“I got a trial,” I smile. “Thanks for the reference.”
“I mean, it’s asking for trouble. I assume Riggs doesn’t know.”
I frown in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“The garage. Riggs’ club owns it.”
I stare open-mouthed. That’s new information and I’m suddenly sick with nerves. He’ll think I’m stalking him at this rate. “No, that can’t be right,” I groan.
“I checked it out after I spoke to the manager about your reference. It’s owned by the Kings Reapers.”
“I can’t take the job then,” I sigh, plonking myself down onto the kitchen table. He’s gonna think I’m some crazy lady turning up wherever he is.”
“You saw him twice.” Eva laughs. She turns the kettle on, then gets Malia a drink of juice from the refrigerator. “That’s hardly stalking.”
“Three times,” I correct her. “He turned up at the café where I went to get some lunch.”
Eva fixes me with a stare that makes me blush. “Would that have been the same café where Riggs took you for coffee?” she asks. I nod my head and look away. “Did you go there hoping to see him?”
“No.” I gasp and then smile. “I don’t think I did. If I did, then it was subconsciously.”
“Oh, Anna. You have that look in your eye,” she groans. “Stay away from the biker.”
“I am. It was a coincidence is all. The chances of me seeing him again are thin. I’ll avoid the café and turn the job down.”
“You can’t turn it down. Maybe he doesn’t go into the garage much. He has a manager running things, so do the trial and if, at the end of it, you think it’s likely to be an issue, leave,” suggests Eva. It sounds like a better plan than turning down a perfectly good job.
“Are you free tomorrow? I need to take Malia to the park near our old house,” I say cautiously because I know Eva’s gonna spend the next ten minutes lecturing me.
“Why’d ya wanna go there? Reggie or one of his goons might spot you.”
I jump down from the table and set about pulling pans out to begin dinner. “Reggie knows. He’s gonna be there.” I feel her eyes on me. “He can’t make the visit on Sunday like planned, so he asked me to meet him tomorrow after Malia finishes school.”
“What? Now we’re accommodating what Reggie wants?” she snaps.
I take out some potatoes and begin peeling. “I said yes for an easy life. I didn’t want him spouting off my new address. It stresses me out and makes me want to move on. I quite like it here.”
Eva’s eyes soften. “But you know that he knows where you live, Anna. He doesn’t have to say the words out loud. He knows the moment you sign for a place.”
“But when he says it, it makes it real. If he doesn’t, then I can pretend that Malia and I are safe.”
“That’s crazy,” she groans. “It’s just words. Being in this part of London makes you a hell of a lot safer than if you were on the other side of the tracks. If you start giving in to his demands, then he’ll do it all the time. You’re not safe when you’re seeing him away from the contact centre.”
I nod. I know all this because I’ve had the same conversation inside my head. The contact centre is monitored. Reggie takes Malia into a room to play and a woman sits in the corner making sure he isn’t quizzing her or whatever. It was part of the agreement to keep himself from going to prison.
“Can you come or not? At least if there’s someone around, he’s likely to behave slightly better.” Eva nods, but I can see from the look on her face that she wants to rant some more. I pass her the peeled potatoes and a knife, and she begins chopping. “I’ll be okay,” I eventually mutter, and she rolls her eyes. “It’s just one time. If he does it again, then I’ll tell him no.”
Chapter Four
Riggs
“Tell me something,” I say, staring directly into Chains’ eyes. “Why is it that every time I look up, you’re chatting with my sister?”
Chains shuffles uncomfortably and his eyes dart briefly to Cree. “Sorry, Pres. We’re just chatting,” he says.
I nod slowly. “About?”
“Erm,” he stutters before blowing out a puff of air and scratching his head. “All kinds of shit, Pres.”
“Sex?” I ask, and he almost chokes.
“Fuck no,” he yells. “I wouldn’t, Pres. Not with Leia.”
“Keep it that way. I don’t like the way you eye fuck her. I don’t like the way she looks at you either. Just stay the fuck away from her.”
Cree laughs as Chains rushes away. We’re good mates. Cree, Chains, and I were in the Forces together, but Chains knows how I feel about my younger sister, and he knows that no matter what, he can’t ever go there. “You think he fancies Leia?” I grate out.
“Fuck, yes,” grins Cree. “I hate to point it out to you, bro, but she’s growing up fast. You can’t keep her locked up in her ivory tower forever.”
“I can. She’s nineteen. She doesn’t need Chains or any other man in her life.” I shake my head and shudder. The thought of seeing Leia with any of my men doesn’t sit right.
My mom, Frankie, crosses the clubhouse holding Ziggy in her arms. “Ready?” she asks, and I take my sleepy son from her. It’s seven in the evening, almost his bedtime, but some fat arsed judge decided that every two weeks on a Thursday would be the perfect time to force my five-year-old to see his mom.
“As I’ll ever be,” I sigh. Ziggy doesn’t like to go and visit with his mom. He doesn’t let me leave him alone with her for the visit, and forcing him to go, even with me there, breaks my heart. Tonight, he’s so sleepy that he doesn’t
