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After two hours there I take her to a local Muay Thai gym to learn some moves from a famous fighter named Titan. I realize it wasn’t the best idea when I have to watch this badass fighter man with his hands all over my woman, but it’s educational.
At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
When he has her on the ground teaching her how to get out of a hold, I consider fighting him even though I’m going to get my ass kicked, considering he’s a world champion. Next time I’m just going to teach her my damn self. I know how to fight. Why the hell did I think bringing her here was a good idea?
I practice self-control and being the new me I’ve been promising everyone, and remind myself that she’s mine and she’s not going anywhere.
I have no reason to be jealous. She’s coming home with me.
I’m not going to lie, though, I exhale in relief when the session is over, and she looks over at me with a wide smile.
See, I can control myself.
I am not Robert’s son. And it doesn’t matter who my father is anyway.
Because I am my own man.
I control who I am, what I do and how I react to things.
I am who I choose to be.
“Today was so fun,” she says before putting her helmet on to ride home. “Thanks for taking me, River. I did things I’ve always wanted to do, and got out of my comfort zone. And I really enjoyed myself.”
She gives me a kiss and a smile, and then jumps on the back of my bike.
And yeah, it was all worth it.
I guess that’s what love is.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bella
Do you ever wake up in the morning and you just forget where you are? And who you are? I woke up like that, still half lost in the weird dream I was having, half in the real world, and feeling confused. In the dream I was running for my life, trying to get to River in time, and someone was after me. I’m glad to have woken from it.
Rolling over, I see River still fast asleep, so I snuggle up against him, spooning him from behind. I’m glad he told me about Andrew being his father. I feel sad his family kept that from him until now, and let him think another man was his dad. Another man who wasn’t a good role model in any way, shape or form, it sounds like. I had wondered what happened to his mother’s eye, but I didn’t want to ask; I figured he’d tell me when he was ready, and he did. It hurts me to think about the life she must have led, and I can see why she wants to hide out away from everyone she knew.
And River.
He has so much on his shoulders. He’s obviously always been the protector in the family, for his mother and his siblings, and now for an entire motorcycle club. And he doesn’t know where that line is, and when to turn that off.
He’s probably living in fight-or-flight mode, except for him he only goes into fight.
Fight-or-fight mode.
Pressing my cheek against his back, I hold him tight, wanting to protect him for once. I don’t know if Andrew knew River was his son, but if he did and decided to just let him be around a violent man, then he is an asshole. Although I suppose he sent his own kid there to be raised by Lisa too, so I can’t really put it past him. River’s had a hard life, but he’s a good man. Yes, he has his demons, but who doesn’t?
I let him sleep in, and quietly leave the room to get some breakfast. Hades jumps off the couch to greet me, and I give him a pat before frying some bacon, sausage and eggs to eat with toast. After I give Hades a sausage, Julianna is the first to come out of bed, her pregnant nose leading her straight to the food.
“That smells so good, it woke me up,” she says, grabbing a plate. “You are the best, you know that?”
She adds a side of pickles to hers, smiling up at me as she does so.
The men all follow in afterward, including a freshly showered River, who picks me up and lifts me in the air to spin me around, before kissing me as he puts me back on the ground. “You feeding everyone again?”
“Yes,” I laugh. And I like it. I’m a nurturer, what can I say. Everyone eating what I’ve made makes me happy.
“Where’s Corey?” Romeo asks, when she doesn’t come out to eat.
