Epiphany (9 page)

Once we’re back
home, there’s going to be a serious conversation taking place. I’m going to have
to give a little and so is she. For now, though, I’m just going to enjoy a quiet
ride on a beautiful night with my girl … before the shit hits the fan.

*****

I did plan on going straight back to the apartment, but I can’t. We’re both upset,
worried about what the future of our relationship is and how it will all work out.
The best thing for either of us is to hash this out in a neutral spot. Since I have
her on the back of my bike, she really can’t protest and has to go along for the ride.

Still heading toward downtown, I bypass our exit and the one after … and the one after.
Through my leather jacket and vest, Mira’s fingers are tapping away, signaling me
to pull over—probably wanting to know what I have planned. Not gonna happen. If
I stop this bike and let her off, there’s no guaranteeing that she’ll get back on.

Another thirty minutes go by, all the while following all the speed limit signs again.
This time, I’m not in any kind of hurry. The way Mira’s fingers curl inside of my
coat when she’s nervous or rests her palms against my bare stomach to keep her hands
warm—yeah, I can do this all day.

Taking a turn a little too fast, the rear end kicks out a little, nearly sending me
into a panic. No longer smooth hands touching me,
I wince
from the nails gripping onto me for dear life and thighs squeezing around my legs
without remorse.
How could I have been so stupid? Fuck!

Taking no more chances, I get off on the next exit. Luckily, we’re close enough to
the water for her to hopefully understand where I was going. Riding cautiously until
I reach a little outlook point, I find a spot to park.

“Sweets, I’m so sorry,” I say, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her into
my arms. If anything happened to her, especially at my hands, I wouldn’t be able
to live with myself.

“What the fuck is your problem? You’ve been riding for years. You should have never
taken that turn like that. Christ, Sky.” Mira slaps me hard enough for me to feel
it through the leather.

She tugs at the chin straps, obviously too frustrated to undo the buckle. I try to
get close enough to unhook it, but the death stares and violent vibe radiating off
her keeps me a good three feet back. Oh, and the fact that she must have entered
some kind of boxing contest the way she keeps swinging at me.

“Let me help you,” I soothingly say, trying to calm her heated gaze.

“No. I don’t want shit from you. You could have killed me. Why the hell are we
here, anyway?” she screams, finally getting the buckle undone and throwing the helmet
on the cement. Any other day, I would have been pissed, but I have no room for any
of that tonight. She’s right. I could have killed her. I fucked up.

“I wanted to bring you out here for a reason.” My face falls to my palms, scrubbing
roughly at the shadow of hair that’s started to have a mind of its own. “If we would
have gone another few exits, we would have been where this started, for real. Not
the before stuff, but when we decided to give it a go.”

Mira glances around, taking in her surroundings. By the way her pupils dilate and
the small smile appearing across her lips, I’m sure she remembers.

“I wanted to show you this.” I wave my arm toward the lake.
The same lake where we had our first official date and chose to be together.
Where her heart chose me.
“
This
is our place. I didn’t want to get home and have doors slammed and holes punched
in walls. I wanted you to remember why … how we got to this point. It’s not gonna
be easy, Mi. I’m sure it’s going to be fucking terrible at times, but it’s us against
the world. I need you to remember that.”

“I never forgot. I’m worried, Sky. I’m scared that you’re going to let me down.
I really don’t expect a lot, but there are things that are non-negotiable—I’m worried
you’re going to hurt me past the point of me getting over it.”

“You tell me the things that are non-negotiable and I’ll make sure to never, ever
go against them. Mira, I promise you on everything that I love, I’ll never ruin us.
Ever.”

“I have to be the only one. There can never be any others. It’s me and you or you
and whoever else,” she says, face firm and unwavering in her first demand.

“There has never and will never be anyone else.
Ever
.”

“Maddie?” she questions. I’m not in any position to not respond, but she’s going
to have to work with me here. Give a little, get a little.

