Ashton
By the time we shower and change I feel the nerves coming back with a vengeance. Today is going to be even more challenging than yesterday. This is it, the cold hard light of my predicament. I am now married to a man who scares and excites me in equal measures. The scariest part is my reaction to him whenever he is near. I should be sworn off men for life but my interest in him is overwhelming my fear. When I saw him this morning, my heart began to pant. He looked so incredibly sexy and dangerous and I was almost disappointed that he hadn’t come to bed last night. Then I think of his daughter and feel nervous for another reason. What if she hates me? Bonnie told me she is number one in his eyes and why wouldn’t she be?
I head back to the kitchen to wait for Bonnie and see Ryder sitting at the table looking toe-curlingly sexy in black jeans and a clinging black T-shirt. His muscles are rippling under it and his eyes look at me with pure lust as I enter that I can’t think straight. Those eyes draw me in and hypnotize me. I can’t look away from them and drown in their velvety depths.
He nods to the seat in front of him.
“Sit, I’ll fix you some breakfast.”
I smile shakily.
“Shouldn’t I be the one fixing it? I mean, we have an agreement after all. I need to earn my protection and as your… um… wife… I should be starting as I mean to go on.”
I see the amusement in his eyes as he grins and his eyes sparkle devilishly.
“Don’t worry, you’ll have more than enough opportunities to fulfill your wifely duties. Cassie is due home later and then it begins. I don’t know where you come from, darlin’, but we live in the modern world here. I don’t expect a wife of mine to be a servant. I have lived on my own long enough not to worry about making the odd coffee and meal for my loved ones.”
I smile and take the seat opposite. “How refreshing.”
He laughs. “Make the most of it while it’s on offer. I have a feeling you’re gonna need the rest once Cassie returns.”
I watch him pour me a coffee and say with interest.
“Tell me about her.”
His eyes light up and his face relaxes as he thinks about his daughter.
“She’s perfect. Don’t get wrong she’s no Angel and you will have your work cut out for you. She’s used to a lot of attention and is quite demanding. I want you to teach her how to be a little lady. Living among a group of hard, unruly bastards has rubbed off a little. She needs to learn manners and needs a woman’s touch. Lou has her own kid to deal with and lets Cassie get away with murder - they all do. I suppose they feel sorry for her stuck with a miserable shit of a father and no mom. They spoil her and indulge her every whim. Don’t be afraid to stand up to her, Ashton. She needs a mom not a friend and you will have my full support.”
I feel a little worried as it dawns on me what I’ve taken on. I have no experience of children and that thought is suddenly preying hard on my mind.
We hear the doorbell and Ryder grins.
“That’ll be Bonnie. Now, remember, to everyone else we are the newly married couple who are still on their honeymoon. The guys don’t need to know about our arrangement and neither do their women. Are you ready to get started?”
Nodding, I feel a flash of apprehension as he heads off to answer the door.
He returns with Bonnie in tow and I relax a little as she flashes me a warm smile.
“Hey, Ashton. How are you bearing up?”
She winks and I feel myself blushing. Ryder grins and heads across and pulls me up and laughs.
“I think she’ll live.”
He stares long and hard into my eyes and I feel my knees buckling under the heat of his gaze. Leaning down he brushes his lips to mine and kisses me softly and sweetly. Then he runs his hands through my hair and pulls me closer, grinding his mouth on mine and demanding entrance. His tongue tastes mine and wraps around it in a sultry, sexy dance. My body arches towards his involuntarily and I long to be crushed against his hard chest and for his strong arms to hold me as close as is humanly possible. He smells of pure sexy male and I forget that Bonnie is even here as I melt into him as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Then he pulls away and the look in his eyes takes my breath away. That look does not pretend. It’s there blatantly for all to see. He wants me as much as I want him and its powerful knowledge. That look is loaded with promise and far from scaring me it’s bringing an anticipation to my mind and body that is the sweetest of promises. Then he smirks and I see the cocky bastard who knows the effect he has on me and enjoys it way too much. He releases me and flashes Bonnie a wicked smile.
“She’s all yours—for now. Remember, Cassie’s back after lunch and she will need to be here. Get whatever Ashton needs, I want to notice a huge dent in that credit card of mine.”
