“Promise?”
“With my whole heart.”
* * *
Several hours later,we were loaded into a large SUV and headed back to Devil Springs with Phoenix behind the wheel.
I was dressed in the new pajamas Annabelle and Kathleen bought for me since I didn’t have any other clothes to wear. I had a pillow behind my head and was wrapped in a blanket with Coal snuggled beside me. It was the most comfortable I’d been since the attack.
I was staring out the window listening to the others talk when we passed a car that looked a lot like mine, which prompted me to ask. “Where’s my car?”
“What?” Coal asked.
“My car. Where is it?”
“We’re assuming Pamela drove away in it after she shot you, but we haven’t been able to locate it yet,” Phoenix told me.
Well, that was just fucking great. Yet another problem I’d have to deal with thanks to Pamela. At least I had time to get it sorted since I wasn’t allowed to drive for a few more weeks.
“Has it been reported stolen?” I asked, knowing I would need to do that in order to file an insurance claim so I could get a replacement.
“I’m pretty sure Luke was taking care of that for you. I’ll mention it the next time I talk to him. But don’t worry about it too much. If it isn’t sorted by the time you’re cleared to drive, you can use one of the club’s loaner cars.”
“It’s pretty impressive how you guys seem to have a solution to every problem.”
“They’re like badass Boy Scouts,” Annabelle said. “Always prepared.”
“Speaking of being prepared, if you’ll make a list of the stuff you’ll need from your house for the next few weeks, we’ll have someone go over and get it.”
I leaned over and whispered to Coal, “Who are they going to send? I’m not sure I’m comfortable with your club brothers digging through my underwear drawer.”
He chuckled. “Then don’t put bras and panties on the list. We can ask one of the girls to run to the store and pick up some new ones for you.”
“Are you sure they won’t mind? I don’t want to be any more trouble than I already am.”
“Aspen, it’s no trouble. You’re family. This is what we do,” Coal explained.
“Technically, I’m not family, but I like your answer.”
“Technically, you are,” he countered.
“How so?”
He shifted slightly. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you, and I’m not sure this is it, but I claimed you as my Old Lady right after we found you.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up his hand to stop me. “I was planning on doing it anyway, but after almost losing you, I wasn’t willing to let another second go by without you being officially mine. We can talk about it when we have more privacy if you’re not okay with it.”
I couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across my face. “No need. I’m more than okay with it.”
“Thank fuck,” he breathed and pressed his lips to mine.
He broke the kiss far too soon for my liking and gave me a knowing look. “When you’re better,” he promised.
I made a mental note to see what my discharge instructions said about sex. I didn’t remember them mentioning it and hadn’t thought to ask.
“Do you think sex falls under vigorous activity?” I whispered.
“Yes, I do,” he grinned. “So you’ll have to contain yourself for the next two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” I blurted, louder than I intended.