Page 93 of Stag

Fuck, who just stood on my chest? I pressed a hand against it as I felt my heart thudding heavier, not from fear, or panic, but from the realisation that he had my back. I’d never given him reason to, and yet here he was.

“Fuck,” I gasped, squeezing my eyes closed for a moment, trying to soothe the burning that I just fucking knew meant I was getting emosh in front of this fucker. Only I wasn’t dissing him with that word, that’s just how we talk to each other in our world. We’re all fuckers, but we’re all family. We’re there for each other, and I was on the receiving end of it, only now realising how fucking amazing it felt.

“It’s all good, brother. I’m gonna order a takeaway for me and Glory, you guys want in?”

He was deliberately overlooking my reaction to his words, moving on like nothing was happening here. We were just two guys shooting the shit, right?

“Thanks, brother. I mean that. I uh… I’ll go ask her.”

An hour later, we were sitting around the dining table together, while Henley tried to coach Glory as she tried to sign to Claudia, and they both giggled between themselves as she got it wrong. It was hitting me harder every moment that this was something she deserved. Not having to focus on lips all the time to converse. Having a method of communication that we both used, that was as difficult or easy for both of us.

“Henley?”

He froze, a slice of pizza right in front of his face.

“Any chance you could teach me some of this stuff? Like some basics at least?”

He nodded, taking the time to take a large bite of pizza and finish it before he spoke.

“Of course, but you realise that amazing lady of yours literally teaches this stuff, yeah?”

I watched her and Glory for a moment, as she demonstrated a signal, and Glory practiced it.

“Yeah. I’ll want her to teach me properly, but I’d love to surprise her with some basics. Just to get us started.”

He shrugged, shoving the whole stuffed crust in his mouth as he edged me for a response yet again. It was a dickish thing to do, but maybe he wasn’t doing it to piss me off. Maybe he just really liked pizza.

“I can do that,” he finally said, getting up to fetch another four bottles of beer for us. The thought of talking with Claudia the way she found easiest, using the tools she taught others, suddenly felt like the most important thing I’d ever do. The idea of surprising her with a little skill first was even more enticing. She deserved that from me. She deserved everything I could possibly give her. She’d shown me a few signs already, but I was ashamed that I hadn’t practiced them, and couldn’t remember them. She deserved better from me.

Things were fine until we’d been sleeping a while, and that’s when she lunged across the bed with a scream, and I scrambled to catch her before she fell to the floor. My fingers were clumsy with sleep, hell, all of me was clumsy, but my fingers latched around her arm as she started to topple, and crisis was averted. Or so I’d hoped.

She buried her face in my chest, sobbing loudly, her fingers fisting the t-shirt I wore purely because we were no longer alone in the house, and all I could do was hold her in the darkness until she started to calm. Light under the closed door was my only warning that we’d woken the others. A soft knock on the door followed, so I called out to come in, and in walked Henley, doing his best ‘hair band’ impression. Seems long hair gets bigger when you sleep, or at least it does for him.

“Sorry, Mr Bon Jovi. Did we wake you?”

His fingers idly teased at his hair as he rolled his eyes at me.

“Is she okay?”

“What do you think?”

Claudia’s head suddenly shot up, and she realised we had company right around the same time that I realised that fucker was only wearing lounge pants, and had his fucking tattooed body on display for my lady’s eyes.

“Fucker.” I wanted to cover her eyes, but I wouldn’t only be ridding her of a single sense, but any attempt at communication. I hated her eyes being on him, but I would never isolate her like that. I could always punch him later for it.

Henley’s hands were flying and she was nodding, responding in kind, and fuck me. This is how every day must feel for her. Being left out because you can’t understand the conversation. Hell, many of my club brothers would argue that I’m always in that situation, but fuck them. I’m smarter than I look. Only, right now, I’m worse than useless.

I eased out of the bed, and headed past Henley to go grab some water from downstairs. She’d need that after all the crying, I’m sure.

Glory appeared a few moments after me, wearing a Phoenix MC oversized t-shirt, and sporting bare legs that did nothing for me, because they weren’t Claudia’s. Wow. I’m really growing at last.

“Here for water too?” I asked, turning to speak to her because it was just my go-to now. She didn’t need to see my lips to hear me, did she?

She smiled, heading past me to the fridge, pulling it open to dig out a strawberry yoghurt.

“Peckish. Want one?” She waved one at me, but I shook my head. My mind was too busy to concentrate on navigating food right now.

“Is Claudia okay?” She asked as she peeled back the foil top and lifted it to lick it. Jesus. I turned my head, not disgusted or offended. Just not interested in seeing another woman doing something I’d probably jump on Claudia for doing.