“Have there been a lot of men?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Staring at his chest, she looked at the Saint and Sinners badge. Toward the latter years of their dating, she’d hated that symbol on his jacket. The logo, the emblem, whatever the hell it was called. A bike encased in flames with a woman’s body that had a halo above it. It was crude, wrong, but it was the club that had taken over his life.
“You’re not going to ask me?” Saint asked.
“No. I know you wouldn’t have waited for me, and I never expected you to.” She touched the club. “You’re the Prez now. What is the club like?”
“It’s different. I told you that.”
She nodded. “I’d like to see it one day. Would you be willing to show me this part of your life?”
“Of course.”
Wiping away the tears, she took a deep breath. “You probably think I’m a right girl. Crying.”
“Not at all. It sounds to me like you’ve had a lot of crap to deal with.” He stroked her cheek one final time.
Stepping up to the stove, she went back to preparing her homemade marinara. “I really do appreciate you putting up with me.”
“I wasn’t going to turn my back on you.” He took a seat directly opposite her. His entire presence made her pause, to compose herself. Saint always had this effect on her. Even before their first kiss. She’d been ever so jealous of all the girls swarming around him, wanting his attention. He belonged to her, and she belonged to him.
That kiss, it had changed everything.
“Thank you.”
She had turned her back on him. When he’d needed her most, she’d walked away.
He wasn’t the same guy.
Natasha’s biggest regret was walking away and not coming back. She couldn’t say that to him. Not now.
“I’ll take you to the club after some food. Elena will be there with Pipe.”
“I’d like to meet her. I doubt she remembers me.”
“I don’t think she does. She didn’t have a good time of it when Mom took her away.”
“How is your mom?” she asked.
“Dead.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. We both have lost our parents, Nat.”
“Did you ever see her again?” Natasha remembered how hard it was for him to watch his sister be taken away. He’d loved Elena so much.
“No. Elena and I, we’re having a few troubles. Brother-sister kind of stuff, and it makes life hard.”
“She doesn’t remember all the times you took care of her?”
“No.”
Natasha stirred the sauce all the while staring at him. “Why don’t you tell her?”
“Some things are best left in the past. Elena has her memories, I’ve got mine. We’re dealing with it. Nothing else to be said.”
She sighed and continued on with her sauce.
Saint leaned across and handed her a card. “Speak to Nigel. He’ll help you with the divorce proceedings.”
Natasha took the card from him and stared down at the details for a lawyer.
“He’s damn good at his job, and he’ll make sure Simon will pay up.”
She froze. “You know him?”
“Nigel, I know. Simon, I’ve got a whole lot of information coming in on him as well.”
“You did a background check?”
“I did. Got one of my guys to find everything out about you, which led me to your current problem. Seems Simon has a history of getting into trouble. Starting fights.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
Saint chuckled. “I don’t think you’ve been paying close enough attention to your so-called hubby.” He pulled out his cell phone. “Simon Meyer, criminal attorney. He’s been known to blackmail witnesses, and there have been several charges of bodily harm that have later been dropped when a hefty sum has gone into the victim’s account. It seems to me it was only a matter of time before he brought that home. He’s been hitting you some time.”
Natasha gritted her teeth. “Are you done?”
“That’s why you’re so upset. You didn’t put a stop to it. You didn’t end it.”
“No, I didn’t. Like I said before, I made excuses for
Elizabeth Amelia Barrington