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“Doesn’t matter who it is. You need someone to have a little fun with.”

Experience.

That’s what Chrissy was really talking about, and that landed a little hard on the old chest because I didn’t have much of it. In high school, all the guys I was interested in knew I had ties to Fury and were too scared to ask me out. Then I went off to college, and I dated a couple of guys. Sadly, none of them really went anywhere. They just fizzled out.

I was twenty-seven. I worked with children every day. I could talk about grief and trauma. I could help them communicate the feelings that they didn’t understand. But when it came to men, relationships, or sex, I was completely clueless.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, think on it. And who knows. Maybe you’ll meet a hot new biker tomorrow night.”

“I highly doubt it.”

“A girl can dream, can’t she?”

“Yeah,” I whispered as my chest tightened. “She can.”

But as we said our goodnights and I settled into the dark, I knew the truth. I didn’t want some hot new biker. I wanted the one man I had no business wanting.

5

RAVAGE

Ihad no idea what the hell had just happened.

One minute, Emery was curled up on my sofa, wrapped up in my sweatshirt like she belonged there, and the next, she was ripping the damn thing off, like it had personally assaulted her. Now, I was standing in the doorway, watching her taillights cut around the corner, and I had no clue what had gotten her so fired up.

What I wouldn’t give to go back to that moment when I walked into the house and found her sleeping. She’d never looked so beautiful. Her head was resting on one of the pillows, and her hand was tucked under her chin, like she was caught up in a dream. Her long, red hair spilled out behind her, and she had no idea I was standing there staring at her.

I could’ve stayed like that for hours, just watching her.

And then, I made the mistake of waking her up.

I had just offered to get her a ride home. Hell, I hadn’t even gotten the whole sentence out before she started arguing with me, telling me she didn’t need anyone to drive her. I was just looking out for her. It’s what I always did. I didn’t see any harm in it, but she sure as hell did.

I ran my hand over my face and groaned as I closed the door. I glanced down and spotted my sweatshirt on the floor. I walked over and picked it up, and for a second, I just stood there holding it.

I thought back to the moment she yanked it over her head, and for a split second, I saw her black lace bra and the soft curve of her breast. Damn. She was perfection, and she looked at me with beautiful green eyes like she had no clue what she was doing to me. Or she was too mad to care.

My jaw tightened at the thought. Before I had the good sense to stop myself, I brought it to my nose and inhaled, and just as I feared, I caught a hint of her perfume. It was faint, lavender with a trace of vanilla, but it was there. My jaw tightened. What the fuck.

“Jesus,” I grumbled, tossing the sweatshirt onto the sofa.

I charged toward my bedroom, but slowed when I passed Sam’s room. I eased his door open and found him sprawled face-first on the bed, sleeping soundly. His TV was still on, but I knew better than to mess with it. The slightest change would wake him, and he’d be back to playing video games for the better part of the night. So, I left him be and stepped over to Reese’s room.

She was curled up on her pillow with a stuffed animal tucked under her arm. The sight of her sleeping so peacefully settled me in ways I can’t begin to describe. She didn’t know it, but since the day she was born, she’d had me wrapped around her little finger. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her or her brother.

They were my everything.

Them and the club. That was it. That was all I needed in this life. At least, that’s what I told myself on nights like these when I went to my bedroom alone. I kicked off my boots and pulled off my clothes before climbing into bed.

Sleep didn’t come easy. Every time I closed my eyes, I found Emery standing in my living room with nothing but her bra, glaring daggers at me before she stormed out. I tossed and turned. I spent most of the night staring up at the ceiling, and eventually, I stopped pretending I was going to get any real sleep.

I must’ve dozed off for a little while because I was jerked awake by the sound of a cabinet slamming shut in the kitchen. I opened my eyes and groaned when I saw the sun creeping through the blinds.

Another cabinet slammed, followed by the sound of Sam shouting, “Dad?”

Shit. Morning had come much sooner than I’d hoped, but it was here and duty called. “Give me a minute.”