Ruined 3

Avery

One look, that’s all it took. A single passing glance and I knew it was him. Even if I hadn’t recognised his piercing blue eyes, the rolling in my stomach would have told me it was him. 

And it has put me on edge ever since. I was literally teetering on the brink. 

What the hell was he doing here? This wasn’t his home, he didn’t belong. And yet he had pushed his way out of Cooks like he owned the place. The cut on his back looked more weathered now. The last time I had seen him he had only just been patched in.  He had been all shiny and new. Now? Now he looked hardened.

And dangerous.

And still so sexy it made my knees weak just looking at him. The same as it had the day I had met him, the same as it had the day he had thrown me under the bus and ruined my life. 

I had thought I would be safe coming home, after all, what were the chances of running into him on my very first day?

Him seeing me was an added complication I just didn’t need. In a town this small it was going to be next to impossible to avoid him.

My eyes travelled to Parker.

He would no doubt run into Parker as well and that was just something I couldn't let happen. Over my dead body would he get anywhere near my child. 

“Mum.”

I came back to myself with a start. Eyeing my son over on the opposite bed with a raised eyebrow.

“Can we go and get food now?”

Food, yeah he would need food. Real food with a vegetable or two but the thought of leaving the safety of our room was giving me heart palpitations. I couldn’t keep him safe out there. I couldn’t keep him away from the filth that had polluted my entire childhood. And I didn’t want that for Parker. I didn’t want it to touch him at all. 

“Why don’t we order in?” I gave him a watery smile. “I am pretty tired after the drive.”

“Mum come on, I want to explore. This is where you grew up, isn’t it? You promised to show me where you used to hang out.”

Hangout? There was no way on god's green earth that I would ever take him to the place I spent the majority of my childhood. He would never step foot in the Black Aces clubhouse. 

“Parker, it’s not really safe to go out after dark around here. It can be pretty rough, it’s not like home.”

“Because of the bikers?”

His words caught me by surprise. My eyes narrowed. “What do you know about Bikers?”

He gave a shrug. “I met one earlier, he was cool.”

Sighing heavily I leant back against the pillow with my eyes squeezed closed. Of course, he had and of course, he would think it was cool. He was a twelve year old boy who didn’t know better. All he thought of when he heard the word biker was what he had seen on tv. 

“Just choose something to eat Parker, I’ll take you out exploring tomorrow I promise.” I didn’t bother warning him away from the club. We were here for the foreseeable future, he was going to meet his grandfather, so he was going to come into contact with the club at some point. Me warning him off would just make them all the more appealing to him. 

He huffed loudly. “Pizza. I want pizza.”

Not exactly vegetable-laden or healthy but I was too exhausted to care. 

***

The knock on the door was right on time, but loud. It sounded more likely the person on the other side of the door was trying to break it down rather than deliver pizza and for a second my stomach flip-flopped as I rolled to my feet.

But it wasn’t my soon to be ex-husband on the other side it was someone so much worse.

Blue eyes twinkled down at me and for a second I forgot how to breathe. My hand clutched at my throat.

“What are you doing here?” My voice was croaky and I cleared it quietly, pulling the door almost closed to shield the room behind me from his view. 

In answer, he lifted the pizza box in his hand and for a second I could do nothing but stare at it. Was he honestly telling me he was a delivery driver? My eyes raked over him. The dark hair, the cut. He wasn’t a damn pizza delivery man. If he was, I was the Queen of Sheba. 

“Heard you were in the mood for pizza Avery, so….” His eyes swept past me. Was he trying to see into the room? Why would he do that?

”I think it’s time we talked, don’t you? Maybe in private.”

”No.” There was no way in hell I was letting him into the room. Absolutely none. “I have nothing to say to you Colton.”

His eyes crinkled, “geez I haven’t been called that for years Avery but we do need to talk. So the choice is yours, you can either step out or invite me in?”

There wasn’t any choice. I stepped out, pulling the door closed behind me. “I’ll be right back,” I called over my shoulder as the door clicked shut. 

If I had thought he would have stepped back to give me room I was sadly mistaken. He was so close I could smell the leather of his cut. 

“So if you don’t go by Colton these days, what should I call you?” I crossed my arms angrily over my chest, glaring at the opposite wall. I could think of more than a few names I had called him over the years. None of them fit for decent company. Not that Colton Smith was decent company. He was an asshole. 

