Page 14 of Joy Ride

Joy smiled up at Dane then, riling Walker further as envy twisted deep within him like a coiling snake.He’d never been jealous of his best friend before.Not even when the guy had dated Joy so long ago.But seeing them together, with the child, made him realize that this was everything he’d ever wanted and would likely never have.

Joy.Dane.For them to be a family.

Carefully, Joy laid her daughter into the crook of Dane’s arm, showing him how to support Arden’s neck.She straightened the baby’s teeny clothes and kissed her forehead.Seeing Joy hovering so close to Dane, and so affectionate, made Walker want to howl.

Instead, the questions that were building inside him broke loose, propelled by envy and wrath over everything he couldn’t have.“What are you doing here, Joy?”

Her head snapped up and her gaze locked on his.“Same as you.Trying to survive.”

“Angus said you’re welcome home if I go with you.So tell me, did you run from him or did he kick you out so that you could lure us—me—back?”Walker gritted his teeth to keep from spitting out the other things he wished he could say.

“Wait, what?”Joy’s chin wobbled as if he’d backhanded her.“You think I’m using Arden to manipulate you?Jesus, Walker.I know you don’t have a very high opinion of me, but that’s fucking nasty.Even for you.”

“Is it true?”Walker asked again.

Dane stepped closer to Joy.“Cut it out, Walker.You know Joy would never fuck us over like that.”

“Of course I wouldn’t.But what about you?”Joy snarled, the poison in her tone at odds with the flash of resentment in her eyes.“You ratted me out to your father?Why would you tell him I’m here?Are you hoping he’ll send Clive to pick me up so you can get back to your new life without any…complications?”

Walker didn’t deny that sounded pretty heavenly right about then.Except for the fact that meant he’d have to give up Joy, and her daughter—this time forever.He shrugged one shoulder.“He sounded like he already knew where you were.”

“You’ve been away from him and his tricks too long.”She groaned.“He’s going to make Clive try to convince me to do what he wants.Or worse, show up himself.I have to go.And you should too, if you’re smart.He’s been on a rampage ever since the two of you left.And I’m sure I haven’t improved his mood.”

“No.”Walker spread his legs and crossed his arms.

“What do you mean, no?”Joy flailed, looking adorable despite her obvious distress.“It’s not safe here.He didn’t know I was pregnant.I hid it or he never would have let us out of his sights.You know how he is when he wants something.I won’t be responsible for someone getting hurt.Not Arden or me, or you guys, or your coworkers and their families, who seem…incredible.I’m leaving.”

She stood and began to cross toward Arden.Dane put his hand on her upper arm and squeezed.He angled slightly away from her to keep Arden resting on his arm, where she’d surprisingly drifted off again despite their raised voices.“Running isn’t going to solve your problems.”

“Really?You son of a bitch.You have a lot of nerve saying that to me after what you two pulled.”She propped her hands on her hips.

Walker thought Dane should have taken some precautions because her knee wasn’t too far from his best friend’s balls and they’d made sure she knew how to use it.

“I’m sorry we bounced after making love to you,” Dane murmured.The apology flew from his lips so steadily that Walker knew he’d been wanting to say those words for a long time.Pretty damn close to a year, he’d bet.“It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.”

“And now?”She peered up at Dane with those doe eyes of hers, and Dane leaned in.

Walker didn’t blame him.Joy was hard to say no to at the best of times.Vulnerable and lost, she was irresistible.He would have done just about anything to erase the misery he saw in her eyes.So he didn’t stop Dane when the guy inched nearer and prepared to kiss her unshed tears away.

“If you weren’t holding Arden, I’d slap the shit out of you for that.”Joy stepped backward so quickly that Dane tipped off balance.“Just because I had no other choice but to seek you two out for shelter doesn’t mean I’m hoping to hook up with you again.Been there, done that, and have the baby to prove it.”

“So she is…ours?”Walker felt odd even saying it.

“She’smine.”Joy stood straighter then.“And no one—not Angus or Clive and certainly not either of you—will take her from me.”

“No one’s going to do that,” Dane promised.

Hell, if his own father and Joy’s mother had cared half as much about them as he could already see that Joy did about Arden, maybe they wouldn’t be so fucked up they could hardly function as responsible adults themselves.

He owed it to Arden to make sure her mother and father—Dane—avoided making the same mistakes.Joy never had answered directly.It shouldn’t matter, he reminded himself.Either way, he would shelter Joy and her daughter, make sure they were provided for.

“Dane’s right, Joy.Hot Rides is a safe place.This is your best shot at breaking away from Angus, Clive, and Wildfire.Sure, my father knows where we are, but he can’t do anything about it.These people are our family now.They could easily become yours too.Stay here and you’ll be protected by us all, I swear it.”

“Have you both lost your minds?”She shook her head.“I’m not taking any chances with Arden.Get the hell out of my way.”

“I’ve spent my entire life running from this mess, and for what?”Walker couldn’t deny it any longer.This was his destiny.And until he faced his demons, they were going to continue to haunt him.

He looked over at Dane, who nodded slowly.

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