Page 40 of Dark As Coal

After you’ve trained yourself to know that shit, it helps ease out the anxiety that reaches up through your spine.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I growled at my brothers.

But I wasn’t here for him.

I was here for her.

And fuck me, but she looked beautiful.

She didn’t look gorgeous. No, she only looked like that when she first woke up in the morning.

And my stupid ass self has wasted three years not seeing that.

Well, that was fucking done.

Over with.

Never again would I be anywhere else first thing in the morning then lying right beside her.

With that in mind, I softened my tone, the one that only she ever got from me, “Adeline, let’s fucking go.”

“Am I yours?” God fucking damn her.

I growled, “You know what you are to me.”

“Actually, I don’t.”

“If you don’t get up, right fucking now, walk that sexy ass of yours to my bike, climb on, put on my helmet, I’m going to kill every single person in this restaurant.”

She knew it.

She knew I would do it.

She had seen me do much worse.

Therefore, I saw something I’ve only seen one time before in her eyes, fucking defeat. But I vowed right then and there that I would make it right.

I would break my fucking back to do it.

When she stood up, I pulled my wallet out and tossed down a hundred-dollar bill, then I looked at the man as Adeline stood beside me, waiting.

“Appreciate you wanting to show her a good time. But she’s mine. She’s been mine. I fucked up. I admit that. But I ain’t fucking up again. Least I can do is pay for your meal and hers.” and with that, I placed my hand on the small of her back and led her out of the restaurant.

The moment we arrived at my bike, I handed her my helmet and got on.

As soon as she was on behind me, I started the bike up, gunned the throttle, and like a shot, we took off into the night.

She didn’t speak.

Not when we went past the clubhouse.

Not when I turned left onto the dirt road that led to her house.

Once I parked in front of her house, I sat there for a moment, and then I spoke, “Know I lost the right to ask you this, but I plan on rectifying everything. Will you let me come in and explain?”

She didn’t speak.

Not for long moments.

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