Skyla’s POV

Standing between an irate killing machine and Goose, I’ll add that to the list of things I didn't forsee happening today.

I’d enjoyed myself on our date more than I had expected to, and he’s successfully kept my mind of Xavier.

“Aren’t you done, devil?” I scold Diablo, silently hoping he’s not destroyed Goose’s room while left unsupervised. He’s not usually destructive but neither of us are in our comfort zones right now.

The sound of my voice snaps him out of it, and suddenly he’s a giant tail-wagging idiot jumping up to lick my face. His weight knocks me backwards, but Goose steps in quickly to keep me from falling.

“What the fuck?” Goose mumbles, but I can’t tell if he’s angry or just in shock.

“I’m so sorry,” I quickly apologize. “Apparently Eloise was having a hard time with him. I had only just read this message that she’d left him in your room.”

“Woah, slow down. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I mean, that was amazing. I figured you were a badass before but that was… damn.” He emphasizes the last word with a grunt that makes me laugh.

“He’s just throwing a tantrum after being left behind, and I’m sure he’s hungry.” I drag Diablo out of the doorway, trying to keep his focus on me.

Goose waves us in, setting my duffel bag on a small coffee table. I dig out Diablo’s stuff first, with a full belly he should be in a much better mood.

With the risk of a bite incident past us I take a second to look around. Goose’s room looks just like the one Xavier had shown me to last weekend, except clean. Like, really clean. Goose is sitting on the sofa just content to watch Diablo eat. After another glance around the room I step in front of him.

“It’s too clean in here.” My remark makes him shrug.

He reaches up placing his hands on my hips before slowly pulling me forward. I don’t fight it, placing a knee on each side and scooting forward until I’m straddling his lap. He squeezes my hips gently before looking around the room. “I’m only in here to sleep or shower, most of my life is spent behind the bar.”

“That’s a shame. Can’t think of anything else you’d want to do in here?”

He smirks, “I did promise to make you scream my name earlier, didn’t I?”

“You know, I think you did.”

He captures my face in his hands a pulls me closer. When our lips meet it’s hard and fast. His hands return to my hips, rocking me over his growing erection. I gasp, this is fast, and he takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

As we fight to be in control, tasting and breathing each other in, I wrap my arms around his neck and tug at the short hairs on his head. The heady groan he makes encourages me to pull harder.

Breathless and overwhelmed, I pull away first. Goose catches my braid in one hand and pulls it tight, forcing me to look up at the ceiling. He leaves a trail of kisses down my throat to my collarbone before whispering “We should stop.”

My back straightens, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. Did I read this all wrong?”

“Stop saying sorry.” He kisses my shoulder, “I’m just trying really fucking hard to be a gentleman right now, and as much as I want to toss you on the bed right now and fuck you senseless… I want to get to know you more.”

He pulls me in for one last kiss, this one slow and passionate, before he helps me off the couch and stands up in front of me. I can’t help glancing at the very obvious bulge in his pants before I look up at him. His expression is soft and the way he’s looking at me makes me swallow back something I’m not ready to name yet. 

His usual playfulness and swagger returns an instant later. “Besides, I can’t claim you belong to me if I don’t go show you off all night, now can I?”

“No, I don’t suppose you can. Can we walk Diablo first? Is it okay if he stays in here while you parade me around like a prize?”

“Oh I’ve definitely won tonight.” He says, nodding for me to follow. “You don’t have to ask if he can stay, beautiful. You’re both welcome to take up space in my life as long as you want.”

Goose leads us out to a yard that seems to be attached to a fenced car shop. Diablo takes off into the darkness as I stand under the only light by the door. The sound of giant paws running and kicking up gravel can only mean he’s having a blast out there.

I get distracted by how many stars are out tonight, the late spring night is cloud free and has just the right amount of chill in the air. Diablo comes rushing back, stopping just short of mowing me down and proudly showing off the football he’d found.

