“I love you, Lainey. I am not walking away from you. I am not leaving you. You’re never getting rid of me again because I’m going to keep you… forever.”
“You love me?” she says.
“With everything inside me.”
LAINEY
With everything inside me.
I can’t get those words out of my head. I can’t believe that he actually said them out loud, his gaze focused on mine,connected. The world melts away, and there is just us. Just him and me.
Nobody and nothing else exists, and the millions of questions I had completely dissolve. They disintegrate inside my head in an instant. I want to pull him closer to me, but I allow him to take a step backward, knowing that we probably need to get out of here.
“I’m taking you with me, but we need to slip out the back. Are you ready to run if you need to?” he asks.
“I would fly if I needed to, Gunnar.”
He lets out a chuckle as he tugs up his jeans, fastening them as I smooth out and straighten my dress. I don’t bother looking at my reflection in the mirror. I don’t care what I look like, and I don’t plan on seeing anyone else tonight.
All I want to do is ride off into the sunset.
Gunnar reaches for the door lock, flipping it so it’s unlocked. He tugs the door open and steps forward before he looks out and shifts his attention from side to side. I watch as he takes a step into the hallway.
He holds his hand up, keeping me inside, and I hold my breath as I wait for him to give me the go-ahead.
Picking up my skirts, I hold them a little higher than I probably should when he motions for me to come forward. I don’t look around. I follow behind him and focus on the Vicious Reapers patch on his back. I don’t give a shit about anything other than following Gunnar and getting out of this alive.
The other guy who came here with Gunnar steps out of somewhere. I didn’t even see where he came from. He whistles low, lifting his hand, and motions for us to turn down whatever hallway he’s come out of.
Gunnar turns, and I stay close to him. So damn close. I reach for the back of his belt, holding on tightly so I can keep up. My breathing becomes heavier, faster, and my vision starts to blur. Ihold on to him as tightly as I can to keep from falling on my ass or my face.
“You find a way out where we won’t be seen?” Gunnar hisses.
“They’re already looking like they’re getting a little fucking antsy, wondering where she is.”
I start to ask how he knows that, but then I blink at the sight of Lightning standing at the end of the hall, next to a door. He jerks his chin, and I give him a smile as Gunnar moves toward him, only stopping for a brief moment. I don’t hear what they say, but there are murmured voices, and then the door opens.
We don’t stop moving until we’re standing beside his bike. I stare at the iron machine as a thrill slides throughout my entire body. Turning my head, I look behind me at the gorgeous venue and realize that no matter how pretty it is, I would rather be with this man right in front of me.
He climbs on his bike, waiting. I pick up my skirts even higher, climb onto the bike behind him, straddling it as I shift closer to him—though I can’t feel the warmth of his body against mine—then wrap my arms around him.
He doesn’t start the engine immediately. He turns his head, looking over his shoulder at me.
“You here with me, like this, this time it means exactly what it means, Lainey. Exactly what you think it could mean. You’re on the back of my bike. You’re in my bed. You’re fucking mine—forever.”
I don’t know what else to say. Only one thing comes to mind. “Take me home, Gunnar Lund, and make good on that promise.”
The engine roars to life, and then he zooms away. I hear the other bike behind us staying close. I don’t bother to turn around to watch him. It doesn’t matter. All I can think about is this man, the love of my life, and he’s claiming me.
I’m his.
But then again, I’ve always been his.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
VIKING
We pullup to the clubhouse, and I watch as she climbs off in that fucking dress. Goddamn, I want to have her again in it. I want to claim her over and over again. I don’t think I will ever get enough of her.