Road to Forever Read online

  “Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”

  “Ohmigod, Maverick, you made this a thing!”

  “I’m trying to keep you safe!” he snapped.

  “You’re kowtowing to my dad!”

  “I’m not fucking kowtowing to your dad, Lily! I’m trying to keep you in the safest place possible... close to me, close to the club.”

  “You promised me you’d talk to me,” I pointed out. “This is not a good way to start our new life together.”

  “Baby, I had all of five minutes to make a judgment call. Give me a break. I couldn’t talk to you about any of this first. That does not mean I didn’t want to.”

  He was right, I knew he was, but I didn’t want to let him off the hook entirely. I needed to set a different precedence.

  “Lil?”

  “I’m thinking.”

  Maverick chuckled, reaching out and pulling me against him again. “Stop thinking about ways to punish me, unless they’re in the bedroom with both of us naked.”

  I forced back a laugh and fell against him. “I thought you said no strap-ons.”

  Maverick groaned. “Gross, Lil.”

  “I still want to talk to Brock.”

  He sighed. “You can talk to him, but the answer’s gonna be the same.”

  “Don’t piss me off, Mav.”

  “I’m not bending on this one, baby doll. Wrap your mind around it.”

  “Then you’d better make that basement resemble something other than what it does now because if my dad hears me scream while you’re fucking me, even once, we’re out of here.”

  He relaxed. “I will.”

  “You have a week.”

  “Babe.”

  “One week, Maverick.” I cupped him over his jeans and then slid my hand under the waistband. “I can’t live without this at my beck and call any longer than a week, so figure it out.”

  Maverick lifted me and carried me to my bed, kissing me deeply as he stretched out beside me. I tugged the button free from his jeans and slid the zipper down, so I could get better access to his growing erection.

  “We shouldn’t do this here, babe,” he said between kisses.

  “Let me do my thing,” I whispered.

  “Lil—”

  I sat up. “Off.”

  He stood and pushed his jeans and boxer briefs from his hips, before sitting on the edge of my bed. I knelt between his legs and kissed the tip of his cock before sliding my mouth over the head. Maverick grunted, and I smiled up at him. “Shhh...” I gripped his length gently and pulled down as I took him into my mouth again.

  “Lil,” he whispered.

  I slid my hand under his T-shirt and ran a nail over his nipple, continuing to work his cock with my mouth and hand. It took him a little longer to relax, but when he threaded his fingers through my hair and gripped my scalp, I knew he was finally there with me. I loved giving him head. I’d heard friends complain about having to do it, but I genuinely loved it.

  “Now, baby.”

  I sucked a little harder, flattening my hands on his thighs as his body locked, and he came in my mouth. I waited until his hands left my head, and then I released his cock with a gentle smack, swallowing.

  “You just get better at that,” he said, stroking my cheek. “Love you.”

  I grinned and rose to my feet so I could reach his mouth. “Love you more.”

  “Can I put my pants back on?”

  I giggled. “In a minute.” I kissed him a few more times and then let him get dressed.

  Lily

  MY FIRST DAY at work was upon me, and I was nervous. Silly, maybe, but I was embarking on a career where people relied on me to keep them alive. No pressure.

  Adding to my stress was the fact that the basement was still a work in progress. I wasn’t waking up with Maverick yet, and since I was starting the graveyard shift, I wouldn’t be anytime soon.

  “Lil?” Maverick called from the foyer.

  “In the kitchen,” I called back. I was staring at the coffee machine, willing it to go faster.

  Maverick wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my neck. “You look sexy in scrubs, baby doll.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled up at him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Driving you to work.”

  “The hospital’s less than ten minutes away. Pretty sure I can get there in my own car.”

  He kissed my neck again. “It’s your first day as a nurse. I’m taking you.”

  “You’re going to pick me up at seven a.m. as well?”

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  “Möosh.” I turned to face him. “I can drive myself to work. There’s also no reason for you to get up two hours early to come and get me.”

