Page 66 of Thornhill Road

“We’re not hired assassins and the Stallions aren’t a gang—but we’re not martyrs, either. We’re outlaws. In a kill or be killed situation, we do what we have to.”

I felt short of breath, suddenly worried about the prospect of Mustang in a kill or be killed situation.

“Does that—does that happen a lot? To you? I mean—how often is that a choice you have to make?”

“No, baby. There’s a reason the patch on the front of my kutte says Sergeant-at-Arms and not VP or Enforcer. Bull wanted me to be his right hand, but it wasn’t a job I wanted. We made a compromise. I lean in where I’m needed, I keep my brothers in line, but Steel Mustang is my bread and butter.”

For the first time since we started down this line of conversation, I pulled in a deep breath, filling my lungs completely before letting it all out on a sigh.

Mustang watched me, his hazel-blue irises painting every inch of my face.

“Any of that change this?” he asked, motioning between us.

For a second, I thought about how I would feel if I got up, got dressed, and walked out of his door for good. Even after everything he’d told me, just the thought of that made me ache all over—and not in a good way.

We’d known each other for a matter ofdays, and we’d just discussed the circumstances under which he or one of his kind might kill someone—which would likely involve gun trafficking, or some shady protection run. Yet, as crazy as it sounded, it wasn’t altogether unbelievable. He was a Wild Stallion. I wasn’t under the impression they garnered their reputation around town by selling candy bars door to door.

What was more unfathomable was my desire to stay.

Except, that didn’t seem to fit my current circumstance, either.

We were in a relationship. Not twenty-four hours ago, I told him I had no plans of bailing on said relationship any time soon.

We hadn’t known each other long, but Mustang was the one constantly reminding me how we knewenough. We knew enough to want more. He knew enough to trust me with the truth, and I knew enough to be sure he wasn’t a monster. He was far more complicated than that.

I dropped the sheet I held around my chest and crawled toward him, until I was straddling his lap. I took his hands in mine, lacing our fingers together as I tried to think of the words to say.

“I won’t lie to you. I don’t know what to do with most of what you just said. And, honestly, seeing you this afternoon—how angry you were—it caught me off guard, and it scared me a little. But I’m not so naïve as to think you didn’t have it in you. You’re a Stallion, not a Boy Scout.”

“Should go without sayin’, I’d never lay a hand on you, sugar.”

“I know, I know,” I insisted on a whisper.

I leaned toward him, touching my forehead to his as I let my eyes fall closed.

I pictured him, holding Mary-Kate against his chest, her temple pressed to his.

I remembered our first ride—me holding onto him as we sped down the highway on his Harley in the dark of night.

He was wild, but he wasn’t reckless, and he was mine if I wanted him.

And I still wanted him.

“I understand you are a man who will do whatever you have to in order to protect your brothers and your family. You said Stallions have always been in the business of protection and—babe?” I pulled way enough to see into his eyes. “I’ve never been with a man who’s made me feel safer.”

I meant that. In more ways than one.

“Fuck,” he muttered a second before he crushed his lips against mine.

He extracted one of his hands from my grip, then reached up and buried his fingers in my hair. I hummed into his mouth as he swept his tongue through mine, kissing me deep and greedy—the Mustang way.

He pulled back abruptly, my hair in his fist, and his lips still grazing mine when he said, “I’m gonna need you to put my dick in your mouth. Get me hard, baby, ‘cause I plan on fuckin’ you again as soon as I am.”

My lips spread into a smile and a thrill rushed up my spine.

That was my man.

I pressed a soft kiss against the corner of his mouth—then I did as I was told.

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