Page 13 of Cyrus

Cyrus followed me, not letting me far from his side. Once we exited the building, he snagged my hand and led me to his bike. The custom Harley was a thing of beauty. I might not be part of a motorcycle club, but I knew by the way he looked at the bike it was something he took pleasure in. As I stepped close to it, I knew I wanted to be on the back of it. There was no other way to go about it now, I was definitely riding with him this time, but I wanted to be there permanently. And yeah, I knew what being on the back of a man’s bike meant to these guys. It meant I was his. Which would likely never happen. Not with Cyrus. And not only because he was tight with my brother.

I sat stiffly, my fists curling into the leather of his cut. He probably wouldn’t like it because a biker’s cut was almost sacred to him. Bunching the leather might damage it. It didn’t surprise me that Cyrus snagged my wrists and pulled my hands away from the vest. What did surprise me was that he pulled me close, urging me to wrap my arms around his waist. The next thing I knew, I pressed the side of my face against his back and flattened my palms against his chest and abdomen. My fingers were splayed wide, wanting to touch every part of him I could. He grunted at me. Approval? Then he started the bike and took off.

We rode for a while. I wasn’t ready for him to take me back to the compound and I thought he needed time to think about what had happened. Probably how to let me know all that shit about him being the father of my child was to keep me from being embarrassed any more than I already was in front of the doctor.

After an hour, I was getting tired. I wasn’t used to long rides on a bike and though the breeze was wonderful, it was still hot out. I never loosened my hold on him. In fact, the second I realized where we were, I bunched my fists in the front of his shirt, the nervousness I’d been trying to hold off kicking in making me tremble. I was pretty sure what was about to happen. Cyrus was going to let me down as easily as he was capable of. He’d tell me he’d get me back to my brother in Florida or something and that would be it. Once he delivered me to my brother, he’d be out of my life. Again. It shouldn’t hurt. It wasn’t like he was actually in my life to begin with.

We pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. “Careful of the pipes, darlin’. Don’t burn yourself.” He got off, but I froze, looking down at the bike helplessly.

“I’ve never ridden before. I-I don’t know what’s hot.”

“Come here.” He stepped close to me and put his arm around my back, his hand under my arm and one under the closest knee. When he lifted, I gasped and put my arms around his neck.

He looked at me, narrowing his gaze as we stood there motionless. I swallowed, not knowing what was wrong other than how I clung to him.

I loosened my arms and he actually growled at me, his grip around me tightening. “Don’t.”

“I-I… Don’t what?”

“Pull away from me. Do not!” His voice was harsh, his gaze intense. “Understand?”

“No.” I shook my head, tears threatening again. “I don’t understand at all!”

He closed his eyes and shook his head, grunting once. Then he practically dropped me. He reached out to grasp my hips to steady me when I sucked in a breath and stumbled.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “Shouldn’t ‘a done that.” Then he turned and stalked out of the garage. “Come on.” Now he sounded mad. At me?

I knew I needed to follow him, but the last thing I wanted to do was be anywhere around Cyrus. I needed to hole up in a private space and lick my wounds. I’d been prepared for what the doctor would say, but not for Cyrus to be there, or for him to have already known. Or for him to tell the fucking doctor the baby was his!

“No. I’m just gonna leave. I’m not sure what I came all this way for, but I need to go back home.”

He whipped around, walking back in my direction, advancing on me like an angry wildcat. “You said you didn’t have a home, so you’re not leaving.”

“I can go back to Florida. Donovan will let me stay with him until I get things fixed.”

“Fixed? What things?” I actually stepped back at the anger in his expression. He closed his eyes, his fists clenched at his side. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head. I was beginning to realize he did that when he was trying to get himself back under control. But why would he be this angry at me?

“My life! Everything got turned topsy-turvy a couple of weeks ago. Then this happened! Why are you angry with me?” I was practically yelling at him, the tears threatening again. I was going to lose it. The only question was if I could get behind closed doors or if the entirety of the compound would be witness to my humiliation.

“I’m not angry with you!” Cyrus raised his voice in proportion to my own. He took another deep breath, giving his head another little shake. “Are you looking to terminate your pregnancy? ‘Cause you know this ain’t the place.”

“What if I am?”

“Then you need to tell me so I can get Stitches to help me find a safe place for you to have the procedure. Either way we have some things to discuss. Come with me.” It was an order pure and simple. He held his hand out to me, fully expecting me to take it.

“What’s going on with us, Cyrus?”

“Nothing’s going on with us,” he snapped. “Blade’s tryin’ his best to help a kid who’s dying, and I’m taking care of you so he can concentrate.”

If he’d slapped me, I wouldn’t have been hurt as much. “So I’m a responsibility.”

“I didn’t say that. You need someone watchin’ over you and I’m fillin’ in.”

“Well, news flash, asshole! I’m an adult! I can take care of myself. And anyone else who comes along!”

I stormed out of the garage, heading toward the compound. There were several men outside lounging against the building or in chairs on the large patio. Had they heard everything?

Fuck!

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