Soothing His Madness (17 page)

Sirens grew louder.
Jedman and Ronny returned to the room grim faced and exchanging looks with
Rain. Slade wasn't worried about the consequences of killing the member of Los
Li. His only concern was getting Taylor medical attention.

"Helps
coming," he whispered. "The doctors will fix you right up. Then you
can go home to the boys. You've got everyone in Bantorus pulling for you.
They'll make sure you get the proper care you need."

"Slade, man,
you're gonna have to let her go and let the paramedics help her." Ronny
touched his arm.

Slade swung out,
wanting to stay with her and spotted the men with white shirts, and nodded.
"Yeah, help her."

He inched away,
staring at his woman. She appeared tiny and broken, and he wondered why he
hadn't noticed how fragile she looked before. Hell, Kurt was even taller than
Taylor was, and outweighed her by ten pounds.

After several
painful minutes, the paramedic looked up from beside Taylor and gazed solemnly at
Slade. "Are you her husband?"

In every way
possible and as soon as he could, he'd put a ring on her finger. He cleared his
throat. "Yeah."

The paramedic took
the neck brace from his medical case. "She's breathing on her own and once
we elevate her heart rate and get her body temperature up to normal, we'll be
transporting her to St. Joseph's hospital in Pitnam."

The news kicked his
ass. His chin dropped and he closed his eyes. Relief so great, he sank to the
floor and pressed his hands to his head.
She's alive.

Chapter Thirty One

Nine months later—

Slade rode his
motorcycle up into the front lawn of his house. Lee ran over to him and gave
him a knuckle bump as Slade killed the engine. He threw his leg off the bike
and motioned toward the driveway where Taylor and Kurt played basketball.
"How long have they been playing?"

Lee, searching the
leather pouch behind the seat on the Harley, answered, "Forever."

Slade walked over
to the front porch without taking his eyes off his wife. A grin tugged at his
lips. Taylor swiped a stray hair back into her ponytail, her face flushed from
the game. Her short cutoffs showed off her long legs and her purple tank hugged
her heaving breasts. His chest warmed as he sat down on the top step, making
room for Lee—who unwrapped the gum he'd stolen from Slade's runner pouch.

Taylor bent over to
tie the lace on her purple Converse sneakers. He tilted his head, checking her
ass out. Hell, he was always checking her out and she always knew he was
looking. Half the time, he wondered if she moved and sashayed around the house,
only to tease him.

Kurt tagged the
basketball and bounced the ball to Taylor. "Fifteen—Fourteen, I
lead."

"Not for
long." Taylor grinned, dribbling the ball on the other side of the chalked
foul line on the asphalt of the driveway.

Slade chuckled at
Taylor's failed fake to the left, and then the right as his woman tried to get
past his son—who'd shot up four inches in the last nine months. Not only had he
grown, he'd matured, and when Taylor came home from the hospital, the kid had
slept in the living room for a month to make sure no one came through the door.
Slade had explained how they were safe in the house, but Kurt swore to protect
Taylor, even going as far as asking Rain if he could join the club as a riding
member.

Out of respect, Rain
made him an honorary member and promised Kurt a prospects position when he turned
nineteen. He had no doubt his son would follow his example. The kid was too
much like his old man to escape the madness.

Slade still
couldn't believe how quickly Taylor rebounded physically from her time with the
asshole that kidnapped her. She suffered nightmares for weeks afterward. Often
waking up and screaming for him, and unable to explain what frightened her. He'd
thought her strong before, but his woman was definitely a fighter. The scar
across her cheek a beautiful reminder of the strength buried deep inside of her
that no one could break.

She'd recalled her
horrific time in court when the case against him for murder closed. He'd acted
in defense of savings someone's life, and he'd walked away a free man. Little
by little, the weeks following his final day in court, Taylor had opened up and
let him know more details about what happened while held captive in the abandoned
farmhouse.

She'd spoken her
biggest fear to him one night in the dark as they lay in bed that her main worry
was if the dead man had raped her before Slade shot him. The doctors calmed her
fear. There was no evidence of sexual abuse, only mental and physical.

Slade stood and
walked over to the edge of the driveway. Kurt stole the ball and dribbled in
for a perfect layup. Slade stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled,
receiving a grin from his son.

