The rain that had been falling gently started to get heavier. Giant drops blew into my face by the wind. It was just my luck.
Tonight had been a disaster from start to finish. And now I had to go back in there looking like a drowned rat.
“He’s already suspicious.” I lowered my voice. “Just get out of there.”
“Who needs to get out of where Avery?
I screamed, dropping the phone into a puddle as I whirled to face Ruin. I hadn’t heard him push open the fire exit. And I had no way of knowing how much he had heard. If his face was anything to go by. He had heard plenty.
Rage twisted his features into something unrecognisable. I had never seen him look so angry.
“Ruin?” My voice came out squeaky and I cleared my throat to try and get it back to normal. “How long….”
“Who were you talking to Avery?” The iciness in his voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
“No one.” I still sounded squeaky. I sounded guilty. “No one Ruin…” I made a dash to pick the phone up before him and failed. He held out a hand.
I waited with bated breath as he held it in front of him. Scrolling through my call list. We stood like that. In silence as he stared down at the name on his screen. When he looked up, his face wasn’t angry. It was murderous.
“Why are you phoning one of my club brothers, Avery?” There was nothing but raw emotion in his voice. “Is he in my house? Why would I be suspicious?” His voice dropped an octave. Becoming deadly quiet. “Why would I be suspicious that you won’t let me fully into your life but you have one of my brothers there? Unless of course, you are sleeping with him.” His blue eyes met mine. “Are you fucking someone else, Avery? Did you sneak out here to warm him to get him ass out of my house and…”
I took a stumbling step towards him, reaching out to touch his arm. He threw it off with a growl.
And it dropped to my side limply. I knew this was how he would react.
“It’s not like that Ruin.” It came out little more than a whisper.
“Then What is it like? What is it fucking like? Because I’ve done everything you wanted and you still won’t commit to me. Is there someone else you would rather be with?” Strong fingers gripped my chin. His touch was almost painful. “I’ve been all-in with this relationship from the start Avery. I wanted us to be a damn family.” Cruelness entered his face. “Maybe I should fuck around as well? If that’s how you want to play it? Keep things casual.”
My heart slammed to a halt. Tears erupted into my eyes. This was it. What I had always feared. He already wanted to look elsewhere. Everything I had planned was for nothing.
“Don’t fucking cry Avery. It can’t be one rule for you and another for me… I won’t share.” He turned away. Heading back towards the door.
“I was having your stuff moved in.”
He heard my whisper, I could tell by the way he froze. When he turned it was almost in slow motion. “What?”
“It was meant to be a surprise.” Angrily I wiped away my tears. “Having your stuff moved back in. I wanted to…” I hiccuped. “It doesn’t matter now.”
And it didn’t. The first thing he had thought was that he needed to sleep with someone else.
“It matters.” Ruins voice was so soft I barely heard it. “Jesus.” Running a hand through his hair, his eyes met mine. “You really did that? Had the guys move my stuff tonight?”
“And arranged for Parker to stay at my dad’s this week, so we….” I yelped as his arms wrapped around me. “What are you doing?”
“Kissing you. I’m sure a fucking tool sometimes Avery.” His lips pressed to my wet hair. I didn’t say a word. I wasn’t going to disagree with him on that one. He was a tool.
“You really want me to move in?”
“If you want to. I mean it’s not glamorous. There are tantrums and that’s just me. Living with….” He didn’t let me finish. His lips crushed down on mine. A deep kiss that was all hot breath and tongue.
“I will take it all.”
I opened my mouth to tell him never to threaten me with another woman again when a loud boom echoed from inside. I had been away from the club for years but I knew a gunshot when I heard one.
Our eyes met.
“Stay here.” Ruin took off at a run, there was a second where I stood and stared at his retreating back. And then I was running after him.