you?” Daisy asked wrapping her arms around herself.
“I’m starting to believe you’re a little paranoid.”
“Again, I don’t know why that’s a problem. I get this horrible feeling something bad is going to happen and each time I do, something does,” Daisy said. “You should heed my warning. I don’t make them every single day.”
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Tabitha asked.
“Don’t mock me.”
****
Eighteen.
He was at that age he could get married without his parents’ consent.
He just needed to wait until Tabby was of age and then she’d belong to him. Glancing down at the woman in question, he smiled. Her head rested on his chest. Her hair fanned out. She was so beautiful. He glanced at the clock and saw it was a little after six. His parents had already arrived yesterday, as had the club.
Running a hand down his face, he didn’t want to move. Tiny and Eva hadn’t given any sign of movement yet. He’d have no choice but to sneak out and pretend to be there for breakfast. He didn’t know if they’d fooled her parents yet, or if they were very much aware of his presence at night.
Tabitha let out a moan and stretched.
“Morning, beautiful,” he said.
“Happy Birthday.”
“Ah, so you remembered my birthday?” he asked.
“Of course, I remembered.” She sat up, stretching, pushing her hair off her face. “I even got you a present.” She leaned over him and he got a good look at her shapely ass. Seconds later, she sat back and held out a slim box for him. She pushed some hair out of her face and smiled. “Open it.”
“Open it?”
“Please, it’s your present. You’re going to have so many later. You’re eighteen. Legally an adult.” She ran a hand down her face. “Open it.”
He reached out, grabbed her neck, and pulled her close.
“I have morning breath,” she said.
“I don’t care.” He kissed her hard. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning, and he swallowed it. Still holding the present, he didn’t let go of her.
She pulled away breathless. “Open it.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll open it.” He wanted to keep on kissing her.
He untied the ribbon and slid the box open. Inside was a locket.
“I got it ’specially designed. There’s a jeweler who was willing to put your Chaos Bleeds symbol on the front. You can put any picture inside you want. I had to make sure you had one of me.”
He opened the locket and inside was his woman.
“You can change it of course.”
“I wouldn’t change it.” The chain was big enough it slid over his neck. “I love it.”
Wrapping his arm around her, he tackled her to the bed, capturing her hands. He locked them above her head and kissed her. As he slid between her thighs, his cock hardened and he pressed against her core.
She got one of her hands free and it ran down his body, cupping his dick.
As much as he wanted to let her continue, he captured her wrist and shook his head.
“You don’t want to?”
“No.”
Tabby frowned. “Why not?”
He leaned back, putting some space between them. Holding the hand that had been on his cock, he released a breath.
“I’m a little confused right now, Simon. I thought you would’ve wanted to.”
He kissed her hard. “I do. I want to. I want to have sex with you, Tabby. You’ve got to know that some days I watch you and it’s all I think about.”
“I’m ready. I want this.”
“Not today.”
“Why not? It’s your birthday.”
“No, on our wedding night.”
“What?”
“You heard me. When we have sex for the first time, I want it to be with you as my wife.”
She groaned. “Don’t you think that’s a little old-fashioned?”
“Not to me. You’ll be eighteen and we’ll be married. It’s not about God or any of that. We will belong to each other completely. You’re not just some girl, Tabby, and I’m not going to treat us, this, as some kind of quickie. Your parents are going to wake up soon. I’m not going to rush. I want to take my time. To make love to you.”
“Do you think our first time is going to be great?” she asked.
“Yeah, I do, because it’s going to be with you.” He kissed her.
“You know, you never fail to surprise me,” she said, cupping his face. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too. My gift is perfect and there is only one woman I’ll ever want close to my heart, and that is you.”
“You say all the right things.”
“Good.” He kissed her hard and pulled away as they heard a door opening and closing.
Simon dived off the bed and rolled beneath it as Tabby’s door opened.
“Hey, sweetie. Are you ready for breakfast?” Eva asked.
“I’m starved. Simon’s, er, he’s coming over as well. I had a text from him.”
He stayed perfectly still.
“Honey, I’m not stupid. Simon, you can come out and just come downstairs. We know he’s been sneaking into your room.”
He crawled out from under the bed.
“How did you know?” Tabby asked.
“You’re not silent when you climb in through the window. Now your dad wants to kill him, but I convinced him that you two are sensible. Am I right?”
“Yes, we are,” Tabby said. “We’re perfectly safe.”
“Good. I can’t guarantee you won’t get glared at. Tiny’s not happy.” Eva closed the door and Tabby turned to look at him.
“Wow,” she said, covering her face. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Simon climbed onto the bed, moved her hands out of the way, and cupped her face. “You know I love you, right?” He couldn’t stop saying it.
“Simon?” she asked.
“You do?”
“Yes, I know you love me.”
