Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“How do you feel, baby?” he asked after a while, his voice rumbling under my ear.
“Indescribable,” I whispered, and meant it. “That was the best experience of my life, Rip.”
He combed his fingers through my hair, gentle and unhurried. “Good.”
Another comfortable silence fell between us. I marveled at how easy it felt to be here with him. His presence gave me peace because I had faith he’d stand between me and whatever tried to come between us.
After several minutes, Rip shifted slightly to look down at me. His expression was thoughtful, a slight crease between his brows as if he was considering his next words carefully. I propped myself up on one elbow to see him better.
“You know what being an old lady means?” he asked finally, his voice low and serious.
I nodded. “Violet and Ada have explained it to me. It means belonging to a specific member. Being under his protection. Wearing his patch.” I paused. “Being faithful to him, and him to you. A commitment as serious as marriage.”
“Yeah,” he said. “That’s the basic idea.” His fingers traced patterns on my bare shoulder, the touch light but intentional. “It means more, though. Means you’re family to the whole club. Means no one touches you without answering to me and every brother I got. Your problems are my problems. My protection, my loyalty, everything I am is yours, Jade. From this point on. Even if you won’t have me, I’ll still give you that protection. Because I’m afraid I can’t be without you.”
I watched his face as he spoke, taking in the seriousness in his eyes, the set of his jaw. This wasn’t casual conversation. This was Rip laying everything at my feet, opening a door between us even if he risked me shutting it in his face.
“Some women find it controlling,” he continued. “Too old-fashioned. The whole property thing rubs people wrong.”
“And what do you think?” I asked.
“I think it’s about belonging to each other.” His hand moved to cup my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone. “Anything I’d ask you to do would always be for your protection and you always have a choice.” He grinned at me. “Ain’t sayin’ I won’t occasionally override you, but only if there is no other way to keep you safe.” His honesty struck me deeply. Eric had owned me, possessed me like an object. This was something entirely different. This was a mutual choice made freely by both of us. “In my perfect future,” Rip said, “you’d be my old lady. And I’d keep you happy for the rest of our lives.”
His fingers continued their gentle up-and-down glide over my shoulder after he pulled me back to settle against his chest. I thought about what he was offering. Not just a relationship, but an identity within his world. A place in the family he’d found with the Kiss of Death MC. Protection, yes, but also purpose. Belonging.
I slid my hand across his chest until I found his free hand. I interlaced our fingers, feeling the rough calluses on his palm against mine. I squeezed once, firm and deliberate.
“I think I’d like that future too,” I said quietly.
His gaze held mine, searching for any hesitation, any doubt. Finding none, he brought our joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss against my knuckles. The gesture was surprisingly tender from this hardened man.
“Not pushing,” he said. “We got time. Just wanted you to know where my head is at. How I see our future.”
“I appreciate that.” I settled back against his chest, our fingers still intertwined. “I’m not ready yet. But I think I could be. At least, I could with you.”
His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer against him. The weight of it felt like security rather than confinement. I turned my face into his neck, breathing in the scent of him, already becoming familiar.
I’d arrived at Haven broken, convinced I would never feel whole again. Now, wrapped in Rip’s arms, I felt the pieces of myself fitting back together in new ways. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. Eric was still out there and my trauma wouldn’t vanish overnight. But for the first time in years, I looked toward my future with something like hope.
“Stay tonight,” I whispered against his skin.
“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” he answered, his lips pressing against the top of my head.
We fell silent again, content in the knowledge that whatever came next, we would face it together. His heartbeat steady beneath my ear, his breath warm against my hair, Rip held me as I drifted toward sleep, finally at peace.
Chapter Fourteen
Rip
I sat in the common room at Haven with a mug of coffee. The afternoon had been quiet. I kept my eyes on Jade across the room where she sorted through mail that had just been delivered. Her expression changed when she pulled a thick manila envelope from the stack. She froze as she read the return address. Even from across the room, I could see the tension suddenly suffusing through her body. I set my mug down and walked toward her before I consciously decided to move.