I stretch my arms out, patting the bed beside me, knowing it’s empty. “I’m here.” His voice carries across the room from a chair in the corner.
“What are you doing?” I ask, drinking him in. He grew into a pure alpha male. I knew he would, but seeing it in the flesh causes my insides to squeeze in appreciation. I missed so much.
“Watching you sleep…I’m pinching myself to make sure I ain’t dreaming.”
“I didn’t realize how bad I needed that sleep,” I say, unsure where we go from here. “Do you have things you need to be doing?”
“I’m doing them.” He lifts his chin toward me.
Rolling my eyes, I pick up a pillow and throw it at him. He catches it and smiles over at me. “I don’t want you out of my sight. I’m scared you’ll run.” He frowns, vulnerability bleeding from his pores. Right now, he’s not Animal, the club president. He’s just Alec, the boy who lost too much.
I climb out of bed and go to him, taking the pillow and dropping it to the floor. Wrapping my arms around his head, I bring him to my stomach, stroking my hands through his hair. Strong arms squeeze around my waist. The sound of him inhaling me causes a tear to leak from my eye. I’m so sick of crying.
“Promise me you’re not going anywhere,” he pleads.
“I promise,” I assure him, and I mean it. Gently urging his head back, I lean down and kiss his lips, sighing on contact. “Show me around the place. It’s been so long since I’ve been here.”
Nodding his head, he gets to his feet, gripping my hand in his and heading for the door. “Wait.” Stopping where my old boots lay on his rug, I search them for the blade he bought me for my thirteenth birthday. It’s not there.
“My blade is gone.”
He drops down to help me search, but there’s nothing. “You must have left it somewhere else.” He clasps my hand and pulls me up. “I’ll get you a new one.”
I don’t want a new one. I want that one.
Pushing through the kitchen, he jerks his chin to a brother I don’t recognize. “Glen, Drew. Drew, Glen.”
“Hey.” I limply wave.
“Hey. I’m making bacon, you hungry?” I look up at Alec, who shakes his head no, lines crinkling his forehead.
“Sure,” I say, before poking my tongue out at Alec. I slip onto a stool just as Jackie rounds the corner, almost dropping a tray of mugs.
“Oh my God, little Drew!” she squeals, placing them down and embracing me from behind, her perfume almost making me gag.
“When did you get home?”
Home… The word comforts me more than I can comprehend.
“Last night. How are you?”
“Same old, same old. Still running around after these bastards.” She winks up at Alec. Jameson enters the room next, groaning when he sees Glen cooking. Is he limping? “You okay?” Alec asks Jameson. Stealing a piece of bacon, he grimaces as he chews it. How can bacon be cooked wrong? I reach for the piece snatching it out of his hand and bite into it. It’s rubbery and flavorless.
“Yeah. Phantom pain is a bitch. Why the fuck is he cooking again? I thought we banned him.”
“Rage is keeping Gracie busy,” Jackie calls out, messing around with a coffee machine.
“There’s nothing wrong with my food. You can’t even tell it’s meat free,” the Glen guy claims.
“It’s disgusting. It should be against the law to sell that shit,” I inform him, dusting the residue off my hands. A chuckle resonates from Jameson’s chest as he nudges my arm. “It’s good to have you home. You haven’t lost that fire.”
“What’s with the leg?” I gesture to his other hand rubbing his thigh.
“Prospect being an idiot at a cookout. Got excited and fired off his load. A stray bullet caught me. It’s been five fucking months and it still aches,” he grunts.
“Jackie, come take over for Glen before my brothers decide to hog roast him.”
“Sure thing, sweetie.” She puts an apron on, looking ridiculous in her short skirt and stilettos. Kudos to her for surviving in that footwear.
“Prez, my sisters are with me this weekend,” Jameson tells Alec.
“You want time with them?” Alec lifts a brow.
“No. They argue like cats and dogs and bitch me out sending me fucking crazy. I was just going to say I’d prefer not to go on any runs outta town so I can get back there if I need to, but I’m around if you need me.”
“You have sisters?” I ask, watching light spark in his eyes.
“Yeah, two. They’re a fucking headache.” I grin. It’s clear he loves the shit out of those lucky girls. He pulls out his cell, brings up a picture, and shows it to me. It’s the three of them smiling on a beach. Nothing like the leather-wearing, long-bearded man before me.