“I know about her mom,” Jess said softly. “She called me last night after she got to our place. I’ve been thinking of her.”
“I’m just thankful she’s okay …” I said. “And I have a place for us to stay, at least until I get the insurance worked out.”
“With Nate?” she asked quickly. Awkward question … I hadn’t actually told her about the breakup. Oops.
“Yeah, I should probably talk to you about Nate,” I said, feeling Reese tense behind me. I decided not to worry about him for the moment. “I’m not actually with him anymore. I’m seeing Reese Hayes.”
“That’s fantastic,” Jess said, surprising me with her enthusiasm. She’d never approved of me dating anyone before. Huh. “You’ll be safe with the Reapers.”
“And I wouldn’t with Nate?” I asked, biting back a startled laugh. She didn’t respond. “Well, anyway, I’m with Reese now. I’m out at his place—he was actually with me when the house blew up. He took care of me last night and he said we can stay with him while we get things figured out. He’s got a room upstairs for you.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” she said quickly. “I was planning to call you anyway. I changed my mind. Mom and I just had a little fight, nothing big. I was exaggerating things. You know how I get all worked up. It’s no big deal.”
I stilled. Reese started rubbing my back soothingly.
“It was a big deal,” I said slowly. “You were scared of those men. I heard it in your voice.”
“You must’ve imagined it,” she said brightly. “Really, it’s all good here. You should just hang out and take care of yourself, get the housing situation figured out. I have to go now.”
“Babe,” I started to say, but she cut me off.
“Seriously, London, you need to let it go. I had a bad night, okay? I got a little homesick, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m happier here. Mom has lots of money and she doesn’t have to work all the time. You need to make your own life instead of trying to take over mine.”
With that she ended the call. I stared down at the phone, completely confused. Then I flopped back down and burrowed into the crook of Reese’s arm.
“I will never, ever understand teenage girls,” I said slowly. He snorted.
“No shit. They’re all fucked in the head. Doesn’t get better when they hit their twenties, either. What’s the story?”
“She says everything’s okay and she doesn’t want to come back to north Idaho. I don’t get it. She was scared, Reese. This doesn’t make sense.”
He reached up and ran his fingers into my hair. I snuggled deeper into him, wondering how and why my world had gotten so strange so fast.
“You’re really a nice guy,” I said. He groaned.
“Don’t say shit like that. I’m not a nice guy, sweetheart. Trust me, I’d know if I was.”
“Well, you’re being nice to me.”
“I have ulterior motives. I like fucking you.”
I laughed. “Whatever the reason, thanks for last night. I suppose I should get to the hospital and check on Melanie. Pick her up. I’ll get us out of here in a day or two. I know I’ll have to talk to the cops, and then get hold of the insurance agent. I can’t remember exactly what my coverage is.”
“Don’t worry about that for now,” he told me. “Worry about Melanie. Later I’ll take you out and we’ll find you some clothes and shit. Until we know what happened with your house, you’re with me. Nice and safe here. Nonnegotiable.”
That caught my attention and I rolled onto my elbow, looking down at him with a frown.
“You think I wouldn’t be safe somewhere else?” I asked quickly. “That sounds like you think my house wasn’t an accident?”
He shrugged.
“I got no idea what happened to your house,” he said. “Probably just a gas leak. Just like the idea of keeping you around for a bit, letting shit settle. Probably hasn’t totally sunk in what happened just yet—you need to figure things out. This is a good place to do it. That’s all I meant.”
I relaxed.
“Sorry, guess I’m a little edgy.”
“I take it that means you aren’t up for wake-up sex?”
I closed my eyes, then shook my head.
“I don’t think I’m up for anything at all,” I muttered. “I have whiplash. Too much happening too fast.”
“Fair enough. Let’s get to the hospital, go check on girl number two. See if they’ll let us spring her.”
An hour later we stood outside the hospital, Mellie gripping my arm as she took in the sight of Painter’s motorcycle.
“I sort of thought you meant a car when you said you’d give me a ride home,” she whispered, eyes wide. I nodded, more than a little startled myself by the transportation situation. Reese had insisted on us riding his bike that morning, saying Painter would meet us at the hospital to give Mellie a ride if she needed one.
I’d assumed that mean a ride in a car. Not so much.
“She did have a head injury,” I pointed out. Painter stood tall next to his bike, his blond hair in short spikes. He frowned at Mel.
“Then call a cab,” he said, his voice challenging. “Don’t have my car with me.”
Reese rolled his eyes.
“Sort of thought the car was implied,” he muttered.
Painter shrugged.
“You didn’t say and it’s not like she’s really hurt or anything. You got a headache?”
Mel frowned, looking nervous and a little excited all at once.
“No, I don’t actually,” she said. “Although they said no sudden movements.”
“So you’ll have to hold on tight,” Painter replied, smirking at her. “I don’t mind.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Reese said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “I’ll call someone else.”
“No, it’s okay,” Mel said suddenly. “I’ll try riding the bike.”
She smiled hesitantly at Painter, and my mom radar exploded to life. This was the same kid who’d been screwing Jessica. He was tall, with lots of tattoos and muscles and cute in that way only bad boys can be … My Mellie was a good girl, not the kind of girl to get involved with someone like this Painter. Shit. Was she blushing?
I turned on Painter, whipping out my Parental Voice of Authority like a sword.
“You watch yourself with her,” I snapped. “I don’t want anything bad happening to that girl. I see right through you, little man.”
Reese, Melanie, and Painter all froze, their faces full of shocked surprise. Then Painter started laughing.
“Fuckin’ priceless, prez,” he said, smirking at me. Then he glanced at Mel. “You comin’ or not?”