  “Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Oh, I see how it is.”

  He kissed said nose. “Good.”

  I decided to let him have his overprotective moment... mostly because my coffee was ready, and I knew I was going to need it, considering I’d only managed a one-hour nap earlier... but I wasn’t overly happy about it.

  “How much longer on the basement, Möosh?”

  He smiled. “Not long.”

  I harrumphed, turning back toward the coffee and filling my travel mug.

  “I made you a promise, baby doll.”

  He did, but he was smart and didn’t promise me an actual timeframe. I’d said a week, but he’d never agreed to it. Maverick kept his promises, just like my dad, and the fact I chose someone similar to my dad probably wasn’t lost on anyone.

  “I can help, you know,” I pointed out.

  “I know.” He patted my bottom. “Let me handle this, okay?”

  “I am.”

  He laughed. “Okay, Lil, we’ll go with that.”

  I’d bugged him a lot less than I had been inclined to, but it is possible that I’d harped a little more than he appreciated. I faced him again and rolled my eyes. “Come on, big man, take me to work.”

  He kissed me gently. “I’m really proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Möosh.” I smiled, stroking his cheek. “Now, let’s see if I can stay awake all night.”

  “You’ll do it, baby. I have no doubt.” He hugged me briefly, and then we headed out.

  * * *

  Maverick

  I walked Lily into the hospital, made sure she was safe, and then headed back to her house. Hawk and the rest of the Dogs were meeting there to finish the basement once and for all. I wanted a dark place for Lily to fall into bed in the morning, so she could get her sleep patterns normalized.

  Making my way back to Hawk’s house, I jogged downstairs, arriving to find Hawk and Ace already hard at work. Hatch’s brother, Cade, was supervising the job, which was a good thing, considering he owned a construction company. Hatch’s other brothers, Cullen and Cameron, were hanging drywall in the newly constructed bedroom while Cade and Hatch were installing the kitchen designed by Hatch’s wife, Maisie.

  “She good?” Hawk asked as I joined him in the bathroom to help paint.

  “Yeah. She’s inside, and Flea’s on her.”

  Hawk nodded, and we got to work.

  An hour in, Hatch stuck his head into the bathroom and gave Hawk a chin lift. “Flea’s got somethin’.”

  “With Lily?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Spiders are at emergency.”

  “What the fuck?” Hawk snapped.

  I was out the door before either one of them could comment further, my heart in my throat. Jumping into my truck, I peeled out of the driveway and headed to the hospital. I heard Harley pipes behind me, and it brought a measure of relief knowing the Dogs had my back. I parked illegally and rushed to the ER.

  I found Flea stalking toward me, shaking his head. “It’s all good, Mav. She’s okay.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s workin’,” Flea said.

  I scowled, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

  “Her phone’s in her locker.”
>
  “Fuck,” I snapped. I’d promised I wouldn’t interfere with her job, and the only reason she’d acquiesced to Flea’s presence was because I assured her he wouldn’t be seen. “Does she know you’re here?”

  Flea nodded. “And she’s pissed.”

  “I’m not leaving until I see her.”

  Flea shrugged. “Your funeral, man.”

  Before I could demand to know details of what was going on, Hawk and Hatch arrived and pulled Flea aside.

  “Mav,” Lily admonished, stalking toward us from the nurse’s desk, and I faced her.

  She looked fine... pissed but fine. My body finally relaxed, and I pulled her against my chest. “You’re okay.”

  “Möosh,” she whispered and tried to push me away. “I’m working.”

  “Give me a sec, Lil,” I begged, kissing her head then finally releasing her. “What happened?”

  “Patient privilege, honey. I can’t tell you.”

  “What’s all this about Spiders?” her dad asked.

  “A few of them are in the waiting room,” she said.

  “You need to stay clear of them,” I demanded.

