Page 43 of Owning the Prez’s Ol' Lady

The faded leather felt heavy in my hands, and I fingered our logo on the back of it, wondering how I was going to explain this to everyone else... especially Clash.

“You’re not going to kill him, are you?”

My head snapped up to look at her. “No. Why would I?”

“Because once you become a Lewd Outlaw, you can’t leave, not unless you want a bullet in your head.”

“That was Sabbath’s and Leppard’s rules, Shasta. We’re trying to make this a different club.”

“Are you going to let him go?”

“If he wants to stay, I’m not going to take him away from his child. That wouldn’t be fair to him.”

“Are you going to force Ramona to come back?”

“No. After everything she’s been through, she deserves to live a life where she’s not bound to the club. Every sweet butt and member had a chance to walk away, and Ramona is no different. Clash only said what he did because he was afraid it was his baby.”

She frowned.

“And me? Are you going to force me to come back with you?”

I cupped her cheek, staring deep into those big brown eyes that were my whole damn world. “No, Shasta. I would never force you to come back with me. If you come back, I want it to be because it’s your choice, not one where you felt like I was forcing your hand.”

A tear dripped down her cheek.

“I’m scared to go back, Snyder. Everything there reminds me of the past—a past I want to forget and move away from permanently.”

My thumb traced every tear, soaking up her sorrow until it was imbedded into every track of my thumb print.

“Do you want to stay here?”

“Would you stay with me?”

I shook my head, knowing I still had too many loose ends to clear up back in Austin. “Shasta, as much as I would love to stay with you and leave that world behind, I just can’t.”

She looked down at my chest, tracing the familiar patch that was now stitched to my cut.

“I knew they’d want you to fill his shoes.”

I took her trembling hand, bringing her fingers up to my lips and moving them over my pout.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, knowing what seeing that title would do to her. “They wouldn’t follow anyone else.”

Another tear tracked down her face, and I drew her against me, squeezing her so tight, I was surprised she could breathe.

“I don’t know if I’m strong enough to be that girl again, Reese.” She pulled away from me, staring deep into my eyes. “I’m not sure when I fell in love with you, but sometime, over the course of our time together, you’ve become my person.”

“As you have become mine.”

She gulped down a sob. “I want to believe that you and I can overcome anything, but I won’t be shared, by you or with anyone else. If you and I are to be together, I need you to promise me that it will just be you and me. No other guys. Definitely no other girls. Just us.”

“Shasta, I told you before, I never wanted to share you. I was only doing what I thought you wanted.”

Shaking her head, she buried it against my chest. “I just wanted it to be over. And now that it is. I just want you.”

Lifting her chin, I placed a gentle kiss against her lips, falling victim to her seductive powers once again. “Then you will have me. Just you. No one else. I promise.”

“Then I’ll go back with you. Just promise me things will change, that there won’t be anymore torment or drama.”

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