“Good. I want to be with you. This is not a rejection.”
“I know. You don’t have to keep saying that. I’m starving. Let’s go and get some breakfast. I want to keep you all to myself all day, but others want to wish you a happy birthday as well.”
Tabby moved off the bed, grabbing some clothes and going to the bathroom. He pulled on his jeans and shirt. They weren’t creased. After running her brush through his hair, he made her bed for her and sat on the edge, waiting.
She arrived seconds later, complete in a cute dress that fell to her knees and only enhanced her curves.
“You’re doing this to torture me?” he asked.
“Just a little. I think it’s only fair.”
He groaned. “Come on. I better see your dad eventually. He’s going to be pissed at me anyway.”
“Of course, he is.”
Tabby took his hand and they made their way downstairs. Miles was at the table, smirking, as was her other brother. Tiny was at the head of the table glaring.
“Wish him happy birthday,” Eva said.
Tiny continued to glare and Miles laughed.
“Seeing as she’s having boys in her room, can I at least bring a girl home? Like a different one every night? I’ll kick her out when I’m done with her,” Miles said.
Eva slapped him around the back of the head.
“Ouch. What was that for?”
“I taught you to respect women a lot better than that.”
“And I will. I’ll call them a cab.” When Eva went to hit him again, he ducked, laughing. “Look at this, out there in the world it’s double standards against women. In my own home, it’s against boys.”
“Get used to it, son,” Tiny said.
“You should be on my side,” Eva said.
“I am. It’s why I’ve agreed with you. He can’t have a girl in the house.”
****
“Are you having fun?” Tabitha asked.
She held on to Simon and smiled up at him. His family was here even though he hadn’t gone and spent much time with them, with any of them.
“Yeah, I’m having fun.”
“More fun than if you were going to have sex?” she asked. His rejection hadn’t hurt as it wasn’t him telling her to stop.
He groaned. “Please, don’t. I’m going to have nightmares about stopping for a long time to come.”
“So you’re waiting until we’re married?” she asked.
“Yes, and if my memory serves me well, I don’t have long to wait.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Huh?”
“Have you forgotten already?” He leaned forward and kissed her head. “You promised me you’d married me when you became eighteen. I’m going to hold it to you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. You and me, and we’re going to have a whole lot of fun.” He ran his hand down to the curve of her ass.
She giggled when he stopped. Since this morning, she’d noticed her dad had been keeping a closer eye on Simon. If only he knew she’d offered herself up to him and Simon wanted to wait. She doubted he’d be proud of the reasons he wanted to wait.
Lexie came across the room and seeing as the relationship with his parents was tense, she took a step back and went to the edge of the dancefloor.
“How are you?” Daisy asked, handing her a soda.
“I’m good. You?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Are you happy?”
Tabitha chuckled. “Can’t you tell that I am?”
“I can tell but, you know, with you I can’t always tell. You laugh in the face of your enemies, remember?”
Tabitha nudged her friend’s shoulder. “I love having him here.”
“You do.”
“Yeah, but, I’ve made my decision.” She turned to Daisy. “I’m going to be with him.”
“You’re going to become a Chaos?” Daisy asked.
Tabitha nodded. “Yeah, I think I am. Don’t get me wrong, I love being here. I love being a Skull, but I know my life is with him. This has only proven it even more so. I love him. My life is with him.”
She glanced back at the dance floor. Lexie’s head was tilted back as she laughed at something he said. She smiled, more pleased than anything to see the two finally getting along. She ran fingers through her hair. “Did you know I was going to have sex with him today?”
“You were? Wait, you still haven’t?”
She shoved her friend’s shoulder. “Get your head out of the gutter.”
Daisy chuckled. “Sorry. Just the two of you alone in a room, you’d expect fireworks.”
“There are fireworks, but he wants to wait until we’re married. How can I not go with him? He’s right for me on so many levels.”
Daisy wrapped an arm around her waist. “Well, I hope nothing bad ever happens between the two clubs.”
“Me neither. I don’t think I’d ever want to give you or anyone else up.”
She held on to her best friend, watching as Simon then took Angel onto the dance floor and started to dance with her.
It wasn’t long before he came back for her.
She went right into his arms.
“Please, tell me this isn’t me,” he said. “You can feel it too?”
She pressed her head against his chest, breathing him in. His arms were around her, and she felt safe and loved. “It’s not you. I can feel it too.”
For as long as she could remember, when it came to Simon, he’d made her feel this way. Loved, protected, safe, and it was a feeling she was going to take with her. Grandpa Ned had once said to her if you can find someone who makes your heart race and each time they step into the room, you just want to go and be with them, they’re the kind of person you want to keep around for a lifetime.
Simon was that person.
He was hers, just as she was his.
Nothing was ever going to take him away from her. Nothing.