That’s why women’s roles are reserved to vamps or old ladies. Anything else just isn’t needed.
That’s why what Ruby is makes things complicated on so many levels. She’s neither of those things, but she’s more than a civilian. She’s part club but notinthe club. What I did should havemetaking the gavel to the face from every brother here. Most, if not all, see Ruby as their sister in some way. If they were ever attracted to her, they got over it quickly with Law’s decree.
I was the one who fucked shit up. I saw her as annoying at first, not someone I could end up admiring. She was a pain in the ass to me and not someone I wanted to get to know. But slowly, over time, things changed. My allegiance changed. I was no longer protecting her because it was my job; I was protecting her because she became more than a job.
She became what I wanted to come home to. What I needed to feel at peace with. Acceptance in. Before, I didn’t give two shits about anything and anyone. Having the respect of my brothers was enough. Till one day it wasn’t. I needed more. And that came with the need for Ruby to see me as something other than her shadow. As more than just a club brother following her father’s rules. To see that I was my own man. One who she could come to if she needed help. Someone besides her father. Someone to lean on. To trust.
I’ve broken her more times than fixed her. But with each break, I’m building her stronger. Making her see beyond her bubble that was popped. That she’s more than just a president’s daughter. More than just someone attached to the club. That she can be anything.
And I’ll be right beside her the whole way, pushing her to what she wants. Even dragging her if I think she needs it.
“Maybe—” King coughs a bit, as if he’s surprised more than the rest of us that he spoke up. He usually keeps quiet, listening and assessing. He speaks when he needs to, but he’s never the idea man. More the kind to follow up on if things could work with the details he’s provided for manpower on missions. “Maybe we pass on the meeting and tell C8 to take it on. If they want to be buddies with them, that’s their thing. They said we were partners. That they wouldn’t go with our enemy, and we wouldn’t go against theirs. So let them have the ball. See what they do with it. You got your girl. We got our liaison person telling us details. Think she’d lie if C8 decided to switch sides?”
Casper waits a beat, then shakes his head. I would have to agree on that. Billy might be manipulative, but her love for Casper is stronger than I think C8 expected. If they’d lasted undercover another month, I truly think Billy would have flipped sides and turned on C8 just to be with him. She might not have said it, but I think her allegiance has already shifted.
“Let them fuss it out. If we’re really needed, then theybothcome to us. Together. None of this one-on-one, ‘he said, she said’ bullshit.”
“When did you grow a brain?” Bass smirks, and King takes it well with a shake of his head as the others chuckle at his expense.
“About the time we all learned you were more than just a mouth,” he shoots back, gaining even more laughs as Bass’s smile drops.
“Settle.” Casper bangs the gavel twice before we do. “King’s got a point. Who knew?” Another round of smirks, even Bass as he quietly gets over his little tiff. “I’ll talk to Billy and let her know the club’s ruling. We’ll wait till they get back to us on it. Meeting adjourned.” He smacks the gavel hard. “Kooper, stick around. Someone bring in Ruby.”
Most of the boys head out, but Atom sticks around, as well as Bulldog and Flint. Before General gets up, I tag him on the leg, and he leans in.
“Need a tox screen,” I say.
His eyes get wide, but he keeps his voice low, like mine. “Issues?”
I shake my head. “Solo thing. I’ll get with you after this.”
“How long was it in your system?”
“Last night. Felt like shit again this morning. Still do a bit. Might not be a ton, but I’m hoping you can at least get me an idea of what it is.”
He nods. “You know where to find me.” He slaps my back and exits just as Ruby walks through the door.
“You rang, Your Majesty?” The girl even bows a bit, her hands rolling at her sides. Like a freaking court jester being summoned before a king.
“Save the sass and have a seat,” he barks at her. He doesn’t even stand, just folds his arms and leans back in his chair.
Ruby raises an eyebrow. I doubt she expected Casper to ever speak so harshly to her. But things are changing. The sooner she gets that, the better for me.
“Last time I checked, I already had a daddy. And you weren’t looking for a sub.”
Casper’s hands come to the table, and he stands slowly. “Let’s get a few things straight, little girl. You have a dad, not a daddy. A daddy is someone who cares, guides, and even adjusts behavior. Your dad raised you till you could take care of yourself. A daddy sees that, despite your age, you still need a firm hand to guide you into decisions that others would leave you on your own to make. They mold you into the best of what you can become and tan your ass if need be, if not other things. They create a safe, trusting place for someone to grow beyond what they thought without fear of failure or disappointing someone. Unless it goes against a rule, a rule that’s put in place to keep you safe.Youdon’t have a daddy. You might need one, but you don’t. And I am not the caregiving type. I have my own demands and needs, and not one of them can you even attempt to satisfy like my girl does. Now sit the fuck down and shut your mouth if you know what’s good for you.”
It’s either the sass from Ruby getting to him or the fact that his relationship got called into play twice within the hour that sets off Casper. He ain’t wrong, though. On any count.
With a huff and a puff, she sits. At the opposite end of the table. The door ain’t closed, so this isn’t an officialmeeting. If it were, she wouldn’t be here. We don’t let women in Church—well, not usually. Fairy was invited in once because of her entanglement. And the Crazy Eights meet with Casper and the boys in here, but that’s just because it’s the biggest room and has wheelchair access for Charles, their leader.
“Want to tell me what happened yesterday?” Casper’s still standing as he asks. Bulldog, Flint, and I are still in our seats, and Atom is holding up a wall close to the back by Ruby.
She shakes her head, glancing at me and then at the table. For a second, my heart stops beating, and I hold my breath. I look at the boys, then the boss. No one is looking at me, just at her.
They can’t know. They can’t possibly be asking about what went down between us. I’ve made sure that nothing we did was caught on camera. I’m the only one with cameras in her place, and they’re only at the front door and by her sliding back door to the tiny balcony. If cameras saw me, all they would have seen is me coming and leaving. Nothing else. And me sleeping on the couch ain’t a hard concept to understand. I’ve got no doubt that no one in their right mind would think I was in her bed, letting her fuck me all night long before I took over and did the same to her.
“Why not just check the feeds? I know you have cameras at the hospital.”
