Page 23 of Claimed

He didn’t look at her and he didn’t stop.Helet out a harsh groan as he came inside her, every muscle in hisbody going tense with the release.He was beautiful.He withdrewfrom her and lifted her out of the bathtub.They didn’t bathe likeshe first intended, but she was ready to get some sleep.He wrappeda towel around her and grabbed one for himself.After urging her toher bedroom, he fell onto the bed with her, both wrapped in eachother.

Theyhad lainlikethat for a while, before he said, “You don’t want me, Layla.I’mexactly the type of guy you don’t need.”

She nuzzled his cheek.“Thanks for yourconcern, but I think I can judge that for myself.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple.“I need togo.”

He sat up.Shewatchedhim for a moment before he stood to find his clothes.Shewouldn’t beg him to stay.Likeher father said, she’dalways be second.

He pulled his shorts onand the shirt of his that she’d wore home.Her feelings ran toodeep, too fast.In all those years ago he’d been wanting her, butshe’d also been wanting him.She noticed him and she liked him.Hermom forbade her to date a man with a motorcycle which was why herfirst boyfriend had a Toyota Corolla and a boring personality to gowith it.Brian had been her first everything.Not only did shething she didn’t want to be in a relationship,he madeherthink sex was horrible.She’d been fifteen at the time and eventhough Brian was there, she’d been more interested in the guy thatalways grabbedasodafor her when she visited her dad.Silver never said anything to her, but she liked that he noticedher.Liked that he thought of her without preamble.Over the nextfew years of her life, she had started daydreaming about sex withSilver.She knew there would be nothing terrible about him andshe’d been right.

“You’re really going tolet me go?”Layla pulled her feet underneath her.“You’re justgoing to walk away from me and go back to doing whatever the hellit is that you do at the club?”

He propped his hand on his hip.“I haveto.”

“No,you don’t.”She whispered it,pleading with him.“I don’t want the white picket fence or thebabies.We gogoodtogether.It’s not fair that youwant to give it up over something stupid.”

“You don’t understand,Layla.There are things you’ll never understand about the MC.Youdeserve better than me.I’m sure that guy is out there somewhere.He’s out there waiting to loveyou likeyoudeserve.”

“I don’t want that guy.Iwant you.”

“You can’t have me.”Hethrust his fingers in his hair.“I’ve got to go.”

She watched him leaveknowing that he wouldn’t be back.She lay backinher bed andcurled up with a pillow.Crying over him wouldn’t solve anything.Exhaustion took over.Her heart felt as if he ripped it apart andthere was nothing she could do about it.

Chapter Ten

Silver sat at the clubhouse bar for a longtime, drowning his sorrows.Most of the guys had gone to bed orgone home.Torque seemed to have finished fucking his find for thenight and decided to join Silver, taking the seat next to him.

“I take it you ended itwith my daughter?”He lit a cigarette and blew a stream of smoke.“What the fuck did I say all those years ago?Layla is and alwayswill be off-limits.”

He didn’t say anything Silver didn’t alreadyknow.He also knew the consequences.

“Layla is a caringperson.”Torque puffed his cigarette.“You show her any kind ofaffection and she thinks she’s in love with you.She’s not.Shejust has a big heart for scumbags.”

Silver drank his beer.“Nobody said anythingabout love.”

Torque laughed.“Please.You look like apuppy that lost his favorite toy.”

He turned toward Torque.“What’s your deal with her?You’ve had more women than all of uscombined.Plenty of them claimed they had yourchild,but youonly believed Layla’s mom.Why is she the only one you took careof?”

He tapped his cigarette in the ashtray.“Layla was planned.Trina told me that she wanted a baby.Not myfirst request, but I didn’t think it was such a bad idea with her.I loved her at the time and when she told me she was pregnant, Iwas happy.”

Silver took a long drink from his beer.Hedidn’t know what he expected, but that wasn’t it.

“I went to the hospitalwhen she was born.”He smiled at the memory.“She was so tiny.Perfect, really.Trina told me that she’d need someone to lookafter her and protect her.I knew if nothing else, I could dothat.”He glanced over at Silver.“She raised her, but I protectedher.I always will.”

“Even from someone likeme?”

“Especially from someonelike you.”He stamped out the cigarette and turned toward him.“Shehas a chance to make something of herself.To be whatever the hellshe wants.You’re not going to fuck that up for her.”

Silver stood from the barstool.“You need tocheck on her.She wasn’t too happy when I left her apartment.”

He rubbed a hand over hisscruffy face.“Fuck.I’m going over there right now.When Igetback,we’ll handle the business between us.”

Silver didn’t say anything as he headed tohis apartment.If his ass was going to get kicked for fuckingLayla, he needed some rest.

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