Reign (Riders of Apollo #1)

Chapter 34: Roman Hayes

It feels like it's been years. 

Almost everyone is up now and Lexie is expertly ignoring the large majority of us and keeps turning up the TV when Bear tries to talk to her so we've left her be. She's in her room while we're out in the lounge, a few men have moved to the training room to play with some weapons and fight each other, others have taken to the pool while the rest of us sit and watch something stupid on the TV.

The front door opens and I perk up, hoping it's Peyton. I sigh in relief when her gorgeous form enters and make my way over to her. My breath catches in my chest at my first glance, she looks different today and it is perfect. 

She looks fucking adorable with a side of hot and completely edible. 

I can feel myself salivating.

"Hi baby." Her face spreads into the biggest smile and she grabs me in a hug.

"Where's my jacket?" She demands as soon as she releases me, she greets everyone else as I grab her her jacket but just as I'm about to sit down and bring my woman into my lap, Lexie emerges from her cave and pulls her away. "Nope, nope, nope." Peyton reappears seconds later, diving into my lap as if I'm going to protect her from an angry Lexie.

Lexie growls, like literally growls and it's like a lightbulb appears over Peyton's head and at this point I really wish I could read minds. "Oh damn." She laughs softly with an excited smile.

"Where's Runner?" Rubble asks as he comes into the room, having spotted Peyton on my lap. Romeo looks up at the mention of his best friend and seems a little puzzled.

"Oh, he went home with some girl last night." A weird expression passes over Romeo's face before he steps out of the room. Peyton notices and opens her mouth to say something, wincing seconds later. What is going on inside that head? "Insensitive asshole." She mumbles at herself and I pinch her sides, not appreciating her self-deprecating remark. She is the furthest thing from insensitive, if anything she cares so much its gonna get her killed. "So, what's happened to Lexie? Why's she acting all mental?"

"I told her to stay in our room while we went on the gun run since there was nobody here to protect her so she threw a tantrum and now refuses to talk to any of us except you." Bear's anger is evident in his tone.

"Does she do that a lot?"

"Well no, she shouts quite a bit but she's never had a proper tantrum to the extent that she did last night." I can feel the cogs turning in Bear's head as Peyton tries to force an explanation into him, what does she know that we don't?

"Oh my God, men are so fucking stupid I swear. Go into that bloody room and deal with it, now! She has a reason, listen to it." Bear looks absolutely scandalised at the demand but listens, staggering slightly at the briskness of her tone.

We find it funny that our Prez just followed an order from a newly patched woman without complaint. "I don't think you're stupid by the way, honey." She says to me, tapping her nose on mine with a small smile.

"Not yet anyway, just wait." Rubble chips in which makes her laugh, her head is thrown back and she takes my breath away. 

She's just so bright and all-encompassing, exceptional is the word I would use. Perfect is another.

God, I am whipped and I am perfectly okay with that.

"Don't be mean, Rubble." She flicks him on the head before melting back against me, I savour her warmth, squeezing her waist and burying my head in her neck. She runs her hands through my hair as she happily chats with our brothers, I drift off to sleep without even meaning to.

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"Baby, wake up." I'm roused awake by Peyton with her soft hands on my face and fluttering lips on mine. "Let's go home, you can sleep there."

As fatigue has its claws so deep, I don't even consider the fact that she called her house my home. I just take her hand and follow her out to the car, she has a bag of stuff in her hand which I assume is mine and I love her for everything she does for me without even thinking about it.

I take my clothes off and slide back into the bed that I hastily left this morning, deciding it's much comfier now knowing that Peyton will be in it with me. I feel her before I see her, her warmth pressed against my side and her chin rested on my chest, looking up at me.

"I love you, baby." I mumble softly, pulling her closer to me. Through my bleary eyes, I can see her leaning up with a small smile on her face. Her lips brush against mine featherlight and I let her torture me, knowing she likes some control considering it's normally me that is in charge in the bedroom.

"I love you." She whispers back. A deep kiss and a soft giggle later, Peyton is back at my side and I roll over to spoon her into me.

Just as the bliss of sleep washes over me, a random phone rings. It's not mine and Peyton's doesn't sound like that either. It's not even a second before Peyton is ripped from my arms and diving into her closet. "Hello? Marielle? What's happening?"

I hear fumbling and a soft swear. "Shit Mari, get Gemma and pack your stuff. I'm coming to get you right now... Don't fucking argue with me, I gave you this phone for emergencies, this is an emergency... I will break his fucking knee caps and his goddamn nose... I should've killed him ages ago..." A few more seconds of fumbling while I watch completely dumbfounded by her. "Are you safe?... I'm on my way."

She hangs up the phone and slips her shoes back on, I swear I hardly ever get a minute alone with my woman. Whenever I do we get called into church or rivals get in the way. "I have to go, love. I'll be back as soon as possible, get some sleep." She kisses my cheek and disappears from the room.

There goes that idea.