“I ditched you and the biker,” she responded. “I have your location on and got a tarot reading this week that said we would both be very lucky so I’m not really worried about it.”
There’s something wrong with my older sister. She takes being nonchalant to an entirely new level.
“What about the bar getting gassed???”
“Um… If Mr. Sexy didn’t protect you, I certainly couldn’t. I got an Uber black to take me home.”
While I was worried for her life, my sister was escaping in a luxury rideshare. She’s unbelievable.
“I’m still with the biker.”
“By choice I hope.”
Averie doesn’t even phrase it as a question, which means she must be knee deep in one of her favorite Netflix shows and losing interest in my side quest now that she knows I’m safe – or assumes I’m safe at least. She doesn’t seem to care that I’m with the biker from earlier. She told me to “get some” and reminded me that I shouldn’t let my ex-boyfriend hold me back because he “clearly didn’t give a fuck about me”. I mean. He cheated on me with his sister, so that’s a total fucking understatement. Nonchalant, harsh, unbothered… my older sister might be slightly toxic but maybe she’s right about getting some and letting loose with Isaac. He is… hot. I’ll give him that.
I look up at this terrifying new biker, unable to form a proper response to him. Instinctively, my eyes glance towards Isaac, as if I expect him to rescue me. His hand moves swiftly to my lower back in a strangely protective act that I don’t expect. Warmth spreads through me but guilt eats me up just as quickly.
“Her name is Gabby,” Isaac responds. “Don’t scare her. She’s fucked up enough as it is. Gabby, this is Ethan.”
Ethan grunts in response. It’s hardly a “nice to meet you”.
Instead, Ethan gets right to business. “What the fuck happened out there?”
I must no longer be interesting to him, because I fall out of his gaze and feel like I’m invisible immediately afterwards. Isaac doesn’t seem remotely apologetic.
“I got into trouble.”
“What if she goes to the police?” He says along with an obvious glance in my direction.
“She won’t,” Isaac reassures him. I feel uncomfortable in the room, especially because I don’t feel welcomed or safe. I don’t know these people and while I don’t want my sister to worry about me, I’m not sure how the hell I’m going to wriggle out of this situation.
“I don’t need this tonight,” Ethan says to Isaac. “I got news about your wife.”
After saying the word “wife”, Ethan gives me a sharp glance, as if I intruded upon a sacred marriage just by being near Isaac. He’s the one who threw me over his shoulders and dragged me out here.
The reality hits me coming from someone else, but Isaac never really kept it a secret. Still…He has a wife.Ethan’s dirty look makes me feel guilty. The only thing that worries me more is Isaac glaring at him. His jaw clenches and I worry that they’ll both start hitting or shooting each other. I can practically smell the testosterone in the room.
“You and I both know that Tylee refuses to sign the divorce papers. Our relationship ended when she decided to drug a woman and set her up for assault.”
Ethan grunts and shakes his head. “Lucky for us, it worked out.”
“Yeah,” Isaac mutters. “Lucky. Except what about that woman’s free will? The child brought into the mix? There are no limits to what Tylee will do for revenge.”
“We’re still lucky.”
“I suppose.”
Ethan’s face appears to be more… diffused. If anybody escalates the situation here, it’s going to be Isaac. Considering he killed somebody right in front of me, this doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Ethan breaks the unsettling few moments of silence. “Wyatt also wants the marriage to end. We’re working as hard as we can to fix this.”
“Great. This is good news, then?” Isaac asks, “I can see my kids again.”
There’s another reminder that he has kids and even if Isaac is extremely hot and saved my life – I just got cheated on. The last thing I need is a guy with three kids and a wife. I need toheal. Can I really heal if I hop into bed with a tall, bearded biker?
I never had any intentions of getting attached to this man for longer than a drink and now I feel like I stepped into something much bigger than me that I don’t even understand.
“Oske’s tracing a lead that the kids might be with your mother. Tylee’s hooking up with some biker who goes by the name of Scum and we’re pretty sure that’s her contact in St. Louis.”