I have to do this, not only for myself but because I feel like Devlin needs this too. He’s a fucking great guy and he’s waited long enough for me. I’m not going to have sex with him tonight, I know that for a fact but we will be sleeping side by side and that’s enough to get my heart pumping.

“You ok in there babe?” I hear Devlin from the other side of the door.

“Yeah.” My voice comes out weak, clearing my throat I speak louder. “Yeah I’m coming.”

As my hand covers the door handle, I take another deep and calming breath before I slowly open the door and face my fears. I really hope Devlin don’t freak out at the sight of my scars. To his credit, when he sees me his eyes widen a little and I see the shock on his face. It could be because he hasn’t seen me show so much skin, but I also think it’s down to seeing my red and shiny scars.

Devlin walks closer to me as I stand awkwardly in the doorway. I watch as he looks at my exposed scars.

“Babe.” He whispers, still looking me over.

“I know, they’re disgusting.” I look down at the floor, hanging my head in shame.

“Hey.” Devlin lifts my head back up with one finger. “Don’t you dare, you’re beautiful Natasha.”

“But my scars.” I whimper.

“Are you.” He points out, giving me those gorgeous intense eyes again. “Every part of you is what makes you simply beautiful.” His words make my bottle lip wobble and he pulls me into a cuddle. The fucking best one I’ve ever had. Devlin’s arms wrap around me while one of his hands tangle in my hair holding me against him so I can’t move. Not that I want to, I’m very happy where I am.

He leads me over to the bed and sits beside me. He sweeps my hair from my wet face, I didn’t even realise I had started to cry. All I was thinking about was being so close to Devlin. As I’m sitting down, my shorts ride up even more and he gets a glimpse of my deepest and ugliest scars. It’s one of the freshest scars too. Strike gave it to me just a couple of weeks before Grim showed up with the rest of his brothers and helped get us out of there. The scar is red and still a little raised from my smooth flesh. It starts from the inside of my thigh and wraps around to finish on my hip. It was where Strike’s whip sliced me, you can imagine how it struck as you look at it. Devlin can only see half of it because my shorts cover where it ends on my waist but he can see enough. When he looks back to my eyes I see the horror reflected and all I do is nod.

“Who?” He growls.

“Strike.” I whisper in reply. “A few weeks before we got out of there.”

“I’m glad you did.” He leans his forehead on mine and we stay like that, just being close and quiet, until I get sleepy. I scoot over in the corner and pat the bed for Devlin to join me. He gives me his side smile that is fucking adorable and stands. I can’t help but watch as he undresses, first his boots and socks. When he unbuckles his belt and I swallow my sudden dry throat, still not taking my eyes from him. Devlin then places his leather vest over my chair in the corner and then rips his top over his head. Throwing that over his vest, he turns his back to me and take down his jeans and I see his tight ass. I’m shocked his completely commando and when he turns he has his hand covering his cock, but I see his muscled stomach and that delicious V shape pointing down the place I want to see most of all.

Devlin walks over to the bed. “You’re perving.”

“It’s kind of hard not to when you strip naked.” I laugh.

Devlin gets into bed and I feel his body heat radiating from him. “I can’t sleep with clothes on babe. It’s either naked or I go back to the clubhouse.”

I look him over from my spot in the bed. “Naked is fine.”

“Come here.” He holds his arm out and I scoot closer, fitting into the spot beside him.

“Thank you.” I finally speak.

“For what?” Devlin asks, his voice sounding tired.

“Not running when you saw my scars.” I begin to let my fingers wander over his abs.

“Why would you think I would do that?” He asks me, sounding a little angry.

I don’t know how to respond, so I keep quiet letting my fingers still glide over him.

“Tasha, I want you to be my old lady, scars or no fucking scars. I will wait for you.” He voice comes out strong and I have no doubt he means what he’s saying. I lay a single kiss on his hand that rests over me and he squeezes me, kissing my forehead.

“Night babe.”

“Goodnight.” I whisper, closing my eyes and letting sleep claim me.

I wake the biggest fucking hard on. I’m not surprised because sleeping next to Natasha and not letting my dick near her is fucking hard work! I’m glad she’s not awake yet because I don’t want her seeing me like this. That would be fucking embarrassing. I slide out of bed, careful not to wake her and slide into my jeans. I look back to the bed and see Natasha looking up at me, guess I wasn’t as quiet as I thought.

“Running away?” She asks with a smile, but I see the doubt in her eyes and I hate the fuckers who did that to her. When Natasha told me it was Strike who put that scar on her, probably most of them too, I wanted nothing more than to find the bastard and kill him. Fuck my dad’s plan, I want him dead. I sit on the edge of the bed, leaning over to kiss her.

“No babe, just have to speak with Grim that’s all.”

“Ok.” I see the relief wash over her and my blood boils. She’s the most beautiful woman I have known and she shouldn’t feel so shit about herself. I will make it my life’s goal to make her feel as gorgeous as I see her every day of her life because she will be mine. I just have to play the patient game and suffer with this hard on for a little while longer.

Natasha is worth it.

“I’ll be back to see you before I leave ok?” I kiss her again for good measure and let my hand smooth over her exposed scars. “Don’t cover up anymore, you won’t lose me.”

She lays back down and gives me that cute smile that sends blood rushing to my cock again. Her hair is in a mess all over the pillow, the top she has worn to bed is showing the tightness around her breasts, she fucking looks like a porn star and I fight with myself not to get back in that bed.

“I thought you had to talk with Grim, I can smell bacon so I know he’s up.” She rolls her eyes.

I get out my phone from my pocket and take a quick snap of her. Natasha’s eyes bug out and she covers her face, but it’s too late, I’ve already got the shot and it’s fucking perfect.

“Oh my god!” She shrieks.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t get you.” I lie.

“Oh thank god!” She peaks through her fingers to check my phone is away.

I laugh as I leave the room, loving that I have a secret photo of her. Sure enough when I get downstairs, I see Grim at the oven frying some bacon. The smell hits my nose and my mouth waters.

“Make me one brother.” I ask as I step into the kitchen.

“Already have.” He indicates to the plate on the table. “I heard you coming down and made you some.”

“Cheers bro.” I pat him on the back. “So you knew I was here?”

“I saw your bike out front this morning, you should have put it in the garage.” He points out.

“I’ll remember that for next time.” I say before biting into my in bacon sandwich.

“Next time?” He laughs.

I nod and his smile drops. He knows I’m being deadly serious and says nothing. Smart man.

Some people will think it might be weird that both men are the first to wake up, but in this life you have little sleep and you quickly get used to it. You have shit to deal with until late at night and then have more shit to see to first thing in the morning. After we finish our food, Grim disappears upstairs as I talk to dad about today’s business. I want to see him. I need to persuade him to let me kill Strike. Of course, my dad doesn’t like this idea.