Ruined: An MC Romance Novel (Ruined Series Book 1)

by T. O. Smith

  Henry managed to shrug it off, handing it over to River. “Val, get him the fuck off of my territory.” River snapped.

  “I would have put a bullet through his thick skull,” Tristan commented as I strode past him and out into the bar room where River was handing the guy with the beard Henry’s cut.

  “Burn it.” River ordered. The guy nodded before he strode outside, casting me a dirty look before he did. I glared back at him.

  He was going to be fucking trouble.

  I looked to the clubhouse doors as Mel strode back through holding two grocery bags. I grinned when she set them on the counter. “Oh, yes, finally,” I murmured, rushing into the kitchen to find a bowl.

  Tristan and River both sat at the bar as I made my bowl of cereal, both men silent as they watched me. I closed my eyes and moaned as I took my first delicious bite. River’s eyes met mine, a smirk lighting up his face as my cheeks flushed under his burning gaze.

  Tristan ran his hands down his face, and a bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, souring my mood again. “What did I do wrong, Addy?” He asked me quietly as he looked up at me with those sad eyes that always tore my heart apart.

  I fucking hated myself for the pain that I caused him. I’d cheated on him and had gotten pregnant with another man’s baby. I’d really fucking hurt him.

  “I can probably answer that.” River stated. I snapped my eyes up to River’s face. “You confined her, Grim. You wanted to control her so much. I get it; you thought you were protecting her, but you slowly broke her, Grim. And she ran from you the first opportunity she got.” River shrugged. “And you did the worst fucking thing possible by cuffing her to your bed when you got her back to try to keep her there.”

  Tristan’s eyes met mine. “What happened, though, Addy? Fuck, I literally had you in my bed two hours before I fucking left that day.” He reminded me.

  I swallowed thickly, my heart throbbing for what used to be between us but could never – would never – be again. “I needed to forget,” I whispered, suddenly not hungry anymore. “And River was there to help me forget.” I swallowed hard. “It was supposed to be a one-time thing,” I admitted.

  Tristan barked out a laugh. “One time, my ass.” He muttered.

  “Tristan -” I started, but River cut me off.

  “You don’t owe him a fucking explanation, Darlin’.” He told me. I turned my eyes to him. He reached across the bar and gently gripped my chin. I blinked back tears. River’s eyes softened with understanding. “He should have treated you better so that you wouldn’t have to find comfort in the arms of another man. That’s all it comes down to.” He told me.

  River stood up and came around the bar to where I was standing. He pressed his lips to the top of my head. I closed my eyes as I fisted his cut in my hands, holding him with me for a moment, just long enough to bring myself back together. He kept his lips pressed to my hair until I slowly released him.

  “Finish your cereal, Darlin’.” He instructed softly. He pointed a finger at Tristan. “You – with me. I want to discuss something since you’ve taken it upon yourself to barge onto my territory and into my clubhouse.”

  Tristan scowled but got up anyway, following River to a room off to the side of the bar room. I sighed, running my hands over my face tiredly.

  Fuck, I just wanted to distract myself from this fucked up love triangle.

  I loved Tristan – I did. But I hadn’t been in love with him for a long fucking time. I fell out of love not long after I got tangled up with Joey.

  I hated that I had cut him so deeply, but nothing short of something completely drastic would force Tristan to let me go.

  So, I betrayed him in one of the worst ways possible. I slept with one of his most trusted men. But my plan had not been to fall in love with the man I slept with. But River? He looked at me differently – fucking treated me decent. And I fell hard – and fast.

  I tossed my bowl into the sink after I forced myself to finish eating, striding out of the clubhouse and to the garage, determined to get elbows deep in some grease.

  I needed a fucking distraction because all I could picture was Tristan’s haunted eyes in my mind.

  SEVENTEEN

  RIVER

  I smiled at the sight of Adelaide leaning under the hood of a white Nissan as I stepped into the garage with Tristan at my side. “Now, I bet if you fucking start the car, it’ll run fine.” Adelaide snapped at my prospect, Joseph.

  Sure enough, when he started the car, it ran fine.

  My woman was one of many talents.

  “The starter was fine,” Adelaide told him as she wiped her hands on a grease rag. “The spark plugs were shit, and the throttle body needed cleaning. I just saved the poor lady a couple of hundred dollars.”

  God, she was so fucking feisty, and I loved it. Slowly, but surely, Adelaide was coming back to me – spitfire attitude and all. I couldn’t wait to have every bit of her fiery personality as mine.

  Joey and Tristan may not have ever been ready for the kind of woman she is, but I sure as fuck am.

  “She’s pregnant. She doesn’t need to be working on cars.” Tristan grumbled in displeasure.

  “Not your woman, not your kid,” I told him bluntly. He narrowed his eyes at me. I shrugged. Unlike Adelaide, I had no desire to spare his feelings. He ruined his fucking chance with her. I swept in at the first opportunity I saw, and I gave her a taste of what it was like to truly be loved and cared about – a taste of what it was like to be put above all else. “And this is what I’m talking about,” I informed him. “The reins were too tight when you were with her. Adelaide needs freedom and independence, Grim. You wouldn’t give her that.”

