Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“Your dad would rather have me locked in cuffs than get close to you.” He pushed some of her hair back, and she smiled. “Not that I blame him. You’re so fucking beautiful. I never want to give you back. I bet all the guys are falling all over themselves to get with you.”

“Stop. I’ve told you. No guy is going to take your place. I don’t know if these moments are perfection or torture.” She gripped his leather jacket, the Chaos Bleeds symbol on the back marking him as the property of the Chaos Bleeds leader. She remembered when Devil gave it to him.

He’d posed for her during one of their video chats.

Simon tilted her head back, and she smiled up at him. “They’re perfection, Tabby. You can never reach that without a little bit of torture thrown in.”

She giggled. “Are you trying to sound all philosophical?”

“Do you know what that word means?”

They were both laughing. “Do you?”

“I know that I will suffer everything to be with you, Tabby. The true torture would be never having these moments, knowing what could have been.”

Just like that, he stole her heart once again.

He’d done so a long time ago.

There was no one else, just her Simon, like she was his Tabby.

She pressed her head against his chest. “I know you can’t stay too long.”

Simon sighed. “Dad has already told me we’re heading out tomorrow. I’ve still got school come Monday, and all of their shit has been handled.”

“I wish you could move here.” She would love to have him here every single day.

“Do you think you could convince your dad to move to Piston County instead?” he asked.

“Not a chance,” Tabitha said, pouting. “It’s bad enough when it’s vacation time. I think the only reason he goes out is because of Mom. She needs the time and there’s that whole age-gap thing.” She shrugged. “I hate this.”

“Sit with me awhile. Let’s not think about tomorrow.” He took her hand and they found a tree to lean up against. He sat down, drawing her between his legs.

Their moments were becoming less frequent. Lash, The Skulls’ leader and current prez, tended to handle things a lot differently than her father had.

In the past twenty years, The Skulls had gone through so many changes. She’d only been around for sixteen years of them. Sometimes, she still had nightmares of some of the scarier moments. In recent years, they were legal. Doing everything by the book. The danger was still there, but it was limited. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been called in for lockdown.

It was nice.

She got to do pretty much whatever the hell she wanted to do, within reason. Her dad was still way overprotective and yet her twin, Miles, could do whatever the hell he wanted. The double standards were not lost on her. Even though Lash was moving the club forward, her father still had some old-fashioned views.

Staring up at the stars, Simon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

“One day, you and me, we’ll be side by side. Like it was always supposed to be. We both know that’s how it’s meant to be.”

A pain rushed through her chest. Was it?

For the longest time, she wanted nothing to do with the club, either of them. The Skulls nor Chaos Bleeds were part of her future plans. That all changed. She didn’t know how it happened. Just one day, she was pissed-off, angry, and the next, she knew without a doubt it was her calling.

She believed it was something Grandpa Ned had said to her.

“Honey, I know you don’t want the club life, and you’re right, it’s not for everyone. It takes a lot of dedication and commitment. Running from this doesn’t change who you are. You belong here. You need to understand there are people out there who have nothing. Who have no one. They would love to be in your position. To have family. You leave, your family will always welcome you back. You know how it goes. Don’t for a single second believe you don’t belong here. I know you’re a strong person, and you’re going to grow into a fine woman. The club, it’s part of that. It has helped build you.”

After their conversation, she’d been in tears. She finally realized that her place was as a part of the club and she didn’t hate that.

“You’ve gone silent on me,” he said.

“It’s nothing. You know how it goes.”

“We’ve never talked about what’s going to happen when we’re able to get married.”

She tilted her head back. “You’re still wanting to get married?”

“Hell, yeah, I’d marry you now.”

She chuckled. “You’re an impatient man, Simon.”

He held her a little more tightly. “No, I just know what a beauty I’ve got, and how fucking lucky I am.”

“Simon?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you ever kissed another girl?” she asked. For some odd reason, she was thinking about his question from years ago.