Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I put another hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be sorry. We both screwed up. I appreciate you taking care of me. But those bikers, they were helping do that from the outside. I know they’re not ideal company, I know they’re not what you want the world to see me with, but they are good people. They’re good to me. Please believe that.”
She nods, sniffling.
“Listen, how about we come to an agreement that works for both of us. I am in danger with Treyton, so I appreciate that until that is sorted out I can’t be without some sort of protection. I’ll respect that. How about I promise for the remainder of the tour, I stay safe and don’t go running about, but once I’m home, you trust that I’ll have the protection of those bikers, and you’ll loosen the reins a little? What do you think?”
She looks to me. “You’ll stay in the hotel, and at the shows, for the last bit of your tour?”
I nod.
“And you want me to ease my security off when we get home and trust ... bikers?”
I shake my head. “No, Susan, I want you to trust me.”
She studies me. For a good long while. “Okay. I can agree to that. But please, tell me if anything else happens. I don’t want to be left in the dark.”
I nod. “I promise.”
“And if you wish to see that biker, tell me, I can allow him in without the entire world seeing it.”
I laugh softly, nervously. “Okay, I’ll do that.”
“Are you sure about these people, Scarlett?”
I meet and hold her eyes. “I’m surer about them than I’ve ever been about anything in my life. They will keep me safe, Susan. I promise you that.”
She exhales, rubs her chest, and then nods. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
Then she surprises me even more.
She steps forward, and she hugs me.
Really hugs me.
Tight.
And finally, just maybe, I feel like things might just work out.
Finally.
~*~*~*~
MAVERICK
“We’re allowed back in,” I say to Mal, lighting a cigarette and inhaling deep. “Scarlett convinced her manager to let us protect her, too.”
“Good stuff,” Mal says, throwing a leg off his bike and falling in step beside me. “Koda is with Boston, trackin’ down more information. We’ll keep an eye on your girl. Got a feelin’ they’re goin’ to move in some way, somehow, I just can’t figure out how yet. They’re up to somethin’, with that news out, I imagine they’re goin’ to do it soon.”
“Yeah,” I grunt. “Media put my face all over the news, so no doubt if he didn’t know she was talkin’ to us before, he knows now, and he probably won’t be happy.”
“My guess,” Mal says, snatching my cigarette and breathing in deep, “is that he’s goin’ to think she’s giving us information on him. Don’t think he’s figured out we’re actually protectin’ her from him. Which means he might over react, do somethin’ stupid. We need to keep our eyes open.”
“Seems like a smart man, though,” I point out. “Can’t see him doin’ something too stupid, which means when he does somethin’, it’s probably going to be sneaky and that’s what we need to watch for. He’s come this far mostly unnoticed.”
“Make sure your girl has her phone on her at all times and keeps us checked in with anything she might feel is off. We can’t risk anythin’ happenin’. She’s only got a few shows left. When does she drive out to the next city?”
“Tomorrow,” I say, head spinning with possibilities of what Trey might try and do. “She ended up doing one more show here, for the fans, sold out in minutes. Then she’ll hit the road early tomorrow mornin’.”
“Right, well, keep onto her. This is going to heat up, I can fuckin’ feel it, but for the first damned time I don’t know where the fuck it’s going to start.”
I nod, understanding exactly what he’s saying. We have no fucking idea where this man is going to hit, what he’s going to do, or how he’s going to do it. All we know is he’s fucking smart, he’s involving Scarlett somehow, and that’s it. It’s like reliving Nerissa and the events that surrounded her death all over again. Anxiety punches me in the gut. Fucked if I’ll let anything happen to Scarlett. I’ll kill any fucker that even looks the wrong way at her.
I won’t make the mistake of letting her out of my sight again.
“How are you copin’ with all this?” Mal asks, looking over at me, holding my eyes. Can’t lie to him. He knows damn well I can’t.
“Freakin’ me out, brother. Last time we didn’t know what was happenin’, I lost my woman. Not really keen on that happenin’ again.”
He nods, jaw getting tight. “Not goin’ to let that happen, you hear me?”
I nod.
“We’re goin’ to find these fuckers before they get anywhere near Scarlett.”