Page 72 of Dare to Dance
“Hey, what we did tonight wasn’t a one-time thing. I want more with you.” I couldn’t let her think it was just sex. I wasn’t sure what would happen tomorrow, but I was sure I wanted her with me tomorrow.
“I do too, but I’m scared. I have to be my own person. I want to get my diploma, a good job, and a nice place to live so I can provide a good home for Raven. I don’t want to be my mom, who relied on my dad for everything until he went to jail. Then I relied on her to take care of Raven and me. I have to show Raven that I’m a hard worker, a good person, and a good mom.”
“Why can’t you do all that with me?”
Laughing, she rolled her eyes. “Because you’re bossy and possessive.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “I’m protective. Let’s just take one day at a time. We have a lot to do with lawyers and paternity tests. For now, we’ll hang out when we can.” I wanted to keep things casual and not scare her or suffocate her with what I wanted, and that was I didn’t want her working at Firefly. Tommy was into some bad shit, and whether she kept fighting or not, it wasn’tifthe cops raided the joint. It waswhen. I also didn’t want her staying with Alex and Norma. Not that they were bad ladies, but my selfish side wanted her with me, regardless of whether Raven was my daughter or not.
22
Kross
Books and toyswere scattered around the floor and tables in the small daycare room Jay had for our gym members. I collected the LEGOs and placed them in a plastic container. Raven was scheduled to arrive within the hour along with Ms. Waters and a medical technician for the court. During the last week, I’d met with Mr. Davenport at his law firm about the paternity test. I’d learned it wasn’t as easy as someone swabbing my mouth. Because Raven was in foster care, Mr. Davenport had to petition the family court for a genetic marker test. Once a judge approved the order, then a DNA test could be completed on Raven and me. To my surprise, Mr. Davenport had gotten a judge to sign the order yesterday. Kelton had counseled me that the court system didn’t work fast, but when it came to children, the courts moved quicker. They wanted to see children reunited with their parents or family members as soon as possible. That was the same message Ms. Waters had given me when I’d spoken to her earlier in the week.
Voices from a group of workers filtered into the daycare room. “Put it down there,” someone shouted.
Jay had hired a company to move equipment around so they could relocate the boxing ring into the center of the gym in preparation for tomorrow night’s fight. I’d given Jay all I had in training. He’d seen a vast difference in me. I was sharper, edgier, and back to my old self. I was ready to take on Reggie on Saturday night, and I had to thank Ruby for that. Since our amazing night up in the Berkshires, we’d been inseparable. She often spent nights at my apartment, and in between our intimate web of being tangled together, we talked about the past, the future, her parents, my family, school, and Raven, although I sensed some unease in her. I chalked it up to me, and her thinking that I would leave her again. I had to give her time.
When we weren’t together, she dominated my thoughts—how she lightly snored, how she snuggled against me the entire night, how her strawberry scent drove me fucking crazy, and how I loved waking up to her beautiful face.
I was deeply immersed in all things LEGOs when a loud noise in the gym broke my concentration. Snapping on the lid to the LEGOs container, I glanced up. Ruby stood in the doorway with a ghostly look on her face.
I pushed upright faster than a cat who had just spotted a mouse. “What happened? What’s wrong? I thought you had to work. Did Tommy do something to you? I’ll kill the fucker.”
She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. “Chill. I do have to work in an hour, and Tommy didn’t do anything. I told you I could handle him. Stop being all freaked and bossy.”
“Stop looking like you’ve seen a ghost. You’re pale.” I snatched her hand. “Besides, you like when I’m bossy.”
“Only when we’re alone.”
Visions of being naked with her, her playing with her nipples, my mouth on her, and her mouth on me flickered slowly through my head, pausing on the sexy positions that made my libido kick into gear. I kissed her ear. “I want to dance naked with you under the stars.”
She tensed.
Not the reaction I was going for. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I wanted to see you and Raven.”
“I’m right here. But what’s really going on?” I wasn’t complaining. Far from it. I wanted her by my side as much as possible. I also understood a mother’s need to see her child. Maybe she didn’t trust me with Raven. Maybe she didn’t trust me period. I couldn’t blame her. No matter how many times I assured her that I wasn’t running, words were just words. Nevertheless, she had to work in an hour, and Firefly was at least an hour on foot since she didn’t own a car.
“I’m tired,” she said on a sigh.
Something wasn’t right with her. “Baby, tell Tommy you quit. Kade wants you to work for him at Rumors anyway.” Kade had offered her a job earlier in the week. Ruby told him she would think about it. I believed she was overwhelmed by all the attention she’d been getting from my brothers and Lizzie. Anytime Ruby had been at my apartment, Kade, Kelton, and Lizzie had fired questions at her about Raven. She’d been a trooper, answering them all.
“I can’t. Norma isn’t back yet, and Pete needs me.”
I ground my back teeth together. Pete, the asshole bartender. I wasn’t going there. Ruby wanted space to become her own person, but she was driving me nuts with her staunch attitude on working at Firefly. I’d asked her if Tommy had approached her about fighting again. She’d said no.
“Ruby, I’m trying really hard to help here. I can’t if you don’t tell me what’s going on. I sense something more than you wanting to see me and Raven.” Whenever she talked about Raven, she always had a huge smile on her face. Not at the moment, though.
Her delicate throat moved. “Kross, we’ve had a great week together.” Her lips quivered.
Anger morphed into panic as my blood gelled. “We did have a great week. With many more to come.” God, I hoped so. My heart couldn’t take it if she decided she didn’t want to see me anymore. I was beginning to understand why Kelton had built a wall around his heart for years. Mine hurt just thinking that Ruby and I wouldn’t be together.Yeah, dickwad. Now you know how she felt when you moved back to Ashford.
“Sorry. I don’t know how to say this without freaking you out.” Her tone caused my pulse to pound in my ears. She puffed out her chest. “I love you,” she said as her face went completely white.
Angling my head, I drew in my eyebrows. Probably not the look I should have been displaying. I should have been grinning and kissing her. I just couldn’t get past the oddness of her timing, and at the gym of all places. Not that we had to be in the throes of sex or anything. The desperation in her voice confused me and scared the fuck out of me. It sounded as if she was saying good-bye.
