I toldRoe I wanted some time alone to speak with Bram as soon as I got home. He kissed me, told me he understood, and drove off.
I waited for Bram in the living room. After an hour, I called JJ and told him what had happened with Mother. I also told him that I wanted to know everything my father had willed to me, and whatever was left, I didn’t want Mother to have access to it any longer. That included wanting her out of my house. He said that he would take care of it and would be sending me some paperwork to sign. I was glad to get everything started over the phone instead of having to wait to meet with him face-to-face.
Once I hung up, I went back to waiting for Bram. After a few hours, I texted him, asking when he would be home.
I got a short and to-the-point reply:Later tonight.
I wanted to talk to him now. I needed to.
Vivian eventually came home. I asked if she knew where Bram was.
She gave me a small smile. “He’s on a ride. He does that every once in a while when he needs to think.”
All I could do was nod and go to my room. No matter what I did, I couldn’t relax. I got into bed and out again. Then began pacing.
There was a knock on my door and I rushed to it, thinking it was Bram. I ripped it open to Reid standing on the other side and felt so frustrated I wanted to cry. “What are you doing here?” I asked him.
He looked me up and down. I was still in my uniform. Even wearing the blazer. The only things I had taken off were my shoes.
“My mom said you might need company,” he said. “Mac’s at work. So you got me.”
My disappointment must have shown. “I’m not upset you’re here instead of Mac. I was hoping you were Bram.”
I was going to go crazy waiting. I needed a distraction. I’d felt better when I was busy on the phone with JJ.
“Why were you hoping I was Bram?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Can you take me somewhere, please? Anywhere? I don’t care. I can’t wait around, feeling what I’m feeling, or I will start crying.”
“I can do that, but you have to ride on the back of my bike.”
Even though I had ridden on the back of Bram’s bike before, it still made me uneasy. “You know I’m afraid of riding on a motorcycle.”
“Bram is an MC president and your boyfriend rides a motorcycle. Don’t you think it’s time to overcome that fear?” he asked.
The boyfriend he referred to was obviously Roe. Reid and I hadn’t discussed our relationship even though I’d publicly declared him mine and referred to him as my boyfriend. Maybe I’d gotten ahead of myself again.
I’d have to figure it out later. “Why can’t you take me wherever in my car?”
“You want out of here, it’s on my bike,” he said, unbudging. “Besides, you’ve ridden on Bram’s bike before. Was it so bad?”
At first, it’d been terrifying. After a while, though, it hadn’t been so bad.
“Fine.” I went over to the bedside table to grab my phone and wristlet.
As I walked toward him, he didn’t move from the doorway. He eyed my pleated skirt. “You need to change.”
“Why?”
“Once we get going fast, that skirt will go flying up and everything you’ve got under there will be out for everyone to see. I’m not okay with that.”
“I’m wearing underwear,” I said.
“Still not okay with it.”
I shucked off my blazer and tossed it on the bed. Staring at him challengingly, I unzipped my skirt and let it fall to the floor around my feet.
Reid glanced over his shoulder for only a second before stepping into my room and closing the door behind him.
