Saxon(42)

He studies me quietly for a moment. “Tomorrow morning, six am. You know where my gym is?”

I nod. “Yeah, I do. Who doesn’t? I call it the babe gym.”

He shakes his head. “Get your ass home and call your man. Put him out of his misery.”

I scowl into my drink. “You’re just taking his side because he has a dick.”

“No that’s not why at all. I just think you should just hear him out.”

“Fine,” I sulk.

“Fine.”

I stand up and throw some money on the table. “Hey Reid.”

He stands too and glances over at me. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for making me feel better.”

He shrugs his broad shoulders, looking around his empty bar. “I didn’t have anything else to do.”

I smile and get my ass home.





Chapter Twenty-Eight

Saxon

I slide into the front seat of the taxi and give them Tee’s address. Feeling anxious to see her, I thrum my fingers on my thigh, wanting—no needing—to talk with her. When she turned her phone off yesterday morning, I caught the next available flight back home.

I’d had enough and needed to be with her in person, to see her with my own eyes, and make sure she believes me when I say I didn’t and wouldn’t touch another woman.

I use my key to get into her apartment, but she’s not home. It’s a Saturday morning, so she could be anywhere right now. I call her phone but it rings out, so I make myself comfortable, figuring that she has to come home sooner or later.

An hour later, she does.

I jump up from her bed where I was laying down and walk to the entrance. She has her back to me as she locks the front door.

“Tee-”

She screams, turns around and kicks me.

Right in the balls.

I drop.

“Holy mother of crap Saxon!” she yells. “How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?”

I cup my family jewels, grimacing in silent agony.

“Are you okay?” she asks, kneeling in front of me. “What are you doing here?”

I take in a few shallow breaths. “You wouldn’t talk to me.”

“I was pissed off and hurt. I just wanted a little time to sort out my thoughts.”

“You can’t sort anything out when you don’t know the truth,” I tell her, wanting to wrap her in my arms but not wanting to get my ass kicked again. I look over her sport bra and tight black pants. “Were you at the gym?”

She nods. “Yeah, I learnt some mixed martial arts moves.”

Great.

I stand up and hold my hand out to her. “Can you just listen to me before you say anything else?”

“Fine but let me have a quick shower first,” she says, walking by me and into the bathroom. I sigh and reclaim my spot on her bed, waiting for her to come out. Five minutes later she does, dressed in a tight white t-shirt and baggy ripped jeans. She sits down on the edge of the bed and waits patiently.

“I never touched that woman,” I start, then go on to tell her the entire story.

She’s silent for a few moments.

“You should have just told me about the picture,” she finally says, sighing heavily.

“I know,” I say. “But I’d never cheat on you Tee, I want you to believe that. I’m not looking to downgrade.”

She smirks at that.

“Okay, I believe you. I won’t lie—the picture hurt and had me questioning a few things, but I do believe you.”

My breath rushes out of me, relief taking over my body. “Thank f*ck for that.”

“Do you have to go back now?” she asks, looking vulnerable for a moment.

“Tomorrow yeah,” I whisper. “I wish you could come with me.”

She lifts her top up, and she isn’t wearing a bra underneath. How the hell did I not notice that?

“Let’s not waste any time then, shall we?” she purrs, crooking her finger.

I grin and pull off my t-shirt.

Her mouth drops. Oh right. I’d almost forgotten. I look down to my chest, where Tenielle is tattooed over my heart.

“When did you get that?” she asks, surprise written all over her stunning face.

“Just after you left. The day after in fact,” I tell her. I step closer to her, step by step closing the distance. Palming her ass, I pull her to me and give her a kiss that she will remember.

It’s possessive.

It’s hungry.

It’s branding.

And it’s a promise.

A promise that I will always love her, and that no matter what—she will always be mine.

Always.

*****

I see her glancing at my fingers curiously, her brows furrowed.

“Your tattoos?” she murmurs.

I covered up Lexi’s initials that were on my knuckles. I should have done it sooner, but I couldn’t decide what to put there.

“They didn’t mean anything to me, I should have gotten them covered up a long time ago,” I tell her in all honestly.

“I like the skull,” she says, kissing the knuckle.

“I knew you would,” I tell her, running my fingers through her soft, olive smelling hair.