“You ever sleep with anyone else. You know…after?” Jesus, fucking smooth.
She tensed but quickly slackened under his roaming hands. “Once,” she said in a small voice. “My therapist was strongly encouraging me to branch out, try dating. Said it was the only way I’d fully move on from the experience and from my feelings for you.”
It was his turn to tense. Shell must have noticed because her soft lips pressed a comforting kiss on his chest. Fuck, the thought of another man touching her made him murderous.
Why the fuck had he asked?
Because he had an insatiable need to know every damn thing about her.
“Anyway. I’m pretty sure she just meant for me to go out on dates, but I had to know if I could do it or if my head was too screwed up.” She shrugged against him. “So I did it. Beth was around one at the time.”
“And?” He held his breath.
“And I didn’t try again until you.”
Should he be pleased by that? Or was there another motherfucker he’d have to hunt and kill? “Why? Did he hurt you?”
“Nah.” Her voice was soft, almost embarrassed. “He just wasn’t you. None of them were you.”
Well, fuck me.
If that wasn’t enough to make his hard heart melt, not a damn thing could.
No more words were spoken. What else needed to be said?
Within seconds, Shell’s breathing evened, and she stopped exploring him.
Sleep didn’t come as quickly for Copper. Once she was out, and the room was quiet, there was nothing left to distract him from thoughts of his brother.
Of his fucking psychopathic rapist of a brother.
After hours of sifting through past memories, trying to find a clue he’d missed, a hint he should have picked up on, anything he could use to punish himself for allowing Shell to be used by Rusty, he gave up. Eventually, he fell into a fitful sleep even Shell’s soft weight and trust in him couldn’t calm.
The following morning, after waking to Shell’s hot mouth on his cock then watching her come twice before leaving the bed, he drove her to pick up Beth then to work. With Rusty in the wind, he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of Shell running around town by herself. Of course, he’d allowed it all week, something else to kick himself over.
Surprisingly, she didn’t put up a fight. Just kissed him and climbed into the passenger seat of her old beater.
Now that she was officially his woman, he’d be getting her a better car. She couldn’t call it charity anymore. Now it was just a gift for his woman.
Fuck, he’d wasted so damn much time.
After he dropped her off, he drove her car back to her house to pick up his bike. Halfway to the clubhouse, his phone rang through the Bluetooth in his helmet.
“What?” he barked after answering.
“It’s me.”
Rusty.
Copper slowed then rolled to a stop in the shoulder of the quiet country road. Shit, he had to play this just right. “Where you been, brother? Whole club’s been out looking for you.”
“You worried about me, Cop?” Rusty’s voice was heavy with disbelief.
“Of course. You lit outta there last week like your ass was on fucking fire. The fuck you been?”
“Yeah, well, wanted to give you space. Wasn’t sure where your head would be at. What’d your ol’ lady say about me?”
And here’s where Copper had to be ultra-cautious. With a snort, he said, “Not a fucking thing. You think I wanna talk to that lying bitch?” The bullshit words turned his stomach.
“You ain’t with her no more?” A note of hope rang out in Rusty’s voice.
“Fuck no. You think I wanna keep fucking a woman who had my brother’s fucking kid? Didn’t call her a lying bitch for nothing.” As he spoke, Copper stared at the sky. Hopefully, the universe recognized it was all horseshit. “Why don’t you come on back to the clubhouse. Have a drink. We’ll sort shit out.”
Rusty was silent for a few moments. “What about the garbage she and Izzy were spewing in your office?”
“That shit about you stealing the money? Come on, Rust. I ain’t a fucking fool, okay. Sure, she might have played me for one, but it usually takes more than a pretty face and a wet pussy to fool me. You came back, she was feeling the fucking heat. It was a good story. I’m ashamed to say it mighta worked if you hadn’t exposed her lies. But I don’t believe a fucking word of it. Just sorry she kept news of your daughter from you.”
Rusty barked out a laugh. “Like I want to be a daddy to a fucking rug rat. We just gotta find a way to keep her from coming after me for cash. I ain’t paying a dime to that slut. Shit, Cop, she was all over me back in the day. Couldn’t get enough of my dick. Now the greedy bitch goes after you? I’m at that overlook we used to drink at when we first moved here. Got a bottle of jack. Meet me?”