“Fuck,” he grinds out. His rasping voice has my eyes rolling back in my head.

  “Eyes, angel,” he pants, too worked up to get out more. “So close.”

  Above me, he stiffens and lets out a hoarse gasp. His face contorts into something mesmerizing and beautiful. Hot cum fills my mouth and even though I’m expecting it, I jolt in surprise. I work down a hard swallow. A warm rush of arousal sizzles between my thighs. Never have I gotten so turned on giving a guy head. Wyatt’s fingers grip my chin, his blue eyes searching mine.

  “Thank you.”

  That he thanks me so honestly, twists my insides. This big, powerful man could hold me down and force me to do whatever he wanted. Yet he’s always so gentle with me. Sweet even. A side of him that belongs only to me.

  Suddenly, he swings me up into his powerful arms. A giggle works out of me and I kiss his sweaty chest, then lick my way to his neck.

  “Give me a second,” he groans.

  My body hums in anticipation as he lays me out on the bed. I know we’re not finished yet.

  “Please,” I beg. I never thought I’d want someone to do what I’m asking. Or enjoy it so much. But I need it.

  He kneels between my legs. “Ask me again.”

  Something dark and urgent sparks in his eyes making me shiver.

  “Please put your mouth on my pussy.”

  “You kill me,” he mumbles. His head dips down, tongue licking from my opening to clit. My fingers run through his short, soft hair and he shivers.

  Feeling brave, I brush my fingertips over his cheek. “Get to know that pussy well, Wyatt. It’s the only one you’re getting from now on,” I whisper, echoing his earlier words.

  He stops and grins up at me. “About fucking time you admit it. Arms over your head, Angel Face. Stretch out your beautiful body for me. Let me see what’s mine.”

  With him, I forget I even have scars. He accepts all of me. Always has. I don’t hesitate to do as he asks. We established a long time ago, I’ll do anything Wyatt wants. He waits until my fingertips touch the headboard before resuming his sensual torture. First, he works his fingers over my slippery flesh, teasing me with hard pressure, but not entering me or touching my aching clit. He pauses and hooks my legs over his thick shoulders. My body squirms under his intense gaze.

  Finally, his tongue’s on me. Swirling, tasting, licking.

  He lifts his head, grinning at me. “Too much?”

  “No.”

  It is too much though. I’m scared. He has me so wound up, afraid to let go. Afraid I can’t let go.

  He presses soft kisses against my inner thighs, then tongues my outer lips. His hand presses down against my lower stomach, holding me in place, while his tongue drives me crazy. He works into a perfect rhythm of kissing and licking every part of me before finally sucking softly on my clit. I squirm and pant. One finger slips inside and I let out a curse.

  “Shhh. Stop fighting me. Relax.”

  Relax. As if that’s possible with his tongue working my clit, his fingers fucking my pussy and his hand pressing me down into the mattress.

  “Wy—oh, shit. Wyatt! What are you doing to me?”

  “Let go for me, Angel Face.”

  My eyes screw shut with the unbearable pressure. Sensations pulse behind my eyelids. “I can’t,” I gasp.

  He makes a humming noise against my clit that sends me spiraling higher.

  “Yes, come for me.”

  Words are beyond me, I’m trying so hard to follow what he’s doing, to go where he’s leading me.

  “Stop trying. Relax. Just feel.”

  Feel? It feels fucking amazing and my body finally unlocks. “Yes.”

  “Good girl.”

  I give myself over to the wonderful sensations, fingers pulsing in and out, pressure, his mouth over my clit, sucking, tongue licking. One or all of those things send me over.

  “Eyes,” he commands.

  My eyes pop open right as the orgasm crashes over me. I gasp and cry out, my hips bucking off the mattress. My vision goes white, as his mouth seals over my pussy, licking and sucking everything.

  “Holy fuck,” I manage to get out.

  He climbs up my body with a smug smile on his glistening lips. “Fucking beautiful, Trinity.”

  My breathing’s still ragged. Heart racing. “What did you do to me?”

  “Babe, it’s really what you did for me. Feeling like a superhero now.”

  I tap his chest with my fist. “You nut.”

