AveryWhat right did he have to tell me who I could or couldn't sleep with? And yet he had done it without a second thought. I got that we had a past, I really did but it was the past. And I wanted it to stay there. Except it wasn't in the past, it was very much my here and now. I knew coming back here would come with risks, and one of those risks was running into Ruin. I just hadnât expected it to be so damn hard.I hadn't expected him to make my body react to him like I was still the same teenage girl who couldn't believe he would even look twice at her. Even now as an adult he made my legs weak with that shit-eating panty-dropping smile of his and I hated it.I hated the fact that even after all these years, even with as much as I hated him. He still made me want him. Just like he had back then.Tearing the brush through my hair, I groaned. What the hell was I doing? It wasn't like he could actually make me go to dinner with him. I could refuse to open the door, although I wasn't
RuinâYou ok thereâĶ..â I had been about to call him son, just a figure of speech but I knew it was the wrong thing to say and snapped my lips together before they fell from my mouth. âParker?â I called his name and he finally lifted his head to stare at me. Those brown eyes, which were almost identical to his Mumâs were red and swollen from tears he was angrily swiping away with the back of his hand. I got why he was upset, no one should find out who his father was like he had. âParker?â I tried again when he turned his face to the side. It was obvious he didnât want to talk to me, let alone look at me but I couldnât exactly leave him here sitting on the wet pavement in the middle of the night. âYour mum is worried about you, we should get you backâĶ..âHis eyes narrowed. âYouâre my dad?âSighing, I settled my bulk next to him. I wasnât surprised that he wanted to talk about it. He probably had a lot of questions. We both did. âLooks like it.ââAnd you are ok with that?â His question
AveryâCome on.â I half carried, half dragged Parker from his bed. And in his half-asleep state he didnât put up much of a fight, there were a few sleepy mumbles but that was it as he let me lead him down the stairs and buckle his still half-asleep form into the passenger side of the car. Our suitcase was already tossed in the back seat. It wasnât like I had any time to lose. As soon as the sound of Ruin's bike had dwindled to nothing I had started packing. Throwing things in on top of each other haphazardly.I needed to get out of here. And I knew I didnât have much time. My husband was on the way, hell he could already be in town. Although I doubted it. My husband was a problem but only if he caught up with me. Only if I was still here when he got into town. My main problem right now was Ruin. There would be no way he would let us go without a fight. Part of me wanted to stay. To let him protect us but then another part, and it was the big part that remembered what he had done in
RuinShe was fucking gone by the time I got back to her fatherâs house. And the old man hadnât even noticed. Even sober he was beyond useless. And she had left in a hurry. Half of her belongings were still strewn around her old childhood room.She had left even after saying she wouldnât. But then wasnât that what she was good at? Leaving? She always fucking left. But hadnât I known she would, deep down? I had suspected she was planning something when she went from annoyingly argumentative to sex kitten who was all sweetness and light. It made me suspect she had been trying to seduce me so she could leave when I passed out asleep. I wouldnât put it past her.âWhat do you mean you donât know when she left?â I rounded on the old man with a snarl. Cutter didnât even raise his eyes to me, just sipped at his crappy coffee. âHow can you not know?ââBecause sheâs an adult Ruin, a grown-ass woman. She can come and go as she likes.â Finally, his eyes met mine and there was hatred in them.
AveryThis was a bad idea. As soon as I saw the bikes outside my father's house I started having second thoughts. It was one thing telling them all that thirteen years ago they had kicked me out with Ruins baby growing in my belly. Most of them had already guessed that anyway. It was totally another to walk in next to him. My hand in his. And I knew he would want to touch me because he hadnât let go of my hand since our earlier conversation. His woman, though? He had some nerve after everything that had happened between us but I would have been lying if I said it didnât send goosebumps down my body. And it had nothing to do with our past. My body reacted to Ruin like it craved him. There could be o denying we wanted each other.It was just when he opened his annoying mouth that I couldnât stand him.But I would do whatever it took to get my child back. Because if my ex didnât have him, it didnât bear thinking about. I just wanted Parker back. And I would do whatever it took to mak
RuinMy bike pulled in behind the sleek silver sedan at almost the same time, you didnât need to be a rocket scientist to know who the man driving it was.Averyâs husband.Ex-husband or soon to be, I reminded myself as I swung my leg over the bike. My eyes narrowing as I squinted into the car, all pretty futile with the darkly tinted windows. And somehow the fact I couldn't see him made me so angry it was a struggle not to drag him from the car just so I could see who had been sleeping next to Avery every night and bringing up my son for the last god knows how many years. Not that I could do any of that. But it was tempting. âRuin.â Avery took a step out of the front door and froze as she caught sight of the car in front of me. The man who stepped out looked back over his shoulder and his clean-cut face broke into a wide grin. Like he was honest to god pleased to see me. âHello, Ava.â His voice was deep, a rumbling of an accent making it thick although I couldnât quite place it. I
