Chapter 13
I was very worried about Nora when I heard that she was visiting Alice. I feared that she was afraid of what happened that morning, but I never imagined that she would tell me that she wanted to fuck. I couldn't stop myself from laughing no matter how hard I tried. The topic was serious, and I wasn't laughing at her desire to be intimate, just at the way she said it.
Nora was clearly unaware of what this would mean for her. The physical attraction was mutual, but I didn't have the same trauma as her. I was afraid that she would regret it if she was too hasty, so I immediately said we would do everything step by step. If I just wanted sex, I could have gotten it from one of the club rotters, but since Nora is here, nothing attracts me except her. I'm not an immature boy who just wants to have sex quickly or only thinks about it. Nora's well-being was important to me, and everything should come at the right time.
"Doc told me he made an appointment for you with Dr. Owen... The therapist has worked with us many times and does her job very well. You will meet her today," I said to Nora as we lay on the couch, and she was still ashamed of her words.
"I have to tell it all again?" she asked me.
"I don't know what you want to tell, but the more she knows, the better she can help," I explained to her.
"She'll be here in a few hours. I think it's important that you take care of your mental pain first before I take care of your physical pain," I said to her, and she laughed.
"I'm sorry for randomly saying that I..." she said, and I laughed again.
"Oh baby, you have no idea how much I want it... But like I said, step by step," I told her.
I held her in my arms and touched her tenderly, my fingers played with her dark brown long hair, and she touched my chest. I looked down at her and watched her face as she smiled, and she really liked our closeness. We stayed like this for hours, and when Dr. Owen came, I was sitting in front of the house as she talked to Nora. She came into the safe house and wanted to talk to Nora in her new surroundings, which now meant security for her.
King came with Ivy, and the two of them waved me over to them to accompany them to the bar. "So..." Ivy said, looking from King to me.
"So what?" I asked her.
"Are you planning on making the girl your 'Ol Lady?" she asked me, and King laughed.
"I do... it's all just very complicated," I said sadly.
"Sure, it is, but if you're serious then you have to show her," Ivy said as we walked down the street.
"I'm trying," I replied.
"King gave me his house to live in... Ace, the girl needs to get her life back together. Work... a home," she said.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her.
"She wants to say that everything has now been set in motion. Soon she will give her testimony in court when the evidence is all secured, and then Duke would have to find her a home so that the safe house is free again," said King, and I looked at him. "We're not throwing her out, brother... that's just the procedure. She can't live there forever. You know that," he added.
"I know... I've been thinking about it too. My parents' house..." I said, and King looked at Ivy.
"The big one at the end of the street in the side alley?" She asked, and I nodded.
"You've got a lot of work to do, Ace," King said to me.
"I know... but if she wants she can stay here. I would love it," I replied.
"I can give you all the prospects to help. The others I have to split up to hold the position as long as necessary," King added.
"If she doesn't want to stay, then that won't be necessary. I'll talk to her first," I said.
"Don't stay here? Ace, she has no one! Here she has found friends, a family... you. We just need to bring her back to life. She needs a job to keep her busy and a routine," Ivy said.
"Maybe it's too early?" I asked.
"Nonsense, I talked to Jane and she told me exactly that. Jane is in therapy and feels very good. These are the words of her therapist. I think Nora will now hear the same thing from Dr. Owen," Ivy said, smiling at me.
"You're just afraid that you'll hurt her or that she won't be ready to return to normal life. But the longer she holds back, the harder it will be for her to get back into everyday life. You know this from other victims too! Only this time you and Nora are much more than just a resident protecting her and the victim," King explained.
I knew he was right about everything. She will soon be offered a new home as soon as she gives her statement, and I will never see her again.
After I talked to King and Ivy, they went into the bar, and I picked up the bracelet from Erin that I asked her for. I had a similar conversation with her and Void too, and even Duke and Storm talked to me about it. Everyone liked Nora and knew how attached I was to her.
