Page 57 of Victorious: Part 2
The morning sun catches in Clover’s hair, forcing the gold flecks in the brown to shine in the sun, and for a heartbeat, I swear I’m in a goddamn fairy tale. The kind that doesn’t end with glass slippers, but with scraped knees and forever carved into desert stone.
How the fuck did a degenerate like me end up with someone so perfect as Clover?
When we break apart, her forehead rests against mine, both of us smiling like idiots.
Her eyes meet mine, a mischievous glint in them. “Oh, Mav isnotgonna like this.”
Groaning, I slump my shoulders. “You’re worth the inevitable ass kicking I’m gonna get, though.”
She laughs, the sound lighting something deep in my chest, and moves back to her camera. “Defending my honor already. Big brownie points there, Presley.”
Raising my brow, I fold my arms across my chest. “We’re collecting points?”
She glances over her shoulder at me with a cheeky grin. “Oh yeah, and you’re racking up a big tally so far, sir.”
“Well, you know what they say… go big or go home,” I jest, butthe expression on her face falls almost instantly.
She turns slowly to face me, the camera falling to her side when she frowns at me. “Do you think we will be able to go home when all of this is done? Be honest with me, Wes.”
Hearing her use my real name does something to me, and I take two long strides to her, reach out, and pull her to me again, wrapping my arms around her for the comfort she clearly needs right now. “The truth is, Clo, I have no way of knowing. I hope so. I really fucking do because the alternative is unimaginable to think of. But if the club can’t win this war, then wewillbe making a new home with Sin and Las Vegas Defiance. It’s the best way for me to keep you safe. And Iamgoing to do everything I can to keep you safe, Clover.Every. Fucking. Thing.”
She exhales, nodding, and then leans up on her toes to kiss me gently on the lips once more. As she pulls back, her eyes meet mine. An understanding in them that I haven’t seen from her before now. “Thank you. Thank you for not sugarcoating it for me. But just so you know, now that we’re official, I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe too.” She shrugs. “You’re kinda stuck with me.”
Holding her a little tighter, I raise my brow at her questioningly. “Only kinda?”
She grins back at me. “I was being polite. You’re actually locked in now. The exploding colored rocks were the contract. Dracula is actually my attorney. It’s literally set in stone now. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m afraid, neither are you. It’s legally binding, so…”
Inhaling deeply, I press my forehead to hers, my heart racing so hard in my chest at how much I fucking adore this woman. How every fucking inch of me wants to devour her.
My eyes stare deep into hers, wishing we were anywhere but in the middle of the fucking desert. That I could just find a roomso I could show herexactlyhow I feel about her.
Properly.
She deserves to be cherished.
And not on the side of the road.
A slow smile creeps across her face, her hand sliding up to cup my face. “You look so serious right now. What on earth are you thinking about?”
A low growl erupts inadvertently from my chest as I shake my forehead against hers. “You donotwant to know what I’m thinking about right now, baby.”
She bites down on her bottom lip, which causes my cock to jerk against the seam on my jeans, making all my indecent thoughts so much worse for me. Her other hand slides around my hip, and she lets out a small chuckle. “Oh, I think from the way your jeans are tenting and that sexy growl you just gave me, I can gather what you’re thinking.”
Clenching my eyes shut, I slowly back away from her, rolling the tension from my neck. “We need to finish creating your content and get back on the road.”
“Do you need a minute? I can go wait in the truck?” she asks, but the humor in her tone doesn’t get past me.
Opening my eyes, my erection finally calming, I turn back to face her. “Just get on with your damn work, woman.”
She giggles, grabs her gear, and skips off as if she’s proud of herself. I turn toward Dracula, who’s busy licking his paws, and I shake my head. “Thanks for binding me to her, you bastard. You’re gonna put me in an early grave if she keepstaunting me like this.”
The fucking cat huffs, spins, showing me his ass, and saunters off, playing with some of the rocks he cascaded for us.
I lean back against the truck, shaking my head, watching my woman andmy damn cathaving the time of their lives. And over the next hour, Clover creates content that feels less like work andmore like documenting the moment our lives changed direction. She includes me in shot after shot, and I don’t object. I don’t hide.
For the first time in my life, I want to be seen.
By the time we pack up and head toward Pioneer Saloon, something fundamental has shifted.
