Page 54 of Unveiled Wounds

“Okay.” I wiggled closer to bury my nose against the center of his chest.

“What is it, baby?” he sighed.

“Are you leaving the club because of me?” The burden lifted as soon as the words were in the open air between us. I’d tried to let it go, but I needed to know. The brothers had always been important to Grizz, and I didn’t want him to give that up because of me. If the roles had been reversed, I didn’t know if I could have left my friends for Grizz. I would have wanted everyone to get along for my sake, and I was demanding enough to make it happen.

Grizz sighed, rubbing his eye with his free hand. “Who told you that?”

I said nothing, fearing I’d get Dead in trouble.

“Dead?” Grizz rasped, his voice full of sleep. “Yeah, it was him.”

“Why’d you ask if you already assumed?”

“Not up, baby. Knock it off.”

“If you were mad at me, you wouldn’t have snuggled closer.” I didn’t enjoy being up this early either, but I was up, so he had to be up. We had shit to discuss because I didn’t want to let this slide until later.

“Brat.” He turned his head further into the pillow, tightening his arm around me.

“You married me.” I’d show him how much of a brat I could be. I didn’t stop to think I’d been the one to start this conversation.

“If you hadn’t been unconscious, it would have been the best day of my life,” he mumbled.

“I’m serious, Grizz. I don’t want you to leave the club. This is your home. Your family is here. My family is here.” I tugged on a piece of his chest hair.

“We can visit, if Sabre allows it, but I won’t stay here if you’re uncomfortable. You’re more important to me than their bruised egos.” His eyes blinked open.

“Is it also true they’re building a community out back?” I pushed.

“Grace? Yeah, they’re trying to get it going, but it’s still in the planning phases.” Grizz yawned, stretching the arm I wasn’t laying on.

“Tell them I want a house, and they won’t have to see me, as long as we can stay.” I didn’t know where the idea had come from, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. I’d be close to my family, and Grizz could be close to his. If I wasn’t in the clubhouse, they wouldn’t have to interact with me, lowering the amount of friction. I could be a princess in my very own tower.

“Meredith.”

“No. It’s a compromise. If they’ll approve it, I’ll hold up my end of the bargain.”

“Baby,” he whined. “I can’t let you do that.” Grizz tightened his arm around me and looped the other one around my waist.

“You’re not letting me. I’m telling you this is what I want. You’ve never let me down before, so don’t start now, Jonathan.” The relief I felt was immense. I’d just shattered nine months of hostility, pain and grief. It felt amazing.

“When you going to marry me?”

I let the happiness bubble up and explode into a fit of laughter. “Can’t,” I said, holding onto as much of him as I could reach.

Chapter 21

Mondays Are For Church

Grizz

I didn’t bother falling back to sleep, preferring to snuggle with my wife, listening to her make plans for the future. She was excited, thinking that it would fix everything if we built a home out back.

“It’s perfect, Grizz. I’ll stay home, cutting down my interaction with the club substantially,” she said, rubbing her nose against my chest. “Holidays might be tricky, but everyone can play nice for one day. Promise me you’ll tell them.”

I wrapped my arms tighter around her until there was no room between us. I didn’t want to let her go, and I hated her plan. She might have thought it was perfect, but I wouldn’t break my promise to her. I refused to lose her in the silence.

Meredith was an independent extrovert, if there was such a thing. She needed to fly, and forcing her to stay home all day would clip her wings. The monotony would take its toll on her, and she’d fought so hard to see the light. I wouldn’t agree with anything that jeopardized her mental health. I’d still stand nextto her, but we were in a good place, and I didn’t see any reason to regress.

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