I stand at the doorway of my office and watch him leave the shop. Seconds later, his Harley revs to life. That noise triggers so many memories, ones I’m not sure I want to relive. I used to love the sound of motorcycles, Harleys especially. It stood for everything I was raised to believe in—American made, the charter, andthe life.
What’s wrong with me? Why am I attracted to men in leather? Bad boys with tats? Assholes that think they own you just because they’ve slept with you. I sigh and turn back to my office. I flip on the overhead lights and pick up the rest of my things from the floor.
The energy in the room has changed, and not necessarily for the better. Brick invaded my personal space and left his essence all around me. Now every time I do a reading at the table, I’ll be thinking about him doing me doggie style. I laugh, knowing it’s as much my fault as it is his. I could have said no. I should have sent him packing.
“The dick hole is finally gone?” Juanita asks.
I turn around and find her just inside the room. “Juanita…”
“What’s so special about Brick?” She claims a spot on the leather sofa.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Yet?Does that mean he’s coming back?”
I scramble to get my blouse and jeans on before I join Juanita on the couch. “Not by invitation, trust me.”
She plunks her feet down on the coffee table, crosses her ankles, and drapes her arms over the back of the sofa. “I cancelled the rest of your appointments, Starlet, so we have all afternoon to work through this biker addiction you seem to have.”
“I’m not a biker junkie. We’re just dangerously attracted to each other. He could be a billionaire playboy and I’d still want to have sex with him.”
Juanita snorts. “That’s reassuring.”
“I told him everything.”
“Why?”
“To answer his questions and maybe get him off my back.”
“A month ago, your life was in crisis. It still is. I can’t protect you outside of these four walls. What are you going to do if Brick brings this up with his club?”
I sigh, knowing I’ve let my friend down. Our past flickers through my mind. Juanita always protected me, even when I was just a kid. How can I make this up to her? I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. “Silver will eventually come for me. With or without Brick in my life.”
“I can’t disagree with that. But you’re playing with fire. If you saw the way he was acting when I asked him to leave the shop…”
“What about the gun?”
She shrugs. “I’m not afraid to pull the trigger.”
“I know.” She’s braver than I’ll ever be—but that also makes her dangerous. “Please don’t do it again.”
“I can’t just sit here and watch another brother take over your life. You’re accountable for the bad choices you make, but I’ve known you for a long time, Starlet. You bring out the best and worst in people, unintentionally, of course.”
“What do you mean?” I let go of her hand and slant my body so I can get a better look at her face.
“You’re too sweet. Always a little helpless. And just too sexy for a man like Brick to walk away from.”
“That’s not a very positive description of who I am.”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way. You’ve always needed guidance and protection. Some people are just that way. I’m the opposite, overbearing and protective—a mother type. That’s why we get along so well.”
She’s right. I’ve lived a sheltered life, if that even makes sense for someone who was raised in a biker compound. When I did get a taste of the outside world, it was like watching animals in the zoo—curious to see how the other ninety-nine percent lived, but with the knowledge I’d never have a chance to find out. I’m a lifer. Even Brick had the insight to say it. The tat on my left shoulder is a constant reminder of where I belong. Staying here with Juanita is a fantasy. One I’m willing to stretch out for as long as I can.
“So, is he going to be a permanent fixture around here?”
Why is she asking me the same question again? “I don’t know.”
“You need to hurry up and find out. Because if he is, we need to set some ground rules.”
