She shifts so her chin rests on my chest as she looks up at me. “I think we’ll kill each other if we get any better.”
“What a way to go,” I laugh. Then I pat her on her ass. “We need to get going. Don’t you have places to go and people to wow?”
Zara groans. “Yes, but I think I’d rather stay here.”
I help her off the bed, but stop her before we move toward the bathroom. Tapping her chin, I get her to look at me. “What’s wrong?”
She shrugs. “I feel safe here. With you. I don’t want to deal with the Bushrangers.”
“You won’t have to deal with them. We have a plan, remember? Chill and Viper will protect you. Bianca will help you get to safety if the assholes show up. If everything goes to plan, my club will be dealing with the Bushrangers today, so you probably won’t see them. They’ll be too busy dealing with us.”
I lead her into the bathroom and turn on the hot water. We’re both naked, so we stand outside as we wait for the water to warm up. It won’t take long.
“Will you be in danger?” Zara asks.
I shrug. “Doubtful. We outnumber them. Mode has eyes and ears on them, so there shouldn’t be any surprises. We know where they’re staying. This is our turf. We know this city; they don’t. When we show up at their motel, they’ll know we have contacts and that they can’t hide from us. Chrome knows what he’s doing. We’re not alone in this battle. There are other clubs, and they’ll come help if we need them. Just like Chill, Viper, and Rattler.”
I can’t say the shower was a quick one because we both took pleasure in helping each other get clean. All those nooks and crannies can’t clean themselves.
Taking Zara’s hand, I lead her into the hallway. A noise behind us has me turning. Crystal is coming out of Ice’s room. She’s carrying a basket containing sheets and towels.
“Clean my sheets, too. We made a mess last night, and this morning,” I tell her, giving Zara a cheeky grin.
Crystal mumbles something, but I ignore her. I can’t look away from the adorable blush covering Zara’s pretty features.
CHAPTER 20: ZARA
Because we messed them up.
I blush the second the words leave Bush’s mouth, heat rushing straight to my cheeks. The memory of his hands on me, the way his mouth claimed mine, makes my pulse skip. But it’s the look in his eyes that does me in—dark, hungry, unapologetic. Desire burns there, hot and focused, and it’s aimed entirely at me. Pleasure coils low in my stomach at the silent claim in his expression.
Then I glance at Crystal.
She’s standing a few feet away with a basket of laundry balanced on her hip, fingers digging into the plastic rim. Her glare could strip paint. There’s no mistaking the hatred etched across her face. She doesn’t attempt to hide it. It’s sharp and personal.
A ripple of trepidation slides through me.
Crystal warned me about him. Told me Bush goes through women like fuel through his bike. That he doesn’t do relationships. That girls who expect more end up disappointed—or worse, humiliated. Standing here under her blistering stare, I can’t help wondering how many times she’s watched him walk downstairs with a woman at his side.
Bush’s hand presses lightly to the small of my back, guiding me toward the stairs. The touch is possessive. Protective. My body responds instantly, leaning into him before I can stop myself.
But doubt whispers anyway. Am I different? Or am I just today’s distraction?
We descend the stairs together, the low hum of clubhouse noise growing louder with every step. Laughter drifts up from below, bottles clink, someone calls out a joke. Life goes on as if nothing monumental has shifted.
Yet everything feels different to me.
Bush’s fingers trail lazily along my spine before dropping away as we reach the bottom step. The loss of contact feels abrupt, almost jarring.
I force a steady breath because I refuse to be just another set of rumpled sheets.
However, before I can question him about his intentions, Tony calls for us from his seat at the table. The visitors from the Las Vegas Chapter surround him. He’s positioned between Viper and her twin brother, Rattler.
“I’ll grab us breakfast,” Bush tells me, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
I take a seat across from Tony and next to Randy, leaving the chair between Chill and me for Bush.
“You found somewhere else to sleep last night,” Tony chides me. “Or maybe you didn’t get any sleep?”
