Zorro (Reapers MC #16) - Elizabeth Knox Page 0,26

and I walk alongside Ruby toward the club door.

“Why was she asking you if she could bring Hammer?”

“Out of respect I guess.”

“Didn’t sound like a respectful thing to me. Sounded like you guys have some sort of beef,” Ruby comments while I open the door for her. She walks on through and heads over to my SUV. I open the passenger side door for her, slam it shut after she’s gotten inside, and get in the driver’s seat. Within a matter of minutes, we’re on our way out through the clubhouse gates which is now being manned by Stiletto and Bama. Zane has the prospects rotating on eight-hour shifts, two at a time.

Ruby keeps to herself in the passenger seat, not saying a word the entire ride. After a few minutes of letting it go, I clear my throat. “I was only screwing with you about what I said.”

Immediately she crosses her arms over her chest. “I know you were and I don’t like it. I don’t think it’s funny to joke about shit like that, Santiago. It pisses me off. I fucking care about you and when you say shit like that to me it’s like being punched in the gut. It’s hard enough knowing my brothers already have a problem accepting my relationship with you, and what I don’t need is for you to act like I have a problem telling everyone that we’re together, or . . . are we together? I mean, what is our label? God dammit, it doesn’t even matter what our label is! I’m with you, so don’t say shit like . . . just please don’t say stuff like that again.” Ruby’s voice cracks quite a bit through her words and I turn my head the moment I hear a sniffle.

She’s wiping her hand under her eyes, brushing away stray tears.

Fuck. I’ve really done it now. I reach my hand over and grab onto hers, giving it a squeeze. If I wasn’t driving right now, I’d pull her into my fucking arms and grovel like the bastard I am. Hell, I’ll grovel regardless. “I’m sorry I upset you, it wasn’t my intention.”

“Promise you won’t do it ever again, please.”

I glance over to her for a split second and make the promise she’s requesting. “I won’t say something remotely similar to that ever again. I promise.”

Chapter Thirteen

I want to be with you till my very last page

~ A.R. Ascher

Ruby

Zorro pulled his SUV behind Tart a couple minutes ago. We were going to wait for Hammer and Shiloh to get here, but my stomach growling again was a sure sign we needed to get inside and place some sort of order. He doesn’t know this yet, but when I’m hungry I’m a dangerous woman. Now we’re inside and I’m staring at the L-shaped glass display that takes up most of the space in the shop. The café isn’t overly large, but it’s not anything too small either. There are white subway tiles with black grout lining the exposed walls in here and the floor is a beautiful honey color. It makes me feel like I’m back in Albany at a bakery they have just outside of campus. The floors are almost black in that shop, and instead of subway tile they have bold wallpaper, but I get the same sort of vibes here.

I look up at the black menu with the chalk written on it going over their wide variety of coffees, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more. The next board beside it goes over teas, lemonades, and fruit infused waters. The board beside that goes over their soups and sandwiches, while the following boards go over their cakes, pastries, tarts, donuts, and every other dessert they have to offer.

“Welcome to Tart. Can I help you?” A woman with a brown balayage comes over to the counter from what I assume must be the kitchen area. She’s wearing a hot pink apron and the name Kelsey is written on her name tag.

“I’d love a caramel macchiato and . . .” I wait a few moments while I look over the menu “Your chicken cordon bleu sandwich duo with the turkey chili.”

“You got it. And you?” Kelsey asks Zorro.

“A black iced coffee, no ice. Reuben with fries if you have it.”

“Perfect, and any dessert?”

“We’ll come back and order dessert after we stuff our faces,” I’m immediately answering. If I have to take part of my entrée back to the club I will, because those treats look too