Damaged & Dangerous: The Sacred Hearts MC Book VI (15 page)

Thirteen locked eyes with me and, dead serious, he said, “Naw,
she was there and had my heart in her hands, it was safe enough.”

I nodded and laid my head on his good shoulder, the doctor’s
words haunting me. So close, I had been
so close
to losing the only
person who had ever stepped up and looked out for me before I could fully
explore what we had developing between us.

“It’s okay, Rocket,” he murmured into my hair, “It didn’t
happen and I’m here and we’ll figure all this out one day at a time.” He kissed
the top of my hair and I nodded. I liked the sound of that. I really did.

Eventually, Thirteen had a visitor of a different kind. Two
brothers I hadn’t seen yet came to the door and knocked at its edge as Thirteen
and I played a game I’d never heard of called ‘never have I ever’, which was
supposed to be some kind of drinking game but we were playing with M&M candies
instead.

“Hey Rev, Data.” Thirteen smiled.

“Hey, Man. Heard you got into a hell of a scrape,” ‘Rev’, a
stocky man I could swear was some kind of familiar, said.

“Oh! The fighter!” I said, when where I’d seen him before
clicked into place. He smiled.

“Saw me whoop your boy’s ass, did you?” he asked, and his
grin was one that was open and carefree and that, were I an ordinary girl,
would have made me instantly smile back. But I knew how deceptive some smiles
could be.

“Not mine,” I said and dropped my eyes to Thirteen’s lap.

“Sorry, Darlin’. Didn’t mean it that way, just heard where
Thirteen found you,” he said.

“Yeah? They telling stories out there?” Thirteen asked
sharply. I glanced at his face and caught motion out of the corner of my eye as
Rev put his hands up. Data leaned against the door. A lanky fellow with greasy
brown hair and a goatee, he had his arms crossed, and coolly appraised what was
going on inside the room; his warm brown eyes skating over me where I knelt on
the bed beside Thirteen. Assessing, making no judgments, not yet. I instantly
liked him for that.

“Not listening to any of the bullshit gossip out there until
I hear it from the horse’s mouth,” Rev said and dropped to the carpet, sitting
Indian-style. He wore shorts, which I found strange, given how cold the weather
had been and still was. We were into spring but the polar vortex wasn’t keen on
letting up and was holding on by its fingertips. It was unseasonably cool
outside.

He gripped the toes of his red Converse high-tops and leaned
all the way forward, stretching his back. He leaned back up and caught my eyes
with his warm brown-gold ones.

“So what’s your story?” he asked me directly. It was so
forthright and honest, so open and so… just refreshingly nonthreatening or menacing
in any way thus far, that I had to smile.

“I’m Dani, Dani Broussard,” I said.

“Revelator,” he nodded in the direction of the man at the
door, “That’s Data.” Data tried a smile on me and inclined his head. I shifted
and made to settle in, leaning back against the simple flat headboard and
shoving pillows behind my back. Thirteen shifted and used me as his cushion. I
smiled down at him and held him lightly to me, mindful of his shoulder.

“I’m not sure where to start,” I murmured.

“Got all night, Dani, why don’t you start from the
beginning?” Data suggested, and slid down the wall to sit down.

I looked at Thirteen and he gripped my wrist lightly,
planting a kiss in the palm of one hand.

“Just talk, Babe. You’re here, the guys want to know about
you… just stick to what you’re comfortable sharing.” I nodded and realized that
was why Rev’s approach was working for me. He wasn’t demanding, he wasn’t
asking about anything specific, he just was…

“Okay…” and so I started over, from the beginning for their
benefit. It was so strange. I wasn’t used to being able to speak my heart and
mind truthfully. Not without some kind of physical pain resulting. I was
finding it to my liking, though.

As we talked, Rev would make us laugh with sarcastic
comments and some of the funniest facial expressions. Some of the other club
members filtered past the door, stopping and listening for a time before moving
on, a couple even coming inside and joining the conversation.

“So I hear you want to get some of your stuff out of your
place. Don’t blame you. You wanna do it now or is tomorrow morning good?” Rev
asked.

I thought about it for a heartbeat or two and decided that
the morning would be best. That’s when Rev got up and stretched.

“Okay, good deal. I’m gonna go rack out then, it’s been nice
talking to you, Dani. See you in the morning.” I smiled and looked down at
Thirteen who was dozing lightly where he lay against me.

“Night, Rev. Night, Data.” I smiled at Blue, who pushed off
the door frame. He gave a short little inclination of his head and wandered off
with the rest of them. I sighed and Thirteen chuckled a bit.

“Do me a favor?” he asked and I smiled. He hadn’t been
dozing at all… just relaxing.

“Anything,” I said, suddenly very attentive.

“Get ready for bed, shut that door, and get in here,” I
smiled and nodded, and he carefully moved off of me so I could get up.

His cool green gaze followed me as it usually did, only this
time his expression wasn’t unreadable. His lips curved in a smile of pleasure
as he watched me move around his room. I took the time to go brush my teeth and
comb my hair in the bathroom before returning and shutting the door.

