Page 40 of Ash (Dragon Riders MC 3)
He shook his head. “She’s a real trouble sometimes. Did that to me, too. And I was stupid enough to think she really did like me that much.”
“I bet you had plans for the both of you, too. Didn’t you?”
I saw him shift his weight before Hannah breathed a sigh of relief.
“I had a lifetime full of plans,” he murmured.
I took another step forward. “Why don’t you tell me about them? Your plans? Maybe if she hears you talking about them, she’ll start to enjoy it.”
“I already told her. She didn’t give a shit.”
“Be vulnerable with another man. Women like that kind of shit. They eat it up.”
He blinked. “Seriously?”
I snickered. “I’m the definition of ‘bad boy.’ Women flock to men like us that can be vulnerable and in touch with our feelings. Come on. Give it a try. What do you have to lose?”
I watched his gaze drop to Hannah before he lowered his knife. I mean, he pressed it against her neck again, but it wasn’t nearly as hard as before. I didn’t like the sight of her blood dripping against her skin. I didn’t like the fact that he still pinned her to the ground. But he was no longer in fighting mode, and that was a start.
“Keep going, you’re doing great,” Knuckles murmured.
David sighed. “I had plans to propose to her. In Italy.”
My eyebrows rose. “Wow. Hell of a proposal. I could’ve never come up with something like that.”
He snickered. “Yeah, well. Took a lot of researching to put it all together. I had it all planned out, though. Maxed out my credit card for the ring. Opened up another credit card just to put our two-week Italy trip on it. Hell, I even reserved us a penthouse hotel suite right on the edge of wine country. She always talked about going and exploring the vineyards of Italy someday, and I wanted to be the person who took her there. I wanted to take her on a fucking trip she’d never forget.”
I nodded. “I can only imagine the financial burden that cost you when she left.”
He growled. “She left me high and dry. Didn’t give a shit what she did to me. I lost my apartment. They repossessed my car. I had to sell off all my shit just to pay off the credit card I put the ring on. And even then, the other card fell into the hands of debt collectors. Do you know the kinds of harassing phone calls I got? I got fucking fired from my damn job because one of them contacted my work and cursed out my boss!”
I paused. “Wait, seriously?”
Link patted my shoulder. “Stay focused, buddy. Don’t let that big heart get to you.”
I shook my head. “Right. Yeah. That’s some shit, David. I hope you taught that man a lesson.”
He held the knife toward me, giving Hannah some reprieve. “I certainly did. I beat the shit out of him after he fired me.”
Hannah grunted. “You did what to Jerry?”
David hissed at her. “Shut up or you’re done. Got it?”
I looked down at her with a plea in my eyes. “Yeah, Hannah. Hush.”
She glared up at me before she turned her head again, and I knew I’d have to do a lot of making up with her in order to fix this shit. But it was working. It kept David distracted long enough to falter on that knife.
Now, if I can just get him to stand up.
“David, it sounds like you’ve been through hell and back. But if you really care about Hannah, wouldn't you want to get your life back in order before you bring her into it?”
David paused. “What?”
“I mean, think about it. Are you living anywhere right now?”
He snickered. “Out of my car, sure.”
“So, where is Hannah going to sleep if she goes with you?”
He clicked his tongue. “I don’t know.”
“Where is she going to bathe? Or cook your meals? How is she going to get to work if she doesn’t have a home address? If you really want her back, and you want to provide a life for her, why don’t you get your life back in order first? Then, come after her?”
“Are you insane?” Hannah asked.
“Shut up,” David and I said in unison.
The guys behind me chuckled, but I knew I had to wrap this up sooner rather than later.
“At the very least, it’s clear Hannah needs medical attention. I see the bruises. I hear the way she’s heaving. And my guy behind me? Knuckles? He can help with that.”
David nodded to Link. “What about the police?”
I shook my head. “If you let Knuckles take a look at Hannah, I’ll have him call off everyone. And it’ll just be us. Okay?”
He narrowed his eyes. “No trickery?”
“Not on my life.”
I looked back at Knuckles and he nodded his head. I was thankful that he was willing to go along with the plan, but I still had to get David off Hannah’s back. I turned back to face the man and I saw him clocking my body. Running his eyes up and down my form to see if I was lying. So, I put on my best poker face as I stood there.
