Page 39 of Clay's Salvation
“Let me explain.”
“Explain what? That you fucked me last night and left me the entire day without so much as a word, then come waltzing in here to fucking claim me as your ol’ lady?” She walks back towards me, standing a few steps above so she matches my height.
“You know what hurts most?” she asks. “The fact that I thought I’d done something wrong, that you didn’t want to come back to me. Maybe I would’ve opted to be your ol’ lady, but you didn’t even give me a chance. So, take your fucking arse back to the bar and leave me in fucking peace.”
I stand at the bottom of the stairs, watching as she disappears up them. I’ve managed to fuck everything within the space of a few hours.
Red comes up behind me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “Give her time,” she whispers as I turn to sit on the steps.
“Man, how could I fuck it up so badly?”
“You wanna save her. She’ll come round.”
I run my hands through my hair. “I’m not so sure.”
“Right now, you need to get back in the bar with your brothers and give her some time.”
“I’m just trying to help. It’s the only way I can save her.”
“Have you ever thought, Clay, that she doesn’t need saving? She just needs to feel loved, to feel listened to,” she says, taking a seat beside me.
“I want to help her, though, and I can’t do that unless she’s a member of the club.”
“Do you like her?”
“Fuck yes.”
“Then she needs to know that. She doesn’t want you to claim her because you feel like you need to. She wants you to claim her because you want to.”
“Of course, I do.”
“Then give her time and show her,” she says, standing, “Now, get the fuck back in there.”
Chapter Twelve
Bella
Who the fuck does that prick think he is? Claiming me, seriously? We had sex once, then he left. Why the hell would he claim me?
I slam the bedroom door closed behind me, pacing the room. I don’t even know why I came upstairs when I should have just left.
I drop a quick text to Red.
Me: I can’t stay here x
Minutes later, there’s a knock at the bedroom door and she pops her head in.
I sit on the end of the bed, shaking my head. “What a fucking mess, Red.” She comes in, shutting the door quietly behind her. “What the fuck was he thinking?”
She takes a seat beside me. “He wasn’t thinking.”
“I need to get outta here,” I mutter, but the internal conflict is weighing heavy on my heart. I feel safe here, and it’s felt more like home than my pokey little bedsit. They’ve all taken me in as one of their own, and I’m even starting to become accustomed to their way of life.
“You don’t need to go anywhere,” she says as she places her hand on my knee and gives it a reassuring squeeze.
“I can’t fucking stay here. Sharing a bed with him clearly isn’t working, is it?” I snap, not intending to be a complete bitch to Red, but unable to control my tone.
She smirks and arches her brow. “I’d say it clearly is working.” She laughs, and I glare in her direction. “Sorry.” She holds her hands up in surrender. “It’s just that if it didn’t mean something, he wouldn’t have claimed you. I don’t think you realise how big it is for a biker to take someone as their ol’ lady.”
