*I do not own anything you recognize*
Hey guys, I want to apologize for the long delay. My school life has exploded and it's unfortunately put a dent in the time I can spend on my writing. I really appreciate all the great feedback and I love you all. I'll try to get faster for you and I hope you enjoy.
Happy gets back to the clubhouse late, or early rather depending on how he decides to look at it. When he pushes through the front door the main room is dark and he can just make out Bobby passed out on the corner sofa, the TV emitting a soft glow. Hap clicks the old set off and heads towards his dorm, passing Juice asleep on the pool table a bottle of whiskey cradled against his chest. Hap's the lone man to return from the old warehouse property. Jax had headed home to Tara, still pissed as shit about the situation. Chibs had headed off to wherever the Scot spends his free time and Tig had gone to the Jelly Bean for another night of distraction. Happy is worried about the killer but there are bigger things to attend to.
The warehouse had been emptied when they arrived and no sign had been left to give them a sense of who was responsible. All they have to go on is Phil's description of the men. The idea of these new gangsters looking like white power assholes is far too familiar after the last few days. Happy can feel a headache settling behind his eyes at the idea that same men who are chasing Tia could be responsible for the missing Cartel guns and drugs. It would mean a whole pile of shit for the club and it would be all his fault. By the time Jax had finished his little rant at the old warehouse he hadn't wanted to hear anything Happy had to say about the tiny director, her eyeball, or the trouble she was bringing down on them so Happy had left it for tomorrow. If he was honest with himself he would admit that after everything he was only too thrilled to put off an explanation and get back to Tia.
Already sliding his kutte off his shoulders he pushes into his room. He's expecting to find Tia waiting up for him still sporting that new fucking attitude she'd developed so the sight that greets him stops him cold. Kicking the door closed Happy steps further into the room and stares down at the woman curled up in his bed. She's fast asleep and he's struck by how ridiculously small she looks curled up on the king size mattress. He stands at the end of the frame and takes in how out of place she seems under his rough army green blankets. They're a stark contrast to the high quality egyptian cotton he knows usually rubs against that soft skin.
Her dark curls are loose and spread across the pillow and Happy sinks down next to her pushing the heavy curtain away from her face. She's a beautiful woman, far prettier than any of the croweaters who usually end up in this space and he can't help appreciating the curve of her cheek, her full lips, and the dark sweep of her lashes. He leans down to tug at the laces on his boots and toes off the heavy footwear before standing to shed his jeans. It's been years since he's actually slept next to woman but Happy feels like it's appropriate that it's Tia he plans on curling up with.
Pulling back the blankets, Happy is surprised to see the glint of something under the covers in the faint light. He reaches out pulling the glass jar from Tia's limp hand, recoiling when he realizes what he's holding. Happy glances back at the woman in his bed and shakes his head, she's ridiculous. He carefully places the jar, eyeball still floating inside, on the nightstand before stretching out next to her. Tomorrow he's going to have to get her to explain. Tomorrow he's going to have to talk to the club. Tomorrow he's going to have to figure out how to balance everything that's been going on but tonight he's going to forget.
So he slides down the bed and pulls Tia's sleeping form against his body. He stiffens when she makes a soft noise against his chest, evening out his breathing in the hope that she won't wake. He's not ready to talk just yet. There's an image he has to maintain with Tia, walls he keeps in place. He doesn't need her thinking he cares too much and he certainly doesn't want to admit it to himself. Pulling her closer he buries his face in her hair and his whole body reacts when he inhales her familiar scent. He's far too excited that even after everything she still smells of the same spicy citrus perfume. Taking another deep breath he wraps a hand around her thigh and he groans when she turns into his touch without waking up.
She's wearing a silk tank top and panties and for a moment he considers waking her up and demanding she keep quiet while he fucks away his bad day but one more look at her calm face stops him. He has no right to break the only peace she's had in days. Guilt spreads through his chest when he realizes what she must have been dealing with since those fuckers first appeared at the nursing home. It's shit she's been dealing with alone while he's been off supposedly fixing her problems. He tangles his hand in her curls and presses his face into her neck. This hurt is just one more thing Happy will have to deal with tomorrow but for tonight he's got one more moment of escape and he's going to take full advantage of it while he still can.
Tia wakes up alone the next morning but the bed is still warm on the other side and she can clearly see the dent in the pillow from Happy's head. She stretches in the bed wondering why the big man didn't wake her up when he got back the night before. Turning her head she takes in the sight of the glass mason jar Bobby had put Ernie's eye in and Tia's stomach heaves. She barely makes it to the attached bath before she's dry heaving over the toilet, her body rejecting the stress of the last two days in the only physical way it can.
"You all right?" Happy's gravelly voice comes from behind her and Tia turns to look up at the tall biker. He's standing over her with a mug of coffee in one hand and a muffin in the other and the acid smell of the drink has her heaving again. "Fuck." There's a clink of china on tile and then he's kneeling down next to her one big hand gathering up the mess of her hair and Tia ends up leaning back into him on the bathroom floor.
"I'm sorry. I haven't eaten in a day and I woke up and saw that damn eyeball." She slaps a hand over her mouth at the curse and looks up at his dark eyes. "I'm sorry I came here, I didn't mean to cause trouble for you." He shrugs and one big hand starts rubbing circles on her lower back.
"It's not all your trouble anymore. We think those bastards robbed us last night. You need to tell me what happened after I left." Tia nods but she doesn't open her mouth to speak, she doesn't want to explain, she doesn't want to move. She's practically wrapped in his arms on the floor and her head and back are pressed into his chest, it's the comfort she's been wanting for days and she's not ready to give it up just yet. "Come on zorra, let's get you cleaned up first. Then we have to talk." Tia doesn't fight him as he shifts turning on the shower without getting up and the spray of hot water has the small bathroom steaming up in seconds.
