His hands immediately went into my hair and he pressed his lips to the side of my neck. I had to clench my thighs together at the explicit feelings his touch stirred in my core. Ky must have sensed my reaction, for his nostrils flared with need, and our eyes met, the same magnetic attraction evident between us.

A cough sounded, and we both met eyes with Elysia. “Nice to see such a scene, big brother, but remember I’m your sister and there is such a thing as too much!”

Ky mock saluted and my head fell to his chest. I could not help but remember the life Ky had lived, losing his mother, being brought up to believe that being loving toward a woman was wrong. Robbed of his childhood, his life was filled with violence and war. I realized, in these respects, we had not been so different after all. I felt even closer to him this morning, discovering aspects of his life, him holding me in his arms and never letting me go.

Without conscious thought, I reached down and took his hand in mine. I could feel the shock in Ky at my gesture, but he simply wrapped his fingers around mine.

I could get used to this, I thought. I could get very used to this.

A sense of limited time filled me with unease, and Prophet David’s teachings tried to break through. But I refused this day to submit to the part of me that held steadfastly to my faith.

I simply wanted to be held and cherished for the first time in my life.

“So what do you wanna do for the next couple of days?” Elysia asked.

Ky shrugged and looked down to me.

“Just be,” I said. “Just be.”

Ky smiled at me and winked and I could not help but smile back. I could not believe what I was feeling toward him. Warmth. There was an extreme feeling of warmth in my body.

Sia exhaled a long sigh beside us and rose from her seat. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night out in that barn, so I’m gonna hit the hay for a few hours.” Sia headed inside of the house, but laid a hand on Ky’s shoulder. “Take Lilah to the barn to see the colt. He so damn cute.”

Ky patted Sia’s hand, and his sister entered the house, the door shutting behind her.

“She likes you,” Ky said, and held me closer still.

“I like her,” I said and got to my feet. Turning to a shirtless Ky, I dipped my head to hide my blush at his muscled and tempting torso, and held out my hand. “Will you show me the horse?”

Ky got up and threaded his hands through mine, guiding me from the porch. Just as I hit the last step, Ky spun around, and pressed his mouth against mine.

I moaned against his mouth as he caught me by surprise and I gasped as he broke away too soon. Ky’s head tipped the side, his blue eyes on my lips and he ran his thumb over my mouth. “Perfect damn lips.”

Pulling me back into step, we headed to a large red barn, and once inside Ky took me to a stall. Reaching over the door, my hand flew to my mouth seeing a new foal standing near his mother and my eyes filled with tears.

“He’s so beautiful,” I whispered, stretching out my hand, running my fingers over his soft brown and white coat.

Ky did not say anything, just wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. Being here, at this ranch, in this stable, almost made yesterday’s attack seem like just a bad dream.

“You doing good, baby?” Ky asked his warm breath ghosting over my face.

“Yes,” I replied, and smiled as the foal began feeding from his mother. The action made me think of the conversation I just had with Sia, and I placed my hands on top of his.

“Sia told me about your mother and father this morning,” I said quietly, feeling Ky tense behind me.

“Yeah?” he rasped out, and I detect the pain in his voice.

“I am sorry that you lost them both in such violent ways. About how you and Sia were forced apart,” I told him sincerely.

“Baby…” he whispered, his forehead replacing his chin on my shoulder. I held onto his arms tightly, and I really wanted to say something.

Turning around to face Ky, my back resting against the stable door, Ky’s sad eyes met mine. “You are a good man, Ky. A very good man. Your mother would be proud of you, of how you have cared for Sia.”

Ky glanced away, but then huffed a humorless laugh. “I’m exactly like my old man, Li. My momma would be turning in her grave if she could see just how much I was like him.”

“No—” I went to argue, my hand on his cheek, but Ky cut me off.

“I’m a whore, Li. I fuck around. I’ve had so much pussy that a slut I’ve fucked could stand right in front of me and I wouldn’t even recognize her face. I’m the VP of an outlaw MC, and I’m a ruthless bastard—just like my old man. And I ain’t ever been good to no one. Fuck! I am my old man!”

My heart broke as those words spilled from his lips. It was the first time I had seen this hard and flirtatious man look vulnerable. Ky Willis suddenly became a little more transparent in his actions. And I could finally understand why he behaved like he did… he was simply lost too. Another broken child of circumstance.

“But you are not like that with me,” I reassured and Ky stilled, his eyebrows pulled down.

“What?”

Taking a deep breath, I repeated, “You are not that way with me. You are caring. You are loving. You are my teacher, my protector. You keep me safe. Ky, you are my safety.”

Ky’s mouth opened, but then quickly closed again. He stared and stared into my eyes and I could see a storm of emotions flash through his light eyes. And then Ky pressed his chest flush against mine, his hands holding the sides of my neck.

He searched my face for something, I did not know what for. His eyes closed and his forehead dropped to mine. “Fuck, baby… Not with you…” was all he said before taking his mouth with mine, his tender kiss telling me more than any words could… he adored me.

I adored him back.

*****

The next two days were the happiest of my life.

“It was lovely to meet you,” I told Sia as she hugged me goodbye. I felt sad that I was leaving my new friend.

“You’ll be seeing me soon, Lilah,” Sia said with a knowing smile. “You can count on that.”

Sia turned to Ky and he lifted her off the floor, gripping her tight. Her mouth went to his ear and I heard her say, “You’ve found her, Ky. You’ve found the one for you. Protect her, and don’t fuck this up. Remember, you’re not our father.”