Page 28 of Pound

Pound had to know. Meri could reject him, and he would accept it. But he couldn’t not know. He couldn’t continue to question himself the way he had for years. Not knowing led to bad decisions and emotional spirals.

Been there, done that and got the fucking T-shirt.

“What room is she in?”

When Morningstar didn’t answer, his anger grew. “Do I have to knock on every door in your whole fucking clubhouse?”

Morningstar stroked his beard and looked to Granite; he gave a barely perceptible nod. “Well, technically, Mash didn’t say anything about you visiting her.” He continued to stroke his beard before he took another shot and rose to his full height. “However, you handle another woman like that in my house, and we’ve got issues, VP or not. You feel me?”

Pound knew when to back down and this was one of those times. He was grateful that the Travelers would protect Meri as much as he would. He was wrong and hadn’t realized how utterly off-kilter he’d been since she was taken. He needed to handle his shit and control himself.

“Got it. Sorry I disrespected your house.” He turned to his own president. “Sorry.”

Both men clapped him on the back.

“I know that’s not you, Joe. I just needed you to realize that too.”

Morningstar took another shot. “Up the stairs to the left, third door on the right.” He didn’t bother to say his thanks, just turned on his heel to go. “Oh, and just FYI, those rooms aren’t soundproof, and my sister is next door, so mind yourself.”

Granite glared at the president of the Travelers. “What? You can’t tell me you don’t think your veep can close the deal. The best way to deal with shit is sex. It makes you feel alive.”

Pound proceeded toward Meri’s room. Morningstar would never have suggested that if he wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure Meri wasn’t raped. Pound had asked Trip with his eyes and he’d shook his head, but Morningstar had just confirmed it. Both he and Granite would’ve had a full report before he’d even arrived back at the clubhouse.

Not that he planned on having sex with Meri tonight, but it did wonders for his frazzled emotions just to have that confirmation. Tonight, they’d talk, just talk. And kiss, he was claiming the kiss she promised. Everything else would come later… if she wanted it.

Pound gently tapped on the door and waited, not so patiently. Nothing. He tapped a little louder and still nothing. He tried the handle, thinking to himself that it better be fucking locked.

Pound was both disappointed and relieved when it was. He didn’t want to knock louder and wake her. She needed the rest. Disappointed, he turned to go when the door next to hers opened and Cam stepped out with a smile. “Morningstar said it was okay.” She held the key up before unlocking Meri’s door, then scurried back to her room.

When he entered, he was shocked to see the lights on, the bed made, and Meri racked out on top as if she’d fallen asleep unexpectedly.

Pound’s heart steadied at the sight of her there. Peaceful and safe. She was wearing nothing more than a shirt that had ridden up above her hips, exposing the edge of a brown bandage and not-so-skimpy underwear. As much as he wanted to appreciate her exposed curves and the tree of life on her right hip that wound down her thigh, the bandage concerned him more.

He approached the bed and gently raised her shirt. Not enough to expose her breasts—the first time he saw those, he wanted it to be because she showed them to him by choice—but enough to see if he could tell where the wound was. He felt like a massive dick for not recognizing she was injured. He hadn’t recalled any blood earlier.

He recognized the configuration immediately; Mash had wrapped her ribs.

“Fuck.” His curse caused her to roll over and expose even more skin. Pound took a full accounting of her bruises. Noting where and if any of them contradicted what everyone already thought. None did. He sent up thanks to any god who was listening when he’d been praying for her safety.

Pound shucked his boots and undressed down to his boxers. With the lights out, he pulled the covers back on the side of the bed she wasn’t asleep on. Scooping her up gently so as not to jostle her ribs, he tucked them both in.

Sleep likely wouldn’t come, at least not until his heart and soul got the message that she was safe. Meri sniffed and rubbed her face against his chest. He almost laughed when she stopped midrub with a gasp.

Before she could scramble back and hurt herself, he reacted.

“Shush, sweetheart. Go back to sleep.” He kissed the top of her wavy brown head. “You’re safe. I’m not going to let anything happen to you ever again.”

“Promise?” she asked sleepily and snuggled deeper into him.

“It’s a fucking oath. I’ll pour the gas and watch the world burn if that’s what it takes to keep you, James, and Crissy safe.”

Meri had all but fallen back asleep until he spoke. Her eyes popped open at his words, and she stared at him in awe and confusion.

“Why?” she croaked.

Pound decided to go all in. Tell her how he felt and what he wanted. Hell, he’d only ever had two speeds, feet flat or throttle rolled all the way back down. He’d lived at a dead stop, feet flat since Lea, and that had gotten him nowhere. It had gotten Meri taken without him ever knowing if they even stood a chance.

“I was married once. We brought out the worst in each other. When it was over, I was relieved but also broken. I became detached, it was all I knew. Even with my brothers to a lesser degree, but still.” Pound held her a little tighter when she petted his chest and somehow managed to get even closer.

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