Like I should talk…
“Look,” I told him firmly, “I’d lay low, even leave town for a day or two if I was you… Help’s on the way, but it’ll take some time and some doing. Do as I say and there’ll be no problems…”
“Let me speak to Roxy,” he demanded firmly.
“She’s sleeping,” wincing as soon as I said it, knowing he’d know, and be double pissed, which he was.
I only advised him one last time, and told him to wait by the phone for the next hour or two. He’d get a better idea of what to do then. “Leave town buddy. Roxy will call you when it’s all taken care of…”
I had to hang up, he was getting hysterical. I only hope he followed my advice, which he must be doing if Roxy couldn’t talk to him on the phone.
He’d be waiting for the call I arranged.
Calling in a little favor. Okay, a huge favor.
And it’s going to cost me everything I have but I know it’s worth it.
Worth it for Roxy and worth it to save her old man’s neck.
Who you calling old? He’s the same age, give or take.
Jesus…
Earlier that morning
“Jake, I’m not asking. I’m tellin.’ I know it’s a big deal, but I need to call this in. This one favor and I swear, I’m out of the business for good.”
He’s quiet on the other end. The President of The Killers MC isn’t one to be told anything, but he does know the volume of favors he owes me personally.
“How much did you say again?” he asks gravely, and I just know he’s got his calculator out.
“Twelve bikes, ordered from the shop I mentioned, all customs. Pay the deposit today in cash, then take the rest and bet against me on tonight’s fight…”
Jake’s puffing air through his cheeks.
“The bikes, yeah okay. But betting against you in a fight? That’s like burning money. Unless…”
Bingo. He gets the idea.
“That’s right, Jake. I don’t need to explain anything else now, do I? It's two to one odds after last night, but an easy doubling of the cash I have in your bank, yeah? You do still have the cash, Jake?”
He breathes in sharply, then I can feel him smiling, I almost had him. I almost got a rise out of him.
“Yes, Dillon, your money is safe with me,” he reminds me and I leave him to make his call to a certain bike shop to place his order to fit out the MC with new bikes.
Where’d I get so much money?
I fought for it, literally. Marconi keeps most of the takings, but since the rigged matches scam, he’s built a reputation around me that he can’t afford to get rid of.
As long as he keeps the same punters away from the same fights, he always wins and I always get paid.
Jake’s been my banker for as long as I can remember. I used to ride when we were kids, but his life and mine went two ways once, long ago.
I’d like to say it was over something in particular, but I just drifted from that lifestyle. I liked my own company more than twelve hairy guy’s non-stop.
But, Jake’s doing me a solid and it’ll more than make up for the lifetime’s worth I’ve done for him and his club.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Roxy
I feel stupid, more than stupid after about three minutes. I’m trying to be upset, to stay mad at Dillon but I just can't.
I’m hurt my dad wouldn’t let me in on what’s going on, but I know him enough to understand he'd only be that short with me if it was real important.
I don’t think he knows about the money I bet and lost last night. If Marconi’s men had been there I know he would have said so, I know Dillon would have said something.
Why’d I just act out like that though? I don’t understand it. I know I can be strong-willed, but I dunno…
I think it’s just the pressure of what happened last night. Losing everything, yet winning Dillon, but still having the trouble of having nothing financially.
Dad’s gonna be gutted when he finds out, even though he’ll understand I was only trying to help. I mean, look at Dillon. Who would have thought he would have to go down in a fight?
But the fight I have on my hands now is an emotional one. I still want Dillon way too much. But there’s still that huge part of me that’s scared.
Scared of what he’ll think of me once he’s claimed me. Scared of what he might think of me once he’s seen me naked for a few times in a row. Maybe he won’t like me so much.
I’ve never had any luck with boys, let alone men, so I guess I’m just hung up on my own insecurities.
Dillon? He doesn’t seem to have any insecurities. He’s the bringer of them, not the keeper of any for himself.
He’s perfect.
Maybe too perfect for my chunky, thick heavy girl brain to digest right now.
I roll over onto my back, hugging the pillow and then I start to smile, finally laughing out loud.
I feel like a lunatic on this emotional roller-coaster ride called Dillon, but I just know that he’s not mad, not even close and that he’ll be up here any minute.
Probably with a tray of breakfast since I didn’t eat…
Yep.
It takes a little longer than I thought, but there's a soft knock at the door, followed by the sounds of Baxter pushing it open and then jumping up on the bed, licking my face.
Dillon sticks his head around the frame, and seeing my face he smiles.
It’s the first real smile I’ve seen from him and it makes my heart melt and my chest stiffen.
“I’m sorry,” is all I can say and he comes in with the tray I foresaw and sets it down next to the bed, not even acting as
