Lash had forced him to fight back. The fact he couldn’t get his body to move scared him. He’d been taking drugs for only a few months, but it was only recently that those drugs had taken effect. Thinking about his response he wondered how addicts who’d been taking for years were able to stop. He was having a hard time as it was.
Edward knew this wasn’t him. Each challenge his brother set him, put him on course for recovery. Not being able to defend himself while being hit at by his own brother had angered him. There was a time when no one could get a hit past him, and now he was helpless. When Lash had pulled in close and forced him to look at Sophia, the bruises on her face, his brother made it clear that it was Edward’s fault.
Nash wouldn’t have let any man think he could hurt Sophia. Edward was different. This side of him was weak. It was helping him to make sense in a weird kind of way of how he’d let his life be controlled by something else.
“My brother has always been a bastard and always will. There’s no stopping him from getting what he wants.”
“Don’t you want this?” she asked.
“I don’t know what I want.”
She reached over taking his hand. He stared down at the tattoos covering his arms. Each tattoo symbolized his part within the club.
You’re nothing without the club.
Fight this and win. Be yourself again.
Sophia ran her fingers over each line of ink. “I remember when you got this. Kate was in the shower, and you showed me your ink. You were so happy to be where you were. I remember asking you why you loved The Skulls. Do you remember what you said?”
“The Skulls were a family. There was no judging. The family accepted you for who you were.”
“And you said that you were never alone again. The club gave you a big family with plenty of brothers and sisters.”
He recalled it all. The drugs, the addiction could take it all away from him. Edward knew he couldn’t let that happen.
She held his hand within her own. Her hold was tight. He felt happy and secure from being held.
“Why are you even helping me?” he asked.
“I kicked you out of my apartment, and it was the biggest mistake I could have made. I’m to blame for this, and I’m going to do everything I can to make it right.” Tears were glistening in her eyes. “I loved every second of that kiss, Edward. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”
Staring down at their hands Edward wanted to cry, to scream at the lost time.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“I need you to kick this habit. If you don’t get rid of the addiction and become Nash once again it will kill you.” She wiped under her eyes. “I want the man who helped me move. Who kissed me the way you did. I want him back. Not this.”
He wanted to give it to her. Edward wanted so badly to give her everything she desired.
“Kiss me,” he said.
She didn’t hesitate at his instructions. Sophia closed the distance between them, pressing her body against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her lush curves. Her ass was lovely and plump, and he gripped her hard. She gasped, banding her arms around his neck.
“This is real, Edward. This is what I want.” She pressed her lips to his. Her lips were trembling and unsure as they caressed his own. Moaning, he reached up with one hand sinking his fingers into her hair and holding her tight against him. He despised the shaking and the sick feeling in his gut.
Her fingers clutched at the hair at the nape of his neck. Her legs circled his waist, pressing her hot pu**y against him.
They moaned. The sounds of their kiss echoed off the walls. He wanted to drown in her scent.
Only when they heard movement did they break apart. Sophia stayed in his lap staring into his eyes.
“What does this mean?” Edward asked.
“It means that you fight this. You kick the habit. Give me back my man, and I’ll be yours if you want me, Nash.”
The sound of his name made his heart soar.
She cupped his face. “You can do this. I love you. I want you. Give me him back.” Sophia kissed him again and extracted herself from his hold.
“This is not a trap or a joke?”
“No. I’m not like that, and you should know that.” She kissed his lips again and moved away. “I needed you to know that before tomorrow.”
“Has Lash got something worse planned for tomorrow?” Edward asked. His c**k was rock hard. He’d not wanted sex in such a long time.
“Tiny is coming tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day for everyone.” She turned and walked away.
You should be following her. She shouldn’t be walking into that room alone.
Lying down on the bed, he looked up at the ceiling. All he needed to do was fight. Fight this addiction, earn his place back in the club, and get his woman back.
Edward made it a mantra inside himself. There was something for him to fight for. It wasn’t going to be easy. He wasn’t stupid. He knew in his heart he’d have to fight with every part of himself to get what he wanted.
Tiny was coming tomorrow, and he needed to make the leader of The Skulls realize that he wasn’t going to give up, not ever. Sophia had given him something to fight for, her.
****
Tiny sat at his desk in the club thinking about the following day. The last time he’d seen Edward, Lash had given him the update on what he planned, and he’d almost killed the son of a bitch.
The bastard had set off a gun and almost killed Eva. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on the sheets of paper that Alex had left behind. He couldn’t make out any of the numbers. The clubhouse was quiet, which was unusual. Most days the club was bursting with activity. Since Edward had gone no one was in the partying mood. The threat to The Skulls was higher than ever before, and all of them knew it was because of one of their own. Edward hadn’t broken down in private, no, he’d done it so rumor could drift to their enemies, and Tiny had many enemies. He hoped most of them were not even close by to know the damage that could be done.
“Are you plotting and scheming again?” Eva asked.
He glanced up to see the other bane of his existence stood in the doorway. She was wearing a silk robe, but he’d snuck upon her early to see her wearing a sheer baby doll negligee. Staring at her, he felt the stirring in his groin. None of the sweet-butts were able to satisfy his cravings anymore. The only woman he wanted beneath him was stood looking at him with her arms folded. Since that night in Vegas he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. According to her, he’d been completely shit in the sack. Had he grown complacent with the other women he’d been with?