“I haven’t been with Maddie like that. You’re going to have to trust me that I’m
not screwing her, or anyone else for that matter. I swear it to you.”

“Tell me what you can. All you said earlier was club business. I don’t need the
whole story, but I need more than that.” Mira’s face
softens,
her lips lax and not drawn tight. The wrinkles between her eyes also subside, revealing
the face of the woman I fell in love with so long ago.
Innocent with years of wisdom hidden deep within.

“Maddie is Prowler’s niece. She’s having some problems and came to the club. We’re
helping her out. I’ve known her since we were kids and it makes sense that I’d be
the one to help her. That’s all, Mira. I’m helping an old friend that happens to
be associated with the club.”

“You gotta give me a little more than that.”

“The most I can say is that she’s been in a pretty abusive relationship and went to
Prowler looking for help. I’m making sure she gets acclimated to her temporary setting,
someplace safe. I’ve been going back every day or so just to check on her, keep an
eye on her. That’s all, Mira.”

“And you’re not fucking her? Or ever fucked her?”

“No. She’s a friend … family,” I say, exasperated yet trying to remain in control
of my emotions.

“Okay. But when you can tell me everything, I need you to. I’m not going to stand
around and let you hide everything from me under the guise of club business. This
won’t work like that.”

“Deal.”

“Can we go home now?” she asks, completely avoiding the fact that Little Miss Not
So Innocent has some explaining of her own to do.

“Not so fast, Mira.
We need to deal with the whole you running back to Danny when things get rocky between
us. That’s a non-negotiable for me. If you have a problem with me, we talk about
it and work it out. If you need a third party to talk to, that’s what Kylee and your
mom are for. I get that they’ve been busy lately, but you can’t run to Danny with
our problems. I’m not sure if you know this or not, but he’s still in love with you.”

Flashes of guilt rain down like fireworks behind her emerald green eyes. Mira downcasts
her gaze and looks like she wants to crawl inside of her own body.

“I know,” she whispers, hiding her face with her palms.

“You know that what I’m saying is right or that he’s still in love with you?” I try
to keep an even toned voice, but it’s not really working. My blood starts to boil
and I’m able to feel my heartbeat in my ears. The adrenalin pumping viciously through
my veins is about to send me into a stroke.

“Both. You’re right—so right. I was stupid for having gone there. I didn’t know
what else to do. My mom’s busy and Kylee’s getting back on track with Jacoby. He
was the next person in line. Please know that I didn’t choose him first. He was
just the next person on my list. Please believe that,” she cries, burrowing her face
in her hands.

“I believe you, shhh.” I pull her to me, holding on to her as tight as I can while
still allowing her to breathe. I’ve wanted nothing more since we started fighting
earlier in the night than to just put my arms around her and hold her.

“He told me he still loves me,” she says, muffled by my vest. Her hand comes over
my heart, rubbing gently, like she can sense my frustration and my probably high blood
pressure. It works. Just her touch is enough to calm me and bring me back down to
an appropriate level.

“Did anything happen?” I ask, not sure if I want to know the answer if anything did
happen.

“Nothing.
I promise.” And I believe her.

“Do you still love him?” The bile rising from my nearly empty stomach is ready to
expel at any minute. What the fuck would make me ask something so loaded with possibilities?

“Sky,” she lifts hear head, eyes searching mine, “I’ll always have a place in my heart
for Danny, but it’s
you
that I love. You’re everything to me. I’m sorry all of this happened, and if I
could change it, I would. I’m so in love with you I can barely breathe.”

Squeezing a little tighter, I place my lips on the top of her head, pressing hard,
they linger longer than needed for a kiss, but I need the contact with her. Melting
in my arms, it would appear that she needs this, too.

“I love you so much, Mira.
So fucking much.”

A burst of light crackles over the lake and the winds suddenly pick up. Mira and
I both turn to watch the storm rolling in over the vast, dark body of water. The
ominous sound of thunder clapping in the distance and the waves crashing against the
sea wall surprisingly excites me. As the rain starts to drizzle down onto the pavement,
I wrap my arms around Mira’s middle, pushing my front to her back.

