Free Betrayed: Military MC Romance (Hell's Fire Riders Book 2) by K.J. Dahlen

as they drank their beer.
    “Are your men’s families protected?” she finally broke the silence between them.
    “Yeah, Boomer’s friend will protect them.”
    “And did you guys come up with a way to lure Terik to where you want him?” Trudy asked as she peeled the label from her bottle of beer.
    “That’s a problem for tomorrow.” Dewey groaned. “I can’t think anymore tonight.”
    “I might have an idea.”
    Dewey raised his hand and covered her mouth. “Tell me about it in the morning. I think we can both use a good night’s sleep.”
    Trudy began to tremble. “I don’t want to go back to sleep.”
    Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her close. “You need to get some rest.”
    “I’m afraid,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be alone.”
    “I’ll be there for you, if you want me to be.”
    “I think I’d like that very much.”
    Dewey got to his feet and reached out for her hand. When she placed her hand in his, he pulled her to her feet. The blanket she had around her fell away and Dewey sucked in his breath. She had removed her jeans and her shirt and now she was only clad in one of his old t shirts.
    Without words, he led her into the bedroom and sat her down on the bed.
    She pushed back the covers and crawled in. Laying on her side, she watched as he undressed.
    Lifting the cowboy hat off his head, he laid it on the bedpost. His dark hair curled around his ears with silver highlights around his temples. Hunching his shoulders, he pulled off his t-shirt. Trudy could see his back muscles bulge. His arms were as solid as the rest of him. He reached for his belt and she heard the clink of it opening.
    Trudy made out the sounds of him lowering his jeans, then she felt him sitting down on the bed. She wanted to reach out and pull him to her but she didn’t. Instead, she waited until he laid down beside her.
    Dewey reached out and gathered her body to his. Leaning over, he kissed her forehead and whispered, “Go to sleep, baby girl. I’m right here beside you. I’ll hold back the bad dreams.”
    Trudy smiled in the dark and closed her eyes. She could hear the echo of his heartbeat from where her ear rested on his chest. She fell asleep to the steady sound.

    A few hours later, Trudy began to toss and turn. Her moans woke Dewey up and he laid his hand on her shoulder to wake her. When he made contact with her skin, she groaned and curled into a ball away from him, as if she expected him to hurt her.
    “Hey baby girl, it’s okay,” he called out softly. “No one is going to hurt you.”
    She turned and threw herself into his arms, sobbing. “I’m sorry. I was dreaming about the attack again. I guess stirring up all this shit brought it all back to me. I know you aren’t going to hurt me but it was just so real.”
    “Hey, it’s okay.” Dewey kissed her forehead. “I’m here.”
    Trudy buried her nose in the hollow of his neck and inhaled. His scent reminded her of the outdoors, fresh and clean with just a hint of sandalwood. The tip of her tongue touched his skin.
    Dewey groaned.
    “I think I want you,” she whispered in his ear.
    “Are you sure about that?”
    “Yes, please.” She looked away from him. “But I don’t know how.”
    “What do you mean, you don’t know how?”
    Trudy flushed a deep red. “Guys scare me. I’ve never wanted anything to do with them before. I hide from the world for a reason, but with you, I’m not afraid. I see you and strange things happen deep down inside me.”
    Dewey groaned. “I’m too old for this.”
    Trudy hung her head. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she scrambled to leave.
    Dewey grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back, close to him. ‘Where do you think you’re going?” he whispered in her ear.
    “I think I’ve humiliated myself quite enough for one night…Please let me go.”
    “I don’t think so,” he stated. “You want to know about loving, well I can teach you about