  “Yup. Come here.” He gathers me close, trailing gentle touches over my body. “You’re all pink and pretty,” he whispers against my neck.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard in my life.” I’m still blown away.

  He nuzzles and licks at my neck. “Good.”

  I’m drifting in and out, when Wyatt’s arms tighten around me. “You’re mine. No more hiding. No more denying. Gonna tell the whole club at church,” he whispers against my hair. He says it very matter of fact, as if the commitment he’s proposing is the easiest thing in the world. As if it won’t cause a shit storm of problems for him.

  As a reflex, I start to shake my head, but his arms band around me tighter. “Stop fighting it, Trinity. I’ll take care of everything. Promise. You’re mine,” he says again.

  Sweet mercy, I want it to be true. But I’m terrified.

  My girl’s all worn out. I love watching her sleep. Not in a creepy way. In an I-can’t-believe-she’s-finally-mine way. Having the cast off is newfound freedom. I haven’t gotten through half the positions I’ve been planning to fuck her in yet.

  Time for fucking around with our relationship is over.

  I slip out the door, making sure to close it as quietly as possible.

  Trin’s been nervous since I told her I’m making my announcement. Tough. She’s had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

  “Can we talk?” I ask when I find Rock.

  He nods, and we step into the war room.

  “Door open or closed?” he asks and I shrug.

  “I’m making my announcement at church.”

  His face breaks into a huge grin. First time I’ve seen him smile since Hope left. “Thank fuck.”

  He pulls me in for quick hug, slapping my back.

  “I’m sorry. I know with you and Hope, it’s shit timing.”

  “Brother, it’s a long fucking time coming. I’m happy for both of you.” And I know he genuinely means it.

  “Thanks. I want to announce it in front of everyone, then take a vote.”

  He doesn’t need me to explain why. “You got it.”

  His phone buzzes and his face undergoes a major transformation as he reads the text.

  “Everything okay?”

  He swallows hard. “It’s Hope. She wants to see me.”

  The optimism in his eyes tells me all I need to know.

  “Go bring her home, brother.”

  He slaps me on the shoulder and is out the door. I barely make it out of the war room before I hear his bike roar to life.

  Z walks in shaking his head. “Where’s he off to in such a fuckin’ hurry?”

  “Hope’s”

  “About fuckin’ time.”

  Trinity meets us in the living room. All groggy and messy-haired from sleep, she’s fuckin’ beautiful. “Hope’s coming back?”

  “If not, we all better steer clear of him.” No one laughs at my joke.

  Trinity’s face screws up. “I’m gonna get dressed and run down to Ward’s to grab a few things so we can celebrate.”

  “Take Hoot with you,” I say.

  “You got it.” She leans up and presses a kiss on my cheek.

  “Christ, it will be nice to get back to normal,” Z says as he throws himself on the couch.

  “What’s normal around here?”

  He shrugs and smirks at the same time. “I dunno. Worrying about dead bodies gettin’ pulled out of the Hudson?”

  “That ain’t funny, bro. I gotta give Wh
isper a call and see if anyone’s ID’d that body yet.”

  “Yeah, it’d be nice to find out which fuckin’ Viper, so we know if it’s our problem or not.”

  “Amen to that, brother.”

  Murphy thunders down the stairs. “What’s up?”

  “Nothin’,” Z answers. “I gotta take care of a few things. You good?” he asks me.

  “Yeah.”

  Z disappears into our office.

  Not much later, Rock returns with his girl.

  “First lady!” Murphy shouts as soon as he sees her. “You’re back,” he says as he picks her up. Rock’s so happy he’s not even breaking Murphy’s arms for touching his woman like that.

  “I am,” she answers through happy giggles.

  She turns her big green eyes on me, and I’ll admit, I’m happy to see her. “Missed you, sugar,” I say as I drop a kiss on her head.

  She gives me a curious look. Whatever she was going to say vanishes. “Your cast is finally off!” she shouts.

  “Yup.”

  I’m stunned when she throws her arms around me for a fierce hug.

  Teller pops in out of nowhere. “Glad to see you, Hope. Prez has been miserable without you.”

  “Fuck off,” Rock growls at him.

  I should probably feel a little guilty about that whole set up.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” Z calls as he steps out of the office. They share a hug and Z whispers something in her ear.

