I lifted the glass to my lips and waited for his eyes to meet mine again before shooting it back like I’d been doing it my whole life. The burn was immediate as it made a path from my throat to my stomach, but I blew out a stream of air and held out my arms. “Twirl me, Tucker. I do my best work after a good,” I paused, “long…twirl.”
He wasted no time in gathering me in his arms, just as the tempo of the music picked up and the crowd went wild. The whole place was bouncing, and for just one moment,one night, one perfect minute in our lives, Drew and I were nothing more than two people in love with no problems, no worries, and nobody trying to tear us down. We were allowed to bathe in our love and lust, and what mattered the most was knowing that this wasn't just for me. Tonight was all about Drew, too. He was freer than I’d ever seen him as he led me to the dance floor. There was no playing cool, no looking over his shoulder or having the weight of the world resting there. He was a young man holding a woman he loved in his arms, and as we began to flow with the tide of dancers around us, I wanted to always remember this… the way he was looking at me in the middle of Red River like I was the only woman he could and would ever see.
He moved in ways I don’t think he even knew he could, his hips hitting a rhythm as he led the way in our two-step dance, twirling me as requested, and then pulling me back to him with a snap that made my whole body ping to life in his grip. This was better than any foreplay. Happiness and freedom were more arousing than either of us could have expected.
Drew didn’t let me go for the rest of the night. We danced until we were kicked out and, even then, he never let me go. I hoped he never would.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
DREW
I’d never wanted a normal life. The adrenaline of the MC had always been my drug of choice. I’d been addicted to it before I’d even taken my first breath. It was the way things were. I’d watched kids growing up around me dating high school sweethearts instead of losing their virginity to well-practiced Hound Whores. I’d seen the way some guys held their girl’s hand as they walked down the street, maybe carrying their backpack for them, too.
And I knew I’d never wanted any of it.
But then Ayda came along, and now here I was, lying behind her on the bed of our motel room, watching her as she slept peacefully with her back to me. The sheets had drifted off her body, allowing me to trail my fingers up and down the curves and valleys of her skin as she dreamed of things like our future, our wedding day, maybe more good times like the night we’d just had.
Dancing with her had been an experience I’d never forget. I thought I’d seen all the ways I could make her happy, but seeing her dancing with Big Tex, drinking the night away, playing pool, and laughing like we didn’t have a care in the world… it showed me what she’d be missing out on if I didn’t make more of an effort to do this more often with her.
She deserved the normal as well as the wild. Who said the two had to be kept separate?
We’d arrived back here in the early hours of the morning, too lost in the moment to care about sleep, and too high on life to admit the night was over so soon. Then we’d made love until the sun came up. Fucking made love. Who the hell was I? The guy who’d still been in prison this time last year wouldn’t recognize the man lying down beside the woman he was willing to hand the rest of his life over to.
Not wanting to disturb her, I brushed her hair away from her cheek, placed a kiss on her shoulder, and I rolled out of bed to get dressed. It didn’t take me long. A quick freshen up, and then I was pulling my jeans up and throwing on my T-shirt and hoodie, making sure I watched her sleeping peacefully as much as I could while I got ready. My hair was damp when I ran a hand through it, and I was just about to turn and grab my keys to go and get her some breakfast to bring back to bed when the phone on the nightstand lit up.
The moment I saw Deeks’ name lighting up the screen, the panic set in.
“You only call me if there’s an emergency, you get it? An emergency. And when I say that, I mean something better be under attack or someone better be dying.”
That’s what I’d told him. It’s what I’d told them all.
Swiping to accept the call, I pressed it to my ear and glanced down at Ayda.
“What’s wrong?” I answered as quietly as I could.
“Drew, I’m sorry, brother. I really am. But—”
“I asked what’s wrong, Deeks.”
There was a pause—one of those dramatic ones that make you want to reach out and strangle whoever the hell is holdingout on you, but with one sigh, Deeks’ words came tumbling out. “Sutton’s here. He’s had a call from that woman on the inside of the hospital unit where Clint was being treated.”
Was…
Another groan and sigh from Deeks. “Tucker, Clint hasn’t made it.”
“W-wh…”
“He’s dead. They found him yesterday, unresponsive.”
My whole body turned cold, the goosebumps of grief rippling over every inch of my skin as I looked down at Ayda and watched her as she stirred to life, stretching out her sleepy limbs and smiling that satisfied smile I loved so much. Only I couldn’t appreciate anything about it as I watched her.
Clint hadn’t made it.
Deeks was rambling on in the background, and I could hear Sutton saying something else, reminding Deeks of what conversation they’d had, or whatever shit they had to break to me.
Clint hadn’t made it.
Ayda was waking.