Ashton
Lou is as lovely as I knew she would be. Not only is she a beautiful woman, but she is also open and friendly and immediately makes me feel relaxed.
The kids run off to play and she pours me a coffee from a pot on the stove. Then we sit at the table in her homely kitchen that smells like apple cake.
“So, how’s it going? It’s been quite a couple of days for you.”
I nod and smile as I think about how far I’ve come in just a few hours. “Surprising good. I mean, I never thought for a minute I would be married and a mom to a gorgeous little girl within 24 hours of coming here. I thought I was here as a nanny, not a mom.”
Lou laughs. “I can see why Ryder made you his old lady in record time. You’re an attractive girl, Ashton and would have caused a shed load of problems. The guys here are used to taking what they want and a pretty little thing like you would have set them against each other. Ryder isn’t stupid, he knew a good thing when he saw it and acted accordingly.”
I shiver as I think of the man I married. The promise of what’s yet to come consumes my mind and body. I feel impatient to move this on but will protect my heart as I’ve always done. I let nothing in and he is no exception. I am protective of my heart and know that I have every reason to be as far as he’s concerned. That man is pure danger and blows my mind with the thought of being intimate with him.
Lou laughs. “Earth to Ashton. You’ve got that man fucking your mind as well as your body.”
I feel myself blushing and then say softly.
“Tell me about him, Lou.”
She smiles. “Ryder is the most unreadable, arrogant, annoying son of a bitch here. He gives nothing away and rules the Reapers with a rod of iron. He lets nobody in and you have to earn his trust and respect before he gives it. When you have he will kill for you. The only softness I ever see is when his little princess is in sight. He will pluck the stars from the sky for her and it would appear he has come up trumps again with you. He may be a hard-hearted bastard, Ashton, but there’s a soft side to him that only a few gets to see.”
I look interested. “Have you seen it, Lou?”
She smiles softly. “A few months back Brewer got shot. It was touch and go for a while and I sat up watching him at the hospital for two days and two nights. I wasn’t alone. Ryder sat on the other side of me and what I saw was a broken man. He felt responsible even though it wasn’t his fault. He let me in over those torturous hours and we shared the darkest of times. Brewer pulled through, and he reverted back to the hard-hearted bastard he is. However, now we have a history and we both know that it’s all a front. That man feels deeply and his act is just that. He must have seen some pretty fucked up things in his life that have built a hard shell around his heart. Maybe he needs you more than you need him because we all know that you need love in your life. You could save him as much as he is saving you, honey. Just don’t break him in the process.”
I shiver as I see the hard glint in her eyes. For all her friendliness this woman is as hard as the men she lives among. I smile sadly. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, it’s the last thing I want. I want to learn how to live in this new world I inhabit. How can I fit in?”
Lou looks at me and smiles. “The guys like their women hot, sexy and independent. It’s why they teach us how to defend ourselves and encourage us to sort things out in our own way. Bonnie is the best one around here to help teach you how to fight. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun being taught by Ryder but Bonnie will show you some little tricks that’ll keep him on his toes. We don’t run to our men with every problem we get, we deal with them in our own way. The guys live a hard life and are not interested in our domestic issues.”
I lean forward and ask with curiosity. “What sort of things do you have to deal with?”
She rolls her eyes. “Mainly when the whores try it on with our guys. They have the morals of alley cats and a married man is fair game to them. Most of them want the stability of being an old lady and if they take a fancy to one of our men, then it usually ends in a fight.”
I look at her in horror as she laughs. “You’ll have your work cut out with them, honey. Ryder is top dog here and there isn’t a whore in there that doesn’t want him for herself. Then there are the kids to deal with. They’re an unruly lot and the guys don’t help. They teach them how to fight and stand up for themselves and their backchat would send a woman to the bottle. The men don’t want to hear tales of domestic life when they return home every night. They want a family life and then a hot sexy night with their lady. You keep them happy and they give you the world. It’s a good life here, Ashton. I’m sure once you get over the shock of it all you’ll fit in just fine."
I feel the worry taking hold. All I can see is a future fighting off other women and shouting at kids. Then the thought of a hot night in bed with the man I’ve married makes up for it all. Now, that’s the part I’m looking forward to, way more than I should be after what just happened to me.