Page 84 of Bleed Me

“I’ll do it.”

It was impossible to miss her hopeful gasp, even though she said, “No, it’s okay—”

“Thank you for trusting me like you do.”

Her panicked breath crossed my lips. “I do, Giver. I knew you loved me and would never stray.”

“Knew? Loved? Why is my woman talkin’ in past tense?”

Her body sagged to mine. Justice, the Road Captain of deadly Stallions, lay her pretty little head on my shoulder. Right then, I knew that me—this motherfucker here—was the one she counted on most.

Ego?

Back in working order.

I started rocking her like I would Grace. She melted to me even more, then told me, “Sometimes I get scared I don’t deserve you.”

James Gunn Dalton had brought such trials into her life that her words baffled me. The fact that she thought, for even one second, I was the winner in this relationship blew my ever-loving mind. “Then we make the perfect pair because I don’t believe I deserve you.” Her arms tightened around my neck, making it even easier to lean my head to hers. “You’re so right, about so many things. We have a great setup with Saph. Let’s have another baby with her. Let’s give Grace a brother or sister. Let’s appreciate that Sapphire being a part of our world makes all this possible, while still allowing us to ride with our brothers.”

With a heavy exhale that told me all I needed to know, Justice’s lips blindly searched for mine, causing my stomach to coil up with need. “Babe—” Her tongue found mine. My dick hardened in a second flat. That is how much she stirred me, emotionally and physically.

She started pushing my cut from my shoulders.

Our lips still hungrily attached, I helped her undress me, but then some blood made it back to my brain. “Justice, for me to be with Saph, I only have one request.”

She moaned, “Anything,” as she unbuttoned my jeans.

“Marry me.”

The whole world went still.

“Why is this not sitting right with me?” asked Lynx as he sat back in his chair, his hands locked behind his head. “These kids aren’t locals. That’s got to be the reason they’re so dumb. Everyone knows Austin is ours.”

He was speaking of the new pushers trying to outprice our regular local distributors. We shipped to different states, but infringing ‘in our own backyard’ was an insult that needed to be dealt with.

“Huh. That’s weird.”

All heads turned to me.

My elbows were resting on the table, so I shrugged. “Virginia recently had the same problem.”

Virginia was a Stallion chapter who had recently chased off some kids trying to sell drugs on their turf.

Lynx demanded, “Talk to me.”

“Last time they were here in town—you know, the shindig that got way out of hand?” Everyone started laughing because that party became somewhat of a free-for-all. “I wasn’t poundin’ shots like you drunk bastards because Gracie was sick.”

“Oh yeah,” remembered Justice. “I was already at Saph’s.”

“Yep. That’s the night. Anyways, before the clothes started coming off and I skedaddled to spare my eyes, one of the Virginia boys had lightly mentioned some punks being taught a lesson. He told me the ‘snot-nosed bastards won’t try to fuck with the big boys again’.”

Dagger’s brows bunched while he thought out loud. “Slade didn’t mention anything to me.”

“Probably didn’t see the need.” Lynx, hands still locked behind his head, stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. “Young and dumb… Dispensable… Why—Better yet, who would send in kids to test our grounds?”

Torque answered, “Someone is being smart. Strategic.”

“Smart for sure. No strong-footed club would view unorganized kids as a threat.” Dagger was very intrigued. “Only a coincidence would have us making a connection.”