Then he tilts my chin up and kisses me. It’s slow, intentional, deeper than usual. I open for him, giving into the kiss long enough to feel it, long enough to let some of the tension ease in my muscles.
Sometimes the lines blur between us. And if Tyrique weren’t here, if tonight hadn’t nearly broken us, I’d lose myself inside this man and not look back.
Tony pulls away before we take it further, eyes searching mine.
“I’m glad we got there when we did,” he says quietly. “Another five minutes and...”
“Please don’t…” My voice catches before I can finish. The thought of my brother dying at the hands of a Bastard makes my blood run cold. There wouldn’t be a hole deep enough for them to hide in from my wrath.
With one last brush of his lips, Tony steps back, heading out the door.
“Get some sleep. I’ll check in tomorrow,” he says over his shoulder. He’s halfway to his car when Ty calls out.
“Sis?”
I turn, motioning him toward the couch as I lock up for the night. We sit in silence for a minute, both of us worn out and unsure where to start. So I go with the obvious.
“You okay?”
He nods.
“Yeah. I’m fine… I think.”
I reach out and touch his face because he’s clearly not. He flinches at first, then leans into it like he remembers that I’m his safe space.
“Was I hallucinating at the warehouse?” he asks.
“No. It was definitely Malcolm.”
Ty’s my big brother, but right now his sunken eyes look childlike… shocked, confused, just wrecked at what went down tonight.
“Never in a million years did I think he’d be with them. Last time we saw him, he was heading off to the military.”
“Neither did I. It’s a complication I don’t need.”
Tyrique bites his lip. “He looked older… meaner.”
“Yeah, he does. Being a Royal Bastard will do that to you. They are the meanest motherfuckers on the southside of Atlanta.”
I pause, then ask, “Did you know it was them picking up the drugs?”
He shakes his head fast. “No. All I knew was the contact in Atlanta gave me the location for the drop. Said it was a hot shipment from Colombia. That’s it.”
“You didn’t ask who was on the other end?”
“I didn’t want to know,” he says, voice low. “The less I knew, the safer I felt. Or at least that’s what I told myself.”
Tyrique looks at me, eyes filled with fear.
“You think… you think they’ll come after me?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes. They will. And they’re probably already planning it. Motorcycle clubs are all about loyalty, and Maverick finding that wire put you on his radar.”
His breath catches. “Then I’m dead.”
“Not yet,” I say. “But you’re definitely on borrowed time.”
He grips the edge of the couch like it might hold him together.
