“Asked you a question. I expect an answer.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Just don’t ask me any questions. Please.”
“Get on.”
“Umm.”
“Now,” I bark, and she startles, but climbs on. Her arms go around my middle, holding on for dear life. Her tits smash against my back, and I speed away hoping no one other than Grudge saw me putting another woman on the back of my Road King who isn’t my wife. Politics within our club are fragile. Shit is split down the middle. I don’t need any trouble with Lion right now.
As they say between the legs is between the legs and the only bitch who rides bitch should be your Old Lady, but this is an emergency.
Banks better not have had shit all to do with this. I’ll deal with him later. Right now, finding out what in the hell happened to Alexa is my priority. She was under my roof when she disappeared. Motherfucker.
I drive to a safehouse the club owns but rarely uses. Alexa can sleep here for the night, and I can get her story before I turn her back over to her folks. I cut my bike off and Alexa climbs off. I push the kickstand down and lead her to the porch.
The spare key is in the black metal letterbox that hangs next to the front door. “Shouldn’t be anyone here,” I tell her as I unlock it. I flick the light switch just inside the door, but nothing happens. Shit. Bulb must’ve blown. The house is in a bad neighborhood, but everyone knows it belongs to the club, so no one bothers it.
Alexa stays close to my side, pressing into me, a hand wrapped around the sleeve of my leather jacket. Guiding her further into the house, I kick some empty beer bottles out the way and find the switch to the kitchen light. Luckily, it still works.
“What is this place?” Her gaze moves around the bare room. There’s the usual appliances and a small table with one chair. The others are stacked in the corner, broken.
“Safehouse. You should be fine for the night. There’s a bed or a couch. You got a way to get home in the morning?”
Her right shoulder lifts slightly. “Don’t worry about me. No one else does.”
I wince at her words. Someone should give a damn about her, but it can’t be me. I’ve got enough on my plate.
“Where the fuck you been the past two weeks?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. Please don’t make me.”
“Police been breathing down my neck for two weeks sticking their noses in my business. I need to know where the fuck you were. Don’t pull no shit with me. Rochelle thinks you’re dead. Hell, your folks too. Do you have any idea how worried sick we’ve all been?”
“You were worried about me?”
“You ready to tell me where you were?”
“I can’t. I need time to think of what to say to my parents. You don’t understand. If I talk, I’m dead.”
“Right. Sure.” I call bullshit.” Bet she went off with that fucker and he beat her. She’s trying to protect him. If she wants to go down that road its none of my business. “If you need a ride home, I can swing by in the morning. No big deal.” Fuck. What am I doing? I shouldn’t have even brought her here.
“Okay. Thanks.” She shoots me a smile so big and bright that the hell I catch might be worth it.
“You need anything before I go?”
Alexa chews on her thumbnail. “Don’t guess so. But could you stay until I fall asleep?”
“No can do. Got my own shit to deal with.”
“Your wife?” she quirks a brow at me.
I grunt in response. What the hell would she know about my wife?
“It’s just Ro told me her mom is kind of a bitch and that you guys fight a lot.”
“Rochelle should keep her mouth shut.”
“Calm down. Don’t be hard on her. She worries about you. Says you deserve better. Says you and her mom are all wrong for each other.” Her gaze catches mine. Pretty green eyes sparkling with something I can’t get a read on. But one thing I do know is I need to get on home. And yet my feet stay planted where they are. “So, do you...” Alexa opens the fridge, peering inside.
“Do I what?”
She smirks over her shoulder. “Deserve better?” Closing the fridge, she holds up two bottles of Budweiser.
“Not discussing my marriage with you.” I accept one of the bottles. I shouldn’t let her have the other but fuck if she doesn’t look like she couldn’t use an escape. I know all about that. “I don’t think I should need to say this, but you don’t tell Rochelle shit all about your ridin’ on my bike or me bringing you here tonight. Or anyone for that matter. You need to get your story straight whatever the fuck it is before you go home.”
Alexa pops the cap off the bottle on the edge of the counter. The cap clinks on the dirty floor. “I can keep a secret.”
I touch the puffy knot on the side of her temple. “I don’t doubt that, sweetheart, but still I need your word.”
Her lips wrap around the bottle, those green eyes burning through me as she takes a hard pull. “You can count on me. Don’t worry.”
“Right.” I grab her beer. “That’s enough. Take your ass to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.” I know the last thing I should do is stay, but I’m afraid if I leave, she’ll disappear again.
“Thanks, Murder.”
“Yeah. Yeah. First door to the left down the hall. It’s not the Ritz but it’ll do for the night.” I don’t wait for a response. I find my way to the old worn-down couch and collapse with both beers after shedding my jacket. I bring the one Alexa was drinking to my lips, tasting her cherry lip gloss. Fucking sweet and pure trouble.
I hear the bedroom door close, and I let
