Page 57 of Ruthless

“Like you?” He turns the conversation back around on me. It’s a tactic I’m all too well familiar with because I do the same shit myself.

My temple throbs, but I fight back the urge to kick his ass. “I’m working on it.”

“Looks like it.” His jaw tightens as he cranes his neck to the side. “That’s why you’re still sleeping on the couch every fucking night.”

“I said I’m handling it.” I grind my teeth together to keep from lashing out. He’s pissed about Rosenberg and not hearing me.

“You handle your demons your way and let me deal with mine.” His words are final, but I can see the war brewing behind his eyes.

We’re locked in a stare down—both of us too fucking stubborn to be the first to break it. The only sound in the room is the pounding of my pulse in my ears as we continue to watch the other.

“I fucking knew it.” Axel breaks the silence and comes storming into the room like the loose cannon he is.

“Where’s Isaac?” I ask, not even touching his comment. He’s quick, and I’m sure he’ll put the pieces together.

“He’s getting cleaned up.” He crosses his arms over his chest and turns his head from me to Asher, and frowns. “Something told me that I needed to come back here and check on both of y’all.”

“We’re fine, Ax.” Asher won’t look up as he collects all of the papers on his desk and tucks them back inside the folder.

“Y’all are too fucking stubborn and can’t get your head out of your asses to get your shit together without me.” He shakes his head, not convinced and knowing us better than we know ourselves.

“Ax,” Asher warns, but our little brother isn’t listening to either of us.

“I can see you ain’t ready for the shit you need to hear, but don’t come bitching to me when they pack up and leave your stupid asses.” Axel shakes his head, but Asher is done with this conversation.

“Won’t happen.” Asher gives him one last look before walking out and leaving the two of us standing there.

“You always have to push, little brother.” I run a hand through my hair as I stare him down.

“Y’all can thank me later.” Axel winks and takes out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. He puts it in his mouth, but before he can light up, I smack him upside the head, knocking the cigarette to the floor.

He grabs the side of his head and glares at me. “What the fuck was that for, Z?”

“I warned you not to light up in front of Ken.” I shrug. He had it coming, and hefucking knows it.

He rolls his eyes and picks up the cigarette off the floor. “So fucking touchy, Z.” He wipes it off against his T-shirt but puts it back in the pack instead of lighting up.

“Maybe you’ll remember that next time then.” He mumbles something under his breath, and I know he’s bitching, so I offer him a bone. “Meet in the basement.” I walk off and head into our house, down into the basement. All of the shit going down has me crawling out of my skin, and I need to work it out.

Axel’s right about one thing, though. I need to get my shit together. And I’m trying, but it’s not something I can conquer overnight. I hope she can understand that some demons aren’t meant to be slain. They’re meant to be walked with.

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

Kennedy

The second I wake up, I become aware of two things. There’s an excessive amount of heat hitting the front of my body. And I can feel someone watching me.

When my eyes blink open, I find a pair of legs covered in gray sweatpants and stretched out along the bed. My eyes trail up Zane’s body, taking my fill as they do. His naked chest has heat flooding my face. Even though he’s a bit blurry without my glasses on, it doesn’t stop my mouth from watering with every one of his tattoos on full display. The piercings on his nipple glisten in the morning sunlight, and my fingers itch to tug on them until he’s groaning. I continue my path to his face to find his eyes on me.

“Were you watching me sleep?” I cock an eyebrow at him as I fight back a grin. I’m not freaking out that he was because at least I woke up to him next to me, and that is progress. I’ll take my wins where I can.

He lets out a deep sigh but doesn’t answer me. His left hand lifts, toying with the end of his beard, and that’s when I get the first glimpse of his knuckles. They’re red and swollen.

“Nightmares or old memories?” I ask, knowing it has to be either of the two that would cause him to do that. Since he came clean about his past, it’s helped me understand what’s going through his head better, and I’m trying not to push him, but at the same time get him to become comfortable opening up to me.

“Both.” He glances down at me, his eyebrows drawing together as he loses himself in his thoughts. Something is troubling him, but he’s having difficulty articulating it.

“What is it?” I grab his hand and start rubbing slow, soft circles on the inside of his palm with my fingers, letting his warmth seep deeper into me and paying close attention to his wedding ring. All tension instantly leaves his body from my touch, and I wait him out. I have learned with Zane that patience will always be rewarded. He may take a bit to voice things, but when he does, those words are worth the wait. In his silence, he’s working out the ever warring battle in his head.

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