  She squeezed my arm. “It’s fine, Möosh. Jenny’s not here, and neither is Brick. They probably don’t even know who I am.”

  “Oh, they know who you are, Lil.”

  She sighed. “I’m okay. I’m better than okay, but I need to get back to work.”

  I studied her for a few seconds before giving her a quick nod. “I’ll be here to pick you up in the morning.”

  “I love you.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m good.”

  “I’m gonna kiss you now.”

  She raised her head. “Quick.”

  I kissed her gently and then watched her walk back to the nurse’s station.

  * * *

  Lily

  I arrived back at the nurse’s station just ahead of my boss, Alana. I glanced sideways and saw that Maverick, Dad, and Ace were still talking with Flea, but at least they weren’t all in my face anymore. Maverick caught my eye, and I smiled, hoping he’d get the point that I was fine.

  “Who the hell are they?” Alana asked.

  “Hmm?” I asked as I faced her.

  She nodded toward my family. I debated lying and saying I didn’t know, but I couldn’t. “Superman’s my fiancé, Maverick, and the guy next to him is his dad. The blond guy’s my dad, and the other guy’s name is Flea.”

  “Flea?” she asked. “Seriously?”

  “Motorcycle Club name,” I provided with a shrug.

  “Ohmigod, he’s gorgeous,” Alana breathed out.

  I grinned. “That’s Katie’s brother.”

  “Katie Jameson?”

  “Yep.”

  Alana and Katie had gone to school together and had started out nursing at the same hospital. Katie had actually gotten me the job at Legacy.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t met him,” I continued.

  “She’s super tight-lipped on her family. I didn’t even know she had a brother. He’s gorgeous. They all are.”

  I grinned. “This is a fact.”

  “So do they like have get-togethers or parties? You know, ones you would invite your boss to?”

  I chuckled. “I’m sure I can set something up.”

  “That would be great.” She studied my guys again. “Lordy, lordy.”

  Her ogling was cut short by a new emergency, and we were once again in the thick of work.

  By the time Maverick picked me up that morning, I had this strange sense of an adrenaline high as well as the need to sleep for a year. “Thanks for picking me up,” I said, biting back a yawn.

  Maverick took my hand and squeezed. “Anytime, baby doll.”

  “Are you going to be late?”

  Maverick was scheduled to work with his uncle at the pet clinic all week, but he was on a normal day shift, which meant we wouldn’t see each other much.

  “I’m good,” Maverick said. “Knight knows my time constraints.”

  I smiled sleepily. “You don’t have to pick me up every morning, you know. I can drive myself or Flea can bring me, since he’s being forced to babysit me, anyway.”

  “Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What would you do, honey bun, if I actually made this a thing?”

  He grinned. “You don’t want to find out, pookie pie.”

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  “You’re the only one who thinks so,” he retorted.

  “Pretty sure that’s an incorrect statement.”

  Maverick laughed. “Maybe so, but no one but you says it to my face.”

  “You got me there.”

  I bit back another yawn as Maverick pulled up in front of my house, and I waited for him to open my door before climbing out. He grabbed my bag, and I led him inside, where he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. “I have a surprise.”

  “I’m kind of tired, Möosh. Can we get naked after my nap?” I joked.

  He grinned. “Follow me.”

  I took his outstretched hand and let him lead me down to the basement. Instead of pushing open the door, he unlocked it. It hadn’t previously had a lock on it. “Is it done?” I asked, excitedly.

  Without a response, Maverick pulled me in front of him and gently pushed me through the door, flipping on the light as I walked in. I couldn’t help letting out a quiet gasp. “Ohmigod, honey. It’s amazing.”

  The basement was no longer a basement. It was a bonafide apartment. A large sliding glass door led to a small patio outside. Because it was a daylight basement, our bedroom and bathroom had small windows to let light in. Maverick had hung blackout curtains over the bedroom window under which a king-size bed sat. We’d need to work on better bedding, but for now, it looked comfy, and considering how tired I was, comfortable sounded pretty darn good. I adored our compact but lovely kitchen. It had everything we’d ever need, and they’d even fit a small island in the middle of the space that helped to define it.

