“I’m glad he’s out of that house, but…” Mom paused, searching for her next words. “Abusers need to abuse.”
“He knows he’s not heard the last from his dad.”
“Whatever we can do, Cedar. Your dad and I are here.”
Chapter Six
Brock
I’d asked Cedar to come to my work, so she dressed in jean overalls with hearts bedazzled down the one leg, a pale pink tee under it and her floral Doc Martens. Her hair was up, I preferred it down, and her glasses were sliding down her nose as she looked under the hood of the Mustang.
She was fucking adorable.
It had been two weeks since that kiss, one that I repeated as often as I could. Her taste was like her, unique and addicting. There was none of that awkwardness that happens when you first start with someone. We slid into each other’s lives like we were made for one another, and I was beginning to believe we were.
I hadn’t heard from my dad, but it was like the calm before the storm. He was up to something. Being challenged by his son, losing to his son…he wouldn’t let that stand. What scared me was I didn’t know when or where he would strike. What I did know is, when he did hit, he’d be surgical, precise, and it was going to be fucking hard.
“How did you learn about cars?” Cedar’s question pulled me back to her.
“Just kind of picked it up.”
I knew what she was thinking, the sadness behind her eyes. She’d missed it. That was on me, all fucking on me. I touched her chin, lifted her gaze to mine. “Whatever it takes, Cedar.”
She nodded then asked, “Is that what you want to do after school, work on cars or own a garage?”
Her question surprised me. Everyone I talked to assumed because of who I was that I’d be going to college. No one ever asked what I wanted. Why the fuck had I pushed away the best fucking thing in my life? I knew why, but he wasn’t going to win.
“I’m thinking about it, maybe opening my own garage.” I grabbed the rag from my pocket and wiped my hands as I mirrored her stance, with a hip to the car, when I asked, “And you’re going into design?”
“Yeah, NYU has a great program.”
“I imagine they need garages in Manhattan.” The words were out before I realized it. I didn’t have time to regret saying it because her smile was so bright, it was blinding.
“I was thinking the same.”
I yanked her close because I needed a taste. I loved the way she molded to me, how her body fit so perfectly to mine. She tilted her head back, offering me her mouth. My tongue dove in as soon as our lips touched. I moaned because she tasted so good. Her small hands moved around my back, fisting my tee as I took the kiss deeper. The sound of motorcycles pulled us apart. Dax and two of his brothers rolled into the empty bay.
Shutting off the engine, he blatantly took in Cedar, from her head, right down to her toes. I didn’t like him looking, so I pulled her behind me. Dax’s eyes moved to me, a sharpness in his expression, before he drawled, “We interrupting?”
I didn’t answer and instead asked, “What’s up?”
“Want a word.”
It wasn’t a request. Looking back at Cedar, I said, “Give us a few minutes.”
Uncertainty and a little fear marred her expression. She was smart to feel it because these were not people you fucked around with, but she didn’t hesitate when she said, “Okay.”
Dax waited for her to disappear into the office before he got to the reason for his visit. “We need someone to work on our bikes. You got a way with them, and you don’t run your mouth. I don’t offer it lightly, but if you want a place, you’ve got one.”
The offer took me completely by surprise. This wasn’t just a job; this was the Iron Guardian MC. It wasn’t a job you took then left; it was a lifelong job. Had I not found Cedar, I’d have been seriously tempted to take it because my dad had a long reach, but not even he would fuck with an MC. But I had Cedar. I was following her to Manhattan or wherever the fuck she wanted to go. That being said, you didn’t turn down a job offer like this one without giving it the consideration it deserved. To not do so would be an insult. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was offering it. Sure, I worked on their bikes, was good at it too, but extending me a place in their club seemed a leap. I wasn’t going to question him, because, again, insulting these dudes wasn’t an option.
“I don’t know what to say. Thanks, man. I gotta think about it, but…” I held my hand out. “Seriously, thank you.”
Dax waited a beat before he took my hand. “You earned it. Offer’s not on the table for long, so think fast.”
“Will do.”
Cedar appeared in the doorway. Dax’s focus shifted to her before he said, “I’ll let you get back to your sweet…” he paused and amended, “your girl.”
He straddled his Harley, fired it up and, without another word, backed out of the garage, his brothers following him.
Cedar reached my side, her focus on the hogs rumbling down the street. “What did they want?”
“To offer me a job.”
I felt more than saw when her focus shifted to me. “A job?”
“Yeah.”
“But aren’t they...” I turned my attention back to her, as she struggled for the words. I didn’t miss the worry in her expression. I grinned and touched her cheek because she really was fucking adorable.
“An MC,” I offered.
“Yeah, one of those.”
“I’m not taking it. I’ve got plans to head to Manhattan.”
Worry shifted, her eyes growing warm. “This is a good plan.”
I yanked her to me again, wanting to feel as much of her against my
