Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“It’s nothing.”

“It is something and when it comes to you, I always want to make it right. Let me help you.”

“I just miss home, Simon. It’s nothing you can do.” She ran her hands down his arms. “Nothing at all. Just being here helps.”

He pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest. If she was like this after a few weeks, what would it be like after months, what about years? What about never being able to go home again because of some argument? The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds worked together, but there were times they had fall-outs. She and Simon were able to work their way around the last one, but what if something happened when they were older? If she was his wife, and Anthony took over from the club. She’d never be allowed back. That alone terrified her.

Daisy and home were there.

Don’t think. Stop thinking.

She held him tightly, not wanting to let him go.

“I will always be here for you, Tabby. You need to know that.”

“I do.”

For several songs, they danced, and she loved it, feeling him around her. When another upbeat song came on, Tabitha pulled away, holding his hands, and she started to sway her hips. There was no way she was going to let either of them be pulled down into the darkness. All of that could come back later. They only had now and each other. She was going to work with that.

Tabitha slammed her foot down to the notes of the song, following the beat of a drum. Closing her eyes, she let the words fill her senses, and swinging her hips, she lifted her hands up. Simon put his hands on her waist, following her. He helped her dip back, and there was no doubt he’d catch her.

She could be herself with him. He’d catch her no matter what.

Spinning in his arms, she put her ass against him and he groaned, but she took his hands, locking their fingers together. She wasn’t trying to tease him, just be close. Pulling his arms around her, she held on to him, not wanting to let go. This was everything to her.

Simon’s lips caressed her neck, his tongue sliding across her pulse. She released a gasp.

“Promise me, Tabby.”

“What?”

“That whenever you’re missing home, you’ll come to me.”

She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. “I will.” It was a lie and with the soft smile he offered her, she knew he knew. As she cupped his cheek, the moment was broken. She stopped dancing. “I think it’s time we headed back.”

****

“What do you think?” Dean asked.

Simon stared out of his friend’s apartment window.

“Earth to Simon.”

He frowned and looked up. Dean stood right in front of him. “Sorry, what?”

Dean laughed. “You came to check out my place and it’s like you’re not even here.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, man. Don’t worry about it. Tell me what’s going on with you.” Dean folded his arms.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. I know you. Come on, let me have it.”

Simon rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s Tabby.”

“What about her?”

He didn’t want to talk about it. “So when will the furniture arrive?” Simon asked, stepping away from the window. There were a couple of old fruit crates, and through one of the doors, he spotted a mattress on the floor.

“Dude, don’t do this.”

“It’s nothing. Believe me.”

“I’m your friend. If you can’t tell me, who can you tell?”

“It’s club stuff.”

Dean snorted. “Right and even though I have every intention of becoming a prospect, you can’t talk to me about it.”

“It’s between Tabby and me.”

“You think she doesn’t talk to her own friends?”

“I don’t know what she does.” He looked around the apartment. “She’s missing home.”

“And?”

“And if she’s missing home, it means any chance of us being together, it starts to change our entire future.”

“How does it?” Dean asked.

“It just does. We’re club kids, okay? We know the deal. We know what we have to do. You wouldn’t understand.” He didn’t want to fight with his friend.

Dean laughed. “I wouldn’t understand. Simon, look around you. You think right now I don’t miss home? Sure, I’ve got to do as I’m told with them, but it would beat sleeping on a used mattress on the floor. I’m sitting on fruit crates and I know Devil’s leaving me food packages to help me get by. I’ve got rent to pay and bills are mounting up, but I know in the long term, this is better for me than home. Do I still miss it? Hell, yeah. Will I go back there? No. I don’t know what the deal is between you and Tabby but I do know you love each other.”

“I thought like that for a long time.”

“What changed?”

“Reality? I don’t know. I figured this was a done deal. I’m going to take over from my dad. It’s all I ever wanted to do and now, I don’t know, I can’t become a Skull.”