  The bathroom was the bomb. Somehow, they’d managed to get a soaker tub in it with double sinks and shower.

  “Cade took some space from the closet to get you a tub,” Maverick said.

  I wrapped my arms around his waist. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  He kissed me, stroking my cheek. “I have to go, so I’ll lock up. We have a separate alarm down here, so I’ll set it. Code’s our anniversary.”

  “Which anniversary?”

  “First kiss.”

  I gave his waist a squeeze. “I love that one.”

  Maverick chuckled. “I’m aware.”

  “You’re going to be late,” I pointed out. “I’m going to shower and then crawl into bed.”

  “Okay, baby. I’ll see you later.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you too,” he said, kissing me again and then heading out.

  In the end, I didn’t have the energy for a shower, so I stripped down and fell into bed.

  * * *

  When my alarm woke me at three that afternoon, I was a little confused for a second as to where I was. I smiled when I remembered I was in the love den Maverick had created for us and dragged myself out of bed. I texted Maverick and let him know I was awake then decided to see if I needed to run to the store.

  Opening the fridge, I couldn’t stop a grin. Maverick had stocked it with his favorite beer, my favorite soda, and all the labels were facing forward in perfect lines. He was a little OCD that way, and it was something I adored about him.

  He’d managed to buy actual food as well... although that could have been Mom, but for the moment, I’d give Mav the credit since he’d worked his ass off to get the apartment ready for us.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket while I still had my head buried in the fridge. I grinned as I answered the call. “Hey, Möosh.”

  “Hey. How did you sleep?”

  “So, so well. Smart move putting the blackout curtains in.”

  “I
thought so.”

  “Thanks, honey. Seriously. Everything is perfect.”

  I heard the smile in his voice as he said, “It was my pleasure, baby doll.”

  “Are we going to eat together?”

  “I should be home by six, so yeah, that’d be great. Want me to pick something up?”

  “You stocked the fridge, Mav, so I thought I’d cook.”

  “Sounds good,” he said. “I’ve gotta get back to work, but I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  “Okay. See you then.”

  We hung up, and I worked up my menu for the evening and then jumped in the shower. Two more shifts and I’d be off for four days. I liked the “idea” of my schedule. Time would tell if my body would be able to handle the strange timeclock, but three days on then four days off was a good deal in my opinion.

  A quiet knock came on my new “front” door, and I pulled it open to find Dad leaning against the stairway wall and Rex standing beside him, his tail wagging. “You’re up.”

  “I am.” I grinned, leaning down to scratch Rex’s ears. “Come in... then give me a hug because you’re the best dad in the whole world.”

  He chuckled, pulling me in for a hug and kissing my head.

  “Thank you for getting this place done,” I said. “It’s better than I could have imagined.”

  “Glad you like it.”

  “Can I offer you a beer?” I asked, opening the fridge. “We’re stocked.”

  Dad shook his head. “Nah, I’m good, baby girl. Just heading out to the club, so thought I’d check on you and leave Rex down here. How was your first night?”

  I closed the fridge and raised an eyebrow. “Before or after you and a hundred of your closest friends descended on the ER?”

  “Four, Lily. There were four of us. You forgettin’ how to count?” He crossed his arms. “Mom and I spent a shit ton of money on your education... hate to think you forgot how to do basic math.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I love you. I appreciate everything you’ve done, do, and will more than likely do in the future, but my job needs to be off-limits.”

  “The Spiders are—”

  “I know, Daddy. I get it. I really do. But they can’t get to me at the hospital. They would be stupid to try. You’ve got me covered with Flea... or whoever you choose on the days I work... Mav has me covered on the off days, and I promise I will always be careful. I’m your daughter, Hawk. Trust that you’ve taught me well.”