  “Why didn’t you put a bullet through that fucker’s head for what he did to her face?” Tristan demanded as he swiftly changed the topic, obviously not wanting to talk about what he did to her. But yet, every time I turned around since he’d walked into my clubhouse, he’d been making my woman feel like shit for choosing me.

  And that shit? It wasn’t settling right with me.

  “I didn’t, but I made sure Val did,” I told him. “I don’t drop bodies in or around my clubhouse, and certainly not around women with sensitive stomachs,” I said, referring to Adelaide. I wouldn’t run the chance that watching me put a bullet through someone’s skull would make her sick.

  Tristan just watched Adelaide for a moment. I ignored the sadness in his eyes, not feeling the least bit sorry for him. He brought this upon himself. If he had treated her like a normal human being, he might have still had her. She had been broken and used. She was desperate for someone to just love her and take care of her.

  “She’s happy.” He finally commented, watching her laugh at something stupid Joseph had probably said to her. Joseph was a jokester, but when it came down to it, I could rely on him. He’d make a damn good, patched member once I finally decided to take him off of prospect status and give him a proper cut.

  Done talking to Tristan any further, I strode towards Adelaide, watching as her eyes darkened the tiniest bit as she ran her eyes over me, a slow smile twisting her delicious lips. Fuck, she made me hard so fucking easily. I only hoped that it would be like this between us for the rest of our lives.

  Her eyes locked onto a worktable almost exactly like the one the Sons of Death had, and her eyes glazed over a little as she remembered our time together. My cock strained in my jeans, begging to be buried deep inside of her.

  I wound my arms around her waist, drawing her into me as I lowered my head until my lips were at her ear. “Say the words, and we’ll christen that one, too.” I huskily whispered in her ear. Her body shuddered against mine in response.

  Her beautiful, brown eyes met mine, mischief shining in their depths. She gripped my cut, pulling me harder against her. I growled softly as I lightly pressed my thigh between her legs. Her breath hitched in her throat for a moment. “Send them out.” She whispered. “We’re closed for business for the rest of the day.”


  I sure as fuck didn’t have to be told twice.

  I turned and looked at my crew. “Out!” I barked. “Shut the gates on your way out. We’re closed.”

  With that, I gently pressed my lips to hers, being extra careful due to the bruises on her face.

  But when I got her on that worktable, I fucked her so hard that I had no doubt that my club members could hear her screams all the way inside of the clubhouse.

  She was mine, and I planned on making sure everyone knew it.

  ■ ■ ■

  My gaze instantly locked on Adelaide as if drawn to her by an unseeable force. She was stepping out of the back hallway from my room, her hair damp from her shower. She was wearing a pair of my sweatpants and one of my shirts. I swallowed hard.

  Fuck me; she looked even sexier in my clothes.

  Mel was currently holding Tristan’s attention, and I was thankful that Adelaide didn’t even give him a second glance as she strode towards me, meaning that I didn’t have to feel all of that fucking anger and jealousy. I hated it when she looked at him – and even more, I hated the guilt that flashed in her eyes.

  I might have been a bit more understanding about the entire situation if he had at least tried to understand her, but he never tried. Fuck, even Joey eventually got the memo with her, but not Tristan.

  Adelaide was fragile. No matter how much of a strong front she put up, Adelaide was just a broken woman begging to be loved properly.

  I instantly gripped her hips when she got close enough to me, drawing her between my legs as I settled my hands on her ass, squeezing lightly.

  Fuck, I loved this ass of hers, and the more weight she gained, the bigger her perfect ass got.

  “How’s your face feel?” I softly asked as I reached up to gently run my fingertips over her bruises.

  She shrugged. “Kind of used to the pain by now, so I’m fine.” She admitted.

  I clenched my jaw at the reminder that she was so fucking used to physical pain that it didn’t even bother her anymore.

  Darlin, you’ll never have to worry about pain like that ever again. I silently promised her. I was here to protect her now. I’d never let another son of a bitch touch her again – not if I could help it.

  “Mel!” Gregory shouted, making Mel jump in fright, snapping her eyes over to my Sergeant at Arms. I smoothed my hands up Adelaide’s back, calming her when she tensed in my arms in response to the sudden, loud noise. “Quit fucking around and serve drinks like you’re supposed to.” He snarled at her.

  “Hey, watch how the fuck you talk to her.” Adelaide snapped at him, her eyes sparking fire at him. I gently squeezed her waist, hoping to calm her down some. Adelaide was naturally protective over other women, which was understandable. And I would always back her up. “Do you treat all fucking women like shit?” She demanded to know.

  I ran my eyes over her face at her words. What the fuck had Gregory done that she hadn’t told me about? “Girly, I get that you’re River’s woman, but you don’t get to pop off at the mouth anytime you feel like it.” He snapped back at her.

