Shattered & Scarred: The Sacred Hearts MC by A. J. Downey Read Free Book Online

something…
    “What are you thinking?” Ethan asked me and I looked up sharply.
    “About what would have happened, had you not stopped when you did.” I said.
    “You ain’t gotta worry about it Babe, because I did. Okay?” he gave me a pointed look and I nodded carefully.
    “You want to tell me about it?” he asked and I opened my mouth and did… All of it, fr om the time Chadwick and I met to when it started to go downhill all the way up until now.
    I tired quickly and it wasn’t long after that, I fell silent. A shadow fell over me. I jolted and looked up fearfully, I‘d been lost inside my own head, but it was Ethan. He bent and scooped me up before I could protest. I sort of loved that he carried me like he did. I felt safe in his arms and could almost pretend for a moment that I was something to be treasured.
    He took me back to the room and set me carefully on the edge of the bed.
    “Ethan.” I called before he could duck back out the door.
    “Yeah S unshine?” he asked.
    I blushed, I could feel the warmth flood my face.
    “What is it Ashton?” he asked, voice kind.
    “Um can you help me with my…” I waved at my back and he smiled.
    “Sure.” He murmured.
    I stood carefully and turned and the fabric of my dress parted smoothly. I turned to say thank you but the room was empty, the door swinging wide where Ethan had been. I shut the door and hung the dress neatly in the closet. I put my bra back in the bag with the rest of my unmentionables and hung it on the inside of the closet doorknob as a sort of impromptu underwear drawer.
    I pulled on Ethan’s dress shirt and buttoned it and flipped out the overhead light. I took the side of the bed furthest from the door and was asleep before my head could even touch the pillow.

Chapter 5
     
    Trig…
    Shit, that had been way too hard… I thought to myself as I strode down the hall back to the heat and noise of the party. I kept visualizing the parting material revealing the smooth perfect skin of her back. It had been an exercise in self-control not to unhook her bra and bring my lips to the side of her neck which was so fucking wrong on so many levels given what she’d just been through.
    I went to the bar and ordered a Tequila. Doc turned on his stool and looked me up and down.
    “She all right?” he drawled.
    “Yeah.” I tossed back the shot and let the burn go down, fiery but smooth.
    “You all right?” he asked, eyes twinkling with laughter.
    “Yeah.” I grunted and took a second shot immediate ly after the first and grinned.
    “Under your skin?” he asked.
    “Yeah.” I nodded and my smile soured.
    “It’s about time boy , and from what I’ve seen so far, not a bad choice.” He slapped me on the back and I closed my eyes.
    “I’m not ready for anything and she’s damn sure not ready for anything.” I shrugged off his hand and Doc leaned back.
    “Well like it as not, yer in it for the long haul with this one.” He reminded me.
    “I know.” I grated shooting a look over in Dray’s direction. He’d forced my hand in Church that morning. Only way I could have her here and not be passed around was to declare her my Old Lady. Really it was meaningless, a formality on paper only, but damned if I wanted to explain it. She’d been owned by her husband for far too long as it was and I didn’t want that stink on me.
    “ She know?” Doc asked.
    “Nope and I’m going to do my best to keep it that way. She was owned by her husband for the better part of the last ten years of her life, she deserves freedom.” I didn’t want to talk about Ashton or club business anymore. I just wanted to go to bed which was tough as Hell with her in it.
    “So what’re you going to do?” Doc asked.
    “I’m going to find us an apartment, get her into her own room, her own space, then I’m going to help her find a job.” The world was becoming slightly fuzzy around the edges from the alcohol.
    “Got it all planned out then huh?” he