Page 18 of Demo

“If you recall, I never actually asked you on a date,” he pointed out. “It’s actually a bit presumptuous of you to decline when I haven’t asked you.”

Paige blinked at him and then let out a long giggle. She rubbed her fingers against her forehead. “You are such a flirt.”

He couldn’t deny that. With his knee, he gently bumped her right hip. “I want to get to know you, Paige. Even if nothing comes of it, I’d like to be your friend. Lucky can vouch for me, if needed.”

He didn’t offer to financially help her. Her pride would automatically decline and he didn’t want her to make the assumption he was trying to help her in return for sexual favors. He had every intention of helping her, regardless of her accepting his hand of friendship or not.

Paige licked her lips. Fuck, she had no idea how enticing that action was. He wanted to pull her closer and taste those lips but forced himself to refrain. “Steel wouldn’t have allowed you into the club if you weren’t trustworthy.”

Demo cocked his head to the side. Her relationship with Lucky was obvious, she was Harper’s sister-in-law, and she saw Bulldog weekly for Abby’s appointments. For some reason, though, it hadn’t occurred to him that she would know Steel too. “You know Steel?”

Paige nodded. “The boys are growing like I’m addingMiracle Groto their milk. Jenna suggested stopping by her consignment shop a few months ago. Both Steel and Jenna have been a godsend, even putting clothing or shoes aside for me that they knew were my boys’ sizes until I could get there. I’m pretty sure they don’t charge me for half of it,” she said with a trace of shame. “My bill never seems high enough for the amount of clothes and toys I take home.” Her statement didn’t surprise Demo in the least. Half the town’s kids were provided clothing at discounted rates or no charge by Jenna’s good heart. “Steel’s often at the store with her and I’ve gotten to know him well too. They’re both exceptionally good people.”

They were. Even with Steel’s outward hardness, his moral compass always pointed north. It was what made him such a good leader. He saw the entire picture, not just the individual aspects. His first and last priority was the protection and safety of his family, which included the club he ruled over with an iron fist. Or, rather, asteelfist.

“But even knowing what a good man you are, Demo, I’m not ready or able to date anyone. Pennsylvania’s separation laws are stricter than Michigan’s. Until my divorce is finalized, meaning Richard agrees to the divorce and signs his rights away, my priority has to be my boys.”

Demo had to bite his tongue. “I respect that. So, no dating. Everything we do is in public or with your boys. That way no one can claim you were the one being unfaithful.”

God, he was such a bastard. He was dirt. He was lower than dirt. He was the sludge worms pooped out that mixed with dirt. He could so easily set her free of her worries and stress, but he couldn’t. Telling her the truth would endanger not only himself but his club. Regardless of Richard’s crimes, his club had murdered him. Scar might have been the one to do the physical deed, but the rest of them were complicit. Even Carlos could be connected to Richard’s death. Former Sheriff Hannigan too—not that Demo was holding back his tongue to protecthim. He would just be collateral damage.

The law saw what the club had done as wrong. They had not killed Richard in self-defense. In fact, they’d tortured him before they’d killed him.

Paige could not know the truth. Harper couldn’t either. If they knew, they could be implicated too. He wasn’t just protecting his club brothers, but the women too. What was the saying?Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

Paige was struggling enough in her life. She didn’t need the burden of her husband’s crimes and murder weighing her down too.

Demo had never looked into the marital laws of Pennsylvania before. It wasn’t something that had ever come up before. “Do you have a lawyer?”

She let out a dry chuckle. “Lawyers cost money. No, I don’t have a lawyer. Everything I know has been fromGooglesearches. I have grounds to seek a divorce but not the ability to. Every penny I have goes towards keeping the lights on and food.” Demo knew that statement to be false but did not call her out on it. “What I do know, though, is that I have tofindRichard to serve him papers.”

Which she couldn’t do because his body was wherever Mateo Castillo had dumped it. Which was unfortunate. If there was a way to find his body, Paige would know she wouldn’t have to seek a divorce without Demo or the club admitting to anything.

“It’s been two years. You haven’t heard anything?”

Paige opened her mouth to answer, closed it, and then put her hand over her mouth to stop her giggles. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to take you seriously when you have a needle sticking out of your E-12 point.”

Demo had honestly forgotten he was littered with needles. “Probably not the most appropriate questions to be asking my doctor either.”

She nodded. “Another reason for me to turn down your not-asked question of a date. It wouldn’t be ethical of me to.”

Demo let out a long sigh. She stepped back and he once more positioned himself on the massage bed. “Just for the sake of my curiosity, if I had asked, and youweredivorced and not my doctor, would you have said ‘yes’?”

Paige leaned over him and started to remove the needles from his forehead, nose, and ears. She clicked her tongue against her front teeth. “Probably.”

He smiled widely up at her. Masculine pride swelled in his chest. “It’s because I’m naked, right? No woman can resist this body.”

Paige let out a loud laugh. “I’ve seen many naked men, good sir. Yours, while remarkable, is nothing extraordinary.”

Demo clutched his chest as if he was suffering from a heart attack. “Oh, the pain! Doc, the pain! It hurts.”

Her laugh was soon becoming one of his favorite sounds in the world. “Stop, you’re going to knock out your needles.” She moved down his arms and hands, removing needles as she went. He continued to fake the heart pain until she conceded, “Fine! You have an amazing body. Iwouldgo out with you because of it.”

Then she leaned close to his face and added in a sultry voice, “But just know that after I’ve had my hands all over it today, you’re going to be the one chasing afterme. I know erogenous zones western culture doesn’t know about.”

Demo swallowed hard. His goddamn cock twitched as if trying to stand up to be her first volunteer. They both glanced down his body at what was concealed in his boxer briefs. Paige slowly turned back up to face him. She smiled wickedly at him—and Demo was pretty sure that was the moment he fell for Paige Hannigan.

CHAPTER 4

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