Page 3 of Hash

“I gotta go, baby doll. Club business,” is his response to the question lingering in my eyes.

Glancing over at the old desk clock on my nightstand, I see it’s only six thirty in the morning.

He has club business this early?

“Will I see you tonight?” I ask, pushing up on one elbow as I try to keep the hope out of my voice for fear of sounding desperate.

The soft look that has been on his face since last night wipes off. A guarded one takes its place.

“Not sure. I’ve got some shit going on. I’ll let you know.”

He shrugs his cut on, giving me one last glance before walking out of my room.

I flop on my back as I hear the front door close, a sigh escaping me. The only thing I can do is stare up at my ceiling.

Of course, the universe would give me a guy who isn’t into me as much as I am into him.

Chapter

Two

HASH

Ican’t get the look on Aisling’s face when she woke while I was getting dressed out of my head as I ride away from her house.

I could see the questions swirling in her eyes.

I don’t owe her any explanations.

That isn’t what we are.

I tell myself that every day, hoping one day I’ll convince myself it’s true. The truth is, I’ve never met anyone quite like her. Everything about her is easy. When I’m with her, all the shit that’s going on in the club and with Ink’s girl stops. She doesn’t need someone like me bringing shit into her life and fucking it up.

That’s the main reason I haven’t invited her to the clubhouse or DD’s. I don’t want her anywhere near my world.

Shit, I didn’t even invite her to my goddamn birthday party my brothers threw for me. I couldn’t even enjoy it because all I kept thinking about was how badly I wanted Aisling on my lap.

For the last three months, I’ve been waiting for her to ask when she can meet my brothers or, hell, even see my fucking room at the clubhouse.

But she hasn’t.

If I know her like I think I do, she’s too scared to push that boundary. She’d rather stay in the dark than lose me by pushing.

I need to end this before she gets more attached.

I’m kidding myself if I think it’s only her that’s growing more attached.

Never in my life have I spent the night in a woman’s bed at her place. As soon as her head hits the pillow, I’m fucking gone.

But lately, I can’t pull myself away. Her bed feels like one I belong in, with her soft body pressed up against me, keeping me warm when all I’ve felt in my life is cold.

I didn’t lie when I told her I had club business. Prez texted me last night letting me know I need to do a run with Ink. Usually I’m all about that shit, but for once in my life I would have rather stayed in bed with Aisling than do something for the club.

That’s how I know I need to end this.

I can live with being miserable for the rest of my life, but I refuse to do that to her.

I watched the shit Evan went through, and I’m watching the shit Sutton is going through. Seeing that girl beat the fuck up when Ink carried her out of that shithole motel did my head in. All I could think about was what if that were Aisling? There ain’t no way in hell I’m bringing someone with a light like Aisling’s into a world full of dark.