Avery Sandra BrielâĶ. the name echoed in my head. I knew that name. I knew it well. A scream ripped from my throat as I launched myself at my husband, my hands morphed into claws. I wanted to rip my nails down his face, gauge out his eyes with my fingers. Ruin was too slow to stop me, but only because no one expected me to go on the attack. They were all so used to timid Avery. But I wasnât timid, I wasnât beat and I most definitely wasnât out. I would fight with everything I had for my son.I had barely touched him when strong arms caught me around the waist, lifting me bodily away and it was just as well. Deans closed fist missed my cheek by an inch as Wicked swung me away. It landed in Ruins hand with a sickening thump. And I knew that was all the excuse he needed. âDid you just try and hit her, you son of a bitch?â Spit flew from his mouth. âDid you try and punch my fucking old lady?âI struggled against Wickeds iron-like grip. Not because I wanted to save Dean from the beat d
Colton-ThenHow I kept from drooling I donât know because she was damn drool-worthy. Every damn time she tried to take things further and I turned her down I doubted my own sanity.I had never been one to turn down good pussy before but there was just something about Ava that I just couldnât get enough of. And I was afraid fucking her would put an end to our time together. I didnât do relationships, I was a fuck them and leave them kind of guy. I just wasnât sure I was quite ready to not see her every day.Although I knew that day was coming. And soon. I was being called back to the club. It wasnât even like I could take her back with me. She wasnât the kind of girl who had been brought up around the kind of men I classed as brothers. She was good and I wasâĶ well I was many things but good wasnât one of them. As much as I wanted to keep her and have her ride at my back I couldnât. Even if she was ok with my life I knew I couldnât. I had responsibilities, ones I hated more than anyt
GentâBaby.â I stared down at her face as she blinked her eyes awake, confusion making them cloudy.I had sat by her bedside for hours, worrying and not able to do anything but wait. The doctors said she was okay, that her burns were just superficial but I couldnât help but worry.âBaby, itâs ok.â I smoothed back her frizzy hair. The usual silky strands were singed. She would have to have it all cut off, but it was a small price to pay.Panic ripped across her face as she struggled to sit upright, her eyes wild.âBobby...âGently, I forced her back against the pillows. My touch was light, but she hissed in pain anyway. âGem, look at me. Bobby is safe. Parker got him out.â She visibly relaxed, all the fight leaving her as she relaxed back. Tears sprung up in her eyes. âThank god. Heâs a good boy. Brave. Even when YoungâĶ.â She trailed off. Her bottom lip started to tremble. âYoung Blood?ââDead. You donât have to worry about him anymore. You and Bobby are safe.â I wanted her to believe
GentMy hand raised to those behind me as a lanky figure detached itself from the looming industrial buildings flanking the road that surrounded the gates of the Black Aces compound.Parker was hunkered down, with something clutched in his arms. My heart stuttered to a stop as he looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. Stepping away from the body at my feet, I rushed over to him. âParker.â I reached for the baby in his arms, and he shied away like I was a threat. I let my hand fall to my side as Ruin came up. His face troubled.âHey, son, itâs ok. You're safe now.âFinally, recognition flickered to life in Parkerâs eyes. âRuin?âRuin folded the boy into his arms. âRight here, Parker. Right here. Youâre safe now, I promise. Give the baby to his dad. Are you hurt?â Ruin was talking in a rush of words. But somehow, Parker understood them. Bobby was passed over to me, and I wasted no time in checking over his tiny frame. He looked unharmed, but I was still going to make Young Blood h
GemmaThe sound of a gunshot echoed from the darkness, making me jump. In my arms, Bobby let out a wail. I clutched him closer to my chest. My hands reached up to cover his tiny little ears.âItâs ok, itâs ok.â I wasnât sure who I was speaking to. Him or me. But it was a mantra I kept mumbling in the back of Young Bloodâs car.I had expected him to take us out of town and fast when he forced us from my tiny flat. So it was a surprise when he pulled up in front of the Black Aces compound.The man on the gate, someone I didnât recognise, had seen the cut on Young Bloodâs back and waved him forward with a friendly smile. Just one brother welcoming another. He didnât see the gun until too late. Young Blood shot him without warning. There was no other sound but that loud boom. It echoed in the empty road. But it gave me hope. Surely someone in the clubhouse would have heard it. They would have realised that something was happening and they would be ready. They would help Bobby and me. â
