Page 60 of Trust in the Fallen

We collapse in a heap, Elias careful not to put too much pressure on my back. “Goddamn, Leighton.” He kisses a trail along my shoulder.

“You can say that again, brother,” Wyatt groans. “I think you sucked the fucking life from my cock.”

I giggle and rest my head in the crook of his neck, allowing myself a moment to just enjoy being wrapped up in their embrace. Being sandwiched between them is everything I ever could have hoped for, and if I spent every day for the rest of my life exactly like this, you’d never be able to wipe the smile from my lips.

I suck in a breath to give myself courage to say the words I feel so deeply I’m not sure I can keep breathing without getting them off my chest. “I love you,” I whisper.

They both still, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

Stupid.

It’s too soon.

Of course it is, we’ve only known each other a little over a month, we’ve never even discussed what our relationship is. How could I be so freaking stupid?

Wyatt carefully gathers my cheeks in his palms and forces me to look into his deep eyes that mirror my own heart. “I think I loved you the moment I first laid eyes on you, angel. So fierce and yet so vulnerable. I knew then that you were our missing piece, and that you would complete us just like you have.”

He carefully turns my face, and Elias’s hand replaces his. “You’re everything, Leighton. You’re the air I breathe and the reason my heart beats. You brought light into our lives when all we’ve seen is darkness for so long, and for that, I’ll love you with every single beat my heart has left because you’re everything to me.”

Tears gather in my eyes, and I allow them to fall, not shying away from the happiness in my chest for once in my life. For once, I’m being selfish, and I’m taking what I want, to hell with the consequences.

Once Wyatt helps clean me up, and he rights my dress with the added addition of his coat to keep my trembling body warm, we exit the private room.

I look around at the scenes playing out around us in a new light. I look at the woman being forced to come over and over again and wonder if that’s something I could come to enjoy. I look at the woman with a ring gag spreading her lips for the woman standing over her with a strap-on dripping with saliva and instead of being afraid, I’m kind of turned on.

The woman I was the first time I was here and the one I am now aren’t the same, and I’m never going to be her again.

“We just need to check in with Brock, and then we can take you home.” Elias tugs me into his body and presses a kiss to my temple.

“I need to go to the bathroom anyway.” I gesture to the door we’re approaching.

They both hesitate but nod. “Okay, when you’re done, come out here and sit. We won’t be long.” Wyatt gives me a forced smile. I’m not sure they’ll ever be okay with letting me out of their sight again, and despite living my entire life with overbearing people looking over my shoulder, I find it kind of endearing.

I step into the modern bathrooms and let out a breath. Tonight has been a lot, but in the best kind of way. I’m addicted to the way they make me feel.

I pass the marble-clad basins to the stalls.

Once I’m done, I walk to the basins and wash my hands, admiring how healthy I look. For years, I starved myself to be the size my mother demanded of me, but what she failed to understand is that you can be healthy and curvy. Not everyone can be a size four or below, and that’s okay.

I bring my fingers to my lips and touch the smile. Life has changed so much in such a short amount of time, but I can honestly say I’ve never been happier.

I’m so distracted by my own thoughts that I don’t realize I’m not alone until my mother steps up behind me, and before I have a chance to react, a painful prick digs into my neck.

Just as the world starts to fade away and my bare knees hit the cool tiles, I hear her whisper, “You’ve had enough fun, you little bitch. It’s time to come home and fulfill your duty to your family.”

CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE

ELIAS

Idon’t think I’ve ever walked through this place with a genuine smile on my face, because I don’t think I’ve ever been genuinely happy since we bought the place.

Not that the club doesn’t bring me happiness, it was just the rest of my life that was a permanent dumpster fire, but right now I’m on top of the goddamn world.

We need to talk to Brock about what’s going to happen moving forward.

Since we bought the place, we’ve both worked seven-day weeks, along with dedicating time to our other ventures and helping the Legion with some of their dirty work from time to time. But we don’t have the same kind of capacity that we used to. We have someone waiting at home for us that we want to spend our time with.

I push my way into our office that Brock has been using during our absence and stop dead at the sight of four officers standing over our manager, his face pressed into the carpet by the oldest looking one. The hatred in his dark eyes burns my skin as he glares at me.

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