Despite being a mostly law-abiding citizen, my senses are heightened by being in trouble with the police. A nervous energy runs through me as the cop approaches. Inhaling deeply doesn’t benefit me because it makes me more aware of Aro’s cologne. He didn’t wear it when we were alone together. I guess he didn’t feel the need to draw anyone in, so it’s weird to be smelling it on him now.
I roll down the window and try my best to smile when the police officer makes it to the passenger side window.
“I’m New Mexico State Police Officer Warren,” he says, leaning down so he can see me in the driver’s seat. “You were running a little fast back there. License and insurance please.”
I pass my documents to him, waiting as he peers down at them.
I’m not going to apologize or make excuses to this man. I’m not going to beg for a warning either. He’s doing his job, and it’s completely my fault we’re meeting today.
“This address,” he says as he looks up. “Isn’t it the Cerberus clubhouse?”
“It is,” I say, smiling a little that he didn’t call the MC a gang or the property a compound.
“You Cerberus?” he asks Aro.
“Yes, sir.” He hitches a thumb in my direction. “So is she.”
He tries, but Officer Warren has a hard time hiding his surprise that a woman could be in Cerberus.
“Do you know Drew O’Neil?”
I take a deep breath. This could go either way because Drew lost his shit on a DUI and killed a man by beating him to death. He spent time in prison for it. He landed on Cerberus property because he had gotten Hound’s daughter pregnant before going to prison. Rumor has it that he thought the dead girl in the accident was Hound’s daughter Izzy.
“I do. He’s a good man,” I say, knowing I’d never trash talk the man to get out of a ticket.
Stupidly, Aro sits up higher in his seat as if he’s about to have a physical reaction himself.
“I know he’s a good man,” Officer Warren says. “I was his field training officer. I was there when he was sentenced for moral support.”
I swallow with relief.
“We lost contact after he pled, but I heard he ended up back here in Farmington.”
“He’s out now. Married. Has a family. He’s happy.”
The man looks relieved with the news before he presses his fingers to the mic in his ear.
“Got another call,” he explains as he hands the information back. “Slow it down a little, Ms. Sullivan.”
I wait for him to get back to his car before pulling away. The last thing I need is to put him in danger by forcing him to pass me, depending on where his call is taking him.
Aro grumbles under his breath as I pull back out onto the road. The sound annoys me probably more than it should.
“What?” I snap, my hands aching from how hard I’m gripping the steering wheel.
“Were you purposely flirting with him to try and make me jealous?”
My mouth hangs opens as I slow to a stop at the end of the road.
“No,” I answer him honestly.
I don’t explain that there are several reasons for this. One, because I wasn’t fucking flirting at all, and two, the man was wearing a wedding ring.
“Good,” he says, his voice barely more than the first grumble. “Because you’d be wasting both of our time.”
Not another word is spoken for the entire drive back to Albuquerque.
Chapter 36
Aro
“We can make those adjustments today,” Anthony says after I explain to him the issues I’m having with the prosthetic.
“I appreciate it.”
“Today, we’re working on defense.”
I chuckle. “I’m just trying to walk without a limp, not play football.”
He gives me a quick smile. I had hated this man at first. He brought to light every fucking thing I was struggling with, but he’s a straight shooter, and I’ve grown to appreciate it.
“I was told you were a soldier,” Anthony says, a challenge in his voice. “That what you do for work is dangerous and requires a certain level of skill.”
“It is.”
“And you don’t think you’ll be in a position at some point that you need to tuck and evade? That you may get hit with something? Maybe you want to be prepared for that?”
I frown when he gives me a wide smile. Every time we try something new, I fail before I master it. If he’s saying he’s going to teach me how to do exactly what I used to do, I know I’m going to end up on my ass a lot today. It makes me wish Ugly was here instead of Slick. My pride is wounded already, and we haven’t even gotten started yet.
“I’ll need you at the center of the mat,” Anthony says.
“The red one?”
His smile grows wider. “The green one.”
I huff a laugh, knowing my prediction was right. The green mat is thicker, offering more padding for when you go down.