Page 36 of Raze

The raven is still under the crate when we get back to the hut and with a little help from Sonny we get him into the carrier so we can transport him to the vet practice that he looked up on his phone.

“So you're a prospect, huh?” I look at the patch on his side as he drives us there in his mom’s car.

“Yeah, only been a week, but I’m likin’ it so far.” Something about the way he smiles tells me that he’s lying.

“There’s nothing else you wanted to do, like travel or go to college?”

“Ain’t clever enough to go to college and travelin’ ain’t my thing.” He shrugs while the carrier on my lap rattles and the raven caws.

“So, Sonny, is that a road name or the one your folks gave you?” I ask, often I’ve wondered how Raze earned his name, but I’ve never asked him, more out of fear for the answer than anything else.

“It’s not a road name, more of a nickname.” He nods.

“Because you're all sunshine and light.” I smile sarcastically at him and when he shakes his head and looks down at his lap I can tell he’s not proud of it.

“They call me Sonny ‘cause no one knows who my dad is,” he admits. Focusing back on the road and avoiding looking at me.

“That’s cruel,” I say my thoughts out loud, feeling awful for him.

“Yeah, well, they’re outlaw bikers, what d’ya expect?”

“And you never wanted to find out who your dad is?”

“Mom tells me I’m better off wonderin’, whoever he is, he was never gonna step up and make my moma an old lady, so I guess she’s right and I’m better off without him.”

“Wait, your dad is a member of the club?” My mouth drops open in shock.

“Polly’s my mom and she only learned to cook while she was raisin’ me, before then she was... She’s Soul property, meanin’ the only man who coulda knocked her up was a Soul, and there’s been plenty of ‘em come and go over the years,” he points out.

“You wanna tell me your real name?” I ask, feeling sorry for him. Now that I know why they call him by it I don’t wanna use it anymore.

“It’s James, just plain old James.” He laughs to himself.

“Well, James, I’m very grateful to have you helping us.” I smile at him and tap the carrier that’s on my lap.

We could have spent another night in Nevada, the brothers were keen, especially Rocco who’s never been to Vegas before, but unfortunately for them, Peyton gave me far too much to think about before I left. I’m desperate to get home to her so I can feel those lips on mine again.

I’ve had ten hours of road to beat myself up over owning her the way I did back at the club, but there was too much relief in it for me to have any regret. Sure, I feel selfish, and, yeah, I’m scared because I don’t know how this is gonna pan out, but one thing I’m sure about as I pull back into the Long Beach yard. Is that the girl, who kissed me before I left here three days ago, is mine now.

I get off my bike and head into the clubhouse and I’m not even mad when I find her playing cards at one of the tables with Sonny. She barely has time to look pleased to see me before I lift her up off the chair and toss her over my shoulder. I carry her through to my office, kicking the door shut behind us.

“Raze.” Her sweet, little giggle makes my cock stretch my jeans as I slam her ass on my desk and take those lips that I’ve been obsessing over for three days straight.

“You sure about this?” I pull away to give her one last out, my hand gripping under her chin so she can’t shy away from what I’ve gotta say to her.

“I’m too old for you and I’m grumpy. I see the bad in shit before I see the good and once I make you mine, there’ll be no escapin’ all that,” I warn, my fingers tensing tight as I look at her being deadly serious. I wanna keep her here, and make her happy. But I ain’t a romantic guy. I don’t do flowers or picnics on the beach. She needs to know that.

“I don’t want to escape it. I want to be yours.” Her tongue swipes over her bottom lip as she nods against my grip.

“You don’t know what ya sayin’.” I kiss her before she can take her words back, because as crazy as this is, I’m done fuckin’ fightin’ it and now I’m all in.

She told me before I left that there’s been no one else since the asshole who raped her. She told me that me touching her felt like a fuckin’ cure for it, and I’m about to make her forget every single bad thing that’s ever happened to her.

“Ya covered?” I ask as I lift the dress she’s wearing up her narrow waist and admire her slightly sunkissed skin.

“Like with health insurance?” Her eyes widen with concern, and make me stop in my tracks.

It should be fuckin’ illegal for someone to be this innocent.

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