Ruined 7

Ruin

What the hell…. roughly I pushed the girl who was half on my lap onto her own chair, leaning on the table as I watched Avery lift her face up to welcome Truth's kisses. And he did kiss her, running his fingers up her throat to cup her cheek as he claimed her mouth with his.

“That son of a bitch.” I ground it out. “I’m going to kill him.”

“What’s my brother done now?” Wicked tore his own face away from the woman he had chosen for the night. His eyes searching and then he swore. “Is that Avery?”

“Yes.” My hand clenched under the table. “Yeah, that’s Avery with your brother’s tongue in her mouth.” I didn’t even know why I was so angry. She wasn’t mine, we had barely exchanged a dozen civil words since she had got back and yet… I was jealous. 

She couldn’t even say be civil with me but one of my brothers she could be all over?  

“Hmm.” Wicked leant back heavily but his knee had started to bounce. He was waiting for me to lose it. To launch myself at Truth. But what right did I have to do that? Avery wasn’t mine, I had fucked her off years ago and had no right to be jealous. If I pounded on Truth then Wicked would get involved. “She seems to be enjoying herself.” He added quietly and I had to swallow hard as I watched Avery’s arms lift to wrap around Truths neck. “Yeah, she fucking does.”

“You want me to go and tell them to pack it in?” 

Did I? Yeah I did but did I have the right? No. Avery was free to kiss whoever she wanted to. She was a free agent. Cutter had already told me she was getting divorced. I didn’t have to like it but I did have to accept it. 

I shook my head. Dragging my attention away from the spectacle playing out at the bar. 

Why did she have to go after someone I  knew though and why did he have to go after her? He might not know everything but he knew I had history with Avery Waters. Everyone in town knew. 

Unless of course, she hadn’t told him her name? He had been out of town when she arrived, did he have a clue he was sucking face with the mother of my child?

“Nah.” I sucked in a breath. “None of my business what they get up to.” My words were calm, bored even but my eyes drifted back to them even as Wicked laughed.  “Drink?” I heaved myself up to my feet. I might not have any right to be pissy at them but that didn’t mean I had to stand and fucking watch them make out like a bunch of teenagers. 

The laughter died instantly. “You punch my brother and me and you will have a problem Ruin.” Wicked’s voice was quiet. But there could be no mistaking the threat in it. I waved him away. I wasn’t going to punch anyone. At least I didn’t think I was. 

I was just going to make my presence known that was all and get a stiff drink. God, I needed a drink. 

“Hey, Truth.”

Finally, he tore his lips away from hers, turning to me with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. It was a smile I wanted to ram my fist into… not that I could.  Or would.

“Hey Ruin.” Stepping to the side he flung his arm around Avery’s shoulders like she belonged to him. My fingers clenched. 

If Avery Waters belonged to anyone it was me. 

“Didn’t mean to interrupt.” I raised my hand to get the bartender's attention. “Just getting a drink, you want anything?” I let my eyes meet hers. She didn’t back down. Her lips pursed as she curled them. Her lipstick was slightly smudged, her lips puffy from Truths kisses. 

My hand clenched some more. Shit that was a bad idea. Her being here with another man was doing things to me that I was finding hard to deal with. I didn’t get jealous. I didn’t get like this over a woman. 

Not ever. 

“You still drink Rum Avery?”

Her eyes widened just as Truth shot me a look, the smile dipped. “You two know each other?” He was looking between the two of us, a confused look on his face. 

“I’ll stick to beer thanks Ruin.” She smiled at me sweetly. “Rum makes me do fucking stupid things. And I would rather be sober tonight.” She tilted her head and smiled at Truth.  Who smiled back down at her like she was the only woman he had seen in ten years.

“Things change huh? I seem to remember you enjoying rum. Especially licking it off….”

Truths brows slammed down, a line appearing between them. 

“Like I said I do stupid things with rum….haven’t touched the stuff since I was eighteen.”

“Just how do you two know each other?”

 I felt sorry for Truth, he was a good man. And he had no idea what he had put himself in the middle of. 

“We hooked up years ago.” She shrugged and I could do nothing but stare at her. I expected her to say a lot of things but that wasn’t one of them. 

“She’s Avery… the AVERY.” 

I watched as realisation hit him, his face went slack and then anger bubbled up. “You told me your name was Ava.” 

“I am Ava, no one but the club calls me Avery.” She sipped her drink. “I didn’t realise ….”

“Did you single me out because I’m Black Aces?”

I hid my grin at Truth's outrage. Poor man, he seemed genuinely hurt. Not that it would take him any time to get over it. 

“You approached me, big man. I didn’t realise me having a drunken hook up with someone thirteen years ago would still be biting me in the ass now? I thought you guys shared all the time….”

I blinked at her. Shared? “You’re not a club slut though are you?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Jesus, now I was acting jealous instead of just being jealous in my own head. 

”No I'm not.” Her smile was triumphant. ”I’m Cutter's daughter but I have no other club links so I am pretty sure I am free to do what and who I want. But hey….” she dragged her fingertips down Truth's arm and his muscles clenched under her hand.

Jesus, she was really flirting. Either she actually liked him or this was all for my benefit.

”If I’m off limits I understand. I just wanted to blow off some steam. I can always go and drink at the bar down the road if me being here is causing problems.” Her eyes lifted to mine.

“Why would it cause problems?” Truth glanced at me. “You have any claim on her?”

She had me over a barrel and she knew it, I could see it in her eyes.  In the lift of her lips. 

I had spent the last week warning people to stay the hell away from her and here she was calling me out on it. In front of several Black Aces. 

She had just claimed herself free to do whatever she wanted and there wasn’t a damn thing I

could do about it without going public that I might… just might want her for myself. And for more than just a few weeks this time. 

I shook my head.

“Good,” Truth laughed. “For a second I thought I had my hands on your woman there.” He tightened his grip on her.

“Nah she’s not my woman,” I didn’t let my eyes leave her face. She was playing a dangerous game. But I could play games too. “I have a woman for tonight, one who is more than happy to get on her knees for me.” 

Her eyes narrowed slightly and then she reached up, pulling Truths head down to hers so she could whisper in his ear. I couldn't hear what she said but whatever it was had Truth lick his lips, his eyes darkening.

Whatever it was, he liked the sound of it. A lot.

Fuck.

***

”Avery.” I grabbed her arm as she pushed her way out of the bathroom. The toilets were all down one long fairly dark hallway, with the ladies being at the furthest end. Which gave us some privacy at least. 

Hours I had watched her suck face with a man I classed as family. Fucking hours. 

“Can I have a word?”

“What do you want Ruin?” She sounded bored but there was apprehension in her eyes as she glanced back towards the door that lead to the bar. 

How could I answer that question? I wanted to say you. I wanted her to choose to give her attention to me. We had history and it was history I was keen on revisiting. 

“I want you to stop playing around with Truth…” I trapped her against the wall, my arms on either side of her head. 

“Why would I do that? He’s…..”

I stepped into her space and was rewarded by her breath hitching. “Yeah he’s great but we both know why you are flirting with him.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Because he’s hot and I haven’t been laid for….”

“Stop playing games Avery….” That was it. If she wanted to get laid I could help with that. “We have history….”

“We do Ruin, but it’s exactly that HISTORY. Stop trying to run my life. Now if you will excuse me I want to get back to Truth…” I silenced her with my lips, moulding my body against hers as I pinned her to the wall. For a second she froze and I half expected her to push me away and slap my face and then her lips opened. 

I stepped away. My smile was triumphant. “History my ass Avery.” I winked at her. “Now it will be me you will be thinking about when you let Truth into your bed.” I walked away without looking back.