He takes another sip of coffee, and I can see him choosing his words. "Guys who don't fit anywhere else. Who are too rough around the edges for normal life. Who need purpose and structure and brothers who understand what it's like to be broken."
"You don't seem broken to me."
His laugh is harsh. "That's because you don't know me yet."
Yet. Like he's planning on me knowing him.
"Tell me about the others," I say, wanting to know more about this world he's part of. "The other members."
"There's seven full members plus me, two other prospects and everyone’s girlfriend. King and Luna, they're solid. Then there's Tank and Amelia. Tank's the VP, scary as hell but completely gone for his woman."
"Amelia's in a similar situation to you," he continues. "She was running from an abusive ex. Tank protected her, helped her stay safe. They've got her daughter Anna living with them."
My heart squeezes. "She was running too?"
"Yeah. And she made it. She's safe now. Has a whole family who's got her back." He meets my eyes. "Same thing can happen for you, Ruby. You don't have to keep running forever."
I want to believe him. God, I want to believe him so badly. But hope is dangerous. Hope makes you let your guard down.
"Who else?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Beast and Jenny, that's Tank's sister. Steel and Holly. Rage and Claire. Torch and Sidney. Shadow and Rachel." He ticks them off on his fingers. "All of them found their women in crazy circumstances. All of them made it work."
"That's a lot of couples."
"Yeah. Sometimes I feel like the only single guy left." He grins. "Well, me and Rookie. He's the other prospect."
"Does that bother you? Being single?"
The grin fades. "No. Relationships aren't for me. I've seen what they do to people. My parents destroyed each other with their marriage. I won't do that to someone else."
There's pain underneath those words, hidden but still there. I recognize it because I carry the same pain.
"I don't believe in relationships either," I admit. "Not anymore. Marcus ruined that for me."
"He's an idiot." Chaos says it with such conviction that I almost smile. "Any man who walks away from his kid is a coward and a fool."
"He said I trapped him. That I got pregnant on purpose to keep him."
"Bullshit. Takes two people to make a baby. He's just trying to avoid responsibility."
I take a sip of coffee, letting his words sink in. It's not the first time someone's said Marcus was wrong, but it's the first time I've actually believed it. Maybe because Chaos doesn't know Marcus, doesn't have any reason to defend me except that he thinks I deserve defending.
"What about you?" I ask. "Have you ever been in a relationship?"
"No. One-night stands, sure. But nothing serious." He shifts on the couch. "Never wanted the complications. Plus, I used to move around a lot. Hard to build something when you're never in one place."
"But you've been in Blackwater Falls for a while now, right?"
"Eight months. Longest I've stayed anywhere since I left home." He looks around the small living room. "It's a good town. Good people. King runs the club right, keeps us out of trouble while still being there for people who need help."
"Like me."
"Like you." His brown eyes lock on mine. "And anyone else who needs it. That's what we do."
The intensity in his gaze makes my pulse quicken. I look away, focusing on my coffee mug. This is dangerous territory. I can't afford to feel things for this man. Can't afford to feel things for anyone.
"You hungry?" The question bursts out of me, desperate to break the tension. "I could make something. It won't be fancy, but—"