"Can you imagine never seeing her again?" Duke asked me, and he knew the answer even without me answering him.
Storm and Duke knew me best, since I was little, I was always the one who talked about family, and they knew that I never wanted a girl just for sex. My feelings for Nora wouldn't go away if she left, and I knew that too. When Dr. Owen came out of the house after a long session, I saw that Nora accompanied her to the car to say goodbye. She hugged the doctor and smiled at me.
"How are you doing?" I asked her as we watched Dr. Owen drive away.
"Exhausting... lots of tears. She is very nice and understanding. As if I had known her for a long time, she gave me a feeling of security. I will need a lot of therapy. That was just the beginning. But she promised to help me," said Nora happily.
"I'm very happy for you, Nora," I said to her.
"What's wrong, Ace?" She asked as she looked at me and noticed that something was bothering me.
"It's just... you'll be leaving soon," I said sadly as we walked into the house.
"Oh... right," she said, looking thoughtful.
"Nora... I... I know that I shouldn't stop you and shouldn't influence your decision. But... Have you perhaps thought about staying here, with me?" I asked her, and she smiled at me.
"Are you asking me if I'm staying here?" she asked.
"No," I replied, and her smile disappeared. "I'm asking you if you want to be my 'Ol Lady and stay with me," I added.
Nora looked at me, and a magical smile appeared on her face. "You want me to stay?" she asked. "Nora, I didn't ask you to be my girlfriend just so you could move away, and I'd never see you again. I want you. I want a life with you. So what do you say?" I asked her.
She nodded and hugged me. "I want... I want to stay with you," she said happily.
I hugged her and breathed in her scent. My girl, she is my girl! I put the bracelet on her and explained what it was, but she already knew about it.
"I told everyone that I was going to ask you to stay here... So what do you think, are you ready to go to the bar so we can announce it?" I asked her, and she nodded smiling.
We walked to the bar, and she took a deep breath before the entrance. I held her hand and looked at her as she nodded at me, and I opened the door. Everyone sat together as usual and looked at us as we walked in. Nora held my hand a little tighter, and I looked down at her to encourage her. If someone is in the Savehouse, the community won't be open to others, and that's why everyone mostly sat in the bar to hang out. That evening, too, it was clearly full with all my brothers, the 'Ol Ladies, and many of the original members. Nora held my hand tight, and I was so proud of her that she didn't panic with all these people.
"So Ace, do you want to tell us something?" Duke exclaimed, looking at me expectantly.
"Nora has accepted my proposal. She will stay here with me as my 'Ol Lady," I said, and Duke grinned proudly.
The boys cheered, and Nora jumped a little, only to laugh. Alice and Ivy came over to congratulate Nora, and the boys pulled me over to their table to toast.
"Another one bites the dust!" Duke shouted, laughing and raising his glass while clinking with Gears. King laughed at him and shook his head.
"You should be quiet if Ivy hears you she'll kick your ass," Storm said, laughing, and Ink and Wrath joined him.
"I'm very happy for both of you. You're doing her very good Ace, and I'm happy for both of you," Doc said as I sat down next to him, and Void congratulated me too.
King was very happy for me; he knew if things had gone differently, nothing would be able to save me from my darkness. I wasn't a man who fell in love often, in truth, I had never really been in love until I met Nora. I looked at her as she sat with the women; even mom and dad joined in and were quite surprised at our announcement.
"You're repairing your parents' house?" John asked, and I nodded. "Your parents would be damn proud of you. Like I am," he added.
I looked at John, who was looking at me proudly, and hugged him. "Ok, enough with the emotions, let's get shitfaced!" Duke shouted, and everyone cheered.
I went to Nora to see if she was okay, but she was talking to the women and laughing happily. When she saw me, she came to me, and I hugged her.
"Are you OK?" I asked her, and she nodded.
"I'll always be okay with you," she answered, and I was so proud of her. She will definitely be; I'll do everything to make sure it's always more than okay.