Incandescent

“You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met,” I interrupt, not sure if she understands the honesty of my words. She shakes her head in disagreement, a blaze of indignation burning furiously in her eyes.

“I was so worked up over losing my home and Zane, angry that it was all taken away from me. I didn’t want to think about how lucky I was or how strong I was. People around me in that burn unit were dying, fighting for their lives, and I was complaining about this small section of my body. I was selfish and had no idea about being strong until I met Jesse.”

She turns her body to mine, lifting her leg over mine. “That's how I met Jesse. He was the one to show me what it truly meant to survive. I was feeling sorry for myself and he helped pull me from the darkness,” she admits and it all comes together why Jesse is so protective of her. Even though I hate Jesse had that with her, I know she needed him at that time in her life.

“You survived it Kadence and you’re stronger for it,” I tell her. Hearing her story, knowing what she went through burns something inside of me, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

“I know, but it’s a struggle sometimes. Opening myself up to you is scary, Nix. My insecurities leave me feeling so unworthy. I’ve never let anyone in.” Her voice is quiet with the truth.

“I get that. Believe me I do, but hiding your body from me is something you don’t need to do. I swear it. I look at you and I don’t see what you think. I see you, Kadence, the woman who survived that, and if that doesn’t make me want to know more about you, I don’t know what does.”

She shakes her head, still not getting it. “Don’t tell me that if you could choose between a woman with no scars and me, you would choose this.” She points to her burns.

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me, Kadence? Believe me, there is no one I would chose over you,” I tell her, hoping she can hear the honesty in my words. Fuck, this woman is dangerous to me.

“If you say so, Nix.” She rolls her eyes, not trusting a word of it.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” I ask, concerned she doesn’t.

“Nix,” she says, trying to move her leg off me, but I stop her, holding her to me.

“No, answer me.”

“I’m not ugly,” she laughs, but nothing about this conversation is fu

“Do you know the moment I laid my eyes on you, I felt the wind knock out of me, like someone just gut-punched me. I was pissed that Addison threw the meetin’ on me, concerned for Z, and I walked in, and fuck me, I nearly fuckin’ fell over. I couldn’t even look you in the eye at first. I had to calm myself down, or who knows what I would have said. Then you threw your attitude and set me on fire.”

“Yeah, when I was fully clothed.” She shakes her head still not getting it.

“Then a week later, you stood in front of me baring this.” I touch her burns again. “Not once did I think any differently. If anything at all, it made sense. You feelin’ unworthy is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard. If anythin’, it’s me who is unworthy. You stood there vulnerable, and fuck if that wasn’t beautiful. As much as you hate your scars, I love them, ‘cause they make you, you. The person who stood in front of me, and for the first time ever, let me in. Me. If anyone is unworthy of that, it’s me baby,” I give it to her, letting her see the truth in my words. The first teardrops fall, and for a second, I think I’ve fucked up.

“Don’t cry.” I wipe at her face. Fuck, I have no idea how to deal with tears.

“No one has ever said anything so nice to me before,” she hiccups.

“What, no one?” I ask in disbelief.

“I was going to marry a man who never once said anything as sweet as that.”

“Babe, Zane is all kinds of asshole, I can believe that, but the shit he’s put you in is beyond asshole. He’s a fuckin’ fool for not treasurin’ you. I don’t ever want you to meet with him again,” I tell her, adding that in, hoping she listens. I couldn’t handle her getting hurt once again at his hands.

“Trust me, Nix, I never want to see him again.” She wipes at her face, the tears no longer falling.

"I think it was a setup, him comin' back in town," I say, treading carefully. I don't want to scare her but she needs to know.

"I'll be careful," she promises.

“Good, and next time I see him, he and I are go

“Nix, don’t go and do something stupid. It’s not worth it. He's not worth it,” she pleads, her sad eyes now gone and replaced with concern.

“Oh, it will be worth it, Kadence.” I don’t tell her that I’ve already got the boys looking for him. That asshole is going down. She rolls her eyes at me, another thing I have missed all week. Rolling her back over, I cover her body with mine. The urgency to have her again, to worship her body, and prove to her just how beautiful she is, scars and all, pulls at me. This woman consumes me, and it’s time to show her just how much.

***

Nix: Got held up meet me at the club.

I send the text to Kadence once I realize how late it is. We were meant to be staying in for the night, but after another fuck around with one of T’s shipments, he called a meeting to keep us up to date with their new plan regarding Gu

Kadence: Okay. Be there in ten.

It will be the third time she’s been here, and each time she gets more comfortable. If only I could get her to agree to come clean to Z. I’m sick of hiding this from him. Even though it’s only been three weeks since that night she opened up to me, I feel like we’re slowly getting somewhere.

“What the fuck you smiling about?” Beau asks, kicking at my foot resting out in front of me.

“Not what, who,” Jesse smiles across from him. Beau looks concerned for a moment before hiding it.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I ask, noticing he is the only one who hasn’t taken to her.

“Don’t like that she’s got ties to Gu

“Fuck off. You had a problem with her before that.”

“He’s just pissed she got out under his nose.” Brooks laughs, taking a sip of his beer.

“Fuck you.” He stands and goes to leave.

“Sit the fuck down, you pussy,” I tell him. Ignoring the fact that Brooks is right, Beau has some serious trust issues.

“She knows what we’re about, brother,” I tell him, knowing it will take more than words to get him to trust her. It’s just go

“You staying for the party?” Jesse wiggles his eyebrows up and down. The fucker is crazy. He’s already got a blonde bitch on his knee, no doubt he will have another soon.

“Love to see Kadence’s face when she sees one of those parties,” Beau laughs.

“Fuck off. She’ll deal,” I defend her.

“Deal with what?” she asks, walking in wearing her hot teacher get up.

“Especially wearing her uppity clothes,” Beau keeps going. Her eyes narrow to him, but she doesn’t bite. She knows she pissed him off that day she snuck out.

“Hey, baby.” I pull her down on my lap when she gets close enough.

“Hey,” she sighs, not caring we’re in front of all the guys in the middle of the clubhouse. Yeah, my woman fits right in.

“Hey, guys.” She pulls back and turns her body to face the table.

“How was work?” I ask when they get through their hellos.

“Meh, work is work. Glad the week is over.” She goes to stand from my lap, but I hold her in place.

“Want a drink?”

“Are we staying?”

“Was go

“Okay, yeah, I’ll have a beer,” she smiles, pushing up from my lap.

“Hunter, get my woman a beer,” I yell over to the bar, taking my hands to her waist, and planting her back where she was.