Page 57 of Her Broken Biker
They move without asking Ace for explanations. One takes Briggs from under him. One goes straight to my apartment. Another stops near me, close enough to help, far enough not to crowd me.
Ace comes to me.
His bandage is bleeding again.
I stare at the red spreading through white gauze.
“You’re bleeding.”
“I know.”
“You need to stop doing that.”
His mouth almost moves.
Then his hands come to my face.
“Breathe, Reina.”
I drag in air.
It shakes.
“Again.”
I do it again.
The Saint at my door comes back out. “Clear.”
Ace looks at me.
I take one step, then stop. He closes the distance instead.
His hands come to my face, and his eyes hold mine like nothing else exists.
“It’s done,” he says. “He doesn’t get near you again.”
My throat tightens.
His thumb brushes my cheek.
“Nobody touches you, Reina. Not while I’m breathing.”
The words hit somewhere deep.
Too deep.
“Ace,” I whisper.
His jaw flexes. “You’re mine to protect. Understand?”
I should be scared of how much I want that to be true.
I’m not.
I nod, and his forehead touches mine for one brief second.
“Good,” he says, rough and low. “Now let’s get your clothes.”
