“I’m glad to hear it. Our great country needs neighbors to look out for each other.” He spun the hammer into the air, catching it with a snap. “But ain’t nowhere getting turned over. A few nails, and I’ll be done.”
“Good.” She nodded curtly.
“Have a nice evening, ma’am.”
She didn’t answer, just retreated from her backyard with her flip-flops clacking off her heels.
Jayden rolled his eyes, then set to fixing the roof.
Half an hour later, roof repaired, he was back in the house making coffee. Hudson hadn’t given him any idea what time his niece was arriving, only that Jayden was to wait until she had. He wanted the key handed over personally.
Tammy, yeah, that was her name.
Coffee in hand, he wandered out to the porch and sat. His bike cast a long shadow, and for a moment, he enjoyed the way the metal curved and the setting sun glinted off the handlebars. Damn fine bike. He loved it.
A couple of rollerbladers glided past, chicks in shorts and bikini tops. He admired their long, tan legs and gym-honed torsos. He could, he was single again. Thank fuck for that.
Skylar had been a mistake. Or maybe she’d just been an easy lay and he’d fallen into her trap. Before he’d known what was happening, she was demanding all of his time and attention, barking at him to do this and that. What was worse was she’d started using sex as a bargaining tool.
He’d soon put an end to that.
Which she was pissed about.
Tough.
No doubt she’d soon find someone else. She’d bounced out of Carter’s bed into his with barely a heartbeat in between. Now he knew why Carter hadn’t given a shit. Skylar was a pain in the ass.
Jayden sipped his coffee. He’d give chicks who wanted a relationship a wide berth for a while. Enjoy some casual, no-strings fucks with beach bunnies. He hadn’t had any problem picking them up in the past. They seemed to like his tats, muscles, and big fuck-off bike.
He chuckled to himself, already looking forward to undoing bikini tops and letting the contents spill into his hands.
Chapter Three
A cab rolled along the curbside and pulled to a halt a few doors down. After a moment, the back door opened and a slender woman with pale-brown hair scraped back from her face stepped out. Quickly following her was a skinny kid with hair the color of straw. He clutched a soft toy to his chest, and his attention went straight to the ocean. The look of awe on his face made Jayden wonder if he’d ever seen the sea before.
The woman tightened the strap of a black purse over her shoulder and took the boy’s hand.
I guess that’s her. Means I can get back to the compound and switch coffee for beer.
She took a few steps toward house number 1983, her gaze darting around. Then she spotted Jayden sitting on the deck.
Abruptly, she came to a halt. The kid looked up at her and then over his shoulder and to the right, scanning the area.
An unexpected pang caught Jayden in the chest. The pair of them appeared terrified. As though they were being hunted. Expecting to be pounced on at any moment. He recalled Hudson saying something about her husband using her as a punching bag. Son of a bitch. What kind of lowlife coward did that to a woman?
Jayden stood and gripped the balcony, waiting for her to approach.
Her attention stayed on him, her mouth pressed into a thin line. And then, suddenly, she turned and started walking away.
“Hey,” he called.
She ignored him. The kid was trotting at her side.
“Hey, Tammy.” He jumped down the steps and rushed to the sidewalk. “Wait.”
Quickly, he caught up to her and stood in front of her,blocking her way. “What are you doing?”
“Leave me alone,” she said in barely a whisper.