Page 47 of July 27

The fact that he was letting her be the one who helped him show others his true self was doing funny things to her stomach. She ran her fingers along the shaved sides of his head. His skin was smooth and soft.

"Rach?"

She looked at the mirror, shook her head at his concern, and picked up the scissors to do what he asked. Now that she'd started, she would finish his haircut.

Taking her time, she cut the top of his hair, mimicking how her hair stylist trimmed her hair once a year. As she made sure everything was even, she admired the dragon. He was right when he told her to follow the dragon. It took the area below the top hair as if he'd planned it that way.

"How long have you had the dragon tattoo?" she asked.

"I got it after Katrina was born." After several seconds, he continued. "All Havlin members have a dragon tattoo of some sort on their body. On shoulders, backs, chests, stomachs, and even on a calf. But I had never seen someone do their head. Since I already had a neck tattoo, I put the dragon on my head. Since people don't like me for who I am, I'd give them something else to keep them away from me."

She stopped cutting and looked at his reflection. "I don't know why someone wouldn't like you."

"When I told my parents I knocked up my girlfriend and she was pregnant, they offered to pay for an abortion. They'd rather kill a baby that had their blood than face what other people would say. When I told them we were having the baby, they wanted me out of the house. I packed a bag and took Sheila as far as I could before we ran out of gas." He brushed hair off his chest. "That was the last time I saw them."

"But they came around, right?" When he never replied, she said, "They must be proud of Katrina. She's a beautiful woman, and she's having their great-grandchild now."

"They're dead. Apparently, they died a couple years ago." He stood and slapped his neck, getting the hair off him. "They never knew her."

"But Cora's your sister—"

"She just recently showed up, dogging my steps, thinking she wanted to get to know the big brother she'd never met." Ruger huffed. "Now she knows I'm a killer."

That wasn't the impression she had of his younger sister. Cora seemed to desperately want to know Ruger, but he went out of his way to shut her down. There had to be a reason why he wouldn't welcome a relationship with Cora. She was family and had nothing to do with her parents' decision not to support Ruger when he needed the love of a family.

"I don't think anyone who knows you would think you're a bad killer." She set the scissors down and started sweeping his hair with her hand into the sink to contain it all.

Ruger stood in the doorway. Aware of him watching her, she quickly cleaned up and faced him. He stuck around, so he must have something to say.

"There is no such thing as a good killer, Rach," he murmured.

She stood before him, ran her hands down his cheeks, and straightened his goatee. To her surprise, the haircut and shave made him sexier.

"Call it what you will, but I know you." She raised on her tiptoes. When she still couldn't reach his lips, she pulled his whiskers and brought him down for a kiss. "You saved my life."

He hooked her neck, holding her closer and kissing her deeper. His tongue slowly caressed her tongue. She sighed, knowing he was leaving the house. He had to ride with Havlin.

Ruger pulled back, straightened, and kissed the end of her nose. "Call if you need anything."

"I will." She followed him into the other room. "Be careful."

He picked up his helmet. "Lock the door behind me."

"I will." She kissed him again.

He stepped outside, turned, and pointed. She smiled and closed the door, locking the deadbolt so he could double-check that she'd done it.

She returned to the bathroom to get her coffee cup and found more hair she'd missed. Picking up a lock, she carried it with her to the kitchen. Ruger's change in appearance felt as if it had changed their relationship. It made her nervous that his personality would also change.

Everything was new.

Changes were challenging.

She opened the drawer and pulled out the foil. Ripping off a small piece, she laid the strands of hair in one direction and then folded the foil into a keepsake container. She put the small piece of foil in her pocket, feeling silly but knowing she'd keep his hair forever.

Chapter Twenty Three

Ruger pulled his helmet off. The cool breeze hit his scalp, reminding him how long he'd sat in the state penitentiary.

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