I shrug and she flies at me like a crazy bearcat. Scratching and hitting anywhere she can connect with me. I wrap my arms around her, caging her in. her body sags against mine. “You gonna stop,” I murmur in her ear.
“I swear to you, James, if I find out who you’re fucking I’ll tell my father, and he’ll cut out her heart and make you eat it while I watch.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, sweetheart. I’m a heartless bastard. Bitches I stick my dick in to get it wet don’t matter to me. No more than you do.” I let her go. “Don’t wait up.”
“If you leave, I’ll tell my father you hit me.”
“Think I’m scared of your old man? One day he won’t be around to protect you. Then what will you do?”
Ruthie flings herself onto the bed and punches the mattress like a damn toddler pitching a fit. I leave her to wallow in her own misery. I slam the door and see Rochelle’s light is on. I pray she didn’t hear. I stop at her doorway and peer in at her to see her asleep with her headphones in. Probably to drown out her mother and me. I flick her light off.
“Sleep tight, princess.” I shut her door and go out to climb on my Road King, roaring off into the night toward Alexa.
Chapter Eleven
It’s late that much I know when my door creaks and he enters the room I’ve been staying in at Lily’s. She’s been great to me. Letting me share what I want to at my own pace and never forcing me into any uncomfortable situations or conversations. I’ve been here three or four days and have gotten to know some of the other women and their heartbreaking stories. One thing I have taken away from them is I’m not alone and there is hope for all of us.
“Hey, pretty girl. Did I wake you?” he leans against the wall looking like a biker dream, but there’s a sadness in his eyes.
“No. I couldn’t sleep anyway.” I sit up against the headboard and fiddle with the strap of my tank top that keeps sliding down my arm. “Wasn’t sure I’d see you again.”
“Made you a promise. You’ll never have to worry about Todd ever again.”
I suck in a breath. Chills tingle up and down my spine. The hair on my arms stands. I know Todd’s dead. Part of me is relieved. The rest of me is worried about James. He committed murder for me. “I see. Is that all?” my chin wobbles and tears burn in the creases of my eyes. I don’t want to cry but can’t seem to stop myself. My body trembles, my stomach twists in knots.
In three strides he comes to me. Knuckles brushing along my jaw he smiles. “I’m not good at goodbyes.”
“Does it have to be?”
“Seeing you again was a risk. Got a lot of shit going on. Shit I don’t want you dragged into.”
I wrap my fingers around his wrist. “Don’t go. Not yet.”
“Lex,” he winces, saying my name as if it pains him.
“Please, James. I know you have to go but can’t you just hold me for a minute.”
“It’s not a good idea, babe.” His lips brush over my forehead, and the tears I’ve been holding back fall freely. “Don’t cry.”
“I’ll be okay. You have to go.” I hiccup on a sob, turning my head away, unable to watch him walk out the door for good.
“Look at me.” He jerks my head toward him. “Wish it didn’t have to be this way.”
“I know. Will you....can I kiss you goodbye?”
James sucks in a breath then exhales. “Wish I was strong enough to resist the temptation of you.” His mouth comes down hard on mine, tongue prodding at the seam of my lips. I open to him and taste the saltiness of my own tears.
I grab the collar of his shirt and yank him toward me, catching him off guard. My sexy savior falls onto the bed with me. Fevered by desire he doesn’t break away. He continues to kiss me deep and with lots of tongue, fingers yanking at my clothes. My tank top gets tossed to the floor, and I return the favor, removing his tee, needing to feel him skin to skin one last time. A wave of perfume hits me, and I jerk away.
“You’ve been with someone else.” Scrubbing a palm over his beard he doesn’t deny it. I know he isn’t mine. I wish he were. The realization that I’m not the only woman in his life sucker punches me in the gut.
“You know I’m a married man.”
“I wish you were mine,” I confess. “I hate her. I shouldn’t, but I do. I wish terrible horrible things on her. I know that makes me a bad person.”
“If things were different, I’d make you mine.” He brings my hand to his lips, kisses my knuckles, and slides me to his side, hugging me tight. “I need to go. You deserve better. A fresh start somewhere new. Leave the mistakes you’ve made and the pain you endured behind.”
“Come with me. We can go anywhere. No one would ever find us.”