“You want Great Vibes, bossman.”
“Good font for a name, actually.”Silly laughed, the tension in the room easing off.“Good choice, Pony.It’ll take about two hours, maybe three.”
“Okay, lock that front door and check the other two entry points.”
“Front is locked.I threw the lock when I came back inside.”Twisted thumbed over his shoulder.
Silly nodded.“I know the other doors are locked, but I’ll check anyway.”
“Later, brother.”Twisted tapped the phone and slid it into a pocket, then tucked his gun back into a holster at the small of his back.“You got personal protection?The best security system is a big fuckin’ gun, in my opinion.Show me your hands.”
“What?”
“Hold out your hands, lady.”
She did, flipping them from back to front a couple of times.“What are you looking for?”
“Not a single tremor in even your little finger.That’s pretty impressive, lady.”
“You know who my family is.”That was a statement, not a question.“I learned how to hide my fear at an early age.”
“Unintentional benefit,” he hummed.“Nerves of steel earned in a childhood gauntlet.My apologies for ever thinking you were anything but brave.”
“It might surprise you, but I don’t—”
Hammering on the front door cut her off, and she watched as Twisted unwound everything he’d put away.By the time he’d turned to the front of the shop, he had his gun in one hand again, phone in the other.It was so fast, the metamorphosis seamless from man standing to biker guarding.
She peeked around him and saw Jock at the front door, fumbling with his phone.
Twisted got to the door and unlocked it before stepping to the side just in time to avoid being bowled over as Jock made his way to her.
He wrapped his arms around her, and she felt the tremble in his frame.
“You’re okay.You’re okay.”She gave him a squeeze.“And I’m okay, Jock.Promise.Nothing happened in the shop.Anything bad was outside.And Twisted was here to make sure I’m safe.We’re okay.”
Over the next few minutes, she reassured him with voice and touch that she was there and they were both going to be fine.He finally lifted his head, pressing his forehead against hers.They stared into each other’s eyes for a beat, then he kissed her, pulling her onto tiptoes to press his mouth against hers.It was hot, and sweet, and exactly what she needed right now.
Nerves she didn’t know she had settled, and she let her heels fall to the ground, grinning up at her man.“Love you, Jake.”
As it did every time she used that tone to give him those words, a sweet peace swept across his features.“Love you, too, baby.”
Twisted walked past them on his way to the back of the shop.“Don’t mind me, I’m just here waiting on my fuckin’ tattoo.”
Silly rolled her eyes at his nonsense, and Jock grinned.