  Actually, she fucking did. And as long as she was being reasonable, I would always back her up in whatever the fuck she did or wanted. Old ladies were meant to support their old men, but good old men supported their old ladies, too.

  “I knew there was a fucking reason I haven’t liked you since I stepped foot in this fucking clubhouse.” She sneered back at him.

  I tightened my grip on her ass, drawing those beautiful eyes of hers to me. “What the fuck did he do, Darlin’?” I asked her, drawing her furious eyes to me.

  “He’s just been warning me about my mouth since I stepped in here, and he seems to have a real fucking shitty view on women.” She snarled. I knew she wasn’t angry at me, but I squeezed her ass again as a quiet reminder that I wasn’t the one she was pissed at. Her eyes softened slightly, but her jaw was still clenched.

  “She’s going to smart off at the wrong person one day, Prez,” Gregory stated, but it sounded more like a threat.

  And that shit would get his ass killed.

  I bristled and narrowed my eyes at him. “Was that a fucking threat?” I snarled as I stood up from my barstool, keeping Adelaide close to me.

  Gregory put his hands up in a surrendering gesture, but I didn’t miss the heated glare he sent in Adelaide’s direction before he walked away, his steps quick and angry.

  Clenching my jaw, I nodded once at Tristan as he turned to look at me. I needed to get Adelaide home. Today had been enough for her, and right then, I didn’t fucking trust Gregory. I wanted her far away from him.

  “Sam will make sure you and your club get settled in for the night,” I informed Tristan. His eyes flickered to Adelaide, but I was sure to keep her attention focused on me. I hated it when she tore herself down, and every time she looked at him, that’s exactly what she did. “Enjoy the drinks – have fun with the women. I’m taking Adelaide home, and I probably won’t be back here at the clubhouse until in the morning once she wakes up for the day.”

  Tristan nodded in understanding, for once staying silent. I placed my hand on the small of Adelaide’s back, leading her out to my bike, not giving her a chance to look at Tristan. I brushed my lips to her temple as we stepped outside. Her body sagged, the weight of being in Tristan’s presence lifting from her shoulders.

  “Live for me,” I whispered in her ear.

  She turned to me and pressed her hand over my chest, looking up at me with those beautiful, brown eyes. “Stay with me.” She said in return.

  I leaned down and brushed my lips with hers. “For as long as you’ll have me,” I promised.

  ■ ■ ■

  ADELAIDE

  My stomach was churning when I woke up the next morning.

  Oh, God, it was going to be one of these days. I had thought that these damn days were behind me.

  With a gag, I threw myself out of bed, rushing over to the bathroom. I barely managed to kneel in front of the toilet before I emptied my stomach.

  River – who I hadn’t even noticed got out of bed with me – held my hair out of the way and comfortingly rubbed my back as I dry heaved a couple more times before I got sick again. Tears spilled down my cheeks. Fuck, throwing up hurt so much. And my face was fucking throbbing.

  “You alright, Darlin’?” He asked me once I was done emptying my stomach.

  “It’s going to be one of those days,” I grumbled, my stomach still churning. I gagged again, but nothing came up that time. “I was hoping I’d left them behind in my first trimester, but I guess not.”

  “Morning sickness?” He asked me with a slight frown on his face as he tried to understand what I was going through. Despite how shitty I felt, it warmed my heart.

  I nodded in answer. He leaned down and lifted me against his chest, cradling me in his arms as he carried me to my living room. He gently set me onto the couch and grabbed my throw blanket from the back, draping it over me.

  “I’m going to make you some soup. Do you have any saltine crackers?” He asked me. “I heard crackers are supposed to help the nausea.”

  I shook my head at him. “I ate them all the last time I was sick,” I told him, closing my eyes as vomit rose in my throat. I really didn’t want to get sick again.

  I slowly opened my eyes to see him pull his phone out of his pocket and type out a quick text to someone. After he was finished, he placed his phone back in his pocket and placed a kiss on my forehead before he walked off to my kitchen to make me some soup.

  ■ ■ ■

  RIVER

  A soft smile crossed my lips as I walked back into the living room when I found Adelaide asleep again, her hands folded under her head, her lips parted the tiniest bit. At that moment, she looked like an angel – a broken one – but an angel, nonetheless.

  Fuck, she took my breath away every time I looked at her, and she didn’t even realize it. She was so blind to the effect that she had on me.

  I unbuttone
d my flannel and slid it off, tossing it onto her coffee table as I walked over to the couch, gently lifting her and setting her onto my lap so I could watch TV while she slept since she didn’t have a television in her bedroom.

  I would have placed her in her bed, but I wanted to be near her if something happened or if she needed me. And shockingly, despite the location her apartment was in, she had good walls that hid sound pretty well.

  I was dozing off myself when Sam entered the apartment with the key that I had given him to her place in the rare case that he may need to get to her when I couldn’t. He arched an eyebrow at me in question as he set the crackers on the counter. “Tristan and Jesup have been waiting for you to come back to the clubhouse to finalize shit.” He reminded me quietly, seeing as Adelaide was still passed out.