We sit down to eat, and I ask them what’s been going on around here. They tell me about some new animals that they got and some gossip from town.
I’m laughing as they tell me about one of the neighbor’s cows getting loose and going for a walk down Main Street before they finally realized that she was missing. That’s when all hell breaks loose.
The front door bangs open and we all look over to see a pissed off Rule storming my way.
He doesn’t say a word as he reaches my side, bends down, and throws me over his shoulder.
“Oof!” I yelp as I land on his shoulder, and then we’re turning and storming back out the front door.
“Put me down!” I yell at him, but he doesn’t even break stride as we head outside.
Rule’s hand comes down in a smack on my ass as he jogs down the front porch steps.
“Hey!” I object and he does it again.
“What did I tell you?”
“What are you talking about? You haven’t said a word to me!”
“I said to STAY. PUT.”
“I was safe,” I argue.
“I didn’t know where you were. This place isn’t secure. I just drove right down the driveway.”
“I was surrounded by three other strong guys. They could have handled any threat.”
His hands tighten around me as I say “three strong guys,” but I don’t have time to mull that over before he’s setting me on my feet next to some motorcycle.
“You’re in danger, and what do you do? You run off when I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“I was plenty safe! You saw that.”
“That’s my call to make!” he argues, and I roll my eyes.
Rule throws his leg over the bike, and I glare at him.
“Get on.”
“This is keeping me safe? Riding on a motorcycle?”
“You’re safe with me.”
I roll my eyes at him, but I know if I don’t that he’ll just drag me on, so I reluctantly climb on after him.
He starts the engine and I hurry to wrap my arms around his waist as he guns the engine and takes off down the driveway.
NINE
Rule
I pullinto the underground garage and park my bike.
I’m seething.
I should have known that she would leave. My girl is a little spitfire. She was never going to do as I asked.
She’s trying to climb off the back of my bike before I even have the kickstand down, and I hurry to catch her before she can get too far.