“Hey, I ain’t never gonna be angelic, babe.”
“I know that.” She grinned. “What did Wyatt want? Or shouldn’t I ask?”
“Ah, I’ve got a drop to do tomorrow, north of here. He’s gonna swing by, in an hour or so, with the package.”
“He is?”
“Yeah, likely he’ll bring Belle. You like her, don’t you?”
“Yes, she was very friendly when I met her.”
“Good.”
“Are you missing being at the compound?” she asked.
“Nah, I’d rather be here with you. But there’s shit going down, you know? I’ve been out of the loop, and I’m not used to that. I’ve usually got my finger on the club’s pulse.”
“We could go there more often if that helps.”
“We will. Yeah.”
Tammy felt a sudden shiver up her spine. She stopped.
“What?” Jayden frowned.
“I don’t know.” She turned and looked down the street. There was the usual handful of people walking, a group of surfers on the beach, and a jogger in lime-green shorts approaching them.
Why had she suddenly felt cold on a hot day?
“You see someone?” Jayden asked.
Bysomeone, he meant Gary, she knew that.
“No. I just…” She gave in to the full shiver and rolled her shoulders. “Had this horrid sensation of being watched.” She glanced down at their held hands. “Maybe it’s just this, being together, with you.”
“You don’t wanna hold my hand?”
“Yes, no. I mean… God, I don’t know what it was.” She touched her cross. “It was like I could suddenly hear his angry voice cursing at me and see his red furious face.”
“Maybe it’s just because we’re not hiding the fact there’s anusnow.” He drew her knuckles to his lips and kissed them. “Are we?”
“No, we’re not.” She started walking again. “I don’t think it will change much for Zak. He’s used to us being together.”
“True.”
“And Hudson…” She remembered his warning to Jayden. “What about him?”
Jayden chuckled. “I’ll worry about him.”
“But—”
“No matter what he thinks, I’ll sort it. I ain’t in the habit of being told which chicks I can and can’t be with, okay?”
“I’m a chick?” She gave a small laugh.
“A biker chick in the making.” He tugged her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
The school soon came into view. After a few minutes waiting and talking to Sarah, Zak came running out with Caleb. He had a streak of red paint on his left cheek and his shoelaces were undone.