Page 163 of Love Thy Brother
“Thanks for the imagery.”
Rubi laughed. “I was joking about the orgy part. Mostly. Who knows what those freaks get up to. But the rest of it stands—Saint and Alexei, they know what Cam needs and they make sure he gets it.”
“What do you need, boo?”
“This.” Rubi slid a hand under the covers, stopping at my abdomen. “I need to wake up with you. Watch the sunrise. Face the world together. I can’t do it without you anymore.”
“That’s lucky, cos I love you, and I want that too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I closed my eyes to his touch. “But you have to promise to put your hands on me every day like this. It’s the only addiction I need.”
Rubi tickled my ribs.
I styled it out, not willing to lose his touch to something so trivial.
A battle of wills, but I won.
Rubi went back to the slow stroke of his palm on my belly. I opened my eyes to find him staring.
“What is it?”
“Nothing bad.” Rubi reclaimed his hand to push his wild hair out of his face. “I’ve just been thinking about what you said about coming home before we left the hospital. At the time, it sounded like you meant everything—me, the club, your family. But I’m wondering now if I heard you right, and I want you to know that it’s okay if I didn’t.”
“You heard me right.”
Rubi’s eyes widened, his roaming hands stilling on my skin. “For real?”
I forced myself upright to face him. “This place, man. The club. I thought everything would stop if I ran away, but I took every problem with me and left what I loved behind. I see that now, and I’m so fucking sorry I hurt you so much.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“What the hell for?”
“For making you believe I loved anything more than I love you.”
“I never believed that.”
“No?”
A dry laugh escaped me. “You’re off your head if you think a day went by that I didn’t know you loved me. All of this shit... it’s on me. Don’t take the blame for my mistakes.”
“I made mistakes too.”
“And I forgive you. Come lay down with me again?”
Rubi drank his tea, then slipped under the covers. I could tell he had more to say, but I was done with the heavy for a while. As awake as I’d thought I was, I didn’t even have the energy to get up and take a piss.
The logistics of our happily ever after could wait. I put my head on his chest and passed the fuck out.
* * *
Much,muchlater, I took that shower. Ate the vat of my ma’s bacon and cabbage Rubi thrust in my face.
Then we walked to the compound, cos hell would have to freeze over before I rode bitch on anyone’s hog.
I was wiped by the time we joined an impromptu council meeting in the chapel.
