Page 42 of Stone
She doesn’t feel me come up behind her, too much in her own head, but soon tenses when I wrap an arm around her waist while gently grabbing her left hand with mine, lifting the rings into our line of sight.
She didn’t want to come today, but when her father orders her to do something, like the good daughter, she obliges, and William messaged me to confirm I would be here knowing Rose wouldn’t have told me.
“I wanted to get you something with dark green, like your eyes, but I didn’t think you’d like it,” I murmur in her ear, my lips gently touching it, making her shiver.
“They’re beautiful,” she admits, “Guess you know me pretty well, huh?”
I hear the insinuation. She thinks I didn’t know her at all, to keep the fact that I was married from her, that I married her behind her back.
“I know you, Rose, inside and out,” I admit, “I know you hate anchovies, strawberries and people who waste hospital time. I know your sister is your world and reason for going into medicine. I know you hate how curly your hair gets after it’s been wet and how cold the winters are,” I place a gentle kiss to her ear.I whisper, “I know you’d prefer to be in my shirt, on the couch watching trash TV instead of going out and partying. I knew you would walk away from me that morning if I mentioned Elsie. You would have been hesitant about the club, and that is only because of the rumors that float around. But Elsie, you wouldn’t have given me the time of day, even if I explained everything, and the only reason you haven’t run from me now is because I tied you to me.”
I take a deep breath, “I also know the only other reason why you haven’t run is because you love me just like I love you, with everything that I am. I’m fighting for you, Rose. I’m fighting for us because I cannot live my life without you, because you are my everything, and I know you find that hard to believe, but I won’t give up until you do, one way or another.”
Rose gently gives me her weight as she leans against me, and I wrap both my arms around her, holding her tight as I place my face into her neck, breathing her in.
“I don’t know how to move forward,” she admits finally, “You lied, and that is a hard pill to swallow, especially when you became my universe. God, Cage, I put my career on hold for you, for us, only to see you with a wife I had no idea about. That was like a massive slap in the face, it hurt.”
“I know, baby,” I whisper, “and I am so fucking sorry. Nothing I do will make up for it, I know this, all I can do is prove to you that everything I did was so I didn’t lose you.”
“Tell me something true then,” she whispers in return, and I smile a little.
She’s letting me prove myself.
“Every time I’ve gone away on business, it has been club business. I’m the club’s VP, and with Doc being a doctor, I go on most club runs,” I admit, and she turns her head and looks at me before we lock eyes, “Next week I’m meeting up with Axel from the Untamed Hell Fire’s MC.”
Rose furrows her brows a little before asking, “Is that the brother whose old lady is a little crazy and pranks her man?”
I hum and confirm, “She is, she’s also converted all the other old ladies, including the ones not affiliated with The Untamed.”
“Huh,” is all she says as she stares off, and instantly, true fucking fear hits me.
No, nope, not fucking happening, no way.
“No!” I instantly snap, causing her to look at me with a raised brow, and I growl, “You are not meeting up or contacting Annalise, no chance, no way.” I shake my head and admit, “I will not look good with glittery hair.”
Rose snorts, “Cage, you barely have any hair, you’ve cut it quite short in the time I’ve been gone, though, your new beard…”
“I swear, Rose, I’ve seen how much you like this beard, especially when I’m between your legs, don’t make me shave it!” I threaten, and she grins despite how red her cheeks have gone.
Fuck I love when I make her blush.
“You know, Mama, Kimmy and Donna have said I needed to make new friends,” she summarizes, and I groan, dropping my forehead to hers, knowing I won’t be able to stop her. She’s going to make friends with the mad woman, and I’m going to suffer for everything I’ve done.
Shit.
Sighing loudly, I move my arm around her waist and grab my phone while keeping my other arm firmly around her, and I bring up my text thread with Axel before I type out a message, allowing Rose to see it.
Me:
my wife wants your wife’s number.
I press send, and Rose looks at me with a soft look, and I smile, knowing I’ve done the right thing, before my phone beeps, and we check it.
Rose’s laughter echoes, and I wince.
Axel:
you, my brother, have a death wish. This is what happened when I told her to relax from the hormones for a little while.
