When I finally let her go, I said, “Go inside and wait for me.”
As I watched her disappear inside, my pulse still pounding from the fight, I realised something. I’d had two relationships in my life, and I fucked them both up because I couldn’t give enough of myself. Couldn’t let anyone truly in. But Eden had already slipped past every defence without even trying.
I knew my world was too violent for her. Knew I should walk away, let her find someone safe who came home every night without blood on his knuckles. But I was selfish where she was concerned. Keeping her close was the only move I wanted to make.
Looking down at the men who dared to threaten her, that protective surge hit again, hard. I didn’t know what we were yet, but I knew this much: anyone who came for Eden would have to go through me first. And I’d make damn sure they never had the chance to try again.
PROTECTED BY SAVAGE (OR: WHY VIOLENCE NEVER LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL)
Posted by Anonymous at 4:51 AM
April 25
Here’s something they don’t cover in “Dating a Biker 101”: how to process the moment your hot, almond-milk-drinking neighbour turns into something deadly. Though, I’m not sure anything could prepare you for the way your heart races when you watch him paint violence across concrete to keep you safe.
I stood in Jake’s bathroom, fingers trembling as I cleaned the cuts on his knuckles. Each graze told its own story of what he was willing to unleash to protect me. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air while my mind replayed those vicious moments in the car park.
“Stop overthinking it.” Jake’s voice pulled me back to the present. His free hand curved around my hip, steadying me. “Those guys made their choice when they threatened you.”
“I know.” I dabbed antiseptic on another cut, cataloguing each mark like entries in a database. “I just . . . I’ve never seen anyone fight like that.”
“And I’ve never seen anyone take down a guy with a laptop bag. You’re full of surprises, darlin’.”
His phone buzzed with a text that he checked immediately, and the subtle tensing of his muscles told me this wasn’t just any old message.
“Everything okay?” I tried to keep my voice even despite the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.
He placed his phone down on the bathroom vanity. “Yeah. That was just Griff letting me know I don’t have to head back to the clubhouse until later today when the Sydney president arrives.”
The relief I felt was immense. I knew he’d have to handle this club business eventually—not that I had a clue what that would involve—but I was grateful to have some extra time with him before he had to go back out.
Another buzz. Jake’s jaw tightened as he read whatever appeared on his screen. “Have a shower,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I need to make some calls.”
The hot water helped wash away some of the night’s tension, but my mind kept circling back to what I’d witnessed. Not just the brutality of it, but the way Jake had switched between the man who held me so gently and the one who’d used his fists like the concept of gentle wasn’t one he knew.
When I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in one of his towels, I found him pacing, phone pressed to his ear. The concentrated power in his movements reminded me of a caged predator.
“Yeah,” he said into the phone. “I want eyes on my place until it’s handled.” A pause. “Tell Scott I’ll be in as soon as I get Mum home and settled here.”
He ended the call and turned to me, his gaze heating as he traced his eyes over my body. Even sore, he moved with purpose, closing the distance between us. “I should let you sleep, but that’s not gonna happen.” His hands found my hips and he pulled me in close, a grunt slipping from him when our bodies met. He was in pain, but it wasn’t slowing him down. “I need to remind myself you’re safe.”
Without wasting another second, his lips crashed down onto mine with raw possession and something that felt a whole lot deeper. This kiss consumed me, wiping every single thought from my mind. My arms and legs were around him, and I was in his arms before I could even process what was happening.
“Fuck,” he said as he dropped me on his bed. “I can’t fucking get enough of you, Eden.” He moved on top of me, his hands making quick work of the towel still covering me. “And—” he palmed one of my breasts “—I will never forgive myself if anything ever happens to you.”
I noticed he was moving carefully and favouring his left side, and when he bent his face to kiss me, I pressed my hand gently to his chest. “You’re hurt. This has to be agony.”
“You think a little pain is going to keep me from you?”
“I think I don’t want to cause you more pain.”
He caught my wrist and dragged my hand down to where he was already hard. “Baby, this is the only pain I care about right now. You feel that?” He curved my hand over his erection and ground himself into me as his mouth grazed my ear. “The only ache I give a fuck about easing is this one. I want you soaked and spread wide for me. I want those thighs of yours shaking. And I want your sweet pussy choking my cock while I whisper how fucking perfect you are.” His eyes found mine again. “Cuts and fucking bruises will never keep me away from you.”
My thighs squeezed together before my brain could catch up because apparently “don’t hurt Jake” just got overridden by “ride Jake.”
Yeah, my body voted against caring about his pain. Unanimously.
And my mouth made that sound that never failed to drive him wild.
