Page 13 of Crush (Deadly Hearts 1)

ChapterSeven

Ruby

“I’m fine,” I grit out, beyond livid that I was jumped outside my own club. I mean what the fuck? It just adds insult to injury and pretty much sums up the shittiest day of the year so far.

“Do I need to call Michelle?” David asks hesitantly.

He knows calling the off the record doctor is a last resort.

“No, nothing broken. I’m fine,” I say again, still glaring at my awful reflection.

“Ruby!” Ramsey’s voice filters over David’s head. “What the hell? What happened?”

“Nothing, I’m fine,” I say absently.

“Fine usually means she is pissed off, but not quite ready to do anything about it yet,” David stage-whispers to Ramsey.

I ignore him, but Ramsey shoves David out of the way and approaches me cautiously. “What happened?”

I huff out a breath and root around in my bag. I find the bloody knife and pull it out to dump in the basin. Somehow, my thong has tangled up with it and has also ended up in the basin. Ramsey glances at it briefly, his eyes going hard, his body going tense.

“It’s not what it looks like,” I say with an eye roll. “Stand down. But thanks for the birthday gift. Saved this from being a lot worse.”

“Fuck, Ruby,” he says, placing his large hand on my back.

I hiss and wince, pulling away as he agitates the whipping marks on my back.

“Tell me what happened,” he says again, taking his hand away.

“I was coming back from a very shitty encounter and was attacked in the alleyway outside,” I spit out. “One of Jake Noonen’s boys. He is worse off,” I add.

“Do we need to call the paramedics?” David asks carefully.

“No, he’ll walk away. He’s probably already gone, but he’ll think twice about coming at me again. Asshole,” I mutter.

“Jesus,” Ramsey murmurs. “Ruby.”

“Don’t worry about it. Jake is a dickhead. I sent a message back to him to come after me himself if he wants me dead.”

“I’ll tell Layton not to let him in then,” David says seriously.

I snort in amusement, hurting my battered cheek. “Ya think?”

“Fuck off,” he mutters and disappears.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t take Ramsey with him.

“Layton is already here?” I ask, grabbing a washcloth and running it under the cold tap. I press it to my bleeding lip.

“Yeah, he wanted the lay of the land,” Ramsey says. “Ruby, I think you need private security. You are just asking for trouble.”

“Don’t get all overprotective,” I snarl at him. “You have no right, and I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but still, it wouldn’t hurt,” he insists. “I care about you. I don’t like seeing you like this.” His eyes go back to the damp panties in the basin.

I snatch them up and drop them back in my bag. “I told you not to worry about that.”

“Too late,” he murmurs, meeting my gaze in the mirror. “Fuck it, Ruby. I’ve been playing by your rules since I started working here, but I’m done. Seeing you this way, knowing that I could’ve lost you…I want to be with you. There, I’ve said it.” His grim face belies the passion in his tone.

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