His lips smothered mine in his signature, sexy way as my body instantly reacted. Over the last couple of days, my body had tuned itself with Cruz’s, wanting him more than I ever thought possible. Not that I would tell him that, but my body couldn’t lie.

The clearing of a throat brought our deep kiss to a stop as we looked over to see Rocky standing at the doorway to the range.

“What’s up man?” Cruz asked as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

“Came to shoot,” Rocky’s voice was so quiet, I felt like if I could squint my ears to hear better I would. But what got me was his voice. There was something about it. Something familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

“You done?” Cruz asked, looking down at me while I smiled, nodding. “All yours man.”

“Thanks…” Cruz slapped Rocky’s shoulder as he walked by. When he breezed past me, my body went on alert, full-blown red alert. Something. I didn’t know what the hell it was, but something with him was setting me off, and not in a good way.

Turning, I stared at him. His long hair, beard, and lanky body were nothing that I’d ever seen before. Racking my brain, I tried to place him, but came up blank. As we walked out of the range, Cruz must have sensed something off. “What’s wrong?”

Not one to shy away, I said, “Rocky. Was he around before I went in prison?”

“No, why?”

“I don’t know. I get the sense I’ve met him before.”

“Like where?” he questioned, seeming interested.

“Not sure. I could be totally full of shit.”

“Far as I know, he’s never been near the club. But I’ll have it checked out.” Cruz pulled me close, “Let’s go for a ride.” I smiled up at him, nodding my head.

Being on the back of Cruz’s bike was an exhilarating experience. I’ve always loved riding, but something about my thighs pressed against this rock hard man was making this one of the best rides ever. His smell of leather and testosterone combined with the roar of the bike was making my body pulsate, throb, and ache. Pressing my pussy as close to his ass as I could, I began slightly rubbing just to give myself a small amount of friction to go along with the rumble of the bike.

Cruz’s hand squeezed my thigh as if he knew what I was doing, before placing it back on the throttle. As he revved the bike, I got just enough friction that my body shuddered. It wasn’t an all-consuming orgasm by any means, but it felt good and briefly cured the ache.

As my hands released the clutching grip I seemed to have placed on Cruz’s abs, his body began to move as if he was chuckling. With my body very relaxed, I held on, enjoying my first ride with him.

Cruz pulled the bike into a small diner, Sam’s, just outside of Sumner. I’d missed this place while being inside. The smell of grease and fries surged into my nostrils as my stomach took notice and growled. They had the best burgers and fries, and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth in them.

After getting off his bike, Cruz wrapped his arms around my body pulling me flush to his. “You owe me,” he whispered onto my lips.

“What?” I said; my breath barely leaving my body.

He shook his head slowly. “Getting yourself off and not letting me watch. Not. Happening. Again.” His lips crashed down on mine, and I felt lost in all that was Cruz. It amazed me how this man seemed to have some sort of spell that mesmerized my body instantly.

Pulling away, “I might let you watch next time.” I smirked patting his broad chest as I turned to the door.

It didn’t take, but a minute for Cruz to be seen in the diner. Many guys coming up to him, shaking his hand and doing that man hug thing. He didn’t introduce me, which either meant he didn’t want anyone to know who I was, or I was insignificant. I was hoping it wasn’t the latter.

Instead of Cruz taking his seat across from me in the booth, he pulled himself right in beside me, pushing me all the way against the wall with his broad body. “You know you can sit on the other side,” I said, wiggling to make room.

“Then I couldn’t do this…” Cruz leaned down placing the sweetest, softest kiss on my lips causing my insides to flutter.

“What can I getcha?” I heard the waitress’s voice, but couldn’t pull myself out of the shock of the gentleness that I just witnessed. This rough man, who has shown me this hard, demanding side of him, has an unbelievably soft side, too, who’d have known.

A sharp squeeze of my hand sent pain through my arm causing me to snap out of it. “What?”

Cruz chuckled, “What do you want to eat, Baby?”

Shit. Shaking my head, I smiled at the waitress, but it instantly fell. Her eyes were totally focused on Cruz sending a surge of fire throughout me. As if sensing it, Cruz’s hand came up under my chin, pulling me towards his face. My eyes locked on his just as he placed another kiss on my lips.

“Order what ya want.” He winked.

Without looking back at her, I ordered, as did Cruz, sending her away. “You don’t like her looking at me, Babe?”

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of an answer, because I didn’t fully understand it myself. “So, you were in the Marines?”

His body stiffened, “Yep.”

“You don’t like talking about it?” I asked as the waitress placed our drinks on the table, and I reached for mine.

“Nah…”

I knew better than anyone about not wanting to talk about shit. So I changed the subject. “Why’d you join Ravage?”

A smirk claimed the corner of his mouth. “I realized this is where I belong. This is my family.”

His answer was utterly diplomatic and really didn’t give me a lot to go on, but deep down I understood. The brotherhood wasn’t something that most men talked about. Even if I grew up here and knew the life, he steered away.

“Do you have a family outside of Ravage?”

“Nah, Mom died when I got out of the service. She was all I had.”

“Didn’t know your dad?” I instantly regretted the question when his voice spoke.

“He left when I was young. Loved some other woman; crushed my mom. It wasn’t pretty.”

My insides churned for this man. I couldn’t imagine Pops ever leaving me, abandoning me. He’s taught me so much throughout the years. Reaching over, I clasped his hand and squeezed as his eyes locked on mine. As I tried to release him, he held tighter, and I began to relax into him. He absently began rubbing circles with this thumb, sending shocks throughout my body with each swipe. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s who I am, but enough about me. What about you?” I didn’t know what to say. These past two years, all I did was survive. What do I say to that question? He must have sensed my apprehension. “Growing up.”

“This has been my life. Hanging out at the clubhouse, and the brothers are really all I’ve known. They’ve taught me how to be me.”

“Must have been weird growing up around all those guys.”

“No. Not actually. They were all Pops’ brothers, and they treated me very well. I always respected them, and they did me.” Not saying they didn’t try to fuck me as I got older, but I thought I’d leave that part out.

“You ever want to get away from here?”

His question caught me off guard, but I answered immediately. “No. This is my home. You wanna tell me about Mel?” I asked, really not wanting to know, but thinking I should.

“No. She’s inconsequential.” There were questions there, but I could tell the subject was closed. “You wanna tell me about your time inside?”

No. I didn’t, but I would. “Boring. Same shit different day. I kept to myself as much as possible. My only goal was to get out alive.”

“Understandable. Heard you had your own space.”

“Yeah. Pops and Diamond worked something out, and I owe them.” I did. I knew it. That’s why when they asked me to take care of a couple of things for them I didn’t balk one bit.

He didn’t respond. As I looked around the diner, eyes were focused on us. It was the same as it was when I was out with Pops and G.T. The Ravage patch held great honor and respect around here, not to mention curiosity. They all probably wanted to know everything that was Cruz’s life. The thought made me snicker because no one would ask… not that they would be told anyway.