GentSome son of a bitch had set fire to my shop. There was no way it was an accident. The smell of the accelerant was strong even after the fire department had doused the flames. Someone had purposely set fire to my livelihood. The business I had spent years growing. All those memories were gone. And it was my only source of legit income. Income I needed to support my family.Gemma and Bobby were my family. She would be worried about me. I had told her that I would check in as soon as I knew what was going on. With everything going on, I hadnât managed to text her.Pulling my phone from my pocket, I frowned down at the screen.She hadnât replied to any of my earlier messages. She hadnât even opened them. A niggling unease settled in the pit of my stomach. There was no reason for it, but I couldnât deny it.âYou have insurance, donât you?â Truth had obviously misunderstood the look on my face. âYeah, of course.â âThen why do you suddenly look constipated?â As usual, nothing much g
GentâFuck.â Gent moved quickly. Using his much wider body to shield me from view. Not that it mattered now, they had all seen. We must have been so engrossed in each other that we hadnât even heard them arrive, let alone knock on the door and make their way into the garden when we didnât answer. âGet dressed.â His fingers closed my blouse over my naked chests. It didnât seem to matter to him that his jeans were around his ankles and his bare ass on display. Gent thought about me first. Just like a gentleman. His lips brushed over mine, and for a second, I forgot the audience we had in the garden as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Someone outside wolf-whistled loudly, and I ducked my head into his chest as he laughed. âDressed, Gem.âHe stood there as I righted my clothes, his eyes never leaving me. And it was only when I had pulled my panties into place under my skirt that he finally turned. âYou guys are assholes.â With a sigh, he unlocked the kitchen door. Letting them all f
GemmaI now knew why they called him Gentleman, and it had nothing to do with his almost old fashioned respect for women. Although I was pretty sure that had a lot to do with it.No, Gentleman was called Gentleman because he always made a woman cum, numerous times in my case. âYou look lost in thought?âHis voice made me jump. Turning in my seat, I let my eyes drift over him. His dark hair was still wet from the shower, his jeans gaping, but it was the bare chest that made my mouth water. I continued to stare at him. What was it about a shirtless man holding a baby that made my ovaries ache?Gentâs smile grew. It was like he could read my thoughts. âSee something you like?âI nodded eagerly. âA shirtless man holding a baby? Whatâs not to like?ââSo it could be any man? As long as he was shirtless and holding a baby?â One dark eyebrow wiggled suggestively. Laughing, I tilted my chin. I tried to hide my teasing smile from him. âI think I like you the best, though.âGent stalked towar
Gent Gemma tried to hide it. But she was afraid. It wasnât that she said anything out loud. She didnât need to. After living with her for so long, I knew that look on her face. When Gemma got frightened, she got fidgety and quiet. And I fucking hated it.Hated that she was scared again. This shit was meant to be over. I had promised her it would be over if we came home. Fucking Young Blood had played us all. Acted like a friend and a brother so he could betray us, and he had made me out to be a liar.I had promised her she would be safe.Shaking my head, I cocked my head to the side. Listening to the quiet sound of Gem singing Bobby to sleep. She couldnât hold a tune to save her life, but she always did it. âGem?â Silently I padded to her bedroom. I knew she would be over Bobbyâs cot. She would be finishing her song even if the lad was asleep. It was just what she did. Slowly she turned, a small uncertain smile playing over her lips. âHi.â She whispered. âHeâs asleep.â She said i
GemHe had proposed.With his dick in my mouth, he had bloody proposed. Like I would take him seriously asking at such a moment. Not that I would take him seriously anyway.It was much too soon for that. Even if we had been living together as friends for a year. It wasnât like it had been anything but a platonic relationship. We were growing closer, and I had feelings for him, but that didnât mean we should run away and tie the knot. I had a sneaky suspicion it had more to do with the fact that all of his friends were settling down rather than him wanting to spend his life with me.Glancing at him from beneath the curtain of my hair as I wiped down one of the dusty sides in what used to be his tattoo parlour, I studied his face. He was frowning down at something in his hands. Like the wad of crumpled up paper, he was holding held bad news.âEverything ok?â It seemed like an eternity until he smiled at me. A beautiful flash of white against the dark whiskers on his cheeks. âYeah, ev
GentâSo you and Gem?â Ruin was trying hard to sound casual. Trying and failing. Slowly I turned to him. âWhat do you mean?â I knew exactly what he meant. He was worried about me sliding into the role of daddy to his half brother. He also seemed to have forgotten that I was the one who had watched Bobby come into this world. âRumour has it you two are a couple.â There was no hesitation in his voice this time. âThat you have moved in with her.âMoved in? I frowned. Sure, I had spent every night there with her body against mine, driving me insane. But seeing as she wouldnât let me do anything but kiss her, I wasnât sure if I could say we were a couple. I wanted to take things to the next level. And she was dragging her heels. Something was holding her back. I just didnât know what it was. âI stay there sometimes.â I sipped my beer non committedly. Truth was, I didnât even want it. âThatâs all.â None of this was any of their business. It was none of the clubâs business what went on b