I scowled. “Wake her the fuck up.”
“No.”
I gritted my teeth. “I need to get breakfast, Ainsley,” I grumbled. “I’ll hit the road afterward.” In the meantime, I’d send a couple brothers to watch Ainsley’s apartment. Something was up, and I’d bet my bike Nova wasn’t there and hadn’t been there.
If Dayton wasn’t with me, I might suspect he’d charmed his way into Ainsley’s bed. But he wanted to escape the watchful eye of his father and the press for an evening at a casino. He was twenty-five and sheltered, with more political aspirations than his father.
“Stop thinking,” Ainsley ordered, sounding more like herself. “Nothing’s going on. I told you I had a bad dream. That’s i-it.”
I might’ve believed her if she hadn’t stuttered over that last word.
“Don’t leave because of me, Ro,” she said quietly. “I’m fine. I just…” She huffed and I swore another sob wrapped around that release of breath. “I’ll marry him. I love you. Bye.”
“Wait, Ainsley—”
She disconnected.
“Fuck!”
“Dayton Morgan will make Ainsley miserable,” Kylie said around a yawn. I’d forgotten I had company. “He’s an abusive asshole who loves to force his cock down a woman’s throat.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“It’s true. I’ll bet you ten dollars he’s made Ainsley suck his dick.”
“You’re a fucking liar.” The alternative was that motherfucker played me and turned me into a fucking fool. That was a mistake. But if he forced Ainsley to give him a dick suck?Thatwas a death sentence. “Fair warning, cunt, don’t fuck withmy little sister. I will rip your fucking head off and pitch it into the Missouri.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t have no problem with Ainsley.”
“Your earlier comment suggests otherwise.JustAinsley? If only,” I reminded her in case she’d forgotten. “Now, you’re lying about her almost fiancée.”
“That came out wrong. I just…I like Ainsley, but your entire life is wrapped around her and the club. You’re pushing her out instead of letting her figure shit out on her own. She’s a big girl and she’s not afraid to ask for what she wants. If she needs your help, she’ll ask, Roman.”
“Stay the fuck out of my family business. I’m doing what’s best for her.”
“If she doesn’t want it, it isn’t best,” Kylie snapped.
“You’ve put this shit in her head.”
“I did not! She barely talks to me because you fuck everything you see. In her eyes, I’m just your latest pussy to fuck.”
“You are,” I snarled. It was too fucking early in the morning for all this bullshit. I’d gotten up for a piss, not more fucking problems. “You give good head and have a hot pussy. There’s nothing else I want from you.”
Bursting into tears, she yanked the pillow from the bed and lobbed it at me, then stormed to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
Fuck!
I hurriedly dressed, grabbed my smokes, then headed to Dayton’s room. That little asshole had some explaining to do. I probably should’ve questioned Kylie further instead of flying off the fucking handle. Except Ainsley and the entire situation was a sensitive subject.
Eleven years ago, Royal Bastard motherfuckers targeted our father and sprayed his fucking car, not realizing he only took thecage when he and Mom went out. She was killed, too. Ainsley slept through it all in the back seat. She’d had an ear infection and Mom plied her with Tylenol to help the pain. The medicine coupled with her ability to sleep through a fucking earthquake guaranteed she hadn’t awakened.
Somehow, the bullets had missed her. The coppers thought when Dad slammed on the brakes so suddenly, Ainsley tumbled to the floor and missed getting hit. When I arrived, she was just awakening. I don’t think she saw our dead parents, but I was pretty damn sure that day invaded her subconscious and fueled her nightmares. She always spoke of a lot of blood and holes in Mom and Dad and the smell of burning tires.
That day changed my entire world and I don’t think I ever recovered. I’d been so fucking happy that Ainsley survived, I swore I’d dedicate my life to her until the day I trusted someone else to do it for me.
Anger made me pound on Dayton’s door. “Open this motherfucker up, Dayton,” I demanded, not caring if I awakened the entire fucking motel. If I wasn’t so worried about Ainsley, I’d kick the door in. Couldn’t do it now because I didn’t want to end up in the tank. “Dayton!”
“Jesus, what?” Dayton demanded, cracking the door so only his long fucking nose poked out. He didn’t remove the privacy latch.