Page 89 of Until Joy

The call ended a few minutes later, and the room erupted in conversation as the men discussed logistics and security. I sat in the recliner, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

One by one, the Mayson brothers and Graham's MC family said their goodbyes and left, until it was just Graham and me alone in his living room.

“Your brothers are going to kill me,” he said, sinking down onto the arm of the recliner.

“Probably.” I leaned against his side. “But my dad likes you, so that's something.”

“Small mercies.” He threaded his fingers through my hair. “How are you feeling about all this?”

“Like I want to run away and hide.” I looked up at him. “Did you really ask my dad for permission to court me?”

His cheeks flushed slightly. “Old fashioned, I know.”

He kissed me then, soft and sweet and full of promise.

When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against his. “Take me for a ride.”

“What?”

“On your bike. I need to feel the wind and freedom. I want to forget about everything for a while.”

Graham studied my face, then nodded. “Let me get you a helmet.”

Twenty minutes later, I was wrapped around Graham's back as his Harley roared to life beneath us. The vibration of the engine, the power between my legs, and the solid warmth of the man in front of me combined to chase away every worry in my head.

We rode through the Tennessee hills and for the first time in days, I felt truly free.

Whatever was coming, whatever my stalker had planned, whatever chaos my brothers would bring, I could handle it.

As long as I had Graham.

Chapter 23

The rumble of my Harley beneath us and Joy's arms wrapped tight around my waist should have been enough to chase away every worry in my head. Should have been. Instead, my mind kept circling back to that video call.

Joy's brothers were going to be a problem.

Seth's face when he'd called me “the biker” had been pure venom. Randy hadn't been much better. Even with their father's approval, those two were coming here loaded for bear and ready to tear me apart. I got it. Hell, I respected it. But that didn't mean I was looking forward to it.

The bigger issue was where the hell they were going to stay when they got here. Not at my place. No fucking way. I smirked. Not that there was a spot for them to stay, unless they wanted to sleep on the floor in one of the guest bedrooms. And even if they did, there was no way I’d let them. Not when Joy was sharing my bed every night. The thought of having her brothers under the same roof while I was making love to their sister made my stomach clench and my dick shrivel.

Maybe a hotel. Yeah, that was the smart play. I'd book them rooms somewhere nice, somewhere with enough distance that I wouldn't have to worry about Seth taking a swing at me over breakfast.

Joy's grip tightened around my waist as I leaned into a curve, her body moving with mine like she'd been riding with me for years instead of weeks. The trust in that simple gesture hit me square in the chest. This woman had been through hell, had every reason to be afraid, and yet she held onto me without hesitation.

I knew a place about ten miles out of town where we could watch the sunset. A little overlook that most tourists never found, tucked away on a winding road that led to nowhere important. Right now, that sounded perfect. Joy needed peace, and God knew I could use some, too.

The sun was already starting its descent when I pulled off the main road onto the gravel path that led to the grassy overlook that was secluded by a grove of maple trees. Joy lifted her head from my shoulder, looking around as I killed the engine.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere quiet.” I swung my leg over the bike and helped her down. “Thought you might want to see the sunset without worrying about stalkers or overprotective brothers for a few minutes.”

The overlook was nothing fancy. But the view stretched for miles across the Tennessee hills, all rolling green and dotted with farmhouses and winding creeks that caught the late afternoon light.

Joy walked close to the edge as I watched her every step, her long blonde hair catching the breeze. When she turned back to me, her expression was heavy with guilt.

“Graham, I'm so sorry about Seth and Randy. They were awful to you.”