“If you’re comfortable with it…” he said and I turned
cocking my head to the side indicating that I was listening.

“Skip the tee shirt,” he said softly, and there was a
longing and a subtle heat to his gaze. I slipped out of my clothes, a little
self-conscious about my body. I mean, I know he’d seen it all before and I
wanted to be with him, but that didn’t stop my heart and my head from being
screwed up from everything that came before.

“Hey,” his voice was velvet and slightly chiding. I looked
over.

“Put on a tee if it makes you feel secure, I want you to
feel safe with me? You don’t gotta do anything I ask.” His green-blue gaze was
completely sincere. He meant every word. I turned out the overhead light and
came to bed, the cotton sheets cool against my skin where I slid between them,
Thirteen’s body warm and inviting, still strong despite his wounded status.

“My brave girl,” he kissed me, a soft thing, almost
reverent, definitely full of respect. I kissed him back and his hands smoothed
gently over my skin beneath the covers. He shifted to hold me closer and
grunted with pain, freezing in place. He broke the kiss we shared and cursed
Gordy six ways to Sunday.

“I want to love you, to make you feel good,” he admitted,
green gaze sparking with something undefinable, “Will you let me touch you?” he
asked. I swallowed and nodded carefully. I wanted him to touch me, even with
how hurt he was, with how crazy everything had been… “Lay back,” he whispered
and I did what he told me.

Red-XIII…

The fact she trusted me so implicitly was such an amazing
turn on. I was hurt, and if there were an Olympics for bad ideas, this would
probably take the silver. If I actually tried to love her properly, now that
would take the gold. But I just wanted to touch her, make her feel good, use my
hands to make her come undone and have her forget for a minute everything that
was crazy. She needed to relax and I know I felt relaxed as hell after an
orgasm. The way Dani was wound up, she’d probably need forty. But I was pretty
sure I had at least one or two in me for now.

It wasn’t perfect, that was for sure. I lay on my good side
and found that if I moved slow and careful, my bad shoulder was going to permit
me the position that would put my hand between her thighs. I didn’t go there
right off the bat. I had more class than that. I leaned over carefully and
caressed her cheek, kissing her softly to start.

Her mouth moved against mine, tentative and careful, as if
she were afraid her kiss would hurt me further. She slid closer to me until we
were pressed lightly against one another, her body’s heat soaking into mine. She
was just so warm, and so soft. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the feel of
her for a second, trailing fingertips in a ghostly touch across her skin, down
the side of her throat, over her throbbing pulse point, along her collarbone,
between her breasts, diverting and following one’s curve. I circled her tit in
a light spiral pattern of touch leading inward to her nipple, before grasping
and rolling it between forefinger and thumb, palming the rest of her breast.
God, she was a nice handful. Not too small, just barely overflowing my grasp.

“You have gorgeous breasts, you know that?” I whispered
against her mouth, “So perfect.” She was getting into it now, relaxing, her
beautiful blue eyes closed, and she savored my words. I was pretty sure that
Dani wasn’t used to getting compliments, and I endeavored to shower her with
them more often.

I spent some time teasing her, caressing her body, playing
with her, exploring every inch of her supple curves and taut planes with light
little touches, ghostly caresses that raised her skin in a sweep of goose
flesh. I carefully hooked one of my legs over one of hers and swept it in tight
between mine, opening her up so my hand could roam lower.

My patience in this endeavor had paid off. When I’d captured
her leg, she cried out into my mouth and arched a little off the bed, but the
sound I swallowed from her didn’t taste the slightest bit fearful. Oh no, it
was absolutely laced with desire, fraught with trust and with need. I drank her
desire like one of Mandy’s fine chocolate drinks, rich and decadent sweet, and I
dipped a finger into her folds, teasing her outer pussy lips with a light
caress.

Dani moaned and writhed, grinding her hips into my hand,
demanding a deeper, more concentrated touch. I obliged her, she was so wet and
ready, and so I slid my middle finger into her sleek heat and stroked as deep
in her as I could. She broke her mouth from mine and gave this half gasp, half
moan that lit me on fire from the inside. I was painfully hard where I was
pressed against her thigh and hip but I probably wouldn’t be getting any relief
of my own tonight. There would be plenty of time for that later, when I was
healed up and she was more settled into the new and beautiful life I had every
intention of giving her.

“That good?” I murmured, and it took a little adjusting, but
I managed to massage her clit with the heel of my hand. It was a trick and a
half, being gentle while still staying up inside her, but I had this. She
arched and I felt her spasm around my finger, which made my dick twitch in an
answering spasm of its own. God, I wanted inside her so bad, I wanted to love
her right, but I couldn’t, so for now this was the next best thing.

