She blinked back her tears.
Don’t fall for this, Ky, it might be an act. He could be trying to make you feel guilty for protecting your heart, your sanity, and your son.
“Then you should’ve showed me. What you showed me said otherwise.”
Damn it, her throat was closing up. She did not expect to be rehashing this tonight. She had come to peace with herinitial decision to escape and now she’d been thrown back into turmoil.
By the man who caused it.
She cleared her throat so she could ask, “You want the truth, Zeke?”
“Certainly don’t wanna be fed a goddamn lie.”
“It wasn’t only what you did with Bunny. It was how you were living your life.” He’d been on a dangerous path of destruction.
That wasn’t an opinion. That was fact.
“I’m a fuckin’ biker, Ky.”
So was his father and uncles, and a lot of his relatives. Being a biker wasn’t a good excuse. Being close with Violet had shown Kyra that not all bikers were criminals or had a long rap sheet.
Vi’s father could be intimidating but Diesel had never spent a minute behind bars.
“Believe me, I was aware of that. It wasn’t hard to miss. But I also couldn’t ignore the fact that you were headed back to jailthe…next…morningfor the”—she held up her hand between them and ticked off her fingers—“fifth time?” She narrowed her eyes on him.
“Prison.”
She huffed out a breath. “Oh right. That’s so much better. How many times did you go back since then, Zeke? Even if I had stayed, you weren’t going to be around to help raise him, pay his expenses, or provide emotional support.”
His jaw shifted. “I’m a fuck up. Got it. Changin’ my ways. For my family. My club. And now my son.”
“If only I could believe that,” she whispered.
He cupped her face and whispered back, “Gonna prove it to you. Just gotta give me a fuckin’ chance.”
Her pulse pounded along her throat. “For Ledger, right?”
“Yeah, for Ledger. You, too.”
She shook her head, dislodging his hand. “No, not for me. The only reason you’ll be in my life is for Ledger. No other reason.”
She wished she could step away from him—to give herself some space—but he had her trapped against the counter. Oh yes, he was dangerous, but tonight, not in a criminal way.
She wouldn’t let him play with her emotions. She wouldnotmake the mistake of being with a biker ever again.
She closed her eyes in an attempt to create a wall between them.
“Missed you, Ky,” whispered across her lips before his thumb followed the same path. “Never thought you’d come back. Definitely never thought you’d come back with someone who’s gonna tie us together forever.”
She lost her breath when reality slapped her in the face. She’d be tied to this man for the rest of her life.
Whether she wanted to be or not.
“Can’t undo my fuck-ups, babe. Gotta keep that shit in the past and keep movin’ forward.”
She opened her eyes and stared at him.Babe?It had been a long time since anyone had called her that. In fact, only one person ever had. The man now standing in front of her. “I really wish I could believe you. It’s that past that makes me skeptical.”
“Gonna give you that. But askin’ you to give me a chance to prove myself.”