“What on Earth, Diablo? It’s too dark to play ball.” I laugh. He drops the ball at my feet, barking and spinning around to coax me into playing. “Fine, just a few throws but only because you were left behind earlier.”

Throwing the ball as hard as I can into the darkness; Diablo takes off after it. After a few throws I’m ready to call it. Thankfully Diablo gets distracted by something else along the fence and he growls at something off in the tree line.

“You’re on my team, next game.” Goose speaks up behind us, still leaning against the building smashing his cigarette butt with his shoe. “Though that would mean I won’t get the chance to tackle you.”

“Excuse me mister gentleman, but you had your chance.” I sass.

With Diablo put away in Goose’s room I find myself in awe of the sheer number of bodies packed into the bar. The fire marshal would be having a field day. Goose disappears for a minute only to return with drinks. He sips his beer and hands me a mixed drink.

“Blonde tequila, lime juice, and coke with a salted rim.” He winks.

Trusting him enough to take a sip, my eyes must show my surprise because he laughs. “Oh, this is good. Thank you.”

“You play pool or wanna dance?”

“Let’s not ruin a pool table tonight, I’m terrible at it. But I am ready to see if you’ve got any moves.” I tease, poking his abs.

“That’s fine, I was just looking for an excuse to hold you close again.” He readily admits.

On one side of the massive room the floor has been cleared of tables and is now covered with bodies dancing, groping, grinding. The music is dark and heavy like the atmosphere, but the beat is perfect for pushing people closer and over the edge. He chugs the rest of his beer then drops the bottle into a 20 gallon trashcan already full to the brim. 

“Now let’s show them all you belong here.”

“In general… or with you?” I yell over the music.

“Both.” His eyes holding a possessiveness as he hauls me in close.

The next hour or so is just spent dancing and chatting. My back to his chest, arms wrapped up around his neck, our bodies moving together to the music. Everything feels so easy with Goose, though I soon find myself distracted by the scene in the corner.

At a not so far off table sits Xavier, beer in hand and the blonde named Sam on his lap. She doesn’t pay us any attention, just carrying on the conversation she’s having with the man across the table. But he and I have made eye contact. I don’t understand how he can look so angry, while holding her.

“Ignore him, beautiful. Right now you’re mine.” Goose whispers against my ear, turning me around to face him again.

By the end of the song we find ourselves away from the crowd, Goose is leaning back against the wall and I’m tucked beneath one of his strong arms. He introduces me to the few men that he’s been talking to though I can say for certain I will never remember their names by morning.

“I didn’t even know you could function on this side of the bar, Goose.” Sam says, inserting herself in the conversation. Her comment earns more than a few laughs and comments that agree.

“Just needed a worthwhile reason to be out here.” He replies, taking all their jokes in stride.

“And she’s it? She’s not even one of us.” Her eyes access everything from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. 

“She’s it.” His very matter of fact answer leaves no room for argument but as if he needs to prove his point Goose leans down covering my lips with his. I don’t need any convincing, stretching up on my toes to kiss him back.

There’s a chorus of whistling and catcalls, and I’m sure my face is beet red when he pulls back to look at me. He looks down at my lips, but before he can lean in again a hand on my arm rips me from his grasp.

“What the fuck was that?” Xavier seethes.

“Gauge.” He’s warned.

“I wasn’t fucking talking to you, Goose!” He shoves Goose’s chest with one hand and yanks me behind him with another. The murmur of conversations around us diminishes.

“Hey!” I protest, trying to pull out of his grasp but Xavier turns around to face me. Pulling me closer by raising my arm high. “What is your problem?”

“You think he fucking cares? That he even likes you?” He snarls, and as much as it tempts me to look over at Goose for any kind of reassurance I don’t.

“With the way you’re behaving, I’m not convinced you even like me.” I snap back, trying my best to wrench my arm free. “Let go, Xavier!”

I can smell the alcohol on his breath, but he doesn’t seem drunk. He just seems pissed off. Xavier would never lay a hand on me though, right?

“You shouldn’t even be here.” He says, towering over me.

“Yeah? Whose fault is that?” I yell, the nerve of this man!