Taylor planted her
hands on her hips. "You won, fair and square."

Kurt high fived
her, and then jogged off to join Lee on the step. Slade looked down into
Taylor's beaming face. She played her hardest and it showed. He loved that
about her. No pussy footin' with the boys, letting them believe they hadn't
earned their bragging rights. She was always teaching them a lesson.

Every one of them
became a better person with Taylor around. She brought a different perspective
to the table, and even though he didn't always enjoy what she had to say, he
listened and learned too.

Someday, because of
Taylor's continual positive input into his boys' life, he was sure his kids would
contact Jodie when they were older…out of respect, but for now, they were
content living with him. He took off his stocking cap, and shoved it in his
back pocket. He was good with how things were going. Jodie had moved forward
with Banjoey and never looked back. He'd gained full custody, and Banjoey fulfilled
his promised. Right now, everything was going good.

His kids asked him
once if they'd ever have to leave, and when he soothed their fears, that ended
all the questions about their mom. He knew someday, they'd all have to pay for
his early fuck ups.

He leaned down and
kissed Taylor. "Good day?"

"Excellent."
She leaned into him and planted her hand on his chest. "I got off early
from work because Rain had problems with the tap and closed the bar for the
evening to run and get the parts he needed in hopes he could open in time for the
night crowd. I decided to come straight home and get the kids from
school."

"That's good,
baby girl." He looped his arm around her shoulders. "How about we
order pizza?"

"Good idea.
It's Friday, we'll have family night in." She moved around in front of
him. "But I need to do something first. Can you hang on a minute?"

"Yeah."
He tilted his head, taking in her smile and the way she bit her bottom lip.

She turned to the
boys. "Hey, boys? Will you guys take the cinnamon rolls on the counter in
the kitchen over to Janice? I promised her I'd bring them over and I forgot."

"Sure."
Kurt stood and held out his hand for Lee, pulling him to his feet.

Taylor straightened
her ponytail. "Oh, while you're there, can you tell Janice one hour would
be perfect."

The boys nodded.
She smiled. Slade felt like he was missing something.

"What's that
mean? One hour?" Slade asked.

Taylor turned her
back to the boys as they ran into the house and raised her brows. "Code
word. Janice will keep the kids occupied for an hour, so I can be alone with
you."

He tagged her neck,
bringing her closer and pressing his pelvis against her stomach.
"Yeah?"

"Yeah."
She paused while the boys came out of the house and ran next door. When the
door shut behind the kids, she tugged Slade's hand and led him to the front
door. "I have a surprise for you."

"If it means
fucking my wife, it's not a surprise. I was planning on it." Slade laughed
when she turned and pinched his nipple. "Keep that up, and we won't make
it to the bedroom.

She didn't say
another word until she stopped him in the hallway and pulled off her shirt.
With her arms behind her back, undoing her bra, she said, "Strip."

"Right." He
leaned over, tugged his pant leg up to his calf, and unlaced his boots. She
didn't have to ask him twice. Every stolen moment he found without the boys
present, the club needing him, he spent making love to Taylor. He needed her
the way a dying man needed oxygen to stay alive.

She stood naked,
watching him take the rest of his clothes off and toss them toward their
bedroom. Half aroused, he never tired of having her eyes on him. Then she
opened the door to the bathroom and stood back for him to enter. He stepped
inside, trying to focus on the room and not his woman.

The white walls had
a six-inch strip black stripe where wall met ceiling. An orange and black
framed Harley Davidson poster of a gray softail hung on the wall opposite the
sink. He took two more feet inside the room. He chuckled, in amusement. She
even bought a shower curtain with a panhead engine front and center on a black
background. He looked at his woman and laughed. He continued laughing when she
pushed him farther into the room and shut the door behind her.

When she turned on
the shower and pulled him under the spray, handing him the soap, the humor fled
and he got down to business. He soaped her body, lingering on her breasts. His
cock hardened and he paused, looking down at her.

She moved closer. "What?"

"I love you."
He inhaled deeply.

Her lips softened
and she mouthed, "I love you too."

Everything he'd
always wanted was right here. He dropped the soap and sank his hands into her
hair, pulling her up to capture her lips. That taste, that unique mind-blowing
sweetness that was always on her tongue, teased him. He stroked her mouth,
nibbled on her lip, and knew he wasn't going to be satisfied taking her bent
over in the shower.