He winks and grabs his keys from the table and heads off. I giggle at the look on Bonnie’s face as he goes. She looks after him in utter amazement. Shaking her head, she looks at me and grins as the door slams behind him.
“Wow, whatever you did to him last night, honey you should bottle it and bring it out every day. I haven’t seen that side of him before.”
I look at her with curiosity.
“What do you mean?”
She grins and sits at the table and her eyes dance with mischief.
“That man is normally 100% bastard. He hardly says two words, let alone form a sentence. The only time he smiles is when his beloved Cassie is nearby. I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he just looked at you. As for the free pass to his credit—well, I’m just gonna say you’re one lucky lady.”
I feel the interest as a result of her words. Ryder has been nothing but charming and accommodating since I met him. Yes, he’s hard and dangerous but I sense a softer side to him that draws me to him.
Bonnie shakes her head. “Come on, let’s hit that card - hard.”
We head into town in a huge black SUV with Bonnie at the wheel. As we drive, I look at the flashing scenery with interest. I’ve almost forgotten there’s another world out here with people going about their daily business. A normal life—how I long for that.
Bonnie says with interest.
“So, tell me about yourself, Ashton.”
I feel the nerves take hold as I wonder what I can say. She must notice my hesitation because she says softly.
“Listen, I know you’re running from something. There’s not a woman who comes here that isn’t. It was obvious when I met you yesterday and I know there was some kind of deal made with your brother. You were like a frightened animal who longed to take flight. It must have been an intimidating experience yesterday and nobody was more surprised than me when Ryder claimed you as his old lady.”
I feel the shiver run through me at the mention of his name. I feel curious about the man I married and deflect the attention away from Bonnie’s questions with one of my own.
“Why are you surprised?”
She laughs softly.
“Ryder has never shown any regard for women in the past. Even Cassie’s mom never even got close to piercing that shell he hides behind. He isn’t the President of the Reapers for nothing. He’s a cold, hard bastard that shows no mercy. Most people think Snake is the hard man of the Reapers. They are wrong. Ryder is cold, ruthless and unforgiving. He uses the whores with no regard and they form a queue when he calls. He’s never shown any interest in any particular one and that’s why his behavior yesterday is so out of character.”
I think of Ryder’s whores and say bitterly.
“Well, he looked cozy enough with Kitty when I walked in.”
Bonnie laughs out loud.
“Kitty wished. That woman has tried every trick in the book to become his old lady. The other whores never got a look in where he was concerned. But Ryder wasn’t interested. The only interest I’ve ever seen in his eyes was when you came a calling. To say I’m shocked is an understatement and you must be the most hated woman in that club right now among the whores.”
I shiver inside. This life is so alien to me. Using women like they do leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
I say in a hard voice. “Why do those women let the men treat them so badly?”
Bonnie laughs.
“If you think they are treated badly, honey, then you have a lot to learn. There is no woman there that doesn’t want to be. They crave the attention of the men because they are hot and sexy and treat the women like they matter. Despite appearances they care for the whores. The reason they are called whores is because they are free with their favors. It’s their decision and they love it. Why have one hot sexy bastard when you can take your pick of dozens of them? When you become an old lady, you have no such freedom. It’s strictly monogamous and your life becomes very different. Don’t feel sorry for the whores, they choose the life they lead. They can leave at any time with no hard feelings. The guys look out for them and teach them how to survive in an unforgiving world.”
I shake my head, struggling to understand this new, crazy world that I’ve fallen into.
“I just don’t like the way they are called whores. It doesn’t seem right—I don’t know - sort of degrading.”
Bonnie smiles. “You’re a kind girl, Ashton. I can see why Ryder is drawn to you. You have the face and morals of an Angel which is like honey to a bear. Don’t lose that soft side of yourself in our hard world.”
She draws up outside a large Mall and turns to me and grins with excitement.
“Let’s hammer that card as requested.”
Shaking my head, I look worried.
“It doesn’t feel right. I’ll just grab a few essentials, it wouldn’t be fair.”
Bonnie giggles. “I don’t suppose you registered the fact the guys have black credit cards. There is no dent in those cards. They are connected to the Federal reserves because the money pit has no bottom. Those guys are paid well for their services and no amount of retail therapy will cause even a ripple in that plastic. You may as well enjoy yourself and realize one of the perks of living as a Reaper.”
As I follow her into the Mall, I wonder what on earth I have fallen into.