She sighs, her body melting into mine. “Okay.” She steps back and moves to the back door of the truck, and as I reach forthe handle and open it, she turns to Becky. “You going to be okay driving home?” she asks with concern.
“Yeah, I’m still full of caffeine.” She smiles up at her.
Alina hesitates for a moment before giving her a hug and getting in the car. I close the door behind her and approach Becky. “You sure you are going to be okay? I can run you home and then get one of the brothers to drop your car back off to you,” I offer.
She grins. “No, I’m good. Thank you though, and I’m glad she has you. You’re good for her. Don’t tell her I said this, but I always thought her ex-husband was a douchebag.” She winks before getting in her car.
I smile and give her a nod before I climb back in the truck. After sending a quick text to Cash, I pull off. The drive back to the safe house is quiet, and as I look in my rearview mirror, I see Alina fast asleep in the back, exhaustion taking hold of her.
“Anything she wants, she can have,” Ghost blurts out, drawing my attention to him. I look at him and see him watching me closely. “If she hadn’t been there, I would have spent weeks inside. It would have gone to trial. No thanks to my mother fucking lawyer,” he growls angrily. “But I mean it, anything she wants, it’s hers. I’m indebted to her,” he adds.
I nod, feeling a surge of pride filling my chest from his words. “I will tell her,” I state.
Thirty minutes later, I turn into the long drive for the safe house. “Alina, wake up, baby. We are here,” I say softly to wake her, knowing the brothers will want to see her. They will want to thank her again and the ol’ ladies. They could have her for thirty minutes, but no more. Then I’m taking her to bed. I hear her moan, and her eyes blink open, looking at me in the rearview mirror.
As I put the truck in park, I jump out and round the truck to let her out. She steps out, and I immediately take her hand inmine. Ghost gets out of the truck and strides towards the house, and that’s when I spot Star on the porch. Her head turns in our direction, and I see her pause for a minute, as though checking if she’s really seeing right. Realisation hits her as she leaps out of the chair and runs down the steps of the house, sprinting to Ghost. She launches herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around her waist. He holds her to him as she buries her face in his neck, her body racked with sobs.
He reaches up and strokes her hair. “I’m home, darlin’. I ain’t going anywhere. I’m here.” Ghost’s voice breaks, as I know he will be feeling the emotion of this moment.
“You leave me again, I will cut off your balls and wear them as earrings,” Star sobs. The corners of my mouth tip up at Star’s emotional threat. It’s been nearly fifty hours since they arrested him, and at that time, there was so much uncertainty. Alina gave them hope, but when Ghost didn’t come back with the others, I know Star’s hopes would have plummeted.
I lead Alina inside, leaving them alone. Her hand squeezes mine, and she looks up at me, her face soft.
“Feels nice seeing that.” She smiles. “I’m normally helping people split up,” she says with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Come on, let’s get you inside. Give these two a moment,” I state, leading her up the steps and into the house. As soon as I open the door, it’s like a swarm of bees as the ol’ ladies squeal and practically rip her from my hand.
They drag her into their arms, each one hugging her tighter than the next. Alina looks over at me with a smile spread across her face, but her brows are furrowed in confusion as she hugs them back, not knowing who the fuck they are. I didn’t exactly have enough time to introduce her to everyone at the club.
“Oh my girl, you must be absolutely starving. Come and sit down. Let me get you a plate of food. We’ve already eaten, but I made sure to put some aside, as I just had a feeling deep down inmy gut that you would be bringing him home,” Queenie cheers softly as she sits Alina in a chair at the table. “Everyone sit! Sit!” Queenie claps her hands.
I stride over to the seat next to Alina, as Dixie is leaning down talking to her.
“So, if you get any unusual discharge or rotting, just head straight to the hospital. Don’t risk it, but excess vaginal discharge is completely normal. It’s all the pheromones,” she says, giving Alina a warm smile before heading to her seat next to Rage. Meanwhile, Alina looks at her like she’s lost the plot.
“She means spotting and hormones. Dixie sometimes gets her words muddled. “I whisper quietly in her ear. Alina nods. I place my hand on the back of her neck, my fingers lazily stroking against her soft skin. She gives me a look. “What?” I shrug at her.
She doesn’t say anything, but instead she bites down on her bottom lip. If her facial expression is anything to go by, I think there is a lot she wants to say but can’t. I give her a playful wink, earning me a scowl, which just has my grin widening. Queenie comes back in with trays of food, followed by Nova and Belle, all carrying huge amounts of food.
“I thought you said you just had leftovers to reheat?” I frown, looking at Queenie.
“Well, not many were that hungry, and I made a lot in the hope that they would all get out.” She shrugs.
“You ain’t fucking kidding,” I mutter, looking at the huge trays of lasagne, chicken wings, salad, potato salad, seven-layer dip with chips, and even some baked potatoes.
The front door opens, and in walks Ghost, with Star rearranging her top.
“Did they…?” Alina mutters in surprise.
“Fuck outside?” I ask. She nods. “Yeah,” I answer.
“But what if someone went out there and saw them?” she asks, shocked.
“They wouldn’t have. We all know to give them their time.” I shrug as I pile up her plate of food.
She gives me a pointed look when she notices. “I won’t eat all that,” she protests.
“Just eat some damn food so I can take you to bed,” I order. Her mouth drops open, and I lean in and kiss her. “Look as stunned as you like baby, but once you’re rested, I want you riding my dick,” I add as I shove a forkful of food in my mouth. I glance at her, and her cheeks are heated, and a furious glaze is in her eyes. I know she doesn’t like being told what to do, and I know making a statement like that would piss her off no end. She opens her mouth to speak, but I get in there first. I scoop up a forkful of her food and hold it to her lips. “Open your mouth baby, and eat like a good girl,” I demand.