Page 69 of Breaking the Rules (Roaming Devils MC 1)

“You won’t tell me where you went or what you’re doing. It’s not coming from nowhere.”

“You think I went out of town to cheat on you?”

“I don’t know what you did.”

“I didn’t have sex once.” He scoffed, shaking his head. “I didn’t even masturbate.”

She stood. Their conversation was going nowhere. She didn’t know what he’d done out of town, but he wasn’t giving her any information about it. God, how did women live like that? She couldn’t imagine letting him do whatever the hell he wanted with other women and not being upset about it. She deserved better than that.

“I’m going to my parents.” She’d already packed a bag for the night. “I’ve got to sort out what I want to do.”

“What is the worst thing I could ever do, Ella? The deal breaker for our relationship?”

“Lying.” She said it without even thinking about it.

“And you think I’m lying to you right now?”

“You’re omitting the truth.” She reached for her bag. “It’s the same thing.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Let me ask you something. Don’t the laws prevent you from discussing patient procedures with me? Isn’t there some kind of ethical conduct you have to abide by?”

She stopped, staring at him. “What is your point?”

“I’m not questioning you about your job. I’m not worried about you fucking some patient or not getting along with my dad. What’s the fucking difference?”

“My job is legal and yours is not.” She opened the door and walked outside. He was part of the club, grew up in it. If he wanted to, he could give in to his former temptations and where would she be?

She went to her car and got in. Distance would help clear her mind. Maybe she needed to cut her losses before she ended up dead too.

****

Ryker spent the entire day waiting for Ella to come back. When she didn’t, he decided to go out and find her. The cop’s house was in the suburbs of Atlanta. It was a place where he stood out like a sore thumb. He rode his bike to her old neighborhood, noticing immediately that the neighbors stared at him as he drove by. The cop’s house was at the end of the block and he pulled in the drive. Ella’s little white car was there and he couldn’t stop the thrill from bubbling up inside him. He wanted to see her. He wanted to make everything right again.

He got off his bike and went to the door. After pressing the doorbell, he waited. He hadn’t been at the house in years. And the last time he was there, he’d been carried out in handcuffs.

The door opened and Ella’s father stood on the other side. Ryker half expected the bastard to make him explain why he was there, but instead he moved out of the way and invited Ryker inside.

“Ella, you’ve got company.”

Ella came around the corner, smiling. Icing covered her fingers, and a little green blob marked her cheek. “What?” When her eyes met his, the smile drifted a little. “What are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I missed you.”

She licked the icing off her fingers. “We were making cupcakes. I lost track of time.”

Ryker smiled at her. Her hair was pulled up, with a few tendrils falling into her face. She looked like she’d had a rough day.

“Do you want to try one?” Ella wiped her hands on her apron. “We tried a new recipe. You can be our guinea pig.”

“Yeah. Sure.” He followed her into the kitchen.

Her mother glanced up from icing one of the cupcakes. “Ryker. We weren’t expecting you.”

Ryker watched as Ella took a cupcake from the cooling rack. “Sorry to barge in.”

Ella handed him the plate with the pink-iced cupcake. “You’re fine. Try it and tell me if it’s horrible.”

He stared at the cupcake. He was fairly sure there was more icing on her than the food. He dipped his finger in it and licked it off. The sweet flavor made him smile. He lifted the treat and took a bite. It wasn’t horrible, so he nodded in approval.

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