Page 77 of Riding Hard

“Juliette is my old lady,” he states.

She turns her attention back to me, her eyes narrowing on mine, then I watch as her lip curls in disgust. “I don’t see any ink or a ring,” she grinds out.

I blink because we’ve only been together for a few weeks. Why would I have a tattoo of any kind that represents Slide or a ring? That seems absolutely insane to me. But apparently, it’s not, because when Slade speaks next, my spine straightens.

“Been a bit busy, not that it’s any of your fuckin’ business, bitch,” he snaps. “You aren’t even supposed to be looking at Juliette, let alone talking to her. This conversation should not be happening, and you’re here having it like you don’t know your goddamn place.”

Rocky’s face pales, then she takes a step backward, but her eyes are focused on mine, and I can tell she’s trying her hardest to look intimidated, but she also thinks that she’s getting away with something here, or at least trying.

Slade walks up beside me and slides his arm around my waist, tugging me against his side. I don’t know how I feel about this, but I’m also not going to be asking any questions until this bitch walks away.

Slade was right when he called her a bitch. That’s what she is.

“Slade,” Rocky calls out.

She’s walked backward a few paces and is now standing with her back to the hallway, her gaze never leaving mine. She’s talking to Slade, but she’s focused on me, which means she’s about to be a bitch again.

A big one.

Her lips twitch into a smirk. “I’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.”

Before either of us can respond, she’s gone down the hallway. I press my lips together, and my teeth sink into the side of my cheek. I don’t know what the hell is going to happen, but I do not like what I’m feeling right now.

Not in the slightest.

CHAPTER

SIXTY-TWO

LOOT

Without another word, I curl my fingers around Juliette’s bicep and gently, but firmly, guide her to my room. Once she’s inside, I close and lock the door behind me. We need to have a conversation. It’s overdue. I’ve been holding off because of the situation, but I can’t any longer.

“Have you fucked her?” Juliette demands.

“You want the truth?” I ask.

I’m not mad at Juliette, but I am pissed as fuck at Rocky, and if I thought I could get away with it, I would leave Juliette right here and deal with the bitch myself. But I have a feeling it would piss her off even more, so I stay where I am.

“I want the truth, Slade.”

Her voice is barely above a whisper, and I have no doubt that she’s dreading my answer. I’m going to tell her the truth, though. She wants it, and she deserves to have anything she wants, even if I know it’s going to cause her pain. Knowing Victor touched her causes me pain, too.

I can’t erase her past, and I know mine isn’t going to vanish, either. So even though I don’t want to say the words out loud, I do.

“I fucked her quite a bit over the years. But not since we got together. It’s only you, honey.”

She sucks in a breath, her lips trembling when she does. I watch as her eyes search mine, and then she takes a step toward me, but only one before she freezes. My fingers itch to touch her, but I don’t. I’m hesitant. Victor hurt her, but she is also pissed right now. I can’t deny I’m a little scared of her.

“The last week, you’ve been down here.”

I hum. “I have,” I confirm, dipping my chin in a single nod. “I’ve been giving you space, but also working. I got a whole boatload of shit dumped on me, and I’m the paperwork guy for the club.”

She flicks her gaze down to her feet, then slowly lifts her eyes up the length of my body to meet mine. “You don’t need to give me space, Slade.”

I snort, because as much as I want to believe her, I also know that she’s wrong. I needed to give her her space because if I didn’t, I was going to need to touch her, to feel her, to hold her close just to remind myself that she was still alive. And I couldn’t risk hurting her even more than she’s already been hurt.

“I did need to give that to you, honey. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you in any way.”