“Isn’t it beautiful,” I whisper into her hair.

“It’s just like us. So beautiful but capable of causing unimaginable damage, but
you have to have faith you’ll be safe,” Mira says, angling her head upward, staring
into my eyes.

I take full advantage of her sensual state and take her lips with mine. Spinning
her around, my kiss turns from gentle and loving to ravenous and passionate with the
next bolt of light.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Mira

With each swipe of his tongue against mine, my greedy body takes it and demands more.
My hands magically find the nape of his neck and move up slowly to grab onto the hair
that’s a little longer than usual—I don’t mind, though. It gives me something to
hold on to.

The rain starts to pelt down around us; heavy, thick drops have us soaked in only
minutes. I almost …
almost
… question how we’re going to get home, but being caught in a storm, kissing the
love of your life does something to you. I once heard that you’ve never really been
kissed until you’ve done it in the rain. It’s true. There’s nothing in the world
like it.

As our mouths fight for control, the cold drops get between our lips. Even on a mild
winter, nearly Spring-like night, the water on the lake is still partially frozen.
The combination of the heat between our mouths and the temperature of the rain is
intoxicating.

Skylar slightly bends, gripping the back of my thighs and pulls me up, grinding my
midsection over his ever present erection. Realizing that I have the capability to
get him hard with just a few stolen kisses, I jump into his arms, where I’m caught
with ease. Grinding myself down onto his arousal, it’s no longer just him that gets
the pleasure.

Why the hell aren’t we naked? Oh, yeah, that’s right—we’re in the middle of a very
well lit parking lot in the midst of a winter thunderstorm.

Even though my thoughts are logical, the way my body’s acting is far from it—my hormones
presenting themselves as sex crazed and deprived. I push my way into Skylar’s jacket,
pulling it off his shoulders and dropping it to the ground.

Am I really going to do this?

“Skylar,” I moan, biting on his bottom lip too hard, drawing a small amount of blood.
I’m not sure why it’s arousing, but the coppery taste of him in my mouth drives me
wild. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not a vampire or anything, but knowing that
I’m the one that caused that damage has me wanting to care for him and address his
wound.

“Christ, Sweets. How did I get so fucking lucky?” Skylar thrusts his hips forward,
reminding me exactly how lucky he feels in this moment. Another soft moan and his
vest
hits the ground, right next to his jacket.

Yeah, this is happening.

Leaning back in his arms, I pull my sweater and tank top off simultaneously, leaving
me only in a sports bra and yoga pants.

“Fuck,” Skylar groans, pulling me back to him. Reaching over his shoulders, I try
to grab the bottom hem of his shirt, but between my short arms and his muscular build,
I’m only able to get about halfway down his back. Scrunching the shirt in my hands
until I have the entire bottom half, I pull the rest of the way until it’s over his
head and lying next to everything else.

“We can’t do this here, Sweets.”

Jumping out of his arms, the startled look on his face has me giggling. For some
reason, he has this thing about no sex in public. Something about being worried someone
will see me. Not us … just me. With the way my body’s humming right now, I wouldn’t
give two shits if The Pope was standing here with his disapproving eye, silently judging
us.

So like the true bitch in heat persona that’s inhabited my body, I do the only rational
thing. I pull down my soaking wet yoga pants so they’re pooled at my feet, minus
the underwear—an adorable pair of light pink boy shorts that are becoming more and
more see through as they’re splashed with rain.

“Now, see. Nobody can see me. It’s like I’m in a bathing suit. Happy?” I kick
off my sneakers, shrug the pants off with my feet and step back into his space. Keeping
eye contact, studying deep into his crystal blue eyes for any sense of hesitation,
I start to unbutton his jeans. Reaching inside the open fly, I firmly grab his manhood,
giving him a pleasurable squeeze, if his groan counts as him being pleased.