Rain sprinkled my windshield. I flicked on the wipers and glanced at Link in my rearview mirror, hoping the raindrops pelted his skin and hurt a little. Not a lot, just enough to annoy the crap out of him, kind of like how he was annoying me. And confusing me. One minute he was calling me a queen and practically shoving me onto a throne, and the next he was keeping necessary case information from me.
Why?
Pulling into my garage, I fobbed the door closed so he couldn’t follow, and hurried into the house. If Link really wanted to come in after me, I had a feeling he could. But my doors were locked, so it would be breaking and entering, and I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t call the cops. He must have known I was pissed, because he stayed outside and gave me the space and time I needed to throw together my clothes and toiletries for the next few days.
Who knew how long I’d have to stay at the station?
Well, not too long since Mayor Kinlan had moved up the case.
Then it hit me like a load of bricks. I’d told Link the mayor would be requesting all my information on the case. That information would include any witnesses we would be putting on the stand, which hadn’t been a big deal at the time since I had nothing, but now...
“Shit,” I breathed, shaking my head at my own stupidity. “He wasn’t keeping her from me. He was protecting her from the mayor.”
The walls of my house didn’t respond, but I felt the judgment of the universe settle on my shoulders. He knew I’d turn over the information and the mayor would try to get to Candice.
Thank God I hadn’t flipped out at Link when I’d had the chance.
Temper cooling, I finished packing and headed back to the station. Link stayed in my rearview mirror. Now that I no longer wanted to pelt him with a thousand pesky rain drops, he had me once again twisted up inside. Between his commitment to the club and its causes, his desire to see justice done, and his overprotective borderline obsessive behavior, he was easily the most complicated man I knew. He was sexy, funny, smart, kind, and scary, and every time I thought of him, my chest squeezed.
He’d gotten in my head and in my heart, and I wanted him to stay there, twisting up my feelings and making my panties wet.
We parked, and he wheeled his bike into the station before coming back out to take my bag. “You still pissed at me?” he asked.
I shook my head. “You were protecting her from the mayor’s reciprocal discovery. That’s why you didn’t tell me about her.”
He pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. “I was protecting both of you. You have a duty to disclose information on the case, but I know you’d want to keep her safe, and I didn’t want to put you in that position. I swear, I wanted to tell you about her, but this was best.”
As much as I hated it, he was right. If our roles were reversed, I would have done the same thing. “I know.”
With my bag in one hand he draped the other arm over my shoulders tugged me toward the station. “Come on. I’ll show you to my room.”
“Now if that doesn’t sound like a loaded invitation.”
“Oh, trust me, babe, it is.”
Link led me to a giant suite on the second floor. A partial wall separated the small living space (furnished with a table, two chairs, a sofa, a minifridge, and a television) from the bedroom area (dominated by a king-sized bed, matching nightstands, and a dresser). The floors were hardwood, the furniture looked sturdy and well-made, and the color scheme was earthy, heavy with browns and beiges. It was clean, masculine, efficient, and screamed of my sexy biker.
“You live here full-time?” I asked.
“Yep. Been meaning to buy a place, but there’s no point. I spend most of my time here and not having a house payment has freed me up to invest in the bar next door. The club owns it now, which enables us to put even more vets to work.”
He’d put aside his own wants to further the mission of the club. Although I wasn’t surprised, it increased my respect and admiration for him.
“Bathroom’s through that door,” Link said, pointing. “Walk-in-closet through that one. I cleared out the top drawer of the dresser for you.”
Surprisingly sweet, but also a little strange. No way could he have known Lily would want me here. “I don’t want to put you out, Link. I can stay in one of the other rooms.”
He tossed my bag on the bed and closed the distance between us. “Not fuckin’ likely.” He kissed my cheek, my chin, my lips. “I’ve wanted to get you in my room since the first time I talked to you.”
I glanced around his space. “I bet you tell all the ladies that.”
“Nope. Naomi’s the only one who’s been in here, and she doesn’t count.”
“And Naomi’s your sister, right? The one you said is in the Air Force.”
He nodded. “She’ll be home in about six months and you’ll get to meet her. But enough about that. Unpack. Get comfortable. Let me know if you need anything.”
Wondering if I’d heard him correctly, I asked, “You’re telling me that other than your sister, you’ve never had a woman in your room?”
