Page 8 of Ruthless Sin

"He's my brother. I've known him since we were both in the military."

"Then you know he's a good man."

"He's too old for you."

"You already said that," I step closer, softening my voice. "Dad, I'm not asking for your blessing. I'm telling you how it is. I love him. And after tonight..." I trail off, remembering how Ruthless kissed me like I was everything he'd been waiting for.

"After tonight, what?" Dad's voice is sharp again.

"After tonight, I'm done pretending I don't feel what I feel." I lift my chin, meeting his gaze steadily. "You can either accept it, or you can make us all miserable fighting it. But it won't change how I feel."

He stares at me for a long moment, and I see the battle playing out behind his eyes. Finally, he turns away, bracing his hands on the table.

"Get out," he says quietly.

"Dad—"

"Get. Out." Each word is clipped, final. "I need to think."

I hesitate, wanting to say more, to make him understand. But I know my father. Know when he's reached his limit. So, I turn and walk to the door, pausing with my hand on the handle.

"I love you, Dad. That's never going to change. But I'm not a little girl anymore, and you can't protect me from my own heart."

He doesn't respond, doesn't turn around. I slip out of the reunion room, closing the door softly behind me, and find myself face to face with Chloe, who's obviously been waiting.

"That bad?" she asks quietly.

I nod, not trusting my voice. She pulls me into a hug, and I let myself lean into her warmth for a moment.

"He'll come around," she whispers. "Just give him time."

I hope she's right, but the knot in my stomach says otherwise. Because this isn't just about me and Ruthless anymore. This is about power, control, and a father learning to let go.

And Hellfire has never been good at letting go of anything he loves.

Chapter 4 - Ruthless

The text message glows on my phone screen like a death sentence: 'Clubhouse. Now.' Short, direct – pure Hellfire. I know what's coming. I have been expecting it since Angel left my garage.

"You don't have to come," I tell Crow as he mounts his bike and I mount another of mine.

He just snorts, kicking his engine to life.

"Brother, with Outlaws gunning for us, no one rides alone. Besides," he grins, but it doesn't reach his eyes, "someone needs to make sure Hellfire doesn't kill you."

The ride to the clubhouse is tense. Every shadow could be an Outlaw waiting to even the score, every turn could lead to an ambush. But my mind isn't on the potential threats. It's on Angel – the taste of her, the way she felt pressed against me, the fire in her eyes when she told me she needed to handle her father alone.

The parking lot is still full when we arrive. News travels fast in our world, and everyone wants to see how this plays out.

"Ready?" Crow asks as we kill our engines.

"No," I admit, running a hand through my hair. "But when has that ever mattered?"

The moment we walk in, the atmosphere hits me like a physical force. Conversations stop mid-sentence, and all eyes turn our way. Butcher and Maverick give me a slight nod – a warrior's acknowledgment before the battle.

Chloe appears from the direction of the reunion room, eyebrows raised with concern. When she sees me, she makes a beeline in my direction.

"He's in a mood," she warns quietly. "Angel left fifteen minutes ago. It... didn't go well."

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