Page 78 of Savage Heart

Liz chuckled, grinning at her girl through the rearview mirror. Just behind Erika’s seat, through the back window, Liz caught sight of the prospect, Elliot, who’d been assigned to keep watch at the school that day. Behind him was Slick, who never missed a chance to complain about “babysitting” Liz.

“That’s up to Fae, but I think it’ll be okay. Just make sure you get pizza with some vegetables on it.”

Erika pouted, but that did nothing to extinguish the brightness in her eyes, besides, Erika loved banana peppers, and never missed an opportunity to desecrate her pizza with them.

Tonight, Fae and Hawk were watching Erika overnight, so that Liz could have her night with Trouble. He’d promised a bath with bubbles, and a glass of wine. But she wanted something else, something both of them would enjoy.

Something like last night….

She shuddered, her body still deliciously sore after last night, the night she finally gave in to what she truly wanted: Erik.HerErik. The man she’d loved for over ten years. The man who’d broke down, shattered to pieces before her eyes, humbling himself, eviscerating himself just to show her how much she meant to him.

It had been devastating to watch, to witness such a strong, alpha male crumble.

For her.

She had no idea what that meant for their future, because she still had no idea whatanyof it meant. Yes, he apologized, but what did a future with him look like? There was a vast difference between being the club doctor and being Trouble’s woman. For one, she’d been able to keep a professional distance between herself and the club brothers, they didn’t expect anything from her but her skills as a doctor. If she were to take that step, becoming more to Trouble, that meant she’d become an ol’ lady, like Skathi, Tessa, and Fae, who were so woven into the club, they couldn’t do anything without club involvement. Was Liz ready for that sort of connection? To men who’d been there that night that Trouble had betrayed her? Tosser and Trucker, two of the five original members were dead, but there was still Odin and Hell Hound. Odin hadn’t been a part of Trouble’s bullshit, but Hell Hound had been at the door, texting Trouble; he’d been part of Trouble’s plan, which is what made being around him, even after ten years, awkward as fuck. They didn’t talk to one another, avoided one another, and Hound had never set foot in the club clinic. Once, a few weeks ago, Trouble hadmentioned that Hound had cornered him and punched him, almost cracking a rib. Liz hadn’t asked him why Hound had hit him, but now she wondered.

“Mom, can Aunt Fae and Uncle Hawk come to SeaQuest with us tomorrow?” Erika asked, breaking into Liz’s thoughts.

“I think they have plans tomorrow, love. Besides, I think your dad wants it to just be us. He wants to make tomorrow special since it’s your first fun day with him.”

Though Erika pouted again, there was still a small smile mixed in.

After dropping Erika off at school and waving to Elliott, Liz pulled out onto the street, heading toward the grocery store. She promised Skathi she’d pick up cake flour and baking powder for her because she was determined to bake a cake for Odin’s birthday while little Nielsen was napping. The woman was a fucking warrior, and she loved her growing family fiercely, hence her unrelenting desire to celebrate Odin’s birthday, which wasn’t even for another three days. Honestly, Liz figured Skathi just wanted to eat some cake. Since Liz didn’t have any actual appointments that day, and had only planned to call and check in on her patients from before the Russian clusterfuck, she offered to do her friend’s shopping—not that Skathi could leave the house at the moment, anyway; Odin was particularly protective of his recovering woman and their newborn son.

As he should be, she thought, her heart aching at the memory of her first days after delivering Erika. She’d been alone in her tiny, one-bedroom apartment right off the UNLV campus. No parents to help guide her, no mother to tell her if she was doing everything right, no father to hold her and tell her she wasn’t failing as a mother. She’d done it all alone…because Trouble had stolen her choices with his actions, with his thoughtless words.

That’s the past though…it had to be if she wanted to move forward. The problem was, she didn’t know how much of herselfto give to Trouble. To Erik. It was obvious after his breakdown last night and the subsequent lovemaking that he was all in. He wanted Liz as his ol’ lady, Erika as his precious daughter, and the family that Liz had always wanted. With him. Only ever with Erik Skaarsen.

And how much did she really know about Erik Skaarsen? Yeah, she knew his body like she knew her own, she knew the type of man he was now, and the man he was when he was fresh from the Army…but where had hecome from? She knew next to nothing about his family, where he was raised, other than he was from a small town in Texas, and his parents were both dead. Had he been raised by another family? She knew what it was like to be an orphan, and it had been one thing she’d hoped they’d bond over when they’d first met. But every time she tried to get to know him, he’d change the subject, offer vague answers, or just plain refuse to continue the conversation.

Yeah, she was a fool for even considering a relationship with a man she still knew so little about. But what choice did she have at this point? Maybe…he’d be willing to share about his life pre-Army now that he was adamant about them being together. She could make it a stipulation of their reconciliation.

But what if he still refuses?Then she’d have her answer about how much of herself to give him. Nothing. If he couldn’t give all of himself—his past, his present, and his future, then he didn’t deserve her present or future.

Hating the ache in her chest created by her thoughts, she focused on driving.

Behind her SUV, Slick followed two cars behind, but still in view. As she hit her blinker to turn into the Albertson’s parking lot, her cell rang in the cup holder where she’d tossed it earlier. Her gaze dropped to the screen, and her heart jumped.

Lyle.

Lyle wascallingher!

Hurrying, she turned into the parking lot, nearly colliding with a beat-up Honda. She parked, grabbed the still ringing cell, and answered.

“Lyle?” she barked, pissed as fuck. After what that fucker did to her, he’d be lucky to get off the phone with a fucking ear intact.

There was a weird clicking, and then he said, “Liz, I need help.” His voice sounded weird, sort of flat, like there was no emotion behind it. What the fuck had happened to him?

“You have a pair of brass balls, calling me for help—”

“Listen, Liz,” he snapped, “I got in trouble, but I have the money.”

Stunned, and freaking out, she replied, “You have the money you took from the Russians?”

“Yes.”

“So give it back!” she cried, her hand on the steering wheel turning white from her grip.

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