Page 36 of Where We Promise

My heart hammered away like a runaway train as I pulled the lid back.

A simple rose gold band laid inside, except along the sides were a smattering of diamonds. It was very simple, but still beautiful and somehow felt completely perfect. With a shuddery breath, I slid the band onto my ring finger and then held my hand out to inspect it.

“I wasn’t sure what you—or how you.” Jameson’s voice had my head snapping up. He seemed at a loss for words, suddenly standing in the open doorway of the bathroom. I must have missed his shower finishing and the door opening.

With a flick of my gaze to him then the ring, I fought back tears. “It’s perfect.”

Jameson scoffed, shaking his head. He wore a towel around his waist, it hung low, revealing his defined abs, and the delicious ink along his lower abdomen, leading right to his cock.

“It’s not…you deserve something bigger. Something real.”

The reminder that this wasn’t hit hard. For a singular second, I had been swept up in the fantasy of belonging to Jameson King.

Blinking, I closed my hand around the covers and pulled them back as my legs swung over the mattress.

Jameson’s gaze clung to me, like he was reluctantly drawn to the swell of my breasts through my nightgown, and the hem had ridden up.

“Do you mind giving me a hand up?” I glanced away, while running a hand down my stomach.

He shifted, but I noticed his Adam’s apple bob while he worked to avoid looking at certain parts of me. “Yeah.”

His hand came around my elbow, and with ease, he lifted me. I had been doing that on my own for months, but it felt nice to have his touch and if he was going to force a divide between us by sleeping on the floor, I was going to draw it closed by creating reasons for him to be near me.

Once I was up, I gave him a sweet smile and then stretched, which made my gown rise, grazing the very tops of my thighs.

“Thank you.”

He grunted and took a step away.

“I wanted to take you over to the house, let the Chaos Kings see us together.”

My stomach swooped, but I forced my face to remain impassive.

“Okay. I’ll shower and then be ready.”

His jaw worked, his brown eyes darting to the floor.

“I’m going to make some breakfast, is there anything you don’t like…or can’t have?”

He already knew the answer to this.

“No onions or peppers if you’re making an omelet…I like scrambled eggs and toast. Simple.”

He nodded then left me standing alone in the room.

I looked around, and realized he’d rolled up his sleeping bag and tucked it into the corner. I wondered how mad Jameson would be if his sleeping bag somehow ended up disappearing.

Jameson helped me into his truck so we wouldn’t have to walk to the temporary headquarters of the Chaos Kings. It was roughly a quarter of a mile to the large, two-story house that was now home to at least twelve of the most loyal officers in the club. At least that’s what Jamie had decided but honestly, they were all a bunch of assholes in my book.

Only twelve slept here, but during the weekends there was usually around twenty to thirty hanging around, if not more. I would always be extra anxious on those nights, as the Stone Riders would also have an influx of members arrive for the weekend. It felt like we were surrounded, and I didn’t have anywhere to go but to burrow deeper into myself.

We parked outside, and I tipped my head to take in the fresh blue paint that had been administered within the last few weeks. The windows had been replaced, and several of the inside appliances, all at Killian’s command.

Rubbing my stomach, I felt the baby give a little kick as apprehension wrapped around me. The ring Jamie left for me was secured to my finger, and as he held my hand helping me out of the truck, it gleamed under the sunlight. I caught him looking at it, then darting his eyes away just as quick, almost like he didn’t want to get caught up in the same fantasy I was stuck inside.

The sounds from inside could be heard outdoors: yelling, laughing and music. Jamie gave my hand a squeeze as he opened the front door and pulled me in behind him. The entryway was spacious and bright, with enough room for at least ten people to gather. There were boots left by the door, and even a few cuts, shot guns, and leather jackets.

Directly off the entry was the kitchen, which held a small table big enough to seat four people. Two were sitting there, cleaning their handguns. One of them was wearing the wrong patch.

---