  “Where’s Trinity?” she asks, looking around the room.

  Avoiding you. “She ran out for some supplies. She was hoping she’d be back before you got here.”

  Hope glances at Rock.

  “I wasn’t fucking around. You were coming back with me one way or another.”

  “I guess so.”

  He leans own to whisper in her ear and her cheeks flame pink.

  “For fuck’s sake, take her upstairs already. We don’t need to see this,” Z groans.

  Rock glares at him. “Prospects should be back with her stuff soon. Tell them to leave it outside our door.”

  I didn’t miss the way he said “our door.”

  “Got it.”

  Trinity pulls up maybe five minutes after Rock and Hope go upstairs.

  “Well?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

  “They’re upstairs. Can guarantee we won’t see them for the rest of the night,” Z says with a snicker.

  “Oh.”

  I can tell Trinity’s a mixture of disappointed and relieved. Not sure how that will play out tomorrow.

  We all decide to use the grill out back and barbecue hamburgers for dinner. Not even the scent of burning meat outside his window lures Rock downstairs.

  I find Trinity sitting by herself at the edge of the patio staring at her phone.

  “What’s wrong, babe?”

  “Nothing.” She shakes her head. “I’m not sure what to say to her.”

  I’m about to ask who, when I realize she’s talking about Hope. “Tell her you’ve still been planning the engagement party.”

  The corners of her mouth turn up. “Yeah.”

  I sit next to her on the low stone wall that surrounds the property. “Tell her,” I wrap my arms around her, dragging her into my lap. “If she wants you to be in the wedding, you have to wear a sexy fucking dress I can rip off you later.” I punctuate my silliness by growling against her neck until she’s giggling and pushing me away.

  “That’s more like it,” I tease as I help her sit up. “Now, I’m starving. Go grab me a burger before Z burns them all.”

  She huffs and pushes me away. “You’re so sweet and then ruin it by being all bossy.”

  “Yeah, but you love it.”

  I’m in the gym across from my room at five in the morning and not even ten minutes later, Hope strolls in.

  “Hey,” she greets. “I never got to see you last night.”

  “Yeah.”

  She’s not dressed to work out, so I don’t know why she’s down here.

  “Can we talk for a minute?” she asks.

  “Why?”

  She reels back as if I slapped her. I guess my tone was sharp. Maybe I’m still a little pissed.

  Taking a few steps farther inside, she pins me with a pained look. “Are you mad at me?”

  Dammit. I slow the treadmill down to a crawl and hop off.

  “Why would I be mad at you?”

  She fiddles with the hem of her shirt. “I missed you.”

  “Didn’t seem like it. I thought we were friends, but I guess not.”

  Aw shit. Her eyes tear up. Seeing that she’s about to cry, makes me want to cry.

  “We are. But I didn’t think…I know your loyalty is to Rock and the club first. I didn’t think you’d want to be friends if we weren’t together. And I didn’t want to make things weird for you.”

  It’s the same thing Wrath said.

  “I’m still mad at you,” I tell her.

  “I don’t blame you. I’m mad at myself.”

  “At least we agree on that,” I say and then laugh.

  She still looks like she’s going to cry, and I can’t stand it. “Give me a hug.”

  “I really did miss you,” she says as she squeezes the daylights out of me.

  “So why are you up at this ungodly hour?” I ask when we part.

  Her shoulders jerk up. “I couldn’t sleep. We had this big emotional talk that wore me out, but also gave me nightmares.”

  “Talk? You’re supposed to have makeup sex.”

  She blushes like crazy and looks away. “We never got to that.”

  “You better get on that.” I give her an evil grin. “Or better yet, get on Rock.”

  Her cheeks turn an even deeper red. “Oh my,” she mumbles. Then shocks the hell out of me. “You’re right. Maybe I’ll try the wiggle-my-ass-against-him-by-accident move,” she says, while demonstrating exactly what she means.

  “I’m a big fan of that move myself,” Wrath says from the doorway.

  Hope jumps about ten feet in the air. “You jerk!” She whips her head around at me. “You need to put bells on him.”

  Wrath’s laughing so hard he can barely talk. “No. Please demonstrate the wiggling your ass thing again.”

