He had something to ask her, and it wasn’t the sort of thing you did near dead bodies. With the stars shining overhead and the crescent moon above them, the night almost had a romantic vibe.
In a twisted sort of way—which was perfect for them.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Rose had a Zen-like calm going on. In his unit, after they’d taken someone out, some guys threw up, some of them got shit-faced. Others tried to crack jokes and ignore it. Duke tended to be the silent, contemplative type as well.
Biting her lower lip, she considered his question for a minute. “Yeah, I really am. He wouldn’t have let me go. I feel fabulous, considering I just killed someone.”
“Yeah? It won’t last.” He plucked two cigars from the pocket of his cut and clipped them. Pulling out his Zippo, he toasted the ends as she watched.
“You’re gonna let me try one? Thought I wasn’t a smoker?”
He sighed. “I was wrong. You’re a smoker, and you should know that’s fine by me.”
They weren’t just talking about the cigar.
Duke lit it and handed it to her—she took a tentative puff. Evidently, cigars agreed with Rose, because she didn’t cough this time.
He sucked on the end of his as well. “Now that you got your life back and all, any thought as to what you’ll do with it?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I’m normal anymore.”
“Normal is fuckin’ overrated.”
Duke reached into his cut again and pulled out something shiny from another pocket. It was a choker with a porcelain crown pendant, like his tattoo—a gold vein ran through the center of the crown.
“I got somethin’ for you to consider.”
“It’s a kintsugi necklace!”
“Yeah, I got it for you.” He handed it to her. “I didn’t know it at the time, though—bought it a few years ago when I came across it in a shop.”
She ran her fingers over the symbol, his symbol.
“It’s a collar, isn’t it?”
Duke nodded. “My brothers do this thing where their old ladies get a tat with their name on it. And the women wear their Horsemen pendant, but I don’t like that shit. I want something unique. I don’t take a damn thing for granted—branding someone for life doesn’t work for me. I prefer you in a collar. It’s something you choose to wear every day.”
While it had kinky significance as a collar, it could also be worn as jewelry without anyone being the wiser.
She looked up at him. “What are you saying, Duke?”
Fuck, this Romeo routine wasn’t him. He had no idea how to ask this question. “I guess what I’m tryin’ to say is you’re the perfect woman for me.”
Here goes everything.
“You wanna be my old lady?”
By some miracle, he must’ve gotten it right, because she hurled herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing kisses to his face.
“Yes. Of course, it’s a yes!”
Holy shit. Thank God, she agreed. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if she’d turned his sorry ass down.
Rose turned around, offering him her neck. “Put the necklace on, please.”
Duke fastened it around her neck. Then she turned to face him.
Fuck, that was hot—his symbol on her.
Duke kissed her hard. He couldn’t wait to get her home—then head down to The Vault and celebrate this news in style. Well, maybe after he got checked out by the doctor and ate a couple of painkillers.
“I’ll help you move your stuff out of Hades and over to our place tomorrow.”
Actually, he’d order the prospects do it on account of his brand new gunshot wound.
“Our place? Look at you, letting a woman into your bed and your home, too. Talk about progress.”
Duke shrugged. “Not really. You moved into my heart a long time ago. That’s some progress for you.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he laughed. “Fuck me. I’m a Hallmark card.”
She laughed, but there were tears in her eyes. “You’re in my heart too.”
“I’d better be. For the record, I’m fallin’ in love with you. Hard. I ain’t ever said that word before to a woman.” Damnation, love was a bitch.
“I’m falling for you too.”
“Good. To celebrate, we’ll do somethin’ kinky later.”
“Ooh, like what?” Her eyes lit up, glinting in the moonlight.
“Make love.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Sounds like a terrific plan. New territory for both of us.”
Before he could sprout ovaries, he kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Duke couldn’t remember ever being this happy, this at peace.
“That makes you my submissive, my woman. My old lady.”
“Every Bonnie needs her Clyde.”
“Damn straight.”
Maybe they would take on some freelance, guns-for-hire type of work. There were a lot of dickheads in the world who could use some vigilante justice.
Just then, his brothers pulled up. As much fun as this was, they still had a hell of a lot of work to do this evening.
“Come on, Firecracker, let’s finish this, and then we can begin the rest of our lives.” He offered Rose his hand, and they walked inside.
Together.
Thank y’all for readin’!
Devil May Care is the next book.
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Books in the Series
Sweet Perdition (Ryker & Elizabeth)
Hot as Hades (Cowboy & Daisy)
Damned (Duke & Rose)
Devil May Care (Captain & Eddie)
Hellbent (Shepherd & Pretty Boy)
Hell on Wheels (Axel & Charlie)
Shot to Hell (Steele & Ashton)
Hell or High Water (Voodoo & Lex)
About the Author
Cynthia Rayne is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Lone Star Mobster Series and the Four Horsemen MC Series. While Cynthia was born and raised a damn Yankee in Ohio, her parents hail from Dixie, and she grew up on homemade buttermilk biscuits and southern wisdom. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping, reading way too many romance novels, and drinking a truly obscene amount of coffee.
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Copyright
© Joy Ride, Cynthia Rayne 2017
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review or book discussion, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the author.
Editing
Blue Moon Creative
Stock Photo
prometeus via Can Stock Photo
Cover Art
Mayhem Cover Creations
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s wicked imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and frankly a bit creepy.
Copyright
© Cynthia Rayne 2015-2017
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review or book discussion, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the author.
Editing
Blue Moon Creative Author Services
Edits by Jade
Heather Lawson Editing
Stock Photo
curaphotography via Can Stock Photo
Cover Art
© Sarah Laney 2015-2016
Sweet Southern Creations
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s wicked imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is pur
ely coincidental and, frankly, a bit creepy.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Joy Ride: A Virgin Romance (Let it Ride Book 3) Page 34
