Even Honor wore a black leather jacket. She played with a stunning diamond engagement ring on her finger. “We belong to the Grizzlies, which is a motorcycle club.” Then her gaze narrowed. “You’ve never heard of a motorcycle club?”
“No.” Dessie shrugged. “I haven’t been in California very long.”
The woman’s gaze cleared, and she barely nodded.
What was going on with the almost nods? Perhaps that was just how Honor and Sam communicated. Or maybe Sam couldn’t speak. Dessie looked directly at him, wanting to shrink beneath his sharp gaze. “Are you mute?” Somebody coughed in the booth behind her, but she didn’t turn. Her eyes widened. “Oh my. Is that a rude question? If so, I do apologize. I didn’t mean anything hurtful.”
Sam blinked. Twice. “No. I’m not mute.” He drew a phone from his pocket and texted with one hand, not looking away from her. “Told Bear to skip the diner, and he’s covered on all sides.”
“Good,” Garrett said. “His new enforcers are doing well. I don’t feel so bad leaving him now.”
Dessie reminded herself that she was strong and free, but these men would probably only answer a limited number of questions. So she wouldn’t ask about the mysterious Bear. Instead, she steeled her shoulders before partially turning in the cramped booth to face the man taking up all the oxygen. For some reason, she could barely breathe. “What’s your name?”
“You don’t know?” He hadn’t stopped watching her. Not for a second.
She shook her head.
“Garrett.” Then he waited.
Why was he waiting? “That’s a nice name,” she hastened to say. Was there some sort of social convention she was missing here? It was entirely possible.
“Thank you.” The amusement had returned. She definitely enjoyed it better than his earlier irritation. “Now how about you tell me who you are and how you know me.”
Two waitresses arrived with a mug and all of their food. Somehow, Dessie’s meal was already prepared as well. She waited until the women stopped fawning over the two men before reaching for a fry. Fries were the best invention she’d discovered lately. “My name is Dessie. I am now a freelance reporter, and I do not know you. At all. I didn’t even know your name until you gave it to me.” Unable to help herself, she reached for the cheeseburger.
Garrett did the same, and his cheeseburger was a lot bigger than hers. “Very well, Dessie. Eat your lunch. Then you and I are going outside for a little chat.”
Chapter Two
As possibly Dessie’s last meal, it had been delicious. For the first time in a week, she forgot the fact that somebody was following her. Well, probably. She’d seen the same man several times, but he’d never approached her. Perhaps her mind was going.
She began to protest when Garrett tossed bills on the table to pay for her burger but stopped when he turned that gaze on her.
“Let’s go.” He grasped her hand and tugged her rather gently from the booth.
She dragged her bag with her and then stumbled, quickly finding her balance when he planted one strong hand on her shoulder. Her lungs seized, and her stomach roiled. The luncheon had been so bizarre that this was the first time she’d felt fear. They’d eaten mostly in silence and very quickly. A desperate glance around at the remaining diners confirmed that nobody was going to help her. So much for continuing to pack as much life into her remaining hours as possible. Time was not her friend. She clutched the bag to her ribs.
“Do you have a weapon in there?” Garrett asked mildly.
“Yes. A knife.” There was no reason to lie to him, considering he could easily take away the bag.
He kept his grip on her hand and began striding toward the exit. “Okay.”
Should she be miffed he didn’t try to confiscate the knife? Probably. She had to hasten her steps to keep up with him. His hand around hers felt warm and solid, so big she wished she had time to just compare their hands palm to palm. He was a very large man who, nonetheless, managed to move surprisingly fast. Within seconds they were outside the diner, where people milled around different bikes, packing things in compartments and igniting the loud engines. Based on the various names on the jackets, there were several different clubs present.
Fall colors lit the world on fire around them, the trees shedding their bright red and gold leaves. The sky was a mellow blue, and the sun bright but not warm.
Garrett continued around to the rear of the building, which was a surprisingly quiet area. A crumbling rock wall crusted with moss held back a grassy hill. In one smooth motion, he released her hand, grasped her hips, and lifted her onto the wall.
She yelped and then settled, surprise filling her. She was still several inches shorter than he, even on the large wall. “Why is any of this necessary?” She planted the bag next to her, calculating how quickly he’d just moved. There wasn’t a chance to get to her knife. And could she really stab somebody?
“Who sent you?”
The fact that he hadn’t answered her question shot a chill through her body. “Sent me?”
He instantly tangled one strong hand in her hair and planted the other next to her hip on the stone. “Yes. Play dumb, and you won’t like the results. Is somebody after Bear?”
“No.” Bear was an odd name, but he was obviously important to Garrett. “Well, let me clarify that statement. I don’t know Bear and thus have no knowledge of whether or not somebody is after him. I assume Bear is a him, though I could be wrong. But—”
