Page 68 of Rider Daddies
“Who are you texting?” Ash has spawned at the bar and is now peering down at me.
“Another guy. You mad?”
“No,” he deadpans, perhaps a little too defensively. “Just as long as none of the murders make breaking news.”
I narrow my eyes. “What did you mean earlier before you cut yourself off? You’d hate for me to be…what?”
Ash does the usual—stares at me like he doesn’t care. I wait for him to finish his episode, knowing roughly how long it’s going to take.
But he keeps going.
Standing.
Staring.
Looking sexy.
He only stares at me for long periods of time because he’s proud of his eye color. I would be too if I looked like a husky in human form. He even has the blend of white and iron-gray hair working in his favor.
Mind, you wouldn’t ever want to pet him.
With Saint, I’d be happy to go in with the old heat pat—I get the impression that he doesn’t mind the attention.
With Ash, it’s different. He looks so cold. That’s why I was taken aback the other night when his warm hands brushed over my skin. It was like they were supposed to be there.
Is it too much of a stretch to say that it’s me who does the “heating up?” It’s hardly a compliment. If it walks, breathes, has a pulse and a vagina, it’s enough to raise their dicks.
Which is why when I extend my vision to Ryder to see his back turned away from me, I’m confused. Three days ago he wanted to have some fun and “claim” me.
“Are you gonna stand there looking pretty, or are you gonna answer my question?” I fold my arms over my chest. “Come on. I can’t wait all night.”
Ash shakes out of his daze and returns to reality. “I can’t remember our earlier conversation. But you’re staying here…yes?”
“Um,” is the only word that comes out of my mouth at first. “Yes.”
My tongue is getting dry. Time for another gulp of tequila. I pick up the glass, take a gulp and cradle it in my hands, watching as the other two brothers wander their way over.
“What the hell is up with you tonight?” It’s perhaps a bit brazen to address Ryder’s distant behavior straightaway, but I can’t help the way tequila affects me. “You’ve been acting weird all night. What is it? You’re pissed that I might’ve got the club and everything you hold dear in trouble?”
He flinches at the last bit.
Crickets.
I stick my hand into the air. “Hello? No snarky comment?”
He continues looking at me, straight-faced.
As straight-faced as you can expect from a man with striking facial harmony.
“Damn,” I say. “There reallyissomething up.”
Ash interrupts me with a sigh. Trust this man to have me speechless without even saying anything. “Lucia, we wanted to speak about something. The arrangement we were discussing?—”
“It’s arranged.”
They still wanna “claim” me even though I got them into shit?
“I don’t think you quite understand where we’re coming from.”
