Page 60 of Deranged (American Street Kings 3)

“It hurt me in such a way that I was never able to handle a man’s touch…not until you.”

My ribs cracked, and every hair on my body stood up. “Who?” I gritted out.

“It doesn’t matter. They don’t exist anymore.”

“They?” I pinched my eyes closed, desperate to not lose my shit. She was opening up because I pushed her to. If I lost it now, she’d never tell me anything again.

I felt her chest expand against my back as she took a deep breath. “Yeah…they.”

“So, they’re dead?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you—”

“No. No, I didn’t.” She paused, and it was like a heavy cloud settled over us even though the sun was burning down the summer heat. “But my brother did.”

I took a few seconds to process what she just told me. She didn’t have to spit it out word for word for me to know how she was hurt. I also knew there were so much more to her past, but I wouldn’t push any more today. At least I got something—a puzzle piece toward solving the secrets she kept buried.

I let go of her wrist and held her arm as she climbed off the bike. I got off too and reached for her, pulling her closer and settling my hand on her hip. “Listen to me very carefully.” I looked her dead in the eye. “I don’t give a flying fuck about your past. You got that?”

Radiant irises stared at me, unshed tears shimmering in the corners. “I told you, I’ll only ruin you.”

“I don’t care.”

“But I do.” She placed her palms against my chest, fingers sliding down my cut. “I care about you, Onyx. Too much. And what you have with your crew—”

“Listen, I know all this club business can be really shitty at times, but I can be a president of a crew and still be your man.”

A pretty pink blush spread across her cheeks, and her complexion turned to a healthy glow under the summer sun. “It’s too risky.”

“Why?”

She bit her lip, her attention dropping to where her hands touched my chest.

“Wraith, I’ll do everything in my fucking power to protect you. I know being with me comes with a shitload of risks, but I swear to God there is no man strong enough to take you from me.”

“You hardly know me.”

“I don’t care. All that matters is that I know I want you. There’s no guarantees, I know that.” I tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “But I think if we don’t stick around to see where this is heading, we’d regret it.”

She closed her eyes, and I could feel her hesitation roll off her in waves of confusion.

When she opened her eyes, her irises were swirling with uncertainty, beautiful lips pulled in a straight line. “I’ll only hurt you,” she said, like she already regretted it.

I shook my head. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes. I do.”

“I’m a big boy, Wraith. I’ll risk it.”

“Why? Would you want to risk anything where I’m concerned?”

“Because I would rather have you for a moment to realize it won’t work than not have you at all and always wonder what if,” I placed my palms on her cheeks, “what if it would have worked.”

With parted lips she stared up at me. “You’re the president of the American Street Kings. A crew—”

“—which you’ll have no problem fitting in to.”

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