Page 98 of Risky Game

“Don’t.” Ruby’s soft smile wiped clean. “Don’t bring him into this.”

“But you loved him, and you only broke up a few months ago. How can you be ready for… And you.” He glared at me. “Your ink on your divorce is barely dry.”

“But I am divorced, and she’s not with Paulie.”

“He was good to you,” Jassen stated, and if Ruby’s coloring turned any darker like her name, she was going to be the one blowing a gasket. “I liked him.”

“Everyone did,” Ruby seethed. “Especially his wife and kids.”

Holy shit. This was spiraling out of control quickly.

“You moved in with a married man? Holy shit, Ruby! What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“I didn’t know!”

“Okay. Okay.” Thank God for Molly. She appeared in the blink of an eye, out of nowhere, with Brittney no longer on her hip. Her hands were out, palms facing her husband and sister. It was a good thing she got in the middle too because I was two seconds from doing something to Jassen that would make Ruby hate me. “Let’s take a breath.”

“I can’t believe you would move in with a married man.” Jassen’s voice had turned raspy. “How does that even happen?”

“How does a married man date me and you think he’s so awesome?”

Ruby had a point there. I knew how hard this was for her. Knew she didn’t want Jassen to know. The fact she wasn’t backing down or falling apart was a testament to her strength. I reached out and settled my hand on her back. If she needed me, I was there for her.

Jassen’s glare cut to me as soon as he saw me move.

I didn’t let him speak. “Take a breath, Jassen. And listen to Molly.”

He stepped back, whirled around, and put his back to us. “Okay,” he finally said and faced us again. “I…” He shook his head. “I need to get out of here.”

“Jassen.” Ruby stepped forward.

“No.” He shoved his hand up, palm out. “Give me the night. Let… Jesus, Rubes… Paulie was married?”

It was then the anger left him, filled with disgust, but this time at least it wasn’t directed at his sister.

She caught it like I did, and her chin wobbled. Voice shook. “I didn’t know. Until the end, I never knew. He traveled and…” she hiccupped.

I pulled her closer to me. Jassen glared at me, jaw popping out, and refocused on Ruby.

“That was why I kicked him out.”

There was more to it. More that would make Jassen hate him.

“You’ve only been living in this house a few weeks.”

“And I can’t tell you it’ll last, but like I said before, I care about your sister. And you. After what Ruby’s already been through, it didn’t feel right to keep it a secret.”

She’d already been one. Hidden and lied to and kept in the dark. I wouldn’t do that to her.

She shuddered next to me and covered her mouth with a sob.

“It’s okay,” Molly whispered, and I think it was to all of us, but mostly Ruby. “Let me go get Luke. Jassen will calm down and you two can talk, okay?”

She settled her hand on Ruby’s cheek, thumb swiping away some of Ruby’s tears. “We still love you. This is all a surprise.”

But the way she looked at me, it wasn’t that much of a surprise at all. I should have felt bad. Hell, I never should have touched Ruby inside their house, but what was done was done.

We couldn’t take that back. And as long as Jassen didn’t find that out, we were good.

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