Page 109 of Savage Outlaw

She lifted her head and tears balanced on her lashes. He knew she didn’t like crying, didn’t like emoting at all and he loved that she felt safe enough to show him her reactions. He kissed the tip of her nose and brought her in closer. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“It’s my dad. My dad. He’s all I have. I can’t lose him.” her voice wobbled, and he felt his heart pinch in his chest.

She didn’t get it. She wasn’t alone, she’d never be alone again.

“You have me. You have my club.”

Looking up through her lashes he felt punched when she smiled sadly. “I want you, Tad. But no offense, I don’t want your club.”

He wasn’t offended and he chuckled. “I want you, but I don’t want your club either, baby. You see you’re not alone though, right? I’m always here for you, anything you need.”

“You should have told me.” She croaked.

“I know.”

“I need a relationship where you’re not shielding me from shit, Tad. That’s exactly what Axel does. Good or bad, I want to be in this relationship and trust you’ll always tell me the truth.”

A sigh rumbled out of his chest as he pressed their foreheads together knowing he’d fucked up royally.

“I fucked up,” he shared. “I wanted you out of harm’s way, and that means your own way when you go off half-cocked like I knew you would. But you’re right. I want that relationship too.”

She stroked the side of his face and smiled a little. “We’re learning as we go. I bet you’ll fuck up again. I bet I fuck up too. We love each other, Tad?”

“So, fucking much.” He rumbled and it gifted him with her smile.

“Yeah. So much. I’m predicting even when we fuck up, we’ll fix it too.”

Thank god.

“Give your dad a video call so you can see for yourself he’s okay.”

Roux stayed on his lap while she spoke to Axel and gave him both barrels too. She ended the call by telling him she loved him.

That was his woman. Tough as nails on the outside. Able to bust the balls of the toughest bikers but she was soft where it counted. Her sweet heart belonged to Butcher and he wasn’t letting anything hurt it.

Once the call dropped, she took her face back to the side of his neck with a slow exhale, using his body for comfort. Comfort he was happy to give. His hand held around the back of her neck. “Don’t get used to me being vulnerable,” she warned with a huff and Butcher squeezed her neck.

He let go of a quiet, happy noise. “Roux, you not realized yet, baby? I’d take you any way I can have you.”

The fucking truth right there.

Love was his motivator.

Roux was his everything.

Sweet and soft.

Tough and tart.

He loved her.

THIRTY

“Claiming a savage man.” – Roux

“It’s not funny.” Roux glowered, watching her friend laugh her tiny butt off. “It felt like three hundred years locked up with those bikers instead of three days.”

Poppy’s chuckling didn’t stop and Roux’s brows folded in. She saw the irony, of course. Poppy was in the same position not so long ago. Only it wasn’t her choice and she hadn’t known anyone in the MC holding her hostage.

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