Page 18 of Wild Card
“Asking too much?” He releases me and backs away. Laughing as if my words have wounded him. “I built you the most beautiful home in Wyoming. I offer to give you the world, and you tell me that I’m asking too much of you.” He massages his temples, and suddenly, I start to feel very unnerved. Last night I awakened the monster inside him, and there's no telling if it might show itself again.
“Brett, I don’t want to fight.”
“Sounds like you don’t want to be my wife either.” He laughs some more. “Jesus Christ, Ruby. Are you not seeing what's right in front of you? Do you not appreciate how patient I’ve been? How many guys do you think would stick around and be patient the way I have because of yourmommyissues?” he swipes at me, and it hurts far worse than any mark he could ever put on me.
“You're upset, Brett. I get that, but there's no need to be cruel,” I remind him, doing my best to stay calm, and cursing myself for getting into this situation. Wasn’t what he did last night not enough for me to be wary of the man?
“I’m not being cruel. I’m being honest. I’ve been nothing but respectful to you. I’ve never pushed you.”
“So, for that I should move in here, marry you, and bear your children?” I question him. “I’m sorry if sex is something I wantto be special. That I have enough self-worth not to give it up so freely. You don’t get to throw that back at me when things don’t go your way.” I feel the tears building in my eyes, and the stubbornness in me refuses to let them unleash. Instead, I head for the door so I can get the hell out of here.
“Where are you going?” Brett charges after me, taking hold of my arm and dragging me back inside, and when I feel his fingers digging into my skin and bruising me again, I decide I’m not gonna take it. I turn around and throw my fist, landing it on target and making him release me so he can hold his jaw.
“What the fuck?” He looks up at me in shock. “Are you crazy?” He stares at me furiously, and when I hear a low, heavy rumble coming from outside, I glance back out the door and see Ash pull his bike up beside Brett’s car.
“Shit.” This is not what I need right now.
“Who the fuck is that?” Brett looks confused as Ash gets off his saddle and starts marching toward the door.
“Excuse me, this private pro—” Ash silences him by reaching around the back of his head, grabbing a tuft of his hair, then slamming him face-first into his fancy oak bannister.
I hear myself scream when blood explodes all over the crisp, white walls, and Brett’s body falls limp on the floor.
“Ash, stop!” I call out as he crouches down, drags him up a little by the front of his shirt, and lays a blow of his fist into his face. Brett barely looks conscious; his entire face is red with blood, and Ash is showing no signs of stopping.
“Ash,please.” I manage to grab hold of his arm when he pulls it back to land another, and he drops the front of Brett's shirt and quickly swivels around.
“Whatcha doin' here, Ruby?” he asks, looking hurt, and inappropriately hot with splatters of my boyfriend's blood decorating his right cheek.
“I came here to talk, to explain.” I shake my head, knowing how ridiculous that sounds now that I’m saying it out loud.
“You don’t have to explain yourself, he’s the one that fucked up. Are you seriously gonna give this guy a chance to hurt you again?” His thumb reaches up and strokes over my lip like he has to remind me of what Brett did. Brett’s blood is on his hands, too, but I don’t care; it just feels good to have him touching me again.
“Come with me, let me take you home,” he whispers in a tone so soft it’s hard to believe what I just witnessed him do.
“I can’t.” I shake my head because Ash has no idea of the situation I’m in.
“Ruby, this is real fuckin’ simple. You leave this scumbag here, you get on the back of my bike, and we go back to Earl’s.”
“I wish it was that simple.” It becomes harder to hold onto those tears.
“Ya scared of me? Is that why? Ruby… I would never hurt you. Not ever. But I won’t let anyone else hurt you either, and if this is what it takes–”
“You don’t know me,” I remind him, staring up at him and wondering why this beautiful stranger is so invested in my well-being.
“I know, and right now, I can’t explain shit to ya, so don’t ask me to. But what I can tell ya is that if you don’t come with me willingly, I’m gonna throw your ass over my shoulder and put you on my saddle myself.” I feel my lips pull up into a smile when he gets that hot-as-sin grin on his face.
“Now that's better.” His thumb strokes my bottom lip again, and it does something to me internally. Something that has me forgetting my surroundings and reaching up to kiss him again.
The painful groan that comes from behind him causes me to stop and get a reality check.
“You don’t understand.” I pat my hand against his chest when I realize it’s been resting there this whole time.
“Then make me understand.” He takes hold of my wrist so I can’t get away. “And don’t give me the I’m his sister's best friend bullshit.”
“How do you kno–” I shake my head and sigh defeatedly. I can’t tell him the truth, not even if I wanted to.
He’s a Royal Bastard.
