Arrow's Hell (Wind Dragons MC #2)(74)

My “shit,” as he so eloquently put it, isn’t much. I’d gone shopping for everything I was using and it all fit into one bag.

He helps me into the car, then pauses. “Good to have you back, Anna Bell.”

I smile. “Thanks for bringing me back.”

I think we’ll have a silent drive home, but Tracker decides to be chatty.

“You should go and f*ck the shit out of him. Oh, and give him head, lots of head.”

I blink a few times. “Thank you for that advice, Tracker.”

“You’re welcome. Do you know what else we men really like? We like it when you—”

I pinch his shoulder.

“Ouch,” he grumbles.

“Please, shut up,” I beg of him.

“Should I stop for condoms?” he asks cheerfully. “What size is Arrow? Or maybe water balloons might do?”

I laugh at that. “Arrow’s dick is huge; don’t insult it in my presence.”

“Whoa, touchy.”

“What have I missed?” I ask him.

“Rake’s angry you’ve been gone; Arrow’s been moping around. It’s pathetic really. I think twice he walked out the door to come get you, but then he turned around. He wanted to respect your wishes, no matter how much it almost killed him.”

Fuck, my Arrow.

I should have returned sooner.

My mind was messed up, so I guess I did need that time to myself, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone else in the process, and I knew I did hurt Arrow, and Rake as well.

I was only thinking of myself at the time, trying to work through my own issues.

I sigh and stare out the window. “I didn’t know how to deal. Everyone kept things from me, but now I see that it really wouldn’t have changed anything. Arrow didn’t want to lose or hurt me, and I can see where he was coming from. It was a difficult situation.”

“I know, Anna, and no one blames you. You did what you had to do, it was just a few days’ break; Arrow is going on like he’s lost you forever,” he grumbles.

“He probably thought I wouldn’t come back.”

“Well, he was wrong,” he replies. “And trust me, if you weren’t back in a few days he would have gone and gotten you. He was about to break, even I could see that. He wasn’t going to live without you.”

Tracker parks the car and we walk into the clubhouse side by side.

Rake grins and runs to me, lifting me in his arms. “Thank f*ck you’re back, sis!”

“Good to be back,” I murmur, my eyes searching the room for Arrow.

“He’s in his room,” he tells me, kissing my cheek. I smile and walk to the room, only to find it locked. I knock a few times.

No answer.

I knock harder.

“Fuck off!” he yells, his voice hoarse, causing me to grimace.

“Arrow?” I call out.

The door flies open in seconds.

I study him.

Dark circles under his eyes, a bruised cheek, his hair a tangled mess.

“Can I come in?” I ask softly.

He blinks. “You’re here.”

I smile at that, walking into the room and turning to face him. He closes the door behind him and closes the space between us in a few steps. “I’ve missed you, Anna.”

I stare at him in silence, until he continues.

“When I killed for Mary, to avenge her, I never once thought I’d be losing the only woman I could ever see myself making my old lady. Fuckin’ marrying. I never even thought I’d ever get married in my life until I met you.”

He could see himself marrying me? I wanted that. More than I’d ever wanted anything.

“I missed you too, Arrow. I was just hurt. I needed to come to terms with the fact that I’d never meet my father, and that he’d never wanted me in the first place. My mind was everywhere, and I needed time to work through it all. I was mostly feeling sorry for myself, which was stupid. I didn’t mean to hurt you in the process, or to push you away. I forgive you, Arrow. You didn’t know who he was at the time; you didn’t even know me then. When I fell for you, I knew the man you are. I know what you’re capable of. I also know you would never hurt me.”

“Anna—”

“Nothing else matters, Arrow, except this,” I say, going up on my tiptoes and kissing his cheek. “This, what we have, I could never turn my back on it. I love you, Arrow.”

“You really forgive me?” he asks in a hope-filled tone.

I nod. “I knew that when I came to you, I’d have to have forgiven you fully, or this won’t work between us. But I have, Arrow.”

“So sweet,” he murmurs. “I was so f*ckin’ scared you weren’t going to come back to me. I was giving you a few more days before I came to Lana’s house.”

“What were you going to do?” I ask him.

His eyes smile down at me. “Anything I had to, Anna, anything. I wasn’t going to live without you. You gave me a taste of what it was like to live again, to actually live. Before I met you I wasn’t living, I was just not dying. I couldn’t go back to that. I’m so f*ckin’ crazy about you I should be embarrassed.”

A bubble of laughter escapes me at that.

He lowers his head and kisses me, leaning my body back and cupping my face with his strong hands. He tastes like strawberry candy, which I know he practically lives on and shares with Clover when no one is looking. When he pulls away, he smiles down at me. “I love you too, Anna. I’m sorry I f*cked up.”