Zorro (Reapers MC #16) - Elizabeth Knox Page 0,28

she quit being a clubwhore,” Hammer adds.

“Dude, enough. She doesn’t need to know about shit that’s been over for years now,” Zorro comments in an aggravated tone. The way he’s speaking to Hammer is telling me everything I need to know. Hammer isn’t kidding, and Zorro did have some sort of relationship with Shiloh in the past. I’m only sitting here wondering why he didn’t feel the need to tell me about it.

The past is in the past . . . yet my stomach is turning knowing he chose not to tell me.

Why would he keep something like this from me?

Chapter Fourteen

One of the most important lessons you can learn is that a healthy love does not hurt

~ L.E. Bowman

Zorro

Ruby’s hands ball into fists on her lap as a blindsided look crosses her face. She blinks a few times before looking to Hammer, and then to me. “I . . . I had no idea you t-two were . . .” Her words trail off and I notice the way her eyes glisten, knowing the woman is barely keeping her emotions in check.

God dammit! Why did Hammer have to bring up shit that doesn’t matter? Shit from the past? Fuckin’ idiot.

“It isn’t important. A few years ago, at least,” I tell her, but the glare she gives me proves what I’ve said has just dug myself deeper in the dog pound.

“Whoa. Ruby didn’t know?” Hammer draws his brows together and I don’t even bother looking at the asshole. I didn’t need to tell her I fucked Shiloh in the past. It would literally have done no good. If our roles were reversed, he wouldn’t have told Shiloh he screwed another chick. Women focus in on that shit, especially if the other woman is still around. Shiloh will never be romantic with me ever again, but I don’t even know if it matters to Ruby. She wanted a fucking relationship, an ol’ man. My times were fun with her back in the day but she wasn’t the type of ol’ lady I wanted.

“I . . . I need to get some air,” Ruby whispers while emotion floods her voice. She begins to push at my leg, signaling for me to move out of the booth so she can exit, so I do. I get out of the booth and let her walk past me, figuring I’ll give her a minute to catch her breath and process what she’s said, I follow her.

Even though I’m following closely behind her, I’m not swarming her with my presence. I watch from inside the bakery as she stands on the street trying to catch her breath. She runs her hand through her hair and paces back and forth. Still, I stand inside the bakery and watch.

“Is everything alright?” Shiloh questions from behind me.

I turn to face her and Shiloh’s mouth forms into a small ‘o’. Before I can even respond she’s speaking again, “Ruby just ran off down the street. I don’t know what’s going on but—”

I don’t stick around and listen to anything else she’s saying. My first instinct is to run through the doors and chase after her, so I do. Reaching the street, I see she’s about halfway to the end of the block so I rush after her. Once I’m right up to her I grab onto her arm so she can’t try to move anymore. “Ruby, what the hell are you doing?!”

She yanks her hand from mine and throws hers up in the air. “Are you freaking kidding me right now? Do you have any idea how I feel right now? Do you even give a damn? God! Why wouldn’t you tell me something like that? I’ve tried to be friends with her. We joked about shit and never once did I know . . .”

“It doesn’t matter, Ruby! It happened years ago. That shit has been done and over with for years.”

“I confided in her about my feelings for you, Santiago! It feels like I was violated. I’m not standing here asking for you to give me a list of everyone you ever fucked, but, god . . .”

Women will never cease to amaze me. I’m standin’ here tellin’ Ruby that this happened years ago and she’s telling me it makes her feel violated? I don’t get it. Seriously, I don’t fucking get it.

“Ruby, I don’t know what you want me to say,” I comment, and honestly, I have no fucking clue what I’m about to say to her.