Page 7 of Savage

I shouldn’t have been surprised. All the talk about Skylar’s wedding and going home brought up a lot of old memories that I’d worked hard to forget—like the night he ripped my heart from my chest, and he did it with a smile.

He was right.

I should’ve seen it coming.

Malcomb and I were an unlikely match. Malcomb was outgoing and loved by everyone. He was tall and devastatingly handsome with dark, shaggy hair and gorgeous blue eyes. The second he smiled one of his dashing smiles, the girls would flock around him, doing everything they could to win him over.

I still have no idea why I was the one who’d caught his attention.

I was average height with dirty blonde hair and a figure that wasn't worth mentioning, and in my oversized plain tees and baggy jeans, I was basically invisible to everyone around me.

But Malcomb not only saw me, he wanted to date me.

We were together for just over two years, and I thought everything was wonderful. I adored him, and I thought he adored me. When he broke it off with me, it nearly destroyed me. I’d worked hard to put him and the hurt he’d caused behind me. It had taken me years, and there were still times when I missed him desperately.

I often wondered what our lives would’ve been like if Malcomb had answered my letters and decided to be in Dalton’s life. I might’ve pushed him to be involved or asked one of the brothers to do it, but I just couldn’t—not after being turned away so many times.

Call it pride or whatever you want, but I simply couldn’t continue to reach out.

I thought it was the right thing for both of us.

But on nights like this, when Dalton was growing with every breath, and I felt so bitterly alone, I wasn’t so sure.

CHAPTER3

Savage

Istood with my ear close to the conference room door, nervously tapping my fingers against my thigh as I tried to eavesdrop on my brothers in the next room. I couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and trepidation as I listened to them discuss my future with the club. I couldn’t hear everything—just a few random statements here and there, and it was making me a fucking mess.

“Savage is smart. He’s got good instincts, just like his ol’ man.” My pulse quickened as I listened to Guardrail say, “But I’m not sure he’s ready to take on such a demanding role. He’s just so damn young.”

“Yeah, I’ve mentioned that to him,” I heard my father grumble. “He didn’t agree.”

“I don’t either,” I heard Clutch interject. “You all saw him the night we went after the Demarco brothers. He was everything you’d expect a leader to be.”

“Clutch is right,” Smokey concurred. “He was on point. He always is, but we have no idea what the future holds for us. The whole new venture with Bruton could bring us a kind of heat that none of us have ever seen before. Are we sure he’s got the experience to...”

The walls felt like they were closing in on me. Their decision could make or break me, and that wasn’t a good feeling. All the sacrifices I’d made flashed through my mind, increasing the knot of tension in my shoulders. As eager as I was to learn my fate, I couldn’t stand there for a second longer. It was just too damn hard, so I stepped away from the door and headed out to my bike.

I kicked my leg over the seat and started the engine. It roared to life beneath me, and after a cleansing deep breath, I pulled through the gate and out onto the open road. As I leaned into the curves, the rhythmic hum of the engine helped to drown out the storm of thoughts that were raging inside my head.

I hadn’t been riding long when I found myself parked at the lookout—a place I always went whenever I needed to clear my head. I got off my bike and looked out at the ocean, taking in the salty breeze and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below.

I looked over my shoulder, and just like that, I could almost see my old pickup parked next to the rocks.

Londyn was sitting there with her long legs crossed. They were swinging back and forth as she sat next to me on the tailgate. We talked and laughed as we watched the light of the moon flicker over the waves.

It was something we’d done a million times.

The point was our special place.

It was where we’d fallen for one another and where we’d made love for the first time. It wasn’t planned. We’d just stopped by on our way home from the movies. The stars were shining bright, and there was a cool breeze as she nestled into the crook of my arm. I loved having her so close, but it was hard to keep my hands off her.

I wanted her.

Hell, I’d been wanting her for months—since the night I took her to Prom, but the timing never seemed right.

I stood up, and after taking a few steps, I found myself standing in front of her, staring into those beautiful eyes of hers. I wanted her so bad it hurt—literally. My growing erection was throbbing against the zipper of my jeans—just another sign of how much I burned for her, and seeing the way she was looking at me added fuel to the flame.

---