Page 58 of Tattooed Love

I doubted she realized there had been a mirror.

And I watched her change. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, even though it would have been the right thing to do. Still, I didn’t do it.

And then when she was dressed again, I couldn’t get the image of her naked breasts out of my head. The image was on repeat in my head. So much so, I couldn’t look her in the eye.

At the house party, I’d attempted to get my need for her, and my frustration, out on another woman, but that didn’t work.

Then I went into panic mood when the boys said she was missing. I blamed myself again, because I should have kept an eye on her during the night. Her brothers stopped watching her as soon as the girls showed up.

Then when I did find her, I find her in bed with my brother. I scoffed out loud and then regretted it when I saw her frown. Shit. I didn’t want to wake her up.

How did Jason manage to score the one woman I couldn’t lock down?

As much as I wanted Amber, there was a reason I kept her at a distance. The reason I didn’t make a move. The reason I kept my hands and thoughts to myself.

I inhaled on my cigarette. It was all pointless in the end, because she’d ended up getting hurt because of me.

And I wasn’t there to protect her. Fuck, I had pushed her away! I didn’t speak to her. Didn’t even acknowledge her.

And when my enemy makes a move, and hits my weakness, I’m not there to protect my weakness.

How screwed up is that?

I watched her frown again.

It was worse knowing she was in pain and there was nothing I could do about it. Her case was out of morphine and painkillers. I’m guessing thanks to Cole; she had given them all to him.

I watched her body tremble in pain again and that frown that kept appearing on her face was back.

God, what do I do?

What can I do?

I gritted my teeth. There was nothing I could do but fucking watch.

I didn’t even realize I was doing it, but I reached out and took her hand.

If I couldn’t ease her pain, the least I could do was hold her hand while she went through it. I think what was worse was that she had no idea how I felt about her. Not at all.

She didn’t know it was basically killing me to keep her at a distance. Seeing her relaxed around her brothers and also seeing men I knew my whole life turn into mush when they are with her.

Did she know the power she held?

To make Cole feel any emotion should be an achievement. And that’s all you saw on his face when he looked at her; emotion.

All of them, they would kill for her and I knew right now it was me holding them back from going after The Pythons tonight, seeking revenge.

The sad part is, I would kill for her too and she wasn’t my blood.

I knew she had been targeted because of me.

It had nothing to do with her brothers.

It had to do with me taking out their clubhouse. Sure it was a club vote, but it had been my idea.

Troy still couldn’t understand why I sat back and let him take charge of the club, when really I was meant to be in charge.

I sighed. Everyone looked at me for answers, and I was starting to get tired of the questions and expectations.

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