He pulled away,
exhaling loudly. "Give me the soap."

She leaned over and
picked up the soap. He caught her wrist before she could place the bar on his
stomach. He'd never make it to sinking deep inside her body if she washed him.

Taylor watched him
with hooded eyes and followed him out of the shower after he'd rinsed them both
clean. He dried her off with a towel, while she stood on the new black rug with
the Harley Davidson logo blazing in the middle. He smiled, knowing he was one
lucky bastard.

He tossed the
towel, picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He continued
kissing her all the way to the bedroom. For peace of mind, even though the kids
were at the neighbors, he felt safer shutting the door. He never took chances
anymore when it came to Taylor.

"Hurry,"
she said against his mouth.

He fell with her to
the bed, cushioning their landing. She laughed against his mouth and the
vibration of the sound went straight to his cock. He hooked his hands around
the back of her knees, spreading her more. She slipped her arms around his
neck, arching her back against his chest. Her tongue clashed with his, and he
plunged into her wetness.

Wet warmth
surrounded him. His body trembled at the comfort. She was perfect.

He moved inside of
her. Back and forth. Fast and slow. He ground his pelvis into her clit,
muffling her moan with his mouth and adding a groan of his own pleasure. She
killed him. Every single time they had sex, he died and went to heaven.

He sped up, taking
and giving, needing her as much as she needed him. Her hands stayed on his
body, his ribs, his shoulders, his arms at an almost frantic pace. He growled
in her mouth, and she murmured his name.

He shifted his
body, leaning on his elbow and slid his other hand between them to circle her
clit. "That's it, baby girl."

As if she waited
for his permission, she shuddered underneath him. Her pussy squeezed his cock,
and he again shifted, putting his weight on her and giving her every inch. The
silken caress of her body sucked him in, and he plunged balls deep into her.

He tore his mouth
away from hers and threw back his head, groaning his release.

She rubbed her leg
along his hip and smiled lazily up at him. She was his woman. Stronger than
anyone he knew, more patient than him, and a sex goddess in bed. She was
perfect.

"Love you,
honey," she said.

He rolled over onto
his side, taking her with him. "Love you, too."

He held their
entwined hands up to his lips and kissed her fingers. Then he gazed down at
their matching tattoos around both their wrists. A single band around her ring
finger wasn't good enough for Taylor. She wanted a sign of commitment that the
whole fucking world could see. He was okay with that. She carried his mark, and
he wanted every man around to know she was his.

He traced the
tattoo, a chain around her wrist made out of his, Taylor's, Kurt's, and Lee's
name. They left room for one more name, because they both decided they'd like a
baby together. If it happened, great. If not, he was okay with the family they
had.

Taylor's body
quivered. He dragged his gaze up to her face and found her stifling her
laughter.

He propped himself
up on his elbow. "What's so funny?"

She flopped over on
her back and gave control of her laughter away. "Y-you didn't—" She
covered her mouth and her eyes lit up above her hand.

"What?"
He sat up on the bed.

That's when he
noticed the mattress no longer squeaked. He stood and studied the new mattress
set. He chuckled, shaking his head in surprise. He'd been so into his wife, he
hadn't noticed the lack of noise coming from the springs.

"You had a
busy day," he murmured, enjoying her happiness.

"Surprise,"
she said, stretching out on the bed. "Torque, bless his heart, said he
needed to be more active if he ever wanted to get back on his motorcycle, so he
came over and set the bed up this morning while you were at the garage and I
was at work."

"It's
great." He put his knee on the mattress and pushed. "No more
noise."

"No more
noise," she whispered with a grin.

The front door
slammed. He scrambled to grab Taylor's robe on the back of the bedroom door and
tossed it to her.

"Dad…Mom,"
Lee called out.

Slade pulled on a
clean pair of jeans, glanced at Taylor who sat primly on the bed and shared a secret,
well pleased, smile. Lee had started calling Taylor mom the day they got
married. Kurt wanted to stick with calling her Taylor, but decided he'd drop
the Aunt part because he said it made him sound stupid when Taylor was married
to his dad. Taylor agreed, after she had wiped her tears over the boys' request.