Chapter 81 To the club?
Owen
I watched Lia practically flee to her room, and then I had to face Hex again. My heart was doing something crazy in my chest.
“Alright,” I said. “Just tell me everything. Start from the start. I need to know what this is.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I know that was fast. Sorry. I just… I had to say it. Get it out there. You know I’ve never done this. Claimed someone. You get what that means, right? Really get it?”
“I think so. You want us to be exclusive. And I’d have to live with you at the clubhouse.”
“Yes. And also no.” He stepped closer. “You live with ‘me’. But we won’t just be dating. A claim… it’s like being married. In my world, we’d be husbands. This is forever. The only way out is if I die, or if you run. And if you run, I will find you. I will bring you home. Or…” His voice went low, serious in a way that should have turned my blood cold. “If you were ever unfaithful. That’s a different ending. I would have to end it. For everyone involved.”
I knew I should be scared. But all I felt was this heat, low in my gut. “You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t cheat. And I meant what I said, I don’t share. If I ever found someone else in your space, they’d disappear. You’d never even find a trace.”
A sound rumbled in his chest, something deep and satisfied, and then he was kissing me, hard and claiming all over again. “I love that,” he muttered against my mouth. “So that’s a yes? You’re saying yes to me?”
“I know I should think. I should take a week, a month. But Hex… I’m saying fuck it. Yes. It’s yes.” The words tumbled out. “I’ve never felt anything like this. I saw you and something just… locked into place. I thought, there you are. I never believed in that instant love stuff. You proved me so wrong.”
His smile was slow and real. “That’s what I wanted to hear. I have to be honest with you, though. My life isn’t safe. I’ve done bad things. Hurt people. We deal in things that are ugly. Guns. Drugs. But that’s the line. We don’t touch people. We actually go after the clubs that do. You should ask Catalina and Jenna what they do for us. They’re not just girlfriends. They’re family. Butcher treats them like his own. And their dad, Papa Leonardo… he’s around all the time. He’s family too.”
“Mr. Morelli?” The name was a shock.
“Yeah, exactly.”
“He lives two doors down from us. Lia just finished a big project for him.”
Hex laughed, a warm sound. “See? That’s fate right there. Maybe we would’ve found each other anyway, even without your sister throwing cans and saving Catalina.”
“Maybe,” I said, feeling dizzy with it. “So you’re sure? You won’t wake up tomorrow and change your mind?”
“Never. Not a chance. You’re it for me.”
“Good.” I took a breath. “Now we just have to get Lia to agree. She can’t stay here alone. I don’t think this Liam guy is looking for her… we haven’t seen any sign of it. I don’t even know what he looks like. And Lia would tell me if she was scared, I know she would. She’s only just started going out again. But… that doesn’t mean he won’t come. From what she’s said, he was obsessed. Really obsessed.”
“Liam.” Hex said the name like it was dirt. “That’s the bastard who hurt her?”
“Liam Carpenter. He was her professor. She wanted to help people, build a business… she’s the most loyal person I know. She’d do anything for anyone. She saved me, Hex. I wouldn’t have made it through my teens without her.”
“I’m glad you had her,” he said, his voice quieter. “I had my whole family. They never judged me. When I came here from Spain, I had nobody. Worked any job I could. Spent my days quiet. I knew English, Spanish… that got me work. But no real education. I was saving for college, working at a bar, when I met Beast. He told me about the club. About the life. He helped me. Taught me how to make my money work. The club… they became my family. I send money home, I have a life. And now I have you. I want to call my mom, have you meet them. Soon.”
“Meeting the family, huh?”
“Yes. You are my love. They will cry, they will be so happy.” He brushed my cheek. “Don’t expect to meet mine,” I said, the old ache a dull throb. “They cut me off. Four years now. Since I moved to New York after graduation.”
“So you’re twenty-one?”
“Twenty-two next month. Same birthday as Lia. I guess if I’m being claimed, we should know this stuff, right? Why are we only talking about it now? Feels like I’ve known you forever.”
“Because we were a little distracted,” he grinned. “I’m twenty-three. Been with the club since I was twenty-one. Not a ranked brother yet, but I’m getting there. Actually… that’s why Beast isn’t here. They’re in Church, that’s a meeting for the ranked guys. They’re voting. About us, because we’ll be the first couple like this in the club. It’s just a formality. And they’re voting on making me an Enforcer. Butcher says it’s mine. So I’ll be the one helping keep things safe. Making sure things run smooth.”
“So you beat people up for a living?” I asked.
He laughed. “Yeah. Basically. So. How do we convince Lia to come?”
“I’m going to beg. I’m going to whine. She can’t say no to me. She literally can’t. She loves me too much.”
“Then go work your magic. Because if I don’t get her to the club soon, Beast is going to lose his mind.”
“Why? Does he… want her?”
“He wants to claim her. Like I’m claiming you. But he wants to ask her himself, so don’t say a word.”
A knot of worry tightened in my stomach. “Hex. Will he be good to her? She can’t take another heartbreak. It almost destroyed her last time. It took me months to get her to eat, to leave her room. You should have seen her. Just bones and sadness. She’s finally healthy again. She’s finally smiling.”
“Beast is a biker. He can be the toughest, meanest son of a bitch you’ll ever meet. But with people who need protecting? With women? He’s the gentlest man I know. Kind. Patient. He’s a good man.”
“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll talk to her.”
I walked to her room and heard it before I saw anything, that quiet sniffle, the hitched breath. My poor girl. I knocked soft and opened the door when she called out.
“Hey, babes.”
“Hey.”
“Why the tears?”
“I’m going to miss you.”
“What are you talking about? You’re coming with me.”
“I can’t, Owen. You deserve to be happy without me weighing you down. And I can’t… I can’t watch Beast with other women. I like him. So much. But he’s not mine. We barely know each other. I won’t be the sad friend pining in the corner. I won’t do it.”
“Lia. Listen. First, you could never weigh me down. I would pick you over anyone, every time. Second, you need to be somewhere safe. You can’t stay here alone. I won’t be able to breathe if I’m worrying about you every second. I need to see you. I need to know you’re okay. The only way that happens is if you’re with me. So you have to come.”
“Owen, I’ll just be a problem. For you and for Hex.”
“You won’t be a problem. But you’ll make me crazy with worry. And if I’m going crazy, I can’t be happy. So you have to come.”
“That’s so manipulative! That’s not fair!”
“I don’t care what’s fair, cupcake. I care what works.”
“Owen!”
“Lia!”
She glared at me, but I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. Then she broke, a little giggle escaping. “I can never say no to you. It’s impossible.”
“That’s because you adore me and all my gorgeousness. So you’ll come? To the club?”
“Are you sure it’s okay? The club is really okay with it?”
“The club is okay with it, beautiful.”
We both turned. Hex was leaning in the doorway, a real smile on his face.
“Okay, Hex. If you’re sure.”
“I am. Tonight, we go to the club. Butcher wants to talk to you. Then Beast and I are taking you both to dinner. Come on. We gotta move. Beast just texted. The meeting’s over. Everything’s approved.” He looked right at me, his eyes bright. “And you’re looking at the new Enforcer for the Lords of Chaos.”
I made a sound, something embarrassingly happy, and threw my arms around him. My kiss said everything I couldn’t.
A little while later, we were in the SUV. I turned to look in the back seat. Lia was staring out the window, her face so worried. She has no idea what’s coming for her. And I can’t wait to see it happen.