“Eh.” I shrug. “The impulse was there for a second. But I get it. You don’t know me, and you want to protect Serena. We want the same thing. There’s nothing to be defensive about.”
“Hmm.” She nods slowly, still assessing me. But I’m winning her over.
“Let me have your number.” She pulls her cell phone out of her pocket. “In case there’s ever an emergency.”
All the things that could possibly go wrong strike cold fear through my chest. We exchange numbers but it doesn’t feel like enough.
“I’d still like to help you out, though,” I say. “If you won’t take money, is there something else I can do for you?”
Again, she seems taken aback. What kind of men have been in this woman’s life that basic decency seems so shocking?
The kind of men who make her open the door with a pistol by her side.
She blinks for a second and glances at the yard. “How are you with a lawn mower?”
After Emily leaves, I sit in the truck for a second to send Z a text. He’s the only one who knows the situation and he cared enough to go with me to Serena’s apartment. I should at least let him know she’s okay.
Found her. Everything is fine.
Fine. Not good. Not great.
I fire up the truck and head toward Strike Back Studio. Been neglecting the job Wrath called in a favor to get for me and it’s time to spend some time there being useful.
At least Emily’s place isn’t far from work or my apartment. If Serena needs something, I can be there in fifteen minutes. Much better than her apartment in Empire.
Sure, keep telling yourself everything is fine.
As I roll to a stop at the sign at the end of Emily’s street, the entire cab of the truck rings.
“What the fuck?” I stare at the screen in the dashboard. It takes me a few seconds to remember the instructions Murphy gave me. I hate this shit.
I punch the “accept call” button. “You tryin’ to get me killed?”
“I thought you hated texting, Grumpy, I mean, Grinder.” Z chuckles. “Figured it’d be easier to call you.”
I turn right, moving slow through the quiet residential area. “I’m headed to work.”
“This late? Figured you’d be celebrating with your girl.”
“Sully needs me to close the place. I’ve been shirking my responsibilities there. He doesn’t ask for much, so ...”
“Yeah, I feel you. So what happened?”
“Are you bored or something? My life ain’t your personal soap opera.”
“Nope. I got plenty to keep me busy. Just lookin’ out for my brother.”
Pile on the guilt, why don’t ya. “Nothing happened. She freaked out like I thought.”
“Did you explain the club will take care of her, if she ever needs it?”
“Thanks for planning my death, fucker,” I growl. “Yeah, she’s got a hard time believing that, though.”
“Fuck,” he mutters. “I don’t blame her. Where’d you leave things?”
“I’m going to go with her to the doctor when she gets an appointment. And for now, she’s moving in with her friend.”
“That a good thing?”
“Yeah, she’s got a nice place. Only ten minutes from my apartment.”
“Good.” He pauses. Almost sounds like someone’s talking to him in the background. “G, the club has…funds. If you want to buy a place or build a house on the club’s property, we can help you do that.”
More charity. “Club’s done more than enough for me since I got out, Z. I’m not taking any more from my brothers.”
“It’s not taking if it’s freely offered, Grumpy.”
“Keep it up, fucker. I said no.”
“All right. All right. I’ll let it go.”
I doubt it’ll be the last time he mentions it, though.
Chapter Eleven
Serena
“Does this look okay?” I execute a full spin. The skirt of my dress flies out in a circle around me, swishing around my knees when I stop.
Emily taps her finger against her bottom lip. “Beautiful. That melon color gives you the whole peaches and cream glowy thing.” She pats her cheeks. “Love the heels too. You’re lucky Gray’s so tall, you can wear whatever you want and he still towers over you.”
“I was thinking the same thing as I went through my shoe collection.”
Libby perks up. “Can I go through your shoe collection?”
As much as I love Libby, that’s not happening. “I don’t think we wear the same size, kiddo.”
Her mouth turns down. Emily reaches across the kitchen table and taps her sister’s arm. “Cut it out. You have enough shoes.”
“Yeah, but I neeeeed a pair of knee-high boots like Serena’s.”
Oh, boy.
The doorbell rings, saving me.
Wringing my hands, I hurry to the front door and open it. Why am I so nervous tonight?
Gray’s on the other side and smiles as soon as he sees me. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I twist my fingers in the material of my dress then stop, worried I’ll leave sweaty fingerprints on the light-colored fabric.