“You were a prostitute, Judi. I don’t hold it against you. Shit, you shouldn’t have gone through that kind of shit at all. It’s behind you, but you took on the club, and you will live by the club rules.”
He let her go, and his eyes were once again bland where seconds ago they’d been terrifyingly cold. She placed a hand to her neck, wondering what he was going to do. He watched the action but didn’t offer her an apology.
“If you hate me so much why do you put up with me?” she asked, watching him sit on the edge of the bed. Judi inwardly cringed at her behavior. Since Chaos Bleeds had taken her away from the hell of her life, she’d been pampered with the princess role they gave her. She had to stop being a spoiled brat. Ripper had helped her tonight, and she needed to remember that.
“I don’t hate you, Judi. Regardless of what I just said I wouldn’t kill you because I happen to like and care about you.” He looked up at her.
His muscles stood out, and for the first time in her life she felt the pulse between her thighs. “I care about you, too.”
“When Devil asks, you tell him you spent some time with a girlfriend.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” She didn’t have any friends.
“Make up an excuse for him to be satisfied.” He picked up the gun. “You’re not getting this back. I don’t trust you not to fuck up big time.”
“I messed up,” she said, agreeing. She hated him being mad at her, and after the way she’d spoken to him, he had every right to be.
“It’s a good job you know that.” He let out a sigh looking around the room. “This is not how I expected to spend the night.” There was only one double bed.
Judi watched him stand up, going to the top of the bed and pulling down the blankets.
“I’m not sleeping on the floor. You better be okay sharing this bed with me.”
“I’ve never shared a bed with a man before.” She stopped, feeling her cheeks heat. There were a lot of things she hadn’t done with a man or boy.
“Come on then, Princess, in you get.” He slid inside settling onto the pillow. She kept the robe on thinking about what she hadn’t done. She’d never been on a date or been kissed by a boy that she actually wanted to be kissed by. There was never a time to go parking in the car and get felt up. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered what she had done because of her pimp, Rob. He’d taken her, and before she knew what happened, men were taking pleasure out of her.
Rob’s treatment had been a weekend of being available for the men. Every hole had a use, he would taunt. Her stomach rolled at the acrid memories. Running to the bathroom she bent over the toilet seat letting out everything she’d eaten that night.
Seconds later she felt Ripper rubbing her hair, holding it out of her way. She heaved, spilling the contents down the pan. Over and over she threw up.
“I’ve got you, baby. Keep it coming.” His voice soothed her.
She saw the man with a hole in his head. He’d talked about that weekend of her being broken in, and she’d lost it. That one memory was something she wanted rid of.
Sinking down to the floor, she cried wishing she didn’t know the evil of some men. Ripper was a man capable of doing evil things, but he wasn’t into forcing a woman. His arms surrounded her along with his heat.
“I’ve got you.”
He picked her up, and she was surprised by how easily he carried her to the bed. In the last two years she’d put on a little bit of weight, filling out into a size fourteen figure. Okay, most of her clothes were getting toward a size sixteen, but she refused to believe it. Lexie’s cooking was amazing, and she could never turn it down.
“Memories are the things we can’t fight, Princess. You’re going to have to learn to accept them and move on.”
“It was horrible,” she said.
“I know, but that fucker is dead and not coming back.”
“How many men have you killed?” she asked.
“I’m not going to answer that.”
“Have you killed women?” The question slipped past her lips.
“I’m not answering that either.” He kissed her temple. “Go to sleep. I’ll hold you when the nightmares come.”
She closed her eyes, and Ripper wasn’t lying. He held her throughout each nightmare. Every time he smoothed her back, and she was able to think once again.
Chapter Two
Opening his eyes, Ripper became aware of the full woman lying in his arms. He stared at the long length of brown hair covering his arms then down at the face. His cock was rock fucking hard. Seeing Judi’s sweet face had him jumping out of bed. She squealed, but he was heading toward the bathroom before she caught sight of his morning boner. Fuck, shit, fuck, shit. There was no excuse for him to be getting a fucking hard-on.