My grin grew even bigger.
“That depends. Is it working?”
He growled, a low, deep rumble in his chest.
Then a warbling howl at our feet interrupted us. Nitro and I glanced down to see Noel gazing up at us with eager brown eyes. She stuck her paw through the chain link fence, scratching at the shoelaces on Nitro’s boots.
“She likes you,” I said.
“I can see that,” he replied drily.
“You should take her home.”
“Riley,” he warned.
I bounced on my toes, eager to continue this banter. It was fun to poke his buttons, especially knowing that he would never lift a finger to hurt me. Unlike my ex, he wasn’t ruled by his temper.
Just when I took a breath to speak, a family approached the playpen with a baby wrapped in the woman’s arms.
“Morning, Elaine, Wingman,” Nitro said.
“Nitro! I didn’t expect you to show up at an event like this,” Wingman replied. He gestured between the two of us. “Are you…together?”
“I’m working a protection detail,” Nitro said.
“Ah,” Wingman replied. He nodded to me. “You’re in good hands then. Nothing and no one gets through Nitro.”
“It sounds like you know each other pretty well,” I said.
“We spent a short run together in the Reckless Order MC. I didn’t pass muster as a Prospect, but Nitro here went on to become a full-fledged member.”
My gaze flicked to Nitro. He wasn’t just a biker. He belonged to aclub. Why didn’t he mention it before?
“How are the kids?” Nitro asked Wingman, deftly directing the conversation to another topic.
“They’re good,” Wingman replied, with an obvious note of pride in his voice. “Mikey is at a friend’s house. We’re surprising him with a puppy for Christmas. Now that little Sarah joined the family, Elaine and I thought Mikey should have a friend to play with, instead of being burdened with big brother duties all the time.”
Nitro gestured to me.
“You should talk to Riley. She’s good with the puppies.”
Thirty minutes later, I had convinced Elaine and Wingman to sign adoption papers for a mild-mannered, chubby black lab.
“Let me run inside and get that paperwork for you,” I said. “He has a few basics to take home with you—his favorite toy, a leash, and a doggie bag of Christmas treats. Don’t go anywhere, be right back!”
I ducked into the humane society, hurrying through the crowded hallways of visitors. Just as the main office came into sight, a hand clamped on my arm with a bruising grip. I inhaled a breath to scream.
“Say one word,” Chett hissed in my ear. “And I’ll snap your arm like a goddamn toothpick.”
I bit my lip to stifle a whimper. With so many people around, I could cause a scene and escape.
“We’re going to continue our private conversation now,” he said through his teeth. “Alone. Don’t even think about bringing Sasquatch into this.”
I tried to wrench out of his grasp.
“Let go of me—”
I gasped as he tightened his grip. Pain jolted through my body. My fingers went tingly numb.
