He flattened his lips, nodding. “Yeah, she probably does. You willing to let her go and let another man give her that?”
Wraith clenched his jaw and remained silent. The thought of Cleo with someone else sent fire through his veins.She’s mine.
“I didn’t think so. Look, she deserves a man who will lay his own life down to spare her own. Someone who’s gonna love her crazy ass unconditionally. A club where she doesn’t feel like an outsider or a debt. That’s you, and that’s Killcreek.” Ace smiled. “And on occasion buy her some fucking flowers. It ain’t that deep, brother.”
Wraith snorted, shaking his head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Yeah, it is. And I’m gonna answer that question in your head that you refuse to ask yourself.” Ace stood. “You deserve her, Wraith.”
Ace walked out the door, but Wraith remained in the roommulling over their conversation. Ace didn’t know everything about Cleo. It would be hard for anyone who didn’t have her whole story to fully understand why he’d taken his time with Cleo. She’d been through more than most people would ever see in their lives. He expected to figure out the right approach, possibly soften his hard exterior and black heart. Years later, and it still hadn’t happened.
Wraith left the room and went in search of Cleo. There were two prospects at the end of the hall who quickly made a path for him.Smart fucking move. He scanned the room. The fight didn’t do anything to slow down the party. It never did. Fist fights and brawls were usually par for the course at a Killcreek party. Though it usually didn’t involve brothers. If they wanted to take out their grievances physically, they did it in the ring with the whole club watching.
He was halfway across the room when a woman stepped in front of him. He’d seen her before but couldn’t place her face. Not that it mattered.
“What?”
“I was thinking…” She reached out, draping her hand over his chest. He grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t fucking touch me.”
She pulled her hand away, dropping her arm to her side. “Okay. I just thought we could hang out. Maybe in your room?”
“I don’t hang out. I fuck.”
The corner of her mouth curled.
He snarled. “And I’m not fucking you.”
Wraith walked past her, not sparing the woman a second glance. He walked up to the second floor where Cleo’s bedroom was located. They had moved members around when Cleo came to live at the clubhouse. They all agreed giving her the last room at the end of the hall would separate her as much as possible. There was talk about giving her the spare generally used for guests on the wing off in the back. There were four rooms, and only two brothers occupied two of them. Hyde and Jekyll. Theywere currently serving time upstate. In less than a year and they’d be home.If they can just fly under the radar.
Wraith was headed to her room, but voices had him slowing his pace, peering over into Ghost’s room. The door was ajar, and as he moved closer, the familiar tones became clearer. He pushed open the door, scanning the room. The room was neat, orderly, and minimalistic. It was rare he was in any other member’s room. There was never a reason. Until now. He walked inside, hearing them. His gaze shifted to the open window.
Ghost’s room was the only one that had roof access over the porch. He found his brother and Cleo sitting on the roof with a familiar scent lingering in the air.Motherfucker.
Cleo turned to Ghost, laughing and handing him a bottle of what looked like tequila. Cleo rarely drank, and when she did it was either a beer or some fruity seltzer. This was going to end up a shitshow.
“But where’s the worm?” Cleo asked.
Wraith clenched his jaw. He wasn’t sure if it had been a full bottle when they started, but there was only a quarter left at this point. He stood in the window, yanking at the curtain blowing in front of him.
“What the fuck are you two doing?” he shouted.
Cleo jumped and grabbed the roof, extending her legs for traction. He’d obviously scared the hell out of her. Ghost was the polar opposite. Very few things caught this brother off guard. He didn’t even flinch and only moved when Cleo shifted. He grabbed her arm, steadying her.
“Hi.” Cleo’s eyes were glazed, and her smile was too bright. Drunk. That was putting it mildly.
“Get inside,” Wraith snapped.
Cleo complied immediately and turned to get on her hands and knees. Wraith was only two feet away. Inches too far when her legs gave out under her and she slid down the roof. Ghost lunged forward, looped his arm around her waist, and guided herto the window. All the while, her soft giggle sounded. For reasons unknown, it infuriated Wraith even more.
When she was close enough, Wraith grabbed her forearms and pulled her through the window. She stumbled backward, and he wrapped his arm over her shoulder. It was meant to steady her, but Cleo moved in closer, brushing against his chest.
He glanced down at her while Ghost climbed through the window. When he fell to the side, slamming into the wall, Wraith made no move to help his brother.Asshole.
“What the fuck were you thinking? You got her shitfaced on the roof?”
His glare was aimed at Ghost, but he stilled when her hand rested on his chest. “And high.”
