Duvall stepped closer and by the angry expression on his face, I knew he was about to disregard that warning, so I cut him off.

“Yes, this is how I’m spending my nights,” I said, knowing he’d back down if he believed I was seeing Nitro. He might have wanted to start something with me, but Duvall never cut in on another man’s territory.

He pursed his lips. “Really? You’re a biker whore now?”

Nitro growled again, anger spilling out of him. When he took a step forward, my instincts took over and I flung an arm out in front of him, covering his chest and halting his progress. His eyes came to mine, a hard glint in them. I returned that look, now willing him to not turn this into something more.

I glanced at Duvall as I angled my body towards Nitro and placed my arms around him. “Yes, really. Did you come here to tell me something?” I hated treating him like this, but felt it was the only way.

Nitro’s body tensed and he didn’t reciprocate my gesture. I couldn’t see his face, but I could imagine he’d fixed a filthy look on Duvall.

Taking a step back, Duvall said, “No, nothing that can’t wait. I’d hate to interrupt you two.” With that, he muttered something else under his breath and strode down my path towards his car.

As soon as he was out of sight, I dropped my arms and returned to my bedroom, resigned to the fact I had to go with Nitro. The front door slamming caused me to jump, and a moment later, Nitro filled the doorway to my bedroom. “You ready?”

“No, I’m not ready. I’d barely started thinking about packing when I had to come and stop my friend from trying to take you on.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You call him a friend?” The way he said it was as if it was the last thing he’d call Duvall.

“Yes.” I didn’t encourage any further discussion about it, because I had no desire to hear his thoughts.

He had other ideas. “So you’re okay with a friend treating you like shit?”

I grabbed an overnight bag from my closet and started packing it. “He didn’t treat me like shit.”

He cocked a brow. “You really believe that, Vegas?”

I stopped throwing clothes in the bag. “You don’t know anything about my friendship with him or why he said the things he did to me.”

“That may be the case, but I still don’t believe a friend would insult you the way he did. I sure as fuck wouldn’t put up with that.”

“I’m not interested in what you think. I just want to get through whatever I have to in order to forget I ever met you and your biker friends. Do you think we can do that?”

He dropped his arms. “It’d be my fucking pleasure.”

I took a few deep breaths after he left and then finished packing my bag.

One day at a time. That was all I had to do. If I could get through the shit Randall put me through, and the crap I went through at the hands of the legal world, I could survive a biker.

 

 

11

 

 

Nitro

 

 

“Me, Myself And I” by G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha

 

Renee stared at me as Tatum and I entered the house. I never brought women home. Ignoring her puzzled expression, I directed Tatum to my bedroom.

She stopped as soon as she realised where I was taking her. “I am not sleeping in your bed.”

“It’s either that or the floor. Take your pick.”

She left me to make her way to the couch. Dropping her bag on the floor, she took a seat and stared at the television that Renee was watching.

Renee’s eyes widened as she glanced between Tatum and me. “Hi, I’m Renee, Nitro’s niece,” she said, giving Tatum a smile.

I couldn’t see Tatum’s face, but I could hear the tightness in her voice when she replied. “Tatum, and I’m Nitro’s prisoner.”

Renee’s smile disappeared. “A prisoner wouldn’t come willingly and I’m pretty sure that’s what I just saw.” Even when she was frustrated or mad with me, that kid was on my side.

“Trust me, if I had a choice I wouldn’t be here,” Tatum muttered.

“And if you weren’t here, you’d be out there dead,” I said.

She swivelled in her seat to look at me, as much irritation on her face as I felt. “I could have gone to Billy’s. He’d keep me alive.”

“When I want someone kept alive, I trust no one to do that job except myself. You’ll stay with me until the threat passes.”

Bewilderment filled her as she left her seat. Grimacing, she clutched her ribs and said, “That is never gonna happen. That threat could take forever to pass.”

“During which time you’ll be with me,” I barked.

“So what, you’re gonna take me with you everywhere you go? And what about my job? I’ve got shit to do.”

“That’s what phones are for, Tatum. And yeah, you’ll be with me. Where I go, you fucking go.” Jesus, she had a way of riling me up that usually only Renee or Marilyn managed to do. I didn’t often give a fuck what most women said or did. And I sure as hell didn’t spend time arguing with them over it.

She stood fuming at me but didn’t utter another word. Eventually, she sat and resumed staring at the television with her arms crossed over her chest.

Renee stole one last glance at the both of us before leaning back in her seat and saying, “Well, this should be fun.”

 

* * *

 

I yawned as I made coffee the next morning. It had been a long night and I’d only managed about three hours of sleep on and off. Lifting the mug to my mouth, I eyed Tatum as she entered the kitchen. My gaze dropped to the singlet she wore. It was long and covered her ass, but her legs were bare and I couldn’t take my eyes off them or the tattoos inked into her skin.

“I need coffee. Your floor is hard as hell,” she grumbled.

I leaned against the counter. “All floors are hard as hell. I offered you a bed.”

She moved next to me to make her coffee. “Sleeping next to you is the last thing I will ever do.”

Her scent wafted in the air and I froze as a long-forgotten memory surfaced. Visions of a smiling woman and three children laughing at the beach filled my mind.

My mother.

The scent Tatum wore was the same one my mother had worn.