When he pulled back, her voice cracked."What's wrong?"
He exhaled, unable to keep the information from her."Sonny wants you back."
She jerked as if he'd struck her."No."Her voice shot up, panicked."No.I'm not going back.I'm not—"
"Sweetheart."
She scrambled off the bed so fast she nearly tripped, shaking her head, breathing too fast."No.No way.It was my mom who belonged to him."She slapped her chest."Not me."
He caught her wrist and pulled her back down beside him, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her against his chest.She was trembling.
"Lydia," he murmured, tightening his hold, "Listen to me.I'm not giving you back."
She froze.
Her breath stuttered against him.
"A deal was struck," he said."You're not his anymore.You're not going anywhere."
She swallowed hard, fingers curling into his shirt."Then why did he—?"
"Because Cusclan doesn't play fair," Baddy said, voice low."They don't care about deals.They don't care about rules.They want what they want."
She shivered.
He smoothed a hand down her back."I need you to be aware of who comes into the diner.If any Cusclan members show up—colors or no colors—you call me.Immediately."
She nodded against him."I never wanted to stay with him, but after my mom left, I had nowhere to go."
"Where's your mom now?"he asked.
She snorted."I have no idea, and I don't care to know where she is."
At least at the diner, Lydia had a support system around her.Other people could protect her.Royalla Motorcycle Club was down the street.
"Patty knows what's going on."He lowered his voice."She'll keep you safe.She's not letting anyone near you."
Lydia pulled back."Do you really think he'll come here?"
"Whether he does or doesn't, I won't take a chance of him coming near you."He brushed his thumb along her cheek."I want to protect you."
"Why?"When he didn't answer right away, she said, "I was serious when I told you I'd pay you back for the money you gave Sonny."She swallowed hard."I won't belong to any biker."
"Right now, all you need to do is pay attention to what's happening around you."He kissed her forehead."Don't leave the diner alone until this is over."
There was a fine line he was walking.He didn't want to scare her, yet she needed to stay aware of the dangers.
"I know how Sonny works."She sniffed."He does whatever the club tells him.He doesn't think on his own."
He grunted.It was a real possibility that Cusclan was the one starting trouble with him, and it wasn't Sonny leading the fight.If that were the case, the danger could be bigger.
She leaned into him again."I hate this."
"It'll be over soon."He held her tighter."And then you'll have your life back."
"I don't even know what it means to have a life," she muttered.
He hid his amusement.She was young.She'd figure it out.
