Page 5 of Rough & Ruthless

We step into my small studio apartment, and I lock the door behind us. Soraya sits on the very edge of my mattress, rigid and trembling, taking shallow breaths as thick tears well up in her beautiful eyes.

Frustrated with my own stupidity, I mutter a harsh curse under my breath. Soraya flinches hard. Shit, she thinks my anger is being directed squarely at her.

I drop immediately to my knees in front of her. This marks only the second time in my entire life I’ve knelt in front of someone, both times for her. Rebel Kings bow to no one, except our queens.

I hold up both hands to prove I’m non-threatening. Normally, I bark orders and snarl out threats, but right now, I’m trying like hell to intentionally soften my tone. "I’m sorry, Soraya. I’m angry with myself, not you. I should have used the quieter side entrance."

Soraya lowers her head. "I get it," she whispers brokenly. "So no one would see me."

My chest tightens painfully. I gently lift her hand, tracing her soft knuckles with my thumb before bringing them to my lips. I press a firm kiss to her skin, then look deep into her eyes, making sure she hears every single word.

"I would never be ashamed of you. I only wanted to spare you the overwhelming noise and chaos out there. I wish I had created a peaceful entry for you."

She tilts her head, completely stunned. I can see the gears turning in her mind. It’s evident no one has ever read her so accurately, or truly cared about her safety. The realization solidifies my resolve. She will be mine. I know it, my club now knows it, and soon, Soraya herself will understand what it means to be protected and loved by a ruthless MC President.

I sense the emotional intensity is becoming too much for her to process, which makes sense. She’s been through hell, going from terrified to heartbroken to completely overstimulated in a span of thirty minutes.

I force myself to step back, though it’s harder than I thought it would be. One day, my woman will know she can come to me with anything, everything, and I will accept her exactly as she is. Tears, laughter, pain, or peace, I want it all.

Instead of telling her my insanely possessive thoughts, I point toward the en suite bathroom. "Take a hot shower. Grab any oversized shirt you want from my dresser." I turn toward the door. "I’m going out to the bar to give you some space."

I walk back out to the main bar area. Wolf and Viper are already waiting for me. My Vice President and my Road Captain stare me down. When I narrow my eyes at their staring, Viper looks away. Wolf remains completely steady.

"Who’s the woman?" Wolf asks directly.

"Mine," I answer.

Viper rolls his eyes and takes a long drink of his beer. "Everyone got that message earlier."

Wolf doesn’t drop it. He demands the actual backstory. I briefly explain finding her crouched in her shop after the window was smashed during the brawl. Wolf frowns deeply.

“And…? I understand wanting to make sure she’s okay, and maybe giving her a ride home or something. But bringing a civilian back to the club? Especially when we’re dealing with all the shipping bullshit? I don’t know, Stryker. I just don’t see the advantage.”

I order a beer to stall for time, but Wolf never lets up on his questions, maintaining his defensive glare the entire time. Finally, I admit the truth. "I saw her a week ago. When I stepped into her floral shop."

Viper barks out a loud, obnoxious laugh. He slaps his hand down flat on the sticky bar top. "You?" he wheezes. He points a finger directly at my chest. "The big, bad President of the Rebel Kings went into a flower shop?"

I shoot him a dark, withering look. I do not find this funny.

"Oh, this is rich," Viper continues. He wipes a fake tear from his eye. "Did you stop to smell the roses, Stryker? Maybe pick out a nice little bouquet of daisies?"

A low, warning grunt vibrates in the back of my throat. I grip my beer bottle so tight, I worry I might break the thick glass.

"Wait, wait, let me guess," Viper taunts. He leans in closer with a massive grin. "She batted her pretty eyelashes and our fearless leader just melted right there into the fertilizer."

I let out another harsh grunt. My jaw clenches tight. I glare at him with enough heat to melt steel.

Wolf ignores the entire display. He continues analyzing the situation with cold precision. Viper eventually shrugs off his amusement and suggests we get another round.

I decline, citing club business.

Viper winks and wiggles his thick eyebrows. "We all know what that means."

The flare of rage is instant. I step up, going chest-to-chest with my Road Captain.

Wolf places a heavy hand on my shoulder, silently signaling that it’s not worth the fight. I roll my shoulders back and step away. Viper backs off quickly, realizing he just poked a very dangerous bear.

I turn to head back toward my apartment when Wolf stops me. "Is keeping a civilian woman under club protection really a smart idea?"