Owned & Untamed (Back Down Devil MC #11)(18)

“You didn’t finish?” he asked.

I taped another corner and backed away. “I had to take care of Jim.”

“Shit.”

“I went to college and took some classes here and there. I was waiting…” I was waiting for you, Duke. To come home. To figure out lives together. “I was just waiting for something to hit me. Then Jim got hurt. So I went into the nursing program. When he came home, it was hard. On Dad and on me. Everything changed. Dad got sick. So then everyone turned to me. I had no choice but to drop out. So I could help here. Then it all got worse.”

I felt my eyes well up with tears. But I didn’t care. I kept my gaze on Duke. I ripped another piece of tape without breaking my stare.

I waited for him to speak but he didn’t. He just f*cking sat there in silence.

So I took the high road.

We only had a few minutes left here in this reunion.

“How’d you get shot?”

“With a gun,” he said.

“Okay.”

I ripped the last piece of medical tape quickly and slapped it to his shoulder. That caused him to jump back a little. It also caused every muscle on his beautiful body to flex. And that caused a reaction between my thighs.

Just what I needed.

I closed the first aid kit and left it on the sink.

“There you go,” I said.

“Thanks,” he said.

He reached for his shirt and leather cut. Yeah, I watched him get dressed. And, yeah, there was a small piece of me that wanted him to not get dressed, but instead get fully naked and take me into the shower and show me what all those manly muscles were capable of doing to me.

“You think he will be okay tonight?” Duke asked. “I could stay, just in case.”

My heart screamed Yes! but I shook my head. “He’s fine. I, uh, was just frustrated. He’s done dumb things but never like that. I thought he was going to die. I just wanted one second of real help.”

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t answer,” Duke said. He nodded to his shoulder. “I had other things going on.”

“How’d you get patched up so nicely? If you went to the hospital…”

“Guys like me don’t go to the hospital, sweetie,” Duke said. “We have friends. That’s all you need to know.”

Duke stepped forward and my hand shot out. My fingertips pressed against his shirt, against his rock hard ab muscles. “Are you in danger?”

“Every single day.”

“For real.”

“For real.”

“What about right now?”

Duke reached and touched my face with the back of his fingers. “This right here, sweetie, is the most dangerous position I’ve ever been in.”

His fingers went into my hair. Then he slipped his hand to the back of my head. His strong grip set me on fire. Then he pulled at me as he brought his mouth down toward mine. I had a split second to make a decision on whether to let him kiss me or not. Before my mind could process that reality of things, our lips were together. His tongue gently caressed mine, bringing it to life. My hands quickly grabbed at his leather cut. I turned, purposely wanting my back against a wall, wanting Duke against me. I pulled at his leather cut. He pressed that rock hard body of his against mine. Our tongues battled, but Duke won that battle easily. He was so big, so strong, the boyish bad boy I once knew was now nothing but an outlaw man.

Holy f*ck…

Duke put both his hands to my hips. I thrust forward at him. His fingers started to go under my shirt.

You’re really doing this, Belle? After all the years? After what he did? So many unanswered questions…

Duke’s hands moved up, over my shirt. He was literally an inch from cupping my breasts when he slammed his hands against the wall and pushed himself back. Our lips came unattached with a wet smack sound. We were both breathing heavy. I had a lingering taste of Duke and whiskey in my mouth. The smell of his skin - leather, grease, the exhaust of his motorcycle - it all threatened me. My panties were wet, twisted, my knees shaking with fear and excitement.

Just like our first time together.

Although, I wasn’t Duke’s first. But he was mine. Forever mine.

“Christ, Belle,” he whispered. “The years…”

“It’s okay,” I quickly said.

I collected myself and slipped under his arm and out of the bathroom. I moved faster than I should have, wanting to literally run away and find a place to hide and cry. I wanted to scream until time would listen to me. To go back and make Duke not go overseas. I know, that was so greedy to think. So many men and women who gave their lives for our freedom and so many men and women would forever serve and be real heroes. But in my world, my little bubble, it all had been f*cking destroyed.

I blasted through the front door, out to the porch, and finally got a deep breath of fresh air.

Duke was shortly behind me.

“Are you sure Jim’s okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said. I stood at the pillar. “He’s fine. He’s a mess though, Duke.”

Duke walked by me and touched my lower back. “I know, sweetie. So am I. And so are you.” He walked to the steps and climbed down two before stopping. He looked back. “Of all the things I’ve done, not showing up to Big Jim’s funeral is one of the worst. There’s not a day I don’t think about it. I should have been there, Belle. For everything he did for me. For Jim. For you. And I should have been there for you that day.”