Tears stung the back of my throat, and I fanned my face. “Don’t say nice shit to me. It always makes me cry.”
She laughed. “It’s no wonder Donovan adores you, Rosie. You’re perfect for him?—”
“Ash,” a deep raspy voice cut in. “A word.”
Silence fell over the table.
I looked up to see Pagan standing beside us. His eyes were fixated on Ash, and he looked highly uncomfortable.
“There’s nothing I’ve got to say to you,” she clipped out.
My head cocked to one side, and I studied Pagan.
Maybe I didn’t see it earlier because it was getting dark and he was standing too far away, but close up, I could see the dark shadows under his eyes and the stress lines settling around his mouth. His stubble was overlong and he looked like he hadn’t slept for a week.
Pagan may have been an asshole, but he was an asshole with a sliver of integrity at least. In my experience, the only reason a man lost sleep was because his conscience came knocking.
He had some balls for even daring to approach, especially since I’d witnessed a barrage of sketchy looks and attitude thrown his way since I’d sat down, and not just from Aislynn and the girls, but also from the bar where Donovan, Callum, and Atlas stood.
“You can’t ghost me forever,” he told her, his voice husky.
Ash’s reply was icy. “I’m not ghosting you. I’ve told you it’s over and that I don’t want anything to do with you. What part of leave me alone don’t you understand?”
Tristan whispered, “Our girl’s got some moxie.”
I nudged him to shut him up, not wanting to miss any of the Ash and Pagan show.
“You owe me a conversation at least,” Pagan insisted.
“I don’t owe you shit,” Ash retorted. “Especially after I walked into your clubhouse and caught Saskia the slut’s mouth wrapped around your overused, whore dick.”
The music lowered, and necks began to crane. Murmurs swept through the room, and I saw Cash materialize from the shadows.
Pagan leaned toward Ash and rumbled, “We weren’t exclusive. We’d been on a few dates. What’s the big deal?”
“If it meant so little to you, why can’t you leave me alone?” Ash demanded.
I sat straighter as I caught Donovan and Callum approaching, with Atlas and Breaker following closely. Cash joined them, and they stopped a few feet behind Pagan, ready to intervene.
“I never said that,” Pagan argued. His voice was measured, but there was no mistaking his underlying rage.
Ash’s voice softened as if she was resigning herself to what she was about to say. “We’d been out, and we had a great time. You said you needed to get back to the clubhouse because you had an early run. You didn’t even wait for me to drive out of the goddamned parking lot before she got on her knees for you.”
I squeezed Aislynn’s fingers gently.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I just want you to hear me out, baby?—”
“My sister’s asked you to leave her alone,” Callum called over. “Back off.”
Pagan craned his neck, his fists balling when he saw the small army of men standing sentry.
“Bet you’re enjoying this,” he snarled.
“I don’t enjoy seeing my sister upset,” Callum bit out. “But it seems to me you don’t give a fuck about hurting her because if you did, you’d show her some respect. Now, she’s asked you to back off. Do as she asks, or we’ll slap a restraining order on your ass.”
“You think that’ll stop me?” Pagan jeered. “Iownthe law.”
“That’s not quite true, brother,” Atlas argued. “Maybe you’ve got connections in Rock Springs, but here in Hambleton, the law’s owned by our mayor, who also happens to be a former Speed Demon. You’ve got no reach, at least not around these parts.”
