Page 78 of Love is Blind

As we danced in the kitchen, with Maverick and Holly as our audience, I realized I was right a man could get lost in those eyes, but maybe he could be found in them too.

I push the memory to the back of my head and meet Maverick’s gaze.

“Forget what you did,” he says. “That’s done. It’s what happens now that counts most.” He takes a couple of steps closer to me. “I don’t think Birdie’s intentionally hiding shit from you. I think this thing between the two of you kind of took you both by surprise and you’re riding the high. It’s easy to keep something to yourself if you’re afraid and something big like her getting arrested—”

I cut him off.

“Something big like that she should share with her man, especially when he can make it all go away.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“How does she know you can make it go away? Ghost, I know it’s not an issue for you, but sheisblind. If you don’t tell her, how she going to know? She thinks we breed dogs, recycle used automotive parts and ride Harley’s for fun. She has no idea what the patch stands for or what sins it brings.”

He’s one hundred percent right, I’ve never laid it out there for Birdie. I warned her that I was bad news, but I never told her why. In my defense, I’ve never had to tell a woman my business. They know by looking at me that I’m fucking a menace and most of the time, they have a pretty good idea of what my patch stands for. I never had to share the club’s indiscretions with anyone. The only broad that knows our secrets is Holly and she’s earned that right by washing the blood from Maverick’s hands.

“She your ole lady?” he asks.

I lift my head.

Never had one of those either.

“I guess she is,” I rasp.

I don’t hate that idea either.

“Then, it’s time you give her a little insight to the reaper on your back, brother.” He pauses, scratching the scruff lining his jaw, then fixes me with a hard stare. “You get her talking, let her give you the whole story, then you introduce her toGhost—the knight, not the man. Tomorrow, we sit down early and we figure out how we’re going to bring the mayhem to whoever wronged your girl because that’s how we fucking roll around here.”

Chapter Twenty

Birdie

I wasn’tmyself after Ghost left for Charlotte. My emotions were raw, and my heart felt heavy. I asked Holly if it would be okay if I took the rest of the day and went back to Ghost’s room until Ink came to get me for Tara’s birthday party. Alone with my thoughts, I started to spiral thinking about life before Ghost and how I would just wake up to exist. I didn’t have plans or goals. I had Angel and he didn’t talk about the future either, that’s probably because he knew it wouldn’t be long before he wound up either in a cell or a pine box.

But hearing Ghost talk about kids…our kids… put things in perspective for me. After all he suffered through, he deserved a future with someone. I’m just not sure that someone is me, though. I mean I’m the girl who can’t even give him her past, how am I supposed to give him a future. With that in mind, I decided I was going to tell him everything after the party. The arrest, Angel, what really happened to Oreo and how Ralphie threatened to kill me if I didn’t pay Angel’s debt. If I gave him all of that and he still wanted me, then maybe the future holds color for both of us.

“You about ready to get out of here?” Ghost questions from beside me. He and Maverick showed up late to Tara’s birthday party, something that didn’t bode well with Holly.

Turning to him, I lace my arm with his.

“What about Holly? Won’t she be upset?” He drapes an arm across my shoulders and presses his lips to the top of my head.

“Babe, Tara left twenty minutes ago and it’s her party. I think we’re good.”

He’s got a point. I raise a hand to his cheek, smoothing it down his beard and press a quick kiss to his lips.

“Okay, then let me just go to the bathroom before we go.”

I lower my hand from his face and grab my cane from the table. Knowing Ghost was meeting me here and that we’d be going home on his bike, I kept Lucy home for the night.

Before I can slide out of the booth, Ghost’s hand curls around and the back of my neck, turning me back to him.

“Not so fast,” he rasps, slamming his mouth to mine. My hands flatten against his chest and a soft mewl sounds from the back of my throat as his tongue traces my soft, full lips. Parting for him, he plunges deep, exploring every inch of my mouth. The noises surrounding us fade and I slide my hands up his chest, curling them around his shoulders.

It’s moments like this that scare me. As precious as they are, they’re rare and in my experience, no one is every truly happy—not for long.

When we finally break apart, we’re both gasping for air. The familiar sparks set fire between us and I lift my chin, giving him my eyes.

“Sparks,” I murmur softly. “So many sparks.” I wonder if he feels them too. Does he live for them like I do?

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