“It was an accident,” I assured him. Bull would rather cut off his arms than hurt me. Even through his anger he would be feeling devastated about hitting me in the face with his elbow.
“I’ll get you some ice,” Ruger said, rising to his feet.
As he went to the refrigerator, Bull watched him then glared at me. “What the fuck are you doing with him, Chastity?”
“Following my heart,” I replied, glaring back at him.
I could see my answer annoyed him because he rolled his eyes and shook his head with frustration.
“He’s too fucking old for you.”
“He’s only sixteen years older.”
“Exactly. Too old. Especially when you’re so young.”
“I don’t care,” I said through gritted teeth.
Ruger returned with an icepack and gently placed it on my cheek. I winced.
“Sorry, angel,” he said softly.
Bull growled as he stood up, hating the tenderness in Ruger’s words.
“Come on, Chastity, we’re leaving.” He tried to pull me to my feet, but I yanked my arm away and stood up by myself.
“I said no, Uncle Bull. I’m staying here with Ruger.”
“The hell you are.”
“I’m not leaving with you. This is where I belong. With him. Can’t you see, I’m in love with him.”
Surprise rippled across my uncle’s face, and for a moment his face softened. But then he looked at Ruger again and his expression grew fierce.
“She’s my niece. You’ve known her since she was a baby, you sick fuck.”
“That might be true, Bull. But she’s not a child anymore. She’s an adult. A grown woman, and I’m fucking in love with her.”
“In love with her? Are you fucking kidding me? Do you forget how long I’ve known you? How many hearts I’ve seen you break apart when a woman no longer holds your interest? If you honestly think I’m going to stand by and watch you do the same thing to my niece, then you are fucking delusional.”
“Chastity isn’t like any woman I’ve known. I mean it, Bull, I love her.” Ruger’s sparkling green eyes found mine. “And I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
Despite the tension in the air, love lit up in my chest.
I want to spend the rest of my life with her.
It was the first time he’d ever said anything like that.
“You know that’s not going to happen,” Bull replied angrily.
“That’s not your choice,” I said to him.
“No, it’s his.” He pointed at Ruger. “And I’m telling you now, kid, he’s going to break your heart. Why do you think he’s gotten to be this age without a wife?”
I fixed my uncle’s fierce eyes with my own. “Because they weren’t right for him.”
“And you are? Christ, kid, he’s going to be an old man when you’re still young.” Anger bounced off him as he shook his head in disbelief. “He got another woman pregnant, for fuck’s sake! Is that what you want? A guy who knocks up one woman and takes off after a woman sixteen years younger than him?”
“It didn’t happen that way!”
“Oh, it didn’t, huh?”
“No, when we got together we didn’t know about Astrid and the baby.”
Fury burned bright in my uncle’s eyes. They darted to Ruger. “Exactly how long have you been messing around with my niece?”
I didn’t give Ruger a chance to answer and yelled at my uncle. “Why can’t you be happy for me?”
“Because you’re making a mistake.” He glared at Ruger again. “A big fucking mistake.”
“That’s your opinion.”
“Yeah? What do you think your brothers will say about it?”
“They’ll understand—” Ruger said.
My uncle cut him off. “Don’t you fucking talk to me. You stay out of my way or I swear to God, Ruger, I’ll gut you and cut your goddamn balls off.”
But Ruger wasn’t easily intimidated by my uncle. Or by anyone.
“This is happening, Bull. Whether you fucking like it or not.”
My uncle’s nostrils flared. “We’ll fucking see about that.”
He stormed out and slammed the door behind him, the bang sending a shockwave rippling through the room. Less than a minute later, Bull’s Harley took off down the street.
I went to Ruger and he pulled me to his chest, wrapping his big arms around me. He pressed a kiss into my hair.
“You okay, angel?” When I nodded, he released me and guided me over to the couch, and handed me the icepack. “Keep this on.”
“Where do you think he’s gone?” I asked.
“I’m guessing straight to your brothers.”
I grimaced. They weren’t going to take this well.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He rubbed my knee. “At least we don’t need to hide it anymore.”
I put the icepack down and crawled over to him. Climbing onto his lap, I slid my thighs on either side of his hips and kissed him slowly and softly, careful to avoid the cut on his lip.
“Good, because I want all those hot babes at the clubhouse to know that you’re mine.” I laced my fingers behind his neck. “And I want every boy in town to know that I’m Ruger’s girl, and Ruger’s girl only.”