Page 36 of My Prince

I laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet morning. There was something about her that made everything feel lighter, even with all the shit surrounding us. I wrapped my arms around her; I kissed her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. “We gotta get going, cupcake,” I said reluctantly. “As much as I want to stay here, the club needs me.”

“Oh, fine,” Adalee sighed, her tone playfully exasperated.

“And pack a bag,” I advised. “You and the guys are going to be staying at the clubhouse from now on. It’s easier to keep an eye on things when we’re all in one place.”

“There’s room for us?” she asked, looking down at me with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

I nodded, squeezing her bare ass with a grin. “Garett and Mark can bunk in one room,” I said, my voice dropping to a husky whisper as I leaned closer. “And you’re staying in my room.”

She blushed, a smile tugging at her lips. “Your room, huh?”

“Yeah,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against her lips. “My room. Where I can keep you close and make sure you’re safe.”

Adalee’s eyes softened, and she reached up to caress my cheek. “I like the sound of that.”

I kissed her again, slow and deep, savoring the feel of her lips against mine. But as much as I wanted to stay lost in her, we had things to do. I reluctantly pulled away, giving her one last lingering kiss before she fell to the side, and I stood up.

“Come on, let’s get moving,” I said, holding out a hand to help her up.

She took it, and I pulled her up the stairs to get dressed. I watched her gather her clothes, admiring the way she moved. Even in the simplest of moments, she took my breath away.

Once she was dressed in jeans, an olive-green T-shirt, and Chucks on her feet, I headed downstairs to make sure everything was secure while she packed a bag. I checked the doors and windows locks, ensuring nothing was out of place. When I heard her coming down the stairs, I turned to see her with a small duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

“Ready?” I asked.

She nodded, giving me a determined look. “Ready. Though I do have one thing to say.”

I tipped my head to the side.

“If I stay in your room, everyone is going to know that,” she motioned between us, “you know.”

I chuckled and slid my shades over my eyes. “Oh, cupcake, everyone is going to know there is you and I because I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you for longer than ten minutes.” I grabbed the duffle bag from her and grabbed her hand. “Let’s ride.”

Chapter Sixteen

Adalee

I loved being on the back of Fade’s motorcycle. The roar of the engine, the wind whipping past, and the feeling of his solid presence in front of me—it was intoxicating. I had never really thought about riding a motorcycle before, but now that I had experienced it, I didn’t want to travel any other way. The journey felt like freedom, an escape from everything else.

We pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse and parked at the end of the row of motorcycles. Garett and Mark’s cars were already there, a reassuring sign that they had arrived safely. Fade killed the engine, and I reluctantly let go of him, already missing the contact.

He got off the bike first and then helped me down. I watched as he grabbed my duffle bag from the compartment and slung it over his shoulder. His other hand found mine, intertwining our fingers. It felt so natural, so right, and yet I was surprised by how willing he was to put whatever we were on display.

We headed into the clubhouse hand in hand, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the others would think. Fade was known to be private, keeping his personal life close to the vest. Yet here we were, walking in together, clearly more than just friends. I was going to be staying in his room, and everyone would know that we were doing a hell of a lot more than sleeping.

I had walked through the doors of the clubhouse countless times before, but this time, it felt different. This time, I had Fade by my side. The sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger than myself, was overwhelming. I felt like I was truly part of the club and not just a bystander.

We stepped into the common room, expecting the usual crowd. To my surprise, it was deserted. I laughed, trying to shake off the slight disappointment. “Well, that was lackluster. Normally, everyone is just hanging out.”

Fade pushed his sunglasses on top of his head, glancing around. “I’m sure they are around.” He nodded toward the camera in the corner. “Is it crazy to say I forgot about those?”

“It’s not crazy at all because I had forgotten about them, too,” I admitted. I worked for the TV show, and I had somehow completely forgotten about it. “Oh no!” I stepped back and bumped into the closed door. “I’m going to be on camera now.”

Fade laughed. “Yeah, cupcake.”

I shook my head. “That is not going to be a good thing.” I closed my eyes and gulped. “Don is going to see this.”

Fade tipped his head to the side. “Who the hell is Don?” he asked.

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