Tia stays limp in his arms while Happy tugs at the bottom of her silk camisole, not even lifting her hips to help when he pulls her matching panties down her legs. She hates herself for this weakness but he doesn't seem to mind and his hands are gentle as he pulls them both up. He presses her against the counter and the feel of him fully clothed against her bare body is the dirtiest thing Tia has ever experienced. She hears a drawer open and close and he's pressing a brand new toothbrush into her hand before turning to leave the room. Tia take this as an order and brushes her teeth quickly before climbing into the shower.
She's just settling into the pounding spray of hot water when he returns and she can just make out his naked form through the frosted shower curtain. He climbs into the small space with her and even after everything Tia is ready for what he wants. His hands are rough when they come out for her hips and he pulls her against his slick body without hesitation. She goes up on her toes to offer her lips and Happy takes what's his, pressing his mouth against hers even as his hands pull her closer. She can feel his arousal pinned between their bodies and she arches into him with a gasp when calloused fingers come up to twist at a nipple.
"I've been missing you zorra." It's an odd admission from a man usually so reserved about his feelings and Tia doesn't comment as he presses her back against the cold tile wall. The water is still flowing fast over her body and Tia can't open her eyes all the way under the deluge but she angles her mouth to try and recapture his lips. He chuckles softly, "always so ready for me." His voice is low and Tia just nods a soft noise escaping when he kisses her again his hands sliding down her thighs to lift her, pinning her body.
He doesn't really give any warning before he surges forward into her and Tia grips at his shoulders to help support her weight. It's an odd contrast of sensations; the cold tile at her back, Happy's warm body pressed against her front, the water sliding down between them and his heavy hips slamming between her legs. Tia spares a thought for the lack of protection but he angles up into her with more force and everything but him flees her mind. His lips have stopped moving against hers and he's got his forehead pressed into her neck, she can feel his panting breath against her ear.
"Move you hips Tia." Tia, the only time he calls her by her given name is in the midst of their passion and she can feel her chest swell with the way her name sounds on his lips. His hand tightens on her thigh and she knows she'll have marks to prove his dominance later but for now she moves to comply, shifting her hips away from the wall and pushing forward to meet his thrusts. The new angle creates delicious contact against her clit and Tia groans into his shoulder, her lips pressing into whatever skin she can find. He seems to know she's close and his hips speed up, his hands tightening even further to keep her in place.
When she finally comes undone it's with a loud gasp, her teeth sinking deep into the skin of his shoulder and he grunts through the pain riding out her orgasm with quick tight movements. He doesn't give her time to recover before he speeds back up and Tia feels limp in his arms as pounds her into the tile at her back. He finishes with a growl against the skin of her chest and it's not long before he's lowering her back to the floor to settle on shaking legs. His hands stay in place on her hips and Tia steps forward out of the spray of the shower, finally able to open her eyes. She stares up at his dark irises and tries to figure out what comes next. His eyes are unusually soft as he looks down at her and one hand drifts up to trace the bruising still stark against her neck. He leans forward and for a moment Tia thinks he's actually going to hold her close but instead the water cuts off behind her and he takes a step back.
"You need to eat, don't want those tits disappearing on me." He cups on breast his fingers flicking at nipple for emphasis before he turns to climb out of the shower. Tia follows looking for a towel and she can feel frustration building when she finds he's got the only one already wrapped low around his hips.
"Do you have another towel?" She's standing in the doorway of the bathroom watching as he digs through his dresser for new clothes.
"No." He turns around to take in her still dripping body.
"Why not?" She wraps her arms around herself under the intensity of his gaze.
"Take a look at yourself in a mirror and think real hard about the answer to that question. You're a smart girl, you'll figure it out." She rolls her eyes, daring forward to snatch the towel from his waist; she wraps it around herself and squeezes out her wet hair. Serves him right to end up with puddle on his dirty carpet.
"You're an ass." He laughs at that and she watches as he pulls boxers on before shrugging into a clean t-shirt.
"Yea, and you're getting to be more trouble than that lovely pussy is worth but you don't hear me complaining. Now tell me what happened." He's stepping into jeans now and Tia crosses the room to settle on the edge of the bed trying to comb her fingers through messy curls.
"I feel asleep after you left and when I woke up Ernie was gone with the money I keep under my bed, the prepay you left, and my ID and credit cards." She pauses here letting the still fresh betrayal sink in. Glancing back up to Happy she finds the tall biker standing over her his eyes dark, he nods slowly for her to continue. "I was making coffee when I heard the mail flap sound so I went to check and I found the envelope with the eye in it." He reaches down and tangles his hand in her hair.
"You're sure it's his?" There's an unfamiliar look on his face and Tia glances back at the body part still bobbing morbidly in its glass jar before nodding.
"It's his. Looks just like mine doesn't it." She feels nauseous all over again.
"Okay. I have to talk to the club about what's going on. Get dressed and come out to the main room, Jax will want to talk to you too. Don't get to friendly with the boys." There's a threat in the last part Tia chooses to ignore, she'll get friendly with whomever she pleases.
"Fine." He makes a noise at her tone but just shrugs, pulling on his vest as he moves away from her for the door.
"Don't fuck with me here Tia. I don't have the patience for it." His voice is soft as he leaves the room and Tia sits on the edge of the bed for a long time the last day playing through her mind. Noreen was right; she was going to have to demand her due from Happy. He won't give it any other way.
Reviews are always welcome and thanks for reading.
Coming soon: Happy talks to the boys and Tia takes a stand.