Page 28 of Dagger's Property
“I thought she was your stepsister. You want to explain yourself?”
Fuck. I just admitted that shit out loud. My fucking jealousy is overriding my damn common sense. What-the-fuck-ever. If he or anyone else has an issue with it, we can go around the room and delve into everyone’s personal shit. Link, and how he’s fucking the woman he almost adopted back when she was a kid. Bones and how he’s stalking an eighteen-year-old high school girl. Even our damn enforcer has a dirty secret. Ripper’s shit makes me look like a goddamn saint.
“She’s mine. You don’t need more of an explanation than that.”
“I’m not yours, Vale.” The sharp voice has me snapping my head around. “I’m not going to be with someone who tells me who I can and can’t spend time with. Cage took me out and made me forget about all the shit I’m dealing with. He made me forget about you standing me up. I was really looking forward to our time together, but you ditched me for your friend. If you want to blame anyone, you should blame yourself. Cage was just being a good friend, and here you are being a real asshole. You know what? I’m done. You can take your fucking rules and your fucking attitude and shove them up your ass.”
She turns on her heels, storming off, and I’m on her ass. Snatching her up from behind and tossing her right over my shoulder. She’s not going anywhere.
“Put me down, Dagger.”
Think that’s the first time she’s called me by my club name, and I don’t fucking like it.
“I need you to start talking to me, Wyn.” I place her down as soon as we get to my room, blocking her path to the door. “I want to know why you were so hurt today. It’s not like I didn’t want to spend time with you. I told you that I’d rather be here with you,but Rogue is dealing with some serious shit with his dad, and he needed me.”
“So, why couldn’t you have explained that to me earlier?”
“I tried. But you didn’t want to hear it. And I didn’t feel right about airing his shit out in the open. There are going to be times that things come up or I’ve gotta deal with club business and may have to change our plans. I need to know that you aren’t gonna give me hell every time I walk out that door. I need to know that you aren’t gonna run off with one of my brothers and make me wonder if you’re starting to fall for him. I can’t fucking handle that, Wyn. I wanted to hurt him. I’ve never been so fucking jealous in my life.”
“You’re jealous?”
“Yes, I’m fucking jealous. I’m in love with you, Wynter. Never fucking felt this way for anyone. And the idea that you could fall for someone else scares the shit out of me.”
Cage is a good man and can relate to her better than I can. He’s dealt with a fucked-up father and understands the pain. All I can do is offer her a listening ear and be there to protect her.
“But I’m not lovable.” Her soft whisper knocks me in the chest. She’s not just saying that. She actually believes it.
I step in, reaching for her soft cheeks. “How can you say that, baby? You’re so damn special. I’ve never met anyone like you, Wyn. And it’s not just your looks or your body that drew me in,” or the way she wrecks me with every touch. “It’s what you’ve got inside this heart that blows me away. After all that shit you went through, you’re still one of the toughest girls I know. You don’t take shit from anyone, and it’s not just impressive, but sexy as hell.” She walks around with this give-no-fucks attitude, and it drives my dick crazy.
“You’re smart and witty, and you beat to your own fucking drum. But the part I love most is that underneath all that stubbornness is something soft and sweet. You don’t let toomany people see that side of you, but you’ve always shown it to me. And every time you give me that pretty smile, I fall harder.”
Tears slip right down her cheeks, making me want to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
“I love you, Vale.”
Damn, those are the best words I’ve ever heard.
I lift her up and wrap her around my waist, holding her as close as I can get her. “You better because if you didn’t, I’d have to pin you down and force you to fall in love with me.”
“And what exactly would you do?”
I walk her to the bed and lay her down.
“I’m going to show you.” I lean down and press my lips to hers, kissing her soft and sweet. I’m not in a rush. Tonight, I’m taking my time. Savoring every second. I want to remember the night when I first took my girl. I want to show her how special she is.
“God, you’re so beautiful.” I sit back and stare into her pretty eyes. “I’m such a lucky man, Wyn. I didn’t know I could find someone like you. Turns out, you were right there under my nose the whole time.”
Her lips tip up, and I feel like I’ve won the lottery. A smile from her is something rare and special. Something I’ll never take for granted.
“I want to make love to you, baby. But before I do that, I want to make sure you’re ready for what that means.”
“What does it mean?”
“It means that you’re mine from here on out. It means that if you get angry with me or if you get scared, you’re not gonna run off. You’re going to stick it through and talk to me. If we do this, it means that you’re going to have to start trusting me with your secrets. I want you to talk to me, Wyn. Whatever it is, whatever’s bothering you, I will help you fix it. I just don’t want you shutting me out. Can you do that for me, baby?”
I need to know that she’s willing to fight for us like I am. Whatever backlash we have to face with our folks, whatever grief anyone wants to give us, I’m fine with, just as long as I know we’re a team.
“I can do that, Vale.”
