Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1)(101)

Jesus, that was a lot to take in. Dare’s chest ached for Jeb, a good kid who would’ve made a great brother. And he’d died trying to protect Bunny. “What time is it?” Dare’s head felt like it was full of cotton, his thoughts all scattered.

“Uh, it’s three o’clock Saturday afternoon. You were hit in the side and shoulder and were in surgery for five hours last night. You’ll be all right, though.”

Alarm shot through Dare’s body, making him groan. “Fuck. The exchange.”

“Cancelled,” Maverick said. “Iron Cross is denying having told Randall anything. Said he found out on his own, and they didn’t get paid shit from anyone. But let that be a worry for another day.”

Dare sagged back into the bed. Another day sounded good to him.

“Listen, nearly the whole club’s out in the waiting room, so I’m gonna go share the good news that your moody ass is awake and let you get some rest.”

Damn, even smiling hurt. “Don’t make me laugh.”

Maverick rose from his chair. “Before I go, there’s something I think you should see.” He grabbed a thick envelope from the rolling tray and pulled something out of it. A card. He handed it to Dare.

“What’s this?” Dare asked, trying to make his eyes focus. Mav just waited, and finally Dare’s brain caught up. A Missouri driver’s license. Haven’s new license. Except of course that wouldn’t be her new name. His eyes scanned . . .

Kyle Grace Jameson.

Dare blinked. Kyle? She’d named herself Kyle?

He squinted and realized he’d read it wrong. Kylie, not Kyle.

Except having seen his brother’s name in her newly chosen name, he couldn’t unsee it. What were the chances the similarity in those names was a coincidence? His gut told him it was very little. His heart told him it was none at f*cking all.

Haven had been planning to name herself after his brother? He squeezed the card in his hand. “Kylie,” he whispered, emotion clogging his throat again.

“Yeah,” Maverick said, placing the envelope on the tray. “Kylie.”

The significance of that gesture sank into every fiber of Dare’s being. On a cellular level, he felt the generosity, the sweetness, the incredible beauty of what she planned to do and who she planned to be.

Which was when he knew there was absolutely no way on God’s green earth he was letting her become Kylie. Not when she was already his Haven.

Unless, of course, she wanted to go. Because after the horror show of Friday night and being forced to kill her own father, he wouldn’t blame her one bit if she was chomping at the bit to leave, to finally find a place where she might be safe.

Dare wouldn’t make her stay, even though she’d be taking his heart with her if she went.

HAVEN CAME AWAKE on a gasp, her gaze cutting immediately to Dare’s face. Dark circles marred the skin beneath his eyes and lines cut deep into his skin, but his eyes were open and looking at her, and it made him the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen.

“You’re awake,” she said, sitting up. “Oh, God, you’re really awake.” She cupped his jaw in her hand, relief coursing through her.

“And you’re still here,” he said, voice scratchy. He’d been intubated during his surgery, and one of the nurses had mentioned he’d probably have a sore throat.

The words made Haven’s belly sink, and she drew her hand away. “Uh, yeah. Well, they wanted to wait for you to decide what to do.” From the moment Caine had returned with their paperwork and logistics, Haven had been nearly sick with dismay at the prospect of leaving.

Dare frowned. “I’m sorry, Haven.” He pressed his lips into a grim line, and his eyes looked so bleak.

“For what?”

“For so much. For not protecting you. For not keeping my word. For putting you in the position of having to take a life.” He shook his head, and the grimace proved that it was more movement than he was up for.

“In case you didn’t notice,” she said, fight stirring up in her belly, “I’m completely unharmed. You kept your promise. And killing my father was one of the most justified things I’ve ever done in my life. He killed people we cared about. He hurt Bunny. He was going to kill you and kidnap me. He was evil, pure and simple. So I’m not sorry. Not at all. And you shouldn’t be either.”

Dare studied her like he was searching for the truth in her words. “You’re not upset?”

Taking his hand in hers, she shook her head. “Not about any of that.”

“About something else?” he asked.

She dropped her gaze to the envelope on the tray next to him. “Caine got the paperwork.”

“I know,” he said, holding up her driver’s license in his other hand. She hadn’t noticed he had it. “You named yourself after my brother.” He didn’t phrase it as a question.

Heat filled her cheeks. “I wanted the name to mean something.”

“My brother means something to you?” he asked, a strange expression she couldn’t read playing over his face.

Discomfort rolled through her stomach. Did he disapprove? She dropped her chin and her gaze. “Yeah, because he means so much to you.”

He squeezed her hand weakly. “Look at me.” She forced her eyes to meet his, and he stared at her a long, long moment. “What do you want?”