Well, mostly. White-collar crimes like those in her set sometimes committed didn’t actually count.
A rough biker telling her that he just supervised an illegal gun shipment should have her jumping out of the bed and running as far away as she could, and yet she didn’t have the slightest urge to move a muscle.
“That’s cool,” she replied, rolling her eyes at how uncool she just sounded.
“You’re not gonna jump up and run away now? Maybe grab your probably legally purchased gun?”
Ha! She knew he’d been testing her. “Um, no. I already had an idea of the kinds of things your club does.”
“And how’d you know that? Wait, let me guess. You’ve seen Sons of Anarchy, right?”
“Well, yeah. How’d you know I was going to say that?”
He chuckled, the rich, rough sound scraping deliciously down her body. “Because everyone’s an expert on clubs since that show came on.”
“Are they wrong though?”
“About some things.”
She nodded, even though it was dark and he probably couldn’t see her. “How’d you get into this kind of life?”
“This kind of life? Does it repulse you that much, then?”
“What?” she asked, surprised. “Actually, no. I think it probably should, but it doesn’t. At least, you and your club don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re a good man, and I don’t think you’d be in a club with other men who were really bad. You might do illegal shit, but you’re still good.”
Turning her head, she watched as he nodded, her eyes finally adjusted enough to see his shadowy form. “Fair enough. It’s a family thing, I guess. My dad was in the club before me, and I followed in his footsteps. Doesn’t hurt that my closest friend joined, too.”
Brow furrowing, she thought back to when she arrived at the clubhouse. It was the only time she’d seen any of the others. He’d left the room to get them dinner earlier, and they’d eaten together. But the only people she met then were Blaze and Glory.
“Was he here when you brought me in?”
“Ridge? Nah. He’s Vice President of the North Texas chapter.”
“Are you an officer? I’ve been wanting to ask that. You have a lot of patches on your cut.”
“I am. I’m the Sergeant at Arms.”
“That’s what, like the club police?”
He snorted. “Something like that. I make sure the club’s rules are enforced by the members.”
“Can I ask you one more question? I promise I’ll quit bothering you and let you sleep then.”
“Go ahead, but Ana? You could never bother me. I enjoy talking to you.”
Her eyebrows rose. He did? “I don’t mean this question in a judgmental way. Zero judgment, I promise. I’m just curious. Do you like what you do? Being in a club and everything that entails.”
He was quiet for a moment as he thought over her question. “This might be risking my good guy status, but yeah, I do. Even if I hadn’t grown up in a club, even if it wasn’t all I knew when I decided to join, I’d still like what I do.”
A smile turned up her lips at the fact that he told her the truth, even though he knew she might not like it. “Good. I’m glad you’re doing something you like. And Bolt, just so you know, you’re still a good guy. I don’t think there’s much you could do to change that in my eyes.”
Bolt’s breath froze in his lungs at Ana’s words. She was telling the truth—she really did think it was good that he liked his life, and she still thought he was a good guy despite that. He hadn’t thought he’d get that from her, not this soon—maybe not ever.
The trust she had in him, despite her past, fucking slayed him. And he’d never let her regret it, even for a single second.
“You mean that, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Turning on his side, he faced her, knowing he could see her much better than she could see him, thanks to his shifter sight. She was absolutely gorgeous, and he didn’t think she even knew it.
And when she walked out of his bathroom wearing his shirt and boxers—fuck, he still hadn’t caught the breath she knocked out of him.
“Ana?”
“Yeah?”
“My clothes look a million times better on you than they ever did on me.”
Eyes popping wide, she sucked in a breath so fast, she choked. “What?” she wheezed out. “You saw me?”
Frowning as she continued fighting to control her breathing, he reached out and gently brushed her hair from her face, letting his thumb caress her silky cheek. “Yeah, baby, I saw you. Fucking glad I did, too. Would have been a damned shame to miss that beautiful sight.”
Even if he couldn’t see her blush, he would have felt the heat of it against his palm. “But… how…” Stopping, she cleared her throat. “I appreciate everything you’ve said to make me feel better, Bolt, but you don’t have to lie to me about something like that.”
He felt a scowl forming as his leopard hissed. “You think I’m lying? Why the fuck would you think I’d lie about that?”
“W-well, because… Because I know what I look like. And I saw those girls when we got to the club. I’m nothing like them. They’re thin and gorgeous, and I’m chubby and… me. You can’t possibly think I’m attractive when you’re surrounded by them all the time.”
Anger surged up inside him, but it wasn’t aimed at her. It was directed at every single motherfucker who made her think she wasn’t beautiful, that she wasn’t good enough. And he’d bet his last dollar and his patch that fuckface Shawn was the worst offender.
He was revising how that fucker would die. High voltage, his nuts pulled out of his throat, then razor-sharp claws.
Ignoring his mate’s squeak when he whipped the sheet off, he sprung out of bed, turned the light on, and pulled her up to stand next to him. Scowl softening when she didn’t pull away, when he looked into her beautiful sky-blue
