“Maybe, I don’t know for sure, but she’s not in a good place at all.”
“My mom had that,” he replied honestly. “That shit’s brutal.”
He went silent and I wondered what he was thinking. Was he remembering his mother? His childhood? Or was he waiting for me to speak? I opened my mouth to fill the silence when he cut me off.
“I’ll be there in twenty. I’ve got a number she can call.” And then he hung up.
I stared at the receiver for a few seconds in silence before hanging it up, and then I leaned on the kitchen counter and wondered how I had missed how much pain Gracie was in. How hadn’t I heard it in her voice, or seen it in her eyes?
I started to tear up at the realization of what a bad friend I had been. I’d been so locked in my own life and my own family drama that I had been blind to the pain and misery my best friend in the world was in.
Ripped had taken control of my life, and I had let him, happy to hand the reins over to someone who could take me away from the pain that town always brought me. But I was back now, and I couldn’t and wouldn’t run anymore.
That town had almost killed me, and the ghosts it still held inside it would forever haunt me, but I somehow felt like I could cope, at least for the time being. And perhaps coming back there hadn’t been such a bad thing after all. After all, it had brought me back to my friend, and it had brought me to Battle.
~ 13 ~.
Quinn
The roar of Battle’s Harley cut through the heavy air as I sat on Gracie’s front porch with Bonny-May on my lap. I’d gotten a speech ready in my head for what I was going to say to Battle—how I was going to tell him that the night before had been a huge damned mistake and I was sorry for jerking him around. I had no doubt that he was going to get angry, and I wondered if he would threaten to tell Ripped. I doubted it though, because that would get him and his club in trouble too. Despite knowing that, I was still worried, and wishing I hadn’t called him.
Bonny was chewing on her little hand, dribble trailing down her chin, and I used her bib to wipe her chin and smile at her. She’d woken up not long after I’d gotten off the phone with Battle, hungry for some more milk and a diaper change. She’d been looking around for her mom ever since, and I kissed her on the forehead and told her that her mom was sleeping and would come play with her soon. Gracie was still completely out of it in her bedroom, and I honestly hoped she could stay like that for the rest of the day. The break and the sleep could only do her good.
I stood up, placing Bonny on my hip as Battle pulled his Harley to a stop and shut off the engine, and I cleared my throat and straightened my shoulders, ready to do battle with Battle if need be.
He pulled off his helmet and hung it on the bars before stepping off his bike and stalking toward me, and my heart skipped at a beat at the sight of him, tall and broad, with tanned skin and dark hair and eyes. His mouth was set in a hard line and his eyebrows pulled low as he reached me, and threaded his hand around the back of my head to the nape of my neck before leaning in and kissing me long and hard.
I kissed him back, despite having Bonny-May in my arms, despite Gracie or anyone else being able to see us right then, and despite any reservations I may have had and the fact I was supposed to be calling it off between us. I kissed Battle back, putting everything I had into the kiss, and coming away breathless and wide-eyed and hungry for more.
“Wanted to make that clear right from the get go, Q. You feel me?”
I nodded, still too breathless to speak, and he pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes burning with intensity. Bonny reached up and grabbed a chunk of his beard and pulled on it and he chuckled, the rumble echoing out of his muscular chest as his features softened.
“Think she likes the beard?” he asked gruffly before kissing me on the end of my nose and looking down at her with gentle eyes. “What do ya think, little lady? You gonna like a real man with a beard and piercings, or you gonna go for a smooth-assed pussy mother—”
“Battle!” I interjected with a laugh. “You can’t say that to a baby.” I was laughing hard and Bonny-May joined in.
Battle grinned and shrugged. “Kid’s probably heard worse.”
“Probably,” I agreed, my tone going solemn.
Battle sensed my change of mood. “Little cussing don’t do no harm,” he said, jerking his chin at me. “I stopped by the store on the way and bought some groceries. Wasn’t sure what to get but I figured milk and bread, some steaks and fresh veggies and shit would do for now. Got that number for her too.”
My throat suddenly tightened, my eyes filling, and Battle frowned.
“Q? You good? Did I do somethin’ wrong?” he huffed out.
I shook my head. “No, you did everything right.”
He nodded, his demeanor softening once more. He looked away from me and toward the house, to the broken swing seat on the porch.
“Brought my tools too.” He jerked his chin toward the swing. “I’ll get to fixin’ that, for starters. That pussy-assed husband of hers could have at least got men in to fix shit for her since he wasn’t going to do it. Man that don’t look after his family and home ain’t a real man in my book.” He started to turn away from me and I reached out and grabbed his arm, suddenly not wanting him to walk away. He looked back, a hungry look on his face as lust filled his gaze and I swallowed, gulping on air at his intensity.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, and let him go, because I didn’t trust myself to say anything else right then. “I’ll go set Bonny down and come back for the groceries.”
We both turned away from each other at the same time, heading in opposite directions. I grew colder with every step away from him I took, as if he were my sun and I was walking into the shade. When I reached the doorway I looked back, catching him staring after me with a steady gaze, and I felt myself blush under his scrutiny.
It was probably a huge mistake calling Battle and asking him to come help me, and yet I hadn’t had a choice in the matter. My hands had already dialed the club’s number before I’d been able to stop myself. But after what had happened the previous night between us, being alone with that intense and unnervingly strong man couldn’t be a good thing. Could it?