“Oh God, Thirteen!” she gasped, voice deep and breathy with
passion. I smiled, and since her little pants spoke of a need for more oxygen,
I skipped depriving her of any by kissing her and put my mouth to good use
elsewhere. I took the nipple closest to me into my mouth and rolled it with
lips and tongue, giving it a good hard suck. She cried out, an inarticulate
sound that was still music to my ears, and I decided it was time to really
bring her.

I added my index finger to my middle and Dani rocked her
hips into my hand. God, she was so perfectly tight! Her silken body wrapped
around my fingers, her walls pressing in so damned hot and perfect. I let her
swollen nipple go from between my lips and just looked at her, head thrown
back, raven hair a silken wash across the stark white pillowcase, long dark
lashes fanning perfect against her smooth and creamy skin. She was just so
damned beautiful, it was almost painful to look at.

“God, Dani, you kill me,” I growled. Her eyes opened, and
the piercing blue met my gaze though her eyes remained hooded, leaden with love
and lust in equal measures. Shit, that look alone had me almost coming, myself.
Her fingers wrapped around my shaft up near the head and she slid her hand up
and down firmly, but gently, running the head against her palm. It felt good,
it felt real damned good and it took every bit of my self-control
not
to
thrust. I held very still, which was its own kind of painful when I wanted to
move so badly, but I didn’t
dare.
 

I groaned and closed my eyes, my hand faltering in my attentions
to my girl’s body for just a second while I let her have her way. It felt good
but at the same time, oh God she was short circuiting my brain. I bowed my head
and though I kept still, concentrating very hard on keeping my breathing
shallow and even, on wrestling control back from Dani; I changed the angle of
my hand, going deeper with my fingers, grinding more insistently against her
clit.

She cried out, and her hand stilled, I brought her up to a
fever pitch and with a final pure, clean shout she bowed back, arching as I
pulled her up by a string at her center. Her walls tightened around my invading
fingers. Her jumping with her climax jolted me, hard, and I gritted my teeth
from the pain that radiated from my shoulder and through my chest.

“Oh!” she cried and tensed beside me, going very still. Her
blue eyes locked with mine, radiating concern.

“’s okay,” I hissed between gritted teeth. The pain passed
and I unlocked my muscle groups one by one.

“I’m okay. Promise.” I kissed her and she kissed me back, my
chest and shoulder throbbing miserably in time with my heartbeat.

Yep, definitely, solidly a silver medal in the bad idea
Olympics but at the same time, so worth it. I slipped my hand from between
Dani’s thighs, her breath coming in deep, even pants as she tried to catch it.

“You’re really good at that,” she gasped.

“Thanks,” I replied simply. I’d had a lot of practice but I
wasn’t going to tell her that. It wasn’t something she needed to hear. When you
had a dick the size of mine, you had to be careful. Too many times I’d
accidentally hurt a girl without meaning to. Also, too many times my cock had
come out, a girl had gotten a good look, and left me cold. I’d gotten good with
my hands to compensate. The more aroused the woman, the easier it was for her
to take me, so I made sure to go above and beyond before getting my Willy into
the mix.

I removed Dani’s gently stroking hand from my cock and
kissed her until she was a languid puddle of relaxed goo in my bed. Slowly I
untangled my legs from hers. She held very still, so careful not to jerk or
jolt me. I smiled.

“Be right back,” I whispered, and stuck my head out the
bedroom door. When I was sure the coast was clear, I padded into the bathroom
and washed my hands with hot soap and water. I needed to get her tested so we
could be sure where we stood with each other but now was so not the time to
broach the topic. I returned and slid into bed carefully. She immediately
cuddled carefully into my side.

“Did you wash your hands?” she asked without a trace of
reproach or judgment in her voice.

“Yeah.” I know I didn’t sound any happier about it than I
felt.

“It’s okay. If you hadn’t, I would have made you.”

I didn’t say anything. I mean what the fuck
could
I
say? I’d already gone down on her back at my cabin, so it was a little late
now. I should have just held her close, should have just not thought about it. But
I had, and I did, and now she was so very still and so very quiet in my arms.
Withdrawn back inside her own head, retreated inside her damage. I twisted my
head and kissed her hair and she sighed and relaxed a bit.

I wish I could say that I came up with something to say,
something good that put her at ease and made her feel better, but I didn’t.
Honestly, I was so… just…
tired
on both a physical and mental level.  At
least I managed to keep my arms around her, if nothing else. I needed to do
better. To be better than this for her. But in order to do that, I needed back
on my feet, and the only way to that end was time. I was impatient, not going
to lie. I wanted to fix it, but I was new to trying.

I had a taxing day ahead of me tomorrow. I’d decided that
even if I couldn’t be much use, that I needed to be there with her, go with her
to get her stuff. I’d stay in the truck but I had a feeling that I was going to
face an argument about it not only from her, but from Doc. That was okay
though. I needed to man up, to show with my actions the things my words failed
me on. That she’d caught me, hook, line, and sinker, and that I wasn’t going
anywhere any time soon. I dropped into a deep and dreamless sleep far quicker
than I would have liked, while turning all of this over in my head. Dani safe
and so very still beside me.