“Ruin.”

I blinked up at him, my head snapping in his direction. They called him Ruin? 

“Yeah, I just bet they do. Did you get that name after you fucked up my entire life?”

His blue eyes narrowed. “You seem to be doing ok for yourself Avery.” One calloused finger touched the diamond stud in my ear. “You look damn good actually.”

“Don’t Touch Me.” I wanted to move away but his bulk made it impossible. “Don’t ever touch me Ruin.”

“ I seem to remember a time when you enjoyed me touching you, Avery?” 

Was he actually for real? Bringing up the past like it was something we should remember fondly. 

“Yeah well, I was a stupid kid.” 

“Talking about kids, I think I met yours earlier. Looks like a good kid…” his eyes dropped to the hand at my throat. And I knew what he was searching for.  “And married as well.” His eyes narrowed on the white lines on my ring finger. ”Looks like I did you a favour all those years ago. A kid and happily married as well… “ his eyes searched my face. “Or not so happily?”

Damn him to hell. 

Actually, hell was too good for him. 

“You leave Parker alone.”  I ground out between my clenched teeth. But I knew instantly that it was the wrong thing to say. His pretty blue eyes narrowed even further. 

“How old's the boy Avery?”

I ignored him totally. “Just leave us alone Ruin. I mean it. Keep the hell away from me and my son.” Snatching the pizza box from his hands I turned from him, pushing open the door with shaking hands. “Just stay the hell away.”

“How old is he?” His voice was thick with anger as I slammed the door in his face.

I had been home less than a day and it was already going wrong.

      ***

“This is where you grew up?”

Yeah, I found it hard to believe as well. My childhood home looked smaller, and most definitely more run down. The paint was literally peeling off the door. 

“Yep.” I reached for his hand instinctively, not because he wasn’t old enough to cross the road by himself because at twelve he was more than capable but because no one should have to walk into that hell hole without backup. And I was Parker’s back up now and always. 

“Wow, looks pretty shitty mum.”

“Stop swearing.” Inside I was laughing. Pretty shitty was a bit of an understatement but I wasn’t about to tell him that. 

In the distance, I could hear the throaty rumble of a bike and I instantly froze, my hand clutching my sons a little too tightly without even meaning to. 

He wouldn't? Surely he wouldn't? Fucking Colton. I had a second to wonder how he would even know I would be here when a massive bike came into view.

Of course, he would be able to find out. He had found out what hotel I was staying in, where I had ordered food from within hours of me being in town, it wasn’t such a long shot for him to find out when I was due to visit my father. 

Knowing them they were besties. They sure had both turned against me back in the day. 

“This my grandson?” My father's voice bellowed across the road, I had been so consumed with watching the Harley as it crested the hill that I hadn’t noticed the old man come to his door.

“Hey, dad.” Reluctantly I dragged my eyes away from the road and towards the house, I had grown up in. Straightening my shoulders as I pulled Parker across the road towards him. “Yeah this is Parker, Parker this is your …..” I frowned. It just felt weird to say, granddad. 

“He’s a scrawny thing, isn’t he? Looks soft.”

What the hell? What kind of grandparent said something like that to their own flesh and blood but then again he had never really been the nurturing parent type. 

“Parker this is my dad….”

“Cutter.” The voice boomed over the roar of a bike as the engine was cut off and I had a second to regain my composure as I turned to face the man that had been my downfall all those years ago.

Colton Smith.

Ruin.

“Good to see you again Avery.”  A flash of white teeth in his tan face, the same panty-dropping smile that had got me in so much trouble in my teens. “Hey, Parker. You doing ok?”

“Hey Ruin.”

I blinked in surprise. They knew each other? How was that even possible? Parker hadn’t left my sight the entire time we had been in town … except that one time.

Damn it to hell. 

“You didn’t say your mum was Avery Waters.” Ruins smile was growing wider like he was toying with me and enjoying every second of it. Which he probably was. 

“You know my mum?”

I felt rather than saw my son's eyes settle on my face but I couldn’t take mine off the tall man in front of me. The dark hair, the hair on his face doing absolutely nothing to hide the strength of his jaw or how full his lips were. 

When I had first met Colton, he had been gorgeous. But gorgeous didn’t even cover him now. And the darkness in his eyes only added to it. 

“Yeah I know your mum kid, she’s like royalty around here. Everyone knows of her. Your grandad used to be president of the Black Aces.” He patted his chest, and my eyes skimmed over the badges here.