  “I’m out of here.”

  Wrath watches her go, then grins at me. “I think Z’s about to get woken up again.”

  It’s not until breakfast that I get to tell Hope I kept planning the engagement party.

  “Trinity—I don’t know what to say.” Terrific. I made her cry again.

  The boys distract her with car talk. After we eat, she follows me into the kitchen.

  “Think you can still help me with that business?” I ask her.

  “Of course. Are you going to tell me what it is?”

  I take a deep breath and explain it. Why was I so nervous? Hope loves it. She claps her hands together. “Oh my gosh, that’s amazing. You have to show me.”

  “I will.” I feel like I owe her after Wrath razzed her this morning. “I even got to take some photos of Wrath the other day. He’s agreed to be a cover model for me.”

  Her eyes go round with excitement. “I think I just died of happiness. Can I please make fun of him?”

  “Not yet.”

  Rock interrupts our discussion by barging in the kitchen. “Can we go for a walk, baby doll? I want to show you something.”

  The corners of her mouth quirk up. “Yeah, sure.”

  “Stop by when you get back and I’ll show you.” I give her a quick hug. “Don’t say anything to Rock yet, please,” I whisper in her ear. She nods against me.

  “We won’t be gone long, Trin. Got church in an hour.” Rock assures me.

  “Okay.”

  Wrath’s ready to vibrate out of his chair when I join the guys in the dining room. “What’s wrong?”

  He glances at me and squeezes my hand. “Nothing, babe.”

  Z snickers. “I’ll give you one guess what those two are up to in the wo
ods.”

  “Jesus Christ. Will you go get them? Everyone’s almost here,” Wrath bitches.

  “You’re excited to get back to being the Wrecking Ball, huh?” I tease him after Z leaves.

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  A guy like me can’t afford to be nervous. But that’s exactly what I am as we sit down at the table. I almost wore a hole in the floor waiting for Rock and Hope to return from their nature walk. While I’m happy they’re back together, it’s way past time for me to get my own business in order.

  I’m not nervous about the regular club business. Everything’s good there. “Plants are healing, boss. Yield’s lookin’ plentiful,” Sparky informs the club. He credits Hope with their recovery, which makes me laugh. Crazy bugger is completely smitten with prez’s ol’ lady.

  CB is strong now that we’ve cleared all the coke-sniffing sluts out.

  Rock turns to me next. Not for my announcement. Not yet. “Gym’s good. Thinking of keeping the kid on.” Rock nods. He’s been down there and so far approves of Irish. “Might even be a good prospect one day.” Everyone at the table grumbles.

  My mouth lifts into a smirk as I remember my conversation with Whisper yesterday. “Supposedly, Ulfric’s all freaked thinkin’ you’re pissed with him. Might wanna give him a call.”

  “Jesus Christ, what the fuck is going on with him lately?”

  I shake my head. “No clue. But that little discovery was a major fuck-up on his end. He keeps that shit up, they’re gonna vote him out.”

  Rock waves his hand in the air. “Whatever. Not our problem.”

  Murphy gives some details on a run he’s trying to organize over the Fourth of July. Gonna have Trinity on the back of my bike for that and I can’t fucking wait.

  “Who wants to take the Demon drop with Z?” Rock asks.

  I raise my hand right away and Rock nods. “Figured.”

  “Can we vote on introducing Loco to Sway next?” Rock asks, giving me a weary look. He thinks I’m gonna vote no, but I understand why this needs to happen.

  The vote is unanimous.

  We briefly discuss patching Hoot and Birch in. Their vote will be a no-brainer. Both of them are hard-working and fit to wear our colors. Axel has, at minimum, another year to go and by the look on Murphy’s face, it’s going to take some serious convincing to give Axel a seat at the table. It’s too bad because he’s a loyal kid and would be an asset to the club. Shit with Heidi is going to cause fuckin’ trouble real soon and there ain’t a whole lot we can do because she’s the sister of a patched-in member. An office holder. So yeah, there’s a real possibility Axel gets shipped off to a different Lost Kings charter. I wonder if Murphy’s thought this through, because if Axel leaves, there’s a good chance Heidi goes with him.