Royal Savage (Savage & Ink 1)

Releasing the steering wheel, he cups my face and looks me in the eyes. “How can I just let it go? Tell me how I can move on and forget that they took her from me. Tell me! I should have killed him.”

Trying to keep my emotions in check, I wrap my arms around his neck and press my forehead to his. “It’s not going to be easy . . . I can tell you that right now, but isn’t having her in your life right now better than not having her at all? If you go back and teach them a lesson, you’re losing her again . . . and me. You’re going to lose us both.”

“Fuck,” he says in a pained voice. “Fuck, baby. I love you. I love you both so fucking much. All I want is to be the best for you both.”

Letting my own tears spill again, I hold him tightly as he breaks down in my arms.

I close my eyes and whisper repeatedly that I love him and that what’s best for us, is to have him in our lives, as he buries his wet face into my neck.

This man will never understand just how strong he truly is right now for not killing that asshole. He had the power in his hands and yet he found it in him to stop. Not getting his revenge will be the hardest thing he’s ever had to do over losing Olivia.

“I love you, baby. You belong here with us. Promise me that you’ll never fucking leave again.”

Gripping his face, I pull it up to look at me. “Promise me,” I demand.

He grabs my face and runs his thumbs under my wet eyes, while kissing me long and hard. “I promise,” he says gently. “I’ll never leave you guys. The only way I’m leaving is dead.”

We sit here and hold each other for what feels like forever, before Jax finally opens the door and laughs at us. “Get your asses inside and join the fucking slumber party. I see you kept his ass in check. You’re the only one that could have.”

I laugh against the side of Royal’s face. “Way to interrupt a deep moment, jerk face.”

Jax winks at me and reaches inside to help me out of the truck and to my feet. “Sorry, but you did good,” he whispers. “Real fucking good.”

“That’s because she’s my woman,” Royal says, while jumping out of the truck and shutting the door. “Her and Kylie are my world and I won’t do anything to jeopardize that. I just needed a moment to get my shit straight.”

Royal’s hand reaches out to grab mine, like old times, as he walks me back to the door, and inside where Blaine and Madison are chilling on the couch, surrounded by tons of blankets with a movie playing on the TV.

In this moment, here with my family surrounding us, is the only place I’d ever want to be.

Now that Royal is back, I can see that our family is complete.

I’m complete . . .

Eight Months Later . . .

GRIPPING THE BAR, I PULL up for the hundredth fucking time, letting out a relieved breath as I release it and jump down to my feet.

I’ve been up for the last hour, working off steam and getting ready for the day. I need my head cleared whenever I’m around my family, so I come in here every morning at the ass-crack of dawn and workout until all of my tension is gone.

So far . . . it’s been working, and I hope to keep it that way.

Grabbing for my towel, I run it over my sweaty hair and body, before tossing it aside and quietly jogging past Jax’s open room and upstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast.

By the time breakfast is done, I look up at the clock to see that it’s about time for Kylie to wake up. She seems to be on a schedule, always waking up at or around the same time each morning.

Grabbing the tray of Mickey Mouse pancakes, I make my way up the stairs, stopping to peek inside Kylie’s room.

I smile to myself and look down the hall when I hear sounds of her and Avalon laughing from down the hall.

These two women are what keep me sane from day to day, living the crazy life that I’ve grown up in. I know it’s not an easy life, but I’ve made sure to keep most of the drama out of the bar now. Things are slowly changing for the better.

These two women are my life now, and the last eight months with them have been the best days of my life. To be able to hear my baby girl laugh each morning and to be able to kiss her goodnight each night is the best thing a man could fucking ask for. There is nothing better in life than having a family to take care of and love.

I know this now . . .

Leaning in the doorway, I stand here and watch the girls for a few minutes as they play around on the bed, laughing and giggling as Avalon tries to get Kylie to calm down and stop jumping on the bed.

“Okay! Okay!” Avalon yells playfully. “I’m awake. Mommy’s not going back to sleep. I promise.”

“Mommy awake!” Kylie jumps one last time, before diving into Avalon’s arms and wrapping her arms around her neck.

“You’re awake,” I whisper, causing them both to look over at me.

“Daddy cook breakfast again! Yummy tummy!” Crawling out of Avalon’s lap, Kylie jumps down off the side of the bed and runs at me, causing me to set the tray down and catch her in my arms.

“Daddy will always be here to make breakfast for you and mommy,” I say happily. “Who else can make damn good pancakes like daddy?”

“Royal!” Avalon scolds. “Language.”

“Hey . . .” I set Kylie down and she runs over to the bed where she usually eats her breakfast on Sunday mornings when we don’t have guests. “I’m getting better. I didn’t use the F word this time. Progress, baby.”

I pull Avalon into my arms and look over to see Kylie getting lost in cartoons.

“Easy, buddy,” Avalon laughs against my ear as I cup her ass and squeeze it. “It’s going to be a long day before that can happen.”

“Oh yeah . . .” I run my bottom lip up the side of her neck, before biting her ear and growling. “Uncle Jax is downstairs and Uncle Blaine is only a call away.”

“Nice try.” She slaps my chest and walks away, leaving me gripping my hair. This woman has never turned me on so damn much. She’s so sexy, and she still has no fucking idea how much.

“Why don’t we go downstairs and eat at the table this morning.” Avalon turns off the TV, making Kylie throw her head back and whine. “Come on.”

With a pouty lip, Kylie huffs and jumps out of bed, grabbing for my hand. “No Mickey Mouse,” she cries softly.