Jagger smirked. “Do you think those Baton Rouge boys are the plotting types?”
“Then, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying if they get drunk or impulsive, they won’t be starting shit with the men of Crimson Guard, but the foxes would be fair game.”
“If that happens, I’ll bury them at the quarry. You might want to take a break from giving me cryptic warnings and spell shit out to your president. Tricky needs to control his people.”
Jagger only smiled. “Tricky would say the same about Clint.”
Before I could complain, Jagger hit the elevator button, and the doors shut. Nova watched me with a gentle gaze.
“It’s nice that he warned you.”
“Yeah,nice.”
“Are you upset? Should I go?” Nova asked, even while taking my hand and gently tugging me down the hallway. “I could walk home. I wouldn’t mind making myself dinner, even though you lured me here with promises of Japanese food.”
Grinning at her teasing, I enjoyed the way she blew hot air in my direction. I never wanted Nova to edit herself in my presence. She should blurt out whatever was in her head. I trusted that kind of honesty. The women I grew up with had few filters.
But if Nova did choose to censor herself, I’d adjust to her needs. That was the part I hadn’t been sure I could do when I first fell for this woman. I had feared taking on her problems or helping to raise her daughters. Now, I knew I’d rearrange my whole world to make room for Nova Shaw.
NOVA
Boone’s home radiated masculinity. Instead of a dining table, he had a pool table. I ran my fingers over the green baize and inhaled the condo’s clean scent. The place was filled with dark furniture. Across a wall were framed photos of pumpkin patches. I smiled at them as I walked across the family room toward the windows facing downtown Little Memphis.
“Do you like living here?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder at Boone.
His expression remained tense from his conversation with Jagger. I knew there was drama between the two clubs. Back in Baton Rouge, I’d kept my nose out of the gossip. I planned to do the same thing in Little Memphis.
Boone looked around his condo and answered, “I grew up in a more suburban vibe, so this was a nice change.”
“You only live in Little Memphis part-time, right?” When Boone nodded, I asked, “Where do you live when you’re back in Rawlins?”
“I share a house with Goldie and the Tooker siblings.”
“It must be a big house.”
“It’s a split-level. Nine and Ben bunk on the lower level. The foxes are upstairs. I have a little bedroom on the main level. We just need a place to rest our heads when we’re in town. We’re mostly at the townhouses with our parents.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Sure. Whenever I get nostalgic for home, I ride down to Rawlins.”
“Do you miss Beef Jerky?” I asked and ran my fingers over the large cage in the corner by the windows.
“Yes. The guys here have their dogs, while mine is holding a grudge in Rawlins.”
Turning my gaze to Boone, I couldn’t believe a man could be so handsome. I sighed at the sight of him.
“Chris was attractive,” I said, winning a frown from Boone. “But I was never attracted to him. Does that make sense?”
“Why did you marry him?”
“I wanted to get out of the house,” I replied immediately, unable to filter myself. “I was expected to live at home until a man married me, but no one wanted the daughter of a serial killer. Men figured my bloodline was tainted.”
“That’s stupid.”
“Yeah, but men weren’t willing to chance their kids might turn out wrong.”
