“I can tell you have something on your mind.”
Ruger answers with just one word. “Yes.”
His closeness spreads familiar warmth through me. He’s the first guy that I’ve ever met where the first burst of feeling between us never faded. I can’t let Ruger’s kisses distract me,even if it’s so tempting to just close my eyes and let him work his magic on me.
“What is it?”
I push his head away from my shoulder, my fingers slipping through his wispy, pale blond hair. He hasn’t been growing it out intentionally, but since we live thirty miles away from the nearest barbershop and Ruger has always hated small talk, he’s let things slide a little bit. His hair is shoulder length now, and still very sexy.
Ruger mutters over the words, keeping his teeth closed like mumbling has ever stopped me from understanding him. “Zeb might have helped this girl kill somebody.”
“Explain.”
My heart pounds instantly with anxiety that I should no longer really feel in the presence of the bikers considering everything that I’ve seen. Ever since Eden started running instead of walking and practicing words everywhere she goes, Ruger has become protective to the point of paranoid. I keep him updated, hoping for complete sentences soon. She can ask for more. And of course, her first word was ‘dada’. Her second word might have been ‘gun’, but both Ruger and I pretendthatnever happened.
My wild biker husband keeps me posted about what happens with the club back East, but he stays away from club business unless the job will take less than twenty-four hours. And as far as I know, he hasn’t killed anyone since…
Let’s just say he hasn't killed anyone in a very long time.
“It’s been a shit show back East.”
Since everyone in the club agrees that keeping Ruger away from the scent of blood will keep him at home and responsible, I don’tlove the idea of his unhinged cousin coming this way with blood on his hands.
“Did Zeb tell you anything?”
“No. But frankly… I never knew he was interested in any women.”
“There’s no way you thought Zeb was gay,” Zayna says with a laugh. “Remember when he got drunk last year and you caught him staring at my butt?”
“Yeah, he was staring at your butt. Guys have butts too.”
I don’t know how to argue with Ruger’s logic, or if it makes sense.
“I kept out of his business,” Ruger says. “I don’t care whose ass he gets into but… he doesn’t attach to things or people the way the rest of us did. I always had a close relationship with Doc. He’s always been a loner.”
“Do you think he’s going to hurt this woman?”
“Maybe not directly. But not everybody is like you, Zayna…” His fingers interlace with mine and his head returns to my shoulder as I wait for Ruger to explain how that statement relates to my question.
“If Zeb gets involved with some woman, he will make her worse in every sense of the word. He might not know it yet, but he doesn’t know how to care for anything or anyone. He’s always been selfish and dangerous.”
“He’s not too selfish to be part of the club.”
“I don’t need to tell you that a man who obeys another man might not hold the same principles with women.”
When Ruger’s sentences get longer and he details the thoughts whirring around in his head, I feel like I’ve really won. Cracking open a man who keeps all his thoughts to himself feels like a victory. I touch Ruger’s stubbly cheek and he tilts his head to kiss me. Soft light hair falls away from his face and I tease the stubble on his jawline with my fingers again.
I love this man and how much he cares.
After sharing a deep, slow kiss with Ruger, he looks up at me with his confused icy eyes.What was that for?His gaze seems to ask.
“Don’t give up on Zeb. I didn’t give up on you and I wouldn’t give up on anyone with love in their heart.”
“How do you or I know if he has any love in his heart? His loyalty to the club and this family could be purely out of self-interest.”
My fingers keep teasing the strands of Ruger’s hair apart.
“We have to trust and believe in love, Ruger. That’s all.”
