Under Opposite Skies

Chapter 12

Aiden lay on top of Harper, still between her legs, both catching their breath after the moment of shared passion.

With a soft smile, he rested his forehead against hers and gazed at her with tenderness as he gently caressed her face.

"How do you feel?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern and affection.

Harper looked into his eyes, without a trace of doubt, and answered with a smile that seemed to glow in the intimacy of the moment.

"Aiden... not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined a better first time than this. It couldn't have been with anyone but you."

Harper's words moved him more than he expected. Aiden hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead, and for a moment, he stayed like that, feeling an absolute connection between them.

Aiden sighed deeply, letting his muscles relax completely. The silence that filled the room was comfortable, only broken by the soft sound of their breathing and the gentle touch of Harper's fingers tracing Aiden's skin. Cuddled at his side, Harper let her hands trace the contours of his body, slowly exploring the tense muscles that gradually relaxed under her touch. Her fingers curiously slid over the tattoos that covered his skin, discovering the intricate and detailed lines that formed the large skull on his back, which extended up his shoulder and down his arm as if it were a living part of him. Harper paused to admire the art, dark and detailed, fascinated by the depth of the design and the way it seemed to move with every small gesture Aiden made.

"It's incredible," Harper whispered, as if speaking louder would break the stillness of the moment. "I've never seen a tattoo like this... it looks so real, as if it were alive..."

Aiden smiled slightly, feeling the soft trace of Harper's fingers on his skin. He turned his head slightly to look at her, letting his lips form a smile before he spoke.

"It's an Iron Fangs mark," he replied in a low but clear voice. "The skull is a symbol of loyalty to the club. Not everyone gets such a big tattoo... but we all carry some kind of skull on our bodies. It's part of who we are."

Harper nodded, letting her fingers continue their journey, down his arm to where the tattoo extended into a snake with large fangs. The tattoo was done impeccably, but there was something more behind it, something she felt she needed to understand.

"And why such a big one?" she asked curiously, her gaze never leaving the tattoo. "Does it have a special meaning for you?"

Aiden remained silent for a moment, his face becoming more serious. He took a deep breath before answering, as if the words he was about to say carried a deeper weight than they appeared to at first glance.

"When I joined the Iron Fangs," Aiden began, "it wasn't just because of tradition or following my father. It was because I needed a family, a place to belong. After my mother died when I was so young, that need stayed with me. The club was like home for me. Since I was a kid, my father took me there almost every day. I grew up around them, and the skulls we carry aren't just symbols of belonging. For me, this tattoo represents the family I found, the security the club gave me when I needed it."

Harper looked at him attentively.

"And do you still want to be part of that?" she asked softly. "Doesn't it weigh on you, everything that comes with it?"

Aiden looked directly into her eyes, and for a moment, Harper saw something vulnerable in his gaze.

"Sometimes it does. Sometimes I feel like it ties me down, like I can't walk away," he confessed. "But it's all I've ever known. And in a way, it's who I am."