“He said to take as long as I need. Family is important to him.”
“Like I’ve been sayin’ your whole life, hotshot. Keep your ass outta trouble. The last thing Willow needs is to be worryin’ about you bein’ in town,” I warn, pointing a finger at him.
“I’ve changed. In fact, I’m reformed. Landin’ in jail may have been the best thing that happened to me. I’ve got a second chance and I’m not gonna blow it. It’s my turn to look out for Willow, just as she’s looked out for me.”
I grunt. I don’t doubt jail was probably the best thing to straighten his ass out, but we don’t have to flaunt it. “Where you stayin’?”
“Motel six. I didn’t wanna intrude at Willow’s.”
“I’ll be spendin’ most of my nights out, if you need a place to crash, let me know.”
His face brightens. “Really? You’d do that for me?”
“If you feed my rabbit, yeah.”
“Rabbit? Holy shit, you went and got a white picket fence, didn’t you?”
I shove him in the shoulder as he stands. “Fuck off. If you cause any kinda trouble, asswipe, goin’ back to jail will be the least of your worries.”
“Told you, I’m not a troublemaker, not anymore.”
That remains to be seen, but the uneasy feeling in my gut now won’t go away.
Did we really get Bolt? Is he behind this? Or is Max clutching at straws and complicating things even more?
“Gotta get back. Check in with me later,” I say.
“Hey, bro?” he calls. I turn around. “We’re buddies now, right?”
I flip him the bird. “Don’t push it, sunshine.”
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Willow
“You get prettier every time I see you, Captain,” Manny says, giving me a wink.
I’m picking up lunch from Muso because they make the best sandwiches in New Orleans.
It’s hard to not like the dude. He’s not only easy on the eyes, funny, and adorable, but he also cooks the best food in Louisiana. A restaurant across town tried to poach him once — clearly not understanding who the MC are — but Manny just laughed and said they couldn’t afford him. Not only do the Rebels clearly pay him well — Manny is part of the family. If I had to admire one thing about the MC — that would be it. No matter what, they are a family. Everyone has each other’s backs, no matter what.
Maybe a part of me is envious of that because I just want my parents to give a shit. Even after all this time and all these years, it still gets to me. Dad even coming to my ceremony was a miracle, but I know he’s up to something. I don’t quite know what yet, but he’s busy on that cold case he mentioned, so aslong as he stays out of my hair and my current investigation, we’ll get along just fine.
“You say that to all the girls, I’ll bet.”
He waggles his eyebrows. “I don’t know, some of the dudes aren’t that bad either.”
Manny is in a poly relationship with Bandit, also a Rebel, and Lace, Riot’s little sister.
Fuck knows how any of them manage a three-way relationship, but I’m not one to judge. It’s hard enough keeping up with one man, let alone two, but they seem to have it figured out.
“Careful, you’ll have two jealous lovers on your hands.”
He puts a hand over his heart, feigning shock. “It’s a wonder they don’t send me gray. But enough about me, what about you? I keep asking Haze about you, but he never gives me any juice.”
“That’s because there is no juice.”