His lip curls like he wants to argue, instead of saying anything he stalks off towards the front door. I’m pulled along behind him, my heeled boots giving me no traction to fight back with. Thankfully Goose isn’t too far behind.

Somehow making his way around us, Goose blocks the door and prevents Xavier from taking me outside. Xavier proceeds to cuss him out, reminding Goose that he’s the reason I ever showed up here in the first place… as well as a bunch of underhanded comments that I don’t really understand.

“You’re only doing this because of her…” Xavier’s grip on my arm tightens.

“Using Skyla for some sort of revenge…” 

Despite how tightly his jaw is clenched, Goose maneuvers me behind him so carefully. Now standing between Xavier and I, my arm outstretched because he refuses to free me. 

In a tone so calm it’s scary Goose’s demand is simple. “Let her go, now.”

“Oh, fuck you and this bullshit act of yours. You don’t care!” Xavier tries pulling me to him again, but Goose clamps a hand down on Xavier’s forearm.

“I do care and you’re hurting her, Gauge. Now unhand my girl or I’ll break your fucking arm.” His knuckles pale as he squeezes in warning.

Xavier looks down at his hand around my wrist, slowly letting go. Goose lets him pull away and Xavier shoves his hands in his jean pockets. 

Goose looks down at me for just a second and I’m not sure he likes what he sees because in the next moment, he’s a rearing back catching Xavier’s jaw with a right hook. 

It takes us all by surprise, because one minute Xavier is on his feet and the next minute his ass is on the floor. Men from all over jump in to keep the two separated, but Goose isn’t having it.

“You better go sleep off whatever the fuck this is. Consider that your ONLY warning.” He leans forward, just daring Xavier to swing back. “Treat her like that again and even your daddy won’t be able to save you.”

Then, just like nothing happened, Goose wraps an arm around my waist and leads me out of the front door of the bar and over to bench along the side of the building. He gestures for me to sit down before crouching to inspect my wrist. It’s red with clearly defined fingerprints, definitely going to bruise. With a sigh he rubs his thumb over the mark in small, soothing circles. 

“Talk to me, Skyla. You okay?” He asks softly.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I manage, though I’m honestly anything but.

“Liar.” He smiles up at me before dropping his gaze to the ground. “I am so fucking sorry he hurt you, I got distracted. I- fuck, I never saw him coming.”

I open my mouth to say it’s not my arm that hurts, it was the way Xavier had been behaving but before I can get a word out Goose carefully cradles my arm, pulling my wrist up to his lips as if he can kiss away any pain. His expression is out of genuine worry and regret. 

“Thank you Andrew.” 

“For what? You got hurt.” He huffs, and moves to sit next to me on the bench.

I lift his arm and put it over my shoulder, scooting in closer and leaning against him. “For everything. Dinner. The movie. Dancing. You punched a Mathis in the face… for me. I thought I was the only one with the balls to stand up to that family.”

Goose laughs, finally relaxing. “You’re definitely the only one with the balls to point a gun at Ripper and I guess on some fucked up plus side you should definitely pass as mine now.”

By the time we make it back to his room, Diablo barely looks up from his spot on the couch, clearly having made himself at home. Suddenly feeling exhausted from such a long day I kick off my boots, and remove my bra from under my dress just as Goose takes a seat in the recliner across the room.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“Going to sleep, aren’t you tired?”

“Come to the bed.”

“Can’t, I’m a gentleman remember? The lady should have the bed all to herself.” 

I take his hand in both of mine, playfully pulling like I have any chance of moving him at all. “Just come to bed, hold me. I’m too tired for anything else.”

Goose smiles, but complies. Taking off his T-shirt first, and then his jeans hit the floor and… holy hell, those tattoos cover at least 90% of him. 

He pulls back the blankets and we climb into bed. He lays on his back and I tuck myself into the crook of his arm with my head on his warm chest. He wraps his arm around me to hold me closer, I’m easily asleep in seconds to the sound of his heartbeat.