Page 18 of Zeus's Ruin

“It wasn’t your fault.I’ll go to ground for you if I need to, babe.But none of this is on you.He’ll never know,” he whispers, but we both know that’s not true.Scorpio knows everything and he’ll find this out too.It’s only a matter of time.I glance toward the clubhouse door, thank god there are no windows, just like in Louisiana.But that doesn’t mean that someone didn’t see.

The roar of motorcycles in the distance fills the empty desert and I shiver, despite the adrenalin rushing through me.

“You best get inside and get cleaned up before he sees I’ve bled all over you and has questions we can’t answer.”

I frown and press my hand to my forehead.It comes away sticky and as I glance down at my white dress ruined with blood, tears spring to my eyes and my whole body trembles.My legs are practically noodles as I sink to my knees in the rocky desert soil because I don’t think I can keep myself upright any longer.I just married a man I don’t love.Not completely.I can’t give him my heart because it belongs to someone else, and now we’re all well and truly fucked.

“Come on, darlin’.”Zeus crouches down in front of me, tilting my chin up so I’ll look at him.“You’re the Prez’s ol’ lady now.That means you’re our fucking queen, and no queen of mine is gonna fall apart in front of the club whores and every other hang around in this place.If you show them the slightest weakness, they’ll eat you alive.”

“I should never have said yes.”

“Little late for that now,” he says and stands, pulling me to my feet.“Dry your tears and be the badass bitch I fell in love with.”

I suck in a sharp breath, because how can he say that so calmly after I just married his brother?“Zeus ...”

“I know.I shouldn’t say it.I shouldn’t feel it, but I fuckin’ do, babe.And I know you do too.I’ve known it since I killed Jimmy.Ain’t nothing we can do about it now.”

“I-I love you too.I don’t know where that leaves us.”

“It leaves you married to my Prez, my brother, and both of us unable to do a fucking thing about it.”

A sob tears free of my throat.

Zeus reaches out to cup my face.“Meant what I said before, darlin’.It’s time to push all that shit down and adjust your fucking crown.”

I sniff and straighten my spine as the Vegas chapter of the Outlaws pulls into the lot, followed closely by Scorpio and the rest of the New Orleans chapter.Scorpio doesn’t bother parking in a uniformed line like the rest of the brothers.Instead, he flips the kickstand down, yanks off his helmet, and stalks toward me.His eyes catalog my entire body and then he pulls me into him and squeezes me so tight I’m afraid he’ll break my ribs.?

“I was so fucking scared,” I whisper, because I don’t know how to deal with everything Zeus just told me, the kiss, or the fact that I saw men gunned down in front of me.?

“You’re shaking.”?

“She’s in shock.Not everyone gets to experience a shootout on your wedding day.”?

Scorpio releases me and slaps Zeus on the back.“Thank you, brother.”?

“Couldn’t have you lose your wife the same day you married her.”?

“My fucking wife,” Scorpio says as if he can’t quite believe it.I can’t either.What have I done?“Jesus.You look like a fucking dream covered in another man’s blood.”?

My heart skitters and skips a beat.I am covered in blood...on my fucking wedding night.My hands tremble as I wipe at the crusted blood from my forehead.“I need a fucking drink.”?

“Hell yes, you do.It’s a celebration after all!”Scorpio shouts and the rest of the club holler in approval.?

“How many did we lose?”Zeus asks.?

Scorpio glares at his VP.“We’re down a prospect.”?

“Who?”?

“Noble.”Scorpio shoots Zeus a look that says he’d rather be discussing anything else.“Dirty and Riot are seeing a local doc along with some of the Vegas brothers.”?

“Jesus, Scorpio.”Zeus shakes his head.?

“Oh my god.Noble is dead?”I ask.“And what happened to Dirty and Riot?”?

“Club business, sweet cheeks.”Scorpio turns to Zeus.“We’re gonna talk about this later.For now, I’m gonna get my wife that drink she needs.”?

As Scorpio pulls metoward the clubhouse, I glance over my shoulder at Zeus.His eyes are black with anger.I’m not sure if the rage is because we lost people in the shoot-out or the fact that his brother keeps calling me his wife.

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