“Listen here, Sons of Assholery, if you think I’m gonna let you take her somewhere—”
“It’s important, I promise,” he said, his eyes still locked onto mine.
Even though I’d never seen this man before, something about the way he said, ‘I promise,’ made me believe him.
“Lady, no one here’s gonna hurt your girl,” one of the other bikers said.
My focus went to the man who’d just spoken, whose smile alone seemed to defuse the entire situation. A smile I’d imagined he could melt a woman’s panties off with just a look.
“I’m Rocky,” the man said, nodding to my biker.
Shoot, why did I just think of him asmybiker?
“My friend here is Scooby,” he continued. “And I can personally assure you, no harm will come to anyone while we’re here.”
“Oh, that makes me feel so much better,” Dusty retorted sarcastically. “Thank you so much.”
“Dusty,” I said with a sigh. “I think if they were here to rob us or somethingelse, they’d have done it already.”
“I swear.” Rocky smiled. “We’re not here to cause trouble. Unless I could trouble you for a cup of that delicious smellin’ coffee you’ve got brewin’.”
I nodded. “Dusty, why don’t you get these gentlemen some coffee while I take… um, Scooby, is it?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed.
“I’ll take Scooby back to the office,” I said.
Dusty muttered something under her breath, and I gave her the evil eye as I led Scooby behind the breakfast bar and through the kitchen.
My heart raced as we stepped into my office, and I turned to face him. “So, what can I do for you,Scooby?” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to offend you, but do you have a real name? I feel silly calling you by a cartoon dog’s name.”
He smirked. “Scooby’s my road name. It was given to me by a man I respect. I earned it and it’s not silly to me.”
“I really didn’t mean to offend you.” I bit my lip. “I’m sorry.”
Scooby shifted slightly and I found myself suddenly on alert.
“Do you know a man named Stanley Morter?” he asked.
“Yes, unfortunately.”
“How do you know him?”
“I took care of his father,” I said.
He snapped his fingers. “Ah, I get it now.”
I frowned. “Get what?”
“Stanley told me that you got a big chunk of the old man’s money. So, what was it? You agreed to knock off the old man for him, but ol’ Stan felt his cut was a little light when it came time to settle up?”
“What?” I snapped. “What are you talking about?”
“You said youtook careof the old man,” he said, motioning the slitting of his throat with his thumb.
“Oh my god, no!” I cried. “I didn’tkillhim. I’m a registered nurse. He was dying and I took care of him through the end of his life.”
He cocked his head. “If you’re a nurse, what the hell are you doing working at a shithole diner like this?”