“It’s all right, baby,” she whispers hoarsely. “I’m all right.”
“I should’ve been here—”
“You couldn’t have stopped it.”
Chief steps forward. “It’s a problem. We need to find who is doing this and sort it out. Until then, you’re not safe, especially if you’re injured. When you get out of hospital, you’re going to your mom’s. I’ll have a man go with you, for security.”
Her eyelids drift closed, but she nods once, too weak to argue.
He cups her cheek with rough, gentle hands. “I’m sorry, angel.”
Angel.
I’ve never heard him call her that, but something in her eyes changes when he does. She opens them and looks at him with an expression I’ve never seen from her. It’s full of love and longing and a desperate heartbreak I can’t even begin to understand.
“Caden, promise me one thing. Don’t let anyone hurt our baby. Put your differences aside. Keep her safe.”
His voice is low, his vow hushed. “I swear it.”
TWO LONG WEEKS SLIPby.
In that time, my mother’s been whisked off to Grandma’s for her safety. Chief’s footing the bills for round-the-clock care while she heals. He carries guilt, though I can’t blame him. His world of roaring bikes and late-night deals dragged her into a darkness she never deserved. Sweet, innocent, beautiful—she was collateral in his chaos, and it nearly broke her.
We found out it wasn’t Jeremy. It was Demon.
Jeremy, on the other hand, has continued with his desperate revenge and is still trying to press charges against me. Travis’ lawyer is working her butt off to get it thrown out, and I can only pray it works because I can’t deal with another thing right now. Everywhere I go, I’m trailed by burly shadows. Dad and Travis won’t let me out of sight, convinced Demon will set his sights on me next. I ache for normalcy, to shake this fear so we can all breathe again. But the biker life is no gentle breeze; it’s a storm that never quite passes.
“There’s my gorgeous girl.”
Travis’ voice slides through the steam as I soak in the bathtub at his place. I wiggle my toes at him, watching the muscles in his forearms flex as he drops his shirt on the floor.
“Hey, handsome.”
He arches an eyebrow. “Handsome? You wound me.”
I grin, splashing water toward him. “Sorry. Hey there, hot stuff.”
He laughs and slides in behind me. His hard chest presses into my back, and I sigh, melting against him.
“I’ve missed this.”
“Mmmmm.” He kisses my neck. “Reagan called earlier.”
I hum. “And?”
“She wanted my address so she could come ‘get smashed’ with you.” He chuckles at my scandalized gasp. “Your mother rang, too. I told her you were alive and well—in the bath, of course.”
I snort. “Right. Just checking to make sure you haven’t strung me up and fucked me to death?”
“Maybe.” His lips brush my ear.
I wiggle, pressing my bottom into his groin. “Speaking of which...”
“Now?”
“Travis, have you decided you prefer men? Be honest. We could still be friends.”
He bites my shoulder with a chuckle. “No.”