“Gracious, that’s so romantic! And I’m absolutely thrilled you’ll be across the street. We can ride to work together sometimes, and I’ll watch Ana for you if you need me to.”
“Thank you, Chloe. That means a lot.”
Chloe smiled reassuringly. “I can’t claim to know your sister’s mind, but I think she’ll be touched that Zach thought of Ana like that.”
“I hope so. She’s probably going to be a little unhappy about the rest of it, though. I’ve been afraid to tell her.”
“I understand, but you’re going to have to, right? You can’t move out in the middle of the night. She’s going to notice you’re not there.”
“I know. I need to gather my courage and just tell her.”
And then invite her to a civil ceremony at the courthouse. Lordy.
The bell over the salon door chimed and then JoJo poked her head into the break room. “Man alert, ladies! There’s a Mr. Sexy Pants out here asking for Kayla. Lucky girl.”
Kayla’s pulse revved as heat prickled along the back of her neck. Zach had called her that morning and offered to go pick up the marriage license by himself. She’d agreed because she didn’t want to ask for more time off, and it didn’t take two of them to get it. She hadn’t realized he was coming by, though.
Chloe arched an eyebrow. “Taking you to lunch today?”
“I guess so.”
Kayla walked into the salon and stopped dead in her tracks. The man standing near the register wasn’t Zach. He was good-looking, but not in the way Zach was. He was tall like Zach, broad, but not as muscled. He had an earring and tattoos and he wore a cut. When Kayla looked beyond him, she could see a Harley parked in front of the shop. She took a step backward, but he looked her way at that moment and their eyes met.
She didn’t know him, but she knew what he was. Fear was an endless pit in her stomach.
The smile that crossed his features wasn’t friendly. “Hello, Kayla. I’ve been looking for you.”
Neo’s phone rang as he was leaving the courthouse. He’d picked up the license and made an appointment for Friday to get married. Now he needed to tell her. Lucky for him, she was already calling.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said as he trotted down the steps and strode for his Camaro. “I was planning to call you in a few minutes.”
“Zach.” He could hear the strain in her voice and he stopped, instantly going into alert mode, that tickle on the back of his neck unmistakable.
“Kayla, what’s wrong?”
“There was a man. He’s one of the Kings. Th-they’re rebuilding the club. He wants money, Zach.”
Blinding fury rushed through him. “Where are you? Did he hurt you?”
“At the salon. He was here, but he left. He didn’t hurt me. But he—he says he wants what I owe.”
Neo saw red. “How much?”
“Seventy-five thousand. That’s what he said Ana’s adoption was worth. If I don’t pay it, they’ll take her.”
“No they fucking won’t,” he growled. “Do you hear me, Kayla? No they fucking won’t.”
She made a noise and he realized it was a sob. The anger inside him turned incendiary. He’d kill for her. He’d use all his considerable skills to keep her from a moment’s fear over her baby. He wasn’t letting anyone take Ana away from Kayla. Or from him.
“I’m coming to get you.”
She sniffed. “No, you don’t have to. I have to finish work. It’s only three more hours and I need to be busy. I just… I wanted to tell you. He’s not coming back today.”
“Did he say when he expects the money?”
“He gave me a week. And he told me if I ran, they’d go after Bailey.”
He could hear the tears in her voice. Tears for Ana and Bailey. He wanted to pummel something. Preferably a biker.
“I’ll pick you up after work and we’ll go get your things together.”
“My car—”
“I’ll follow you. But don’t leave until I get there.”
“Okay.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Kayla. You and Ana are mine, do you understand?”
“Yes. And thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I said I’d protect you, and I will.”
She sniffled and it damn near broke his heart.
“Is he the same one who called you before?”
“I think so.”
“Where’s Ana today?”
“Bailey kept her.” She gasped as her thoughts tumbled forward. “Oh god, I need to call and make sure they’re okay—”
“Kayla,” he said as sternly as he could, and she subsided. “If he’d intended to go after Ana, he wouldn’t have come to you first. It’s a threat, but he hopes the threat motivates you to produce the money. It’s easier than stealing the child. Fewer complications.”
He could hear her pull in a breath. “You’re right. But if I can’t come up with the money, they’ll take her.”
“I won’t let them, baby.”
“I don’t have that kind of money, Zach. I’ve never seen that much money in my life.”
“I know. Even if you did have it, it’s not theirs to take. You don’t owe them anything, Kayla.”
“I’d still give it to them if I thought they’d go away.”
“They never would, honey. That’s the whole point. If they can bleed you for any amount of money, they won’t stop until they’ve gotten everything you have.”
“All I have is Ana and Bailey. I won’t lose either of them.”
His gut churned with hot anger. “You’ve got more than that, baby. You’ve got me.”
Kayla was mess of nerves for the rest of the day. Every time the chime over the door rang, she jumped. Chloe, JoJo, and Avery watched her with worried expressions. They hadn’t heard what the man had said to her, but they’d figured it wasn’t anything she wanted to hear.
She’d turned to flee into the stock room when he’d said her name, but he’d told her to stop right where
