Holding Morgan’s hand in a death grip, Leo didn’t speak again until they were by his bike at the curb.
To his surprise, Morgan hugged him tight. “I’m so proud of you. I know how hard it must’ve been for you to swallow all that resentment. How do you feel?”
“Pretty good.” Surprisingly so. “I doubt we’ll ever have the kind of relationship you and your mother have, but I think maybe I can talk to her now without the past standing in the way of every conversation. It’s a start, right?”
“Absolutely.” Morgan’s eyes shone bright. “Everything has to have a beginning. There isn’t just one right way.”
“I love your optimism.” Without Morgan, Leo would’ve continued to spend his life painted into a corner of shadows and darkness. Morgan truly was his light.
“Is that all you love about me?” Morgan winked. “If I remember correctly, this morning you were telling me a whole bunch of other things, only we were interrupted.”
Grinning, Leo swung his leg over the bike and started the motor, gunning it. “Hop on, and let’s get going. I’m sure I can find the exact spot I left off.”
With Morgan’s arms around his waist, they traveled through the side streets to avoid the bulk of rush-hour traffic on the main artery. At a red light, a black BMW coupe zoomed up behind them and hung on their tail, coming way too close. The light turned green, and Leo took off, the car still right behind him.
“What the fuck is wrong with this asshole?” He switched lanes, only to have the car glide behind him again. And again. “This is pissing me off.”
“Are they following us?” Morgan yelled out.
“Looks like it. Hold on. I’m gonna try and lose him.”
Morgan gripped him tighter, and though Leo didn’t like doing it, he zoomed between cars and turned corners at a higher speed than he was comfortable with, but the Ducati took it like the pro she was, and soon they were only a block away from home with no black car in sight.
“Ha. Take that, motherfucker.” Leo slid into the parking area behind the building and shut off the motor. They dismounted the bike, and just as Leo pulled out his house keys, the BMW screeched to a halt, blocking the driveway. A car door slammed, and a tall man in a suit whipped around the front and strode toward them.
Leo balled his hands into fists and called out to him, “What the fuck are you doing coming after us? I’m gonna call the cops.” He glanced at Morgan, whose gaze remained riveted on the stranger. “Can you believe this bastard? Who the fuck does he think he is?”
Morgan hadn’t said a word until then.
“That’s Jeffrey. My ex-husband.”
