Page 50 of Rogue

“No wound,” he says and laughs. “I just wanted to see if I was right about who you were.”

Then he storms out of the room. And once the door is finally shut behind him, I start shaking uncontrollably. I don’t even know why I’m reacting this way. He didn’t threaten me. He just reminded me of all the death and destruction I left behind when I left the Devils. A part of my mind is now stuck in the bloody aftermath of the Devils’ last battle. And the carnage before that. And the one before that.

I should call them. Tell them about Unholy’s return. He didn’t take it well when they sent him away, just as he didn’t take it well when I rejected him. He must be back for revenge. I should tell the Devils.

But all I really want to do is go to Rogue. I never felt safe with the Devils the way I do with him. Probably because the Devils all shared me and I’m his one and only. Or maybe because we were meant to find each other. Or maybe because no man has ever looked at me with the kind of devotion he did last night, under the soft yellow light of the lamps on the pier, as we came at the same time to the whooshing of the ocean waves below us.

So I don’t think too hard about anything. Just tell my Attending that I have to knock off early and leave. I can let the Devils know about Unholy’s visit once I’m safe in Rogue’s arms.

23

Rogue

Melody showed up an hour before I expected her, still dressed in her scrubs. Her long hair is still wet from the shower we took together, right before we did the best we could to need one again.

She’s sleeping now, her chest rising and falling in time with her rhythmic breaths. In sleep, all tension leaves her face and she looks so young, so gorgeous, so untouched. The things she sees at the ER everyday are what puts that tension there, I’m sure. And I’m glad, proud even, to be the one who can wipe it away, even if just for a couple of hours.

I can still feel her pussy clenching on my cock although it’s been over an hour since she came for me last. I wish that and her warm, soft body next to me in bed, were enough to put me to sleep too. But there’s too much to do. Too much to plan. We started something that needs finishing fast. Before resting on our laurels gets anyone else hurt.

So as much as I’d love to keep trying to fall asleep beside Melody—or wake her up and go another round—I get out of bed, missing the warmth of her closeness the moment it’s gone. ButI push all that out of my mind as I dress and leave the room, heading downstairs to the bar.

Soft music is playing and several voices talking reach me as I descend the dark staircase. It’s not a party going on down there. Not even a quiet unwinding after a job well done. No one’s laughing. Everyone sounds serious. Some sound like they’re arguing. All that’s on me too. I should lead the MC better. I should give us all a purpose again. I should make sure we can once again feel like winners.

I open the door that leads into the bar and just stand there for a couple of moments, watching my brothers and sisters. Blade, Alice and Creed are here. As are Trinity, Rock and Minx. Lotus and some of the other club girls are hanging out by the bar. The bruises on Lotus’ face are starting to fade, I’m happy to see. Skye and Judge are sitting at a table by themselves. She’s bending over her laptop and he’s the only one who notices me standing here. He nods and I nod back.

Then I open the door wide and walk in. As usual, they all turn to me, the ones that were talking quieting down in preparation to hearing some words of wisdom from me.

It’s a gift from God, what you have.The way you can captivate anyone and everyone. People will follow you whether you want it or not. So be wise.

My grandmother told me that often, the last time on her deathbed right before she passed about eight years ago. Back then, I thought she was just exaggerating. Lately, I’m starting to accept that she was right and I should try to be wiser.

“Someday soon, we need to throw a party,” I say loudly and grin. “It’s been too heavy around here lately.”

More than a few whoop in agreement and even Blade smiles as he raises his beer bottle at me.

I pick up a beer at the bar and go join him and Alice at their table.

“But first we have to finish what we started,” I add.

“So, what’s next for us, Prez?” Rock asks, turning in his chair to face me. “Are we going after that strip club owner? Blade says we are.”

I glance at Blade then nod. “Yes, we are. We were too late to save the poor women he was holding at that house, but we’re gonna make sure he never does a thing like that again.”

The sounds of agreement are darker this time, but no less enthusiastic.

“This will mean making war on Hydra,” Alice says, her voice easily chiming louder than any other in the room.

“But we’re ready for that,” I assert. “We proved it over and over again in the last couple of weeks. We’re ready to take on anyone.”

Almost all who heard me raise their glasses as I say that and voice their agreement. Skye just glances at me over her laptop screen. It’s impossible to read what she’s thinking off her face and I won’t even try.

“So relax tonight, because tomorrow we go to war,” I announce to the room and raise my bottle in toast. Glasses and bottles all over the room go up a second time.

A good two thirds of the club is gathered in here tonight and lone wolves as most of them were before joining us, they all seem of one mind tonight. They all seem ready to stand behind me.

The dissent sown by Tito, his brother and their mother seems to have died down since they left. Unless it’s the one third not here tonight who are still feeling mutinous. Not for long. I plan on earning their trust and their loyalty every day from here on out.

I take a long swig of my beer and about half of it very nearly goes down the wrong way as I hear a very familiar voice say, “You run a loyal club here, Rogue, no two ways about that.”

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