Sinner's Steel (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #3)(51)

She looked up, saw nothing but concern and understanding on his handsome face Still she, pressed her lips together and stared at the screen.

“Zane. Really I—”

“Come to me, Evie.” His voice carried a hint of command, although his expression was gentle.

She put down the tablet and went to him, not because of his command, but because she was already lonely behind the walls she had so quickly put up after their intimate encounter. And because, even after all these years, Zane knew when she was afraid and hurting, knew when she needed him most.

Zane circled her with his arms and drew her into his warmth. With a sigh, Evie slid her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered.

His words melted her just enough that the tension drained from her body, the walls falling down as quickly as she’d put them up. Myriad emotions assailed her, and she clung to him, drawing from his strength.

“I tried to save him.” Her words stuck in her throat. “There was so much blood. And then I stabbed Viper. He was so angry. He tried to…” She choked on her words.

Zane’s arms tightened around her, holding her firm, protecting her from the memories, whispering soft words as she shuddered against him.

“Breathe, sweetheart. Let it go.”

A tear slid down the side of her face and she took comfort in his arms. Not just because she felt so safe with him, but because she could feel him, remind herself he was real, and not just memory.

“If it wasn’t for T-Rex, Ty would be alone.”

“He’ll never be alone.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “Neither will you. I’ll keep you and Ty safe, Evie. And the Sinners will always have your back.”

His hand was cool on her skin, his body warm against her. She didn’t know how long he held her, but she knew he would never let go until she asked.

“Thank you.” She tilted her head back, met his gaze as she brought her hand up and swept the long dark strands of hair from his face. So handsome. So perfect. She ran her fingers over the hard planes and angles of his cheekbones, trailing them slowly over his jaw, rough with a five o’clock shadow.

“Pleasure.”

She leaned towards him and brushed her lips against his. He responded with a gentle kiss, tracing her lips with his tongue then dipping into her mouth.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

She waited until his footsteps faded away and then fell back on the bed. How the hell was she going to keep this up? It was everything she could do not to run after him and tell him she’d changed her mind. He’d just shown her that the Zane she had loved—the sensitive, caring Zane who knew her better than she knew herself—was still there, hiding beneath the leather cut and the cool exterior. Part of her wanted to cuddle up to him in her bed with his strong arms wrapped around her, and feed that longing to feel safe and secure, but the other part wasn’t prepared to give up control in any other part of her life. If she let her guard down, if their connection felt too good, she would just be setting herself up for more pain when he disappointed her again. And although she felt a deep connection to Zane that went beyond the child they shared, she had lost her trust and faith in relationships.

Intimacy and connection only lead to pain. And she’d had enough pain to last a lifetime.





FOURTEEN

Try and try again. Don’t think you’re stupid if it doesn’t go right the first time. Even experts make mistakes.

—SINNER’S TRIBE MOTORCYCLE REPAIR MANUAL

Someone was watching him.

Zane slid his hand under the cushion and grabbed his weapon. He had only just fallen asleep after tossing and turning all night on the couch, wondering what the hell had gone wrong with Evie, or whether, in fact, it had gone right.

Did he really want to get involved? He’d been on his own so long he couldn’t imagine integrating not just a woman, but a kid into his life. And what kind of life did he have to offer? If he’d thought himself unworthy of Evie back in Stanton, he certainly hadn’t improved the situation by becoming an outlaw biker. Wasn’t it better to have dealt with the sexual tension between them so they could both move on? The answer came in a heartbeat. There was no other woman for him. He’d been searching for her since the day he left Stanton, and now that he’d found her, he wouldn’t let her go.

But first, there was a threat to deal with, and Evie and Ty were under his protection.

In one smooth motion, he rolled off the couch and onto his feet, his weapon pointed in the direction of the shallow breaths that had awoken him. It took him a moment to register the face in front of him, a mini mirror image of his own.

“Don’t shoot me.” Ty covered his face with his arms. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Christ. Talk about the wrong way to start the day. He placed the weapon in its holster across his chest, and fell back on the couch, drawing in a calming breath as adrenaline surged through his body. “Sorry about that. Not used to people sneaking up on me. You got quiet feet, but loud breathing.”

“Is that good?” Ty lowered his arms, his thin wrists protruding from his Batman pajamas. Good choice. Batman had always been Zane’s favorite superhero. Dark, secretive, isolated, not given to overt displays of emotion. But the whole Robin thing … he didn’t need that lame-ass sidekick.