Shattered & Scarred: The Sacred Hearts MC Read Online Free Page A

awful silence. “I’m normally very cooperative, this is really the first time we’ve ever disagreed…” I was lying through my teeth and it died on my lips when Ethan scoffed. More incredulous sounds were made down the line of men at the bar and I closed my eyes, the words turning to ash in my mouth. I was a horrible liar…
    “Baby he beat the shit out o f you.” The heat and venom in his voice scalded my mind and I forgot to breathe.
    “Look at me Ashton.” My body warmed at his nearness as he stood from his seat and closed some of the gap between us. I tipped my face up and reluctantly opened my eyes. The look in his eyes as he looked at me was like a shock of ice water to my system, if ice water could leave a puddle of heat curling low in my belly.
    “This,” he trailed a fingertip along my jaw and I winced pulling away from the slight touch. That hurt… but I suppose that was his point. “Is more than a disagreement and in case you’ve forgotten,” he put his lips beside my ear, his warm breath flaming against my skin, slightly stirring my hair.
    “You woke up in my bed mostly naked… now nothing happened, you know that, I’m sure, but we both know this wasn’t the first time he’s hurt you. Not by a long shot.” I closed my eyes and twin tears slipped hot and salty slick down my face. So he’d seen the scars. He drew back and looked at me. His words hurt, but they were the truth, and so it was that the truth hurt…
    “Ashton look at me.” He intoned and I opened my eyes, shoulders slumping in defeat.
    “May not have been the first time Sunshine, but fuck, it damn sure was his last.” He got back up onto his stool and left me sitting there in silent shock.
    “You can’t promise that.” I whispered.
    “I think he just did Sweetheart.” The voice was low and rumbling deep and came from the far end of the bar. I jolted and took in yet another man standing there, almost equal to Ethan in size by breadth of shoulders but, shorter and the polar opposite in coloring. Where Ethan was light in every aspect, hair, skin and eyes, this man was dark.
    He wore unrelieved black from head to toe, his chin length black hair stick straight and shiny like a crow’s wing with those blue highlights. He was all square angles and was decidedly Hispanic and leveled me with death’s own gaze. I hopped off the stool immediately and hissed, Ethan’s hands flying out to steady me.
    “Easy S unshine, that’s Dray, he’s our VP.” I drew in a breath and inclined my head.
    “I’ll get you some breakfast and coffee. It’s a pleasure to meet you Sir.” His eyes narrowed and I swept into the kitchen and away from his penetrating gaze.
    “Nice to meet you too? ” his voice was dripping with sarcasm and I quailed.
    “Ashton.” Ethan supplied.
    “Ashton…” Dray repeated… “Christ even her name sounds rich.” I heard him mutter and I flinched inwardly. Chadwick was loaded… I, on the other hand, had come from nothing. When I had met him my sophomore year in college, it was by virtue of a full ride scholarship I had earned while under the roof of a foster home. I set a plate of eggs, bacon and hash browns in front of Dray and gently placed a cup of coffee near it. He looked me over and nodded at whatever he was thinking.
    “Church in fifteen minutes.” He told the men and I blinked in surprise. I didn’t think bikers were the type to attend church.
    Ethan smiled behind his coffee cup and I returned to the kitchen to clean up. By the time I had finished, the men had disappeared into a small room they called their chapel. They had been in there the better part of an hour. I had cleaned up their plates and taken my meal in the kitchen when a leggy woman appeared in the doorway.
    “Who’re you?” she asked, eyeing me speculatively.
    “Ashton.” I murmured. She was taller than me, which wasn’t saying much, most of the world population was. I am five foot even but she, she was easily five foot nine,