She nodded quickly, hopping up on his bike while I glared at them both. Painter kicked his Harley to life and then roared out of the parking lot, leaving me alone with Reese.
“Kid’s survived prison, you know that?” he asked me slowly, shaking his head. “Bigger than you, too. Really think talkin’ to him like that is a good idea? You’re kind of small.”
I put my hands on my hips and glared up at him.
“Then why the hell did you let him ride off with her?”
“Because he’ll do what I say,” he told me. “And I told him to take her out to my place and keep her safe. He’ll die before he lets anything happen to her. He’s my brother and I trust him.”
“I don’t care if he’s an Orthodox rabbi,” I said, my voice cold. “He’ll keep his filthy hands off Melanie or he’ll answer to me.”
“Just because he fucked Jess—”
“I don’t want to have this conversation,” I said tightly. “I’m protective of her. Unlike Jessica, Melanie works hard to avoid trouble. I hear you’re protective of your girls, too, so I bet you know exactly how I’m feeling right now.”
He laughed.
“Yeah, babe, I get it. Just remember—he’s a big boy and he doesn’t have to take any lip from you. Bein’ with me doesn’t give you the right to say shit to him, so be glad you made him laugh instead of pissin’ him off.”
I stepped forward and threaded my hands up and around his neck. Then I gave him a sweet, sugary smile, staring deep into his blue eyes.
“I didn’t do it because I’m with you,” I said softly, my voice deadlier than arsenic. “I did it because that child’s mama ran off yesterday and I’m her emergency backup mother. It’s a job I take seriously. Don’t fuck with a mama bear, Reese. Doesn’t end well for anyone—not even big, bad bikers.”
He burst out laughing, then shook his head.
“I guess it doesn’t.” He leaned down and gave my nose a quick kiss. “I’ll be careful not to piss you off in the future.”
“You do that. I’m small, Reese, but I’m persistent. Like a rabid ferret. Don’t make me bite you, because my teeth are very sharp.”
“Didn’t know you were into that,” he whispered. “You keep surprisin’ me, London.”
I started giggling, sounding more like Melanie than myself. But Reese made me feel that way. Young and vibrant and alive. I’d forgotten just how much fun it felt to fall in love.
Wait.
I was falling in lust. Possibly infatuation. Love was something else entirely. I needed to pull my head out of my ass before I got hurt.
“Everything okay?”
I nodded.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Let’s get going, though. I’ve got a lot to do today—Oh, crap. I don’t have a car.”
“We’ll stop by the shop, pick up that loaner.”
“I can’t—”
“If you say you can’t accept any help, I’m going to strangle you.”
I stared at him, shocked. Reese shrugged, holding out his hands.
“It’s a guy thing,” he told me. “We like taking care of our women. You don’t let me help you, the other boys’ll make fun of me and then I’ll have to cry. Are you trying to make me cry, London?”
He blinked at me like an innocent puppy, and I couldn’t help it. I started laughing, and we both knew he’d won.
“You suck,” I told him.
“You like it.”
He was right—I totally did.
CHAPTER TEN
LONDON
Thursday passed in a blur.
We started out with a quick trip by Target so I could grab something clean to wear. I’d rebuild my wardrobe down the line, but for now just having fresh panties and jeans that weren’t covered in dirt and soot was a huge improvement—not to mention a new bra. Reese seemed a little disappointed by that, but he’d get over it. The girls liked their support.
Then I met with the cops and the fire investigators. Reese made some phone calls, and a lawyer I didn’t know sat in on the meetings with me, which seemed a bit excessive. Then again, what did I know about exploding-house procedure? Not that it mattered. The suited assassin (seriously—this lawyer wore a black suit and looked exactly like a hit man) just listened with a blank face, occasionally cutting off a line of questioning for reasons I never quite figured out. The official types didn’t seem overly concerned by this, so I decided not to worry about it, either.
I was more worried about how I’d pay the guy but apparently it was a non-issue. According to Reese, “He’s on retainer with the club, babe. Part of his job. Don’t think about it.”
The sheriff—Bud Tyrell—and the fire investigator wanted to know about my history with the house (long), whether I’d ever had issues with the oven (occasionally), and if I had any large, outstanding debts (always).
The latter got the most attention from them, because despite the fact that business was thriving, I was always a step behind financially. It wasn’t that I blew money. Not at all. But there were six years of medical bills built up from Jessica’s ongoing surgeries and treatment, which added up fast even with insurance.
When they asked for specifics, I couldn’t tell them anything. All my records burned up in the fire. They’d see plenty if they pulled my credit report, though. Maybe I could use the insurance settlement to pay off my debts? Tempting …
That’s when I realized having a lawyer in the room might not be such a bad idea after all.
It’s all about motive, right?
Meeting with the insurance agent was easier. I’d never really paid attention to my coverage, but he’d been my mother’s agent for years and he’d known what he was doing when he set everything up. Not only did I have fantastic coverage to rebuild the house, but I had coverage for living expenses for the duration.
I could move out of Reese’s place any time I wanted.
The idea was less appealing than it should’ve been. I mentioned looking for an apartment and he shut me down, so I figured that was an argument I’d tackle tomorrow. The thought of one more night in his bed wasn’t exactly unappealing under normal circumstances—as things stood, I was more than happy to stay put for a couple of days.
Thursday night Reese took me and Melanie out to dinner, with the ever-present Painter tagging along for good measure. I glared at him every time he talked to Mellie, which seemed to give him perverse pleasure, and when I complained about him to Reese after we locked ourselves in the bedroom, he rolled me over and shut me up with his mouth.