Sergeant at Arms.

Interesting but not entirely surprising. 

“Cutter was a bit of a legend back in the day. No wonder you are so interested in bikes.” Ruin gave a wink. “Which is why I am here. The club wants to formally invite you to a family bbq.” He said it to Parker and not me. And I knew exactly why. My sons almost squeal. 

Parker wanted to go. 

I wanted nothing at all to do with any of it. The club was my past. Same as this town and Ruin himself. 

“I am not club.” My eyes darted to my father. But I knew I wouldn’t find any help there. 

“You have always been part of the club Avery. That didn’t change when you left.” 

It took everything in my power not to roll my eyes. When I left? He said it like it had been my decision. Like the club, he claimed I was still a part of hadn’t kicked me the hell out and slammed the doors behind me. 

They had left me with nothing.

I didn’t owe them jack shit. Not now and not ever. 

“Please mum, can’t we go?”

“Yeah please come Avery.” Ruin's voice was almost sarcastic. “So many people want to talk to you.”

He wanted to talk to me was what he meant. And that was the absolute last thing I wanted to do. 

“Maybe we can swing by later? Once I’ve shown Parker around some more.” Or maybe we could just skip town. That seemed like a damn good idea right now. 

“Maybe you come now.” Ruins voice had dipped, the carefree man was gone, his eyes darkened. “Cutter can follow us in his car.” His blue eyes swept over my father. “You sober old man?”

A curt nod.

“No.” My voice was shaking. My eyes darting to the shining chrome of Ruin's bike like it might come alive and try to bite me. 

“Forgotten how to ride princess?” One dark eyebrow arched and I wanted nothing better than to wipe his smug smile off his face with my closed fist. 

“No.” Instead I rolled my eyes at him. “But I’m not getting on the back of your bike Ruin. If we have to come then I will follow you in the car.”

There was no way in hell I would roll up to the clubhouse at his back. It would send all sorts of messages and every single one of them was wrong. 

***

“Just a minute Avery.” A warm hand closed around my upper arm, not quite tight enough to hurt but definitely hard enough to stop me in my tracks. 

What the hell was he playing at, laying hands on me in front of my child?

“I think me and you need to have a little talk.” For a second his eyes met mine, and I felt my stomach flip over. “Cutter, why don’t you go and show Parker your bikes.”

I shook my head. “He stays with me.”

For a second something flickered over his face. “He’s in the garage with his grandpappy Avery, relax. Me and you just need to have a little chat.”

Heart thumping in my chest I turned to my son. His face was a mixture of confusion and fear and I knew half of that fear was because I was acting so strangely.  “Go on then, go and see your grandads bikes. I’ll be right here.” I gave him a smile. I really had to get myself together. 

“So….” Ruins voice dropped even lower, “want to tell me why you are here Avery? Why are you back?”

I blinked up at him. He was too close. His chest only a few inches from my face. “I came to see my father, he doesn’t seem as ill as I thought so I’ll be leaving again soon don’t worry. I won’t show my face here again.” I shouldn’t have shown up back here anyway. It had been stupid to think I could sneak in and out without being recognised. 

“How old is Parker Avery?” 

“He's twelve,” I whispered it. I could have lied. I probably should have lied but the words slipped out before I could stop them.

”Twelve huh?” Rough fingers gripped my chin. “You were pregnant when you left here weren’t you?”

I shrugged. “Does it really matter now Ruin?”

His eyes blazed an intense white-hot anger. “It matters if that boy is my son.”

“He has a father Ruin.”

The fingers on my face tightened. “Were you pregnant when you left here?”

“Yes.” I breathed the word out and it was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. A weight I hadn’t even realised I had been carrying. 

“Shit Avery, you should have said … you should have told me I was a dad. I wouldn’t  have…”

My own anger bubbled up. “You wouldn’t have done what? Ruined my life? Made me homeless at eighteen with a baby in my belly and not a penny to my name? Fuck off Ruin. You made a choice that day when you threw me under a bus. Me being pregnant wouldn’t have changed a damn thing.” Spittle flew from my lips hitting him in the face. 

“It would have changed everything. It DOES change everything Avery.” His face dipped and for a second I thought he was going to kiss me. “You’ve kept my son from me for twelve years Avery, so you might as well get used to being back in town because you aren’t going anywhere.”