Crossroads (Beautiful Biker MC Romance Series) - DD Prince Page 0,99
and left the parking lot.
***
I was being followed. I looked over my shoulder. Nico and Scott were riding at a respectable distance behind me.
Shit. We weren’t allowed to be riding alone right now because of the Jackals and Freebooters. At least those guys were keeping their distance.
I rode for an hour before I returned. And I was still pissed. I could’ve gone back and stayed with Rider and Jenna. I could’ve stayed with Andie next door to them. But nope. I was back here, staying here, and I was not going to hide from that jackass.
I found Pippa and Jenna huddled in the smaller TV room, whispering.
“Hey,” I said. “You guys wanna watch a movie? I’m in the mood for something with action.” I grabbed the remote. “Shooting. Explosions.”
“You wanna talk?” Jenna asked.
“No.”
“We heard there was a little bit of a scene.”
“I said no, and meant it.”
“If you do decide you wanna talk…” Jenna pushed.
“I don’t.”
“But if you do, we’re here,” Pippa told me.
“Okay.”
My phone rang. Ella calling.
“Word travel fast or what?” I threw my hand up in the air. “Ella.”
“We didn’t say anything,” Pippa said. “We heard from Deanna who heard from Scott.”
“Can you answer that and tell her I’m not talking? But I don’t wanna hear you talking to her.” I said to both of them.
Jenna took the phone, answering it while walking out of the room.
***
It was nine o’clock and I’d just gotten back from dinner with Laura. She picked me up and took me out and it was just us two.
Dad had recruited her, I was guessing. My first words when she came into the TV room were: “I’m not talking.”
“Okay. But, do you want to go to dinner with me? Just us two?”
“Sure, but I’m not talking.”
“Fine. Girls, next time all of us? This time just me ‘n Jojo, okay?”
“No prob, Laur,” Jenna said.
She and Pippa hugged me and Laura and then we all left, me getting into Laura’s car. We were tailed by a prospect.
To Laura’s credit, she didn’t try to make me talk. We went to her favorite Mexican restaurant and pigged out while she did most of the talking, and then we went to a movie.
She tried to act totally normal. No long, sad looks, no hints about her own past heartbreaks, yada yada. She just did her best to give me a few hours away from the clubhouse and it was good for me. She told me diner anecdotes, talked about a book she’d just finished reading, complained about my father trying to buy her a new car and spend insane amounts of money on her, and asked me about school.
When she drove me back, before we got out of the car (she was going to spend the night with Dad), I thanked her.
“Thanks, Laura. I had a great time. It was just what I needed.”
“Any time.” She gave my hand a squeeze. “I loved hanging out with you.”
“He’s a fucking asshole,” I burst into tears, sitting there in her car, spotting his Harley parked. Beside mine. Beside mine of all places.
“I’m here for you, sweetheart. Whether you wanna talk, scream, say nothing, cry it out, whatever…” She gave my hand another squeeze and I sobbed. Ugly-crying.
She reached across and hugged me. I cried on her shoulder for a good few minutes.
“I need to pull my shit together. I don’t want anyone to see I’ve been crying,” I said, wiping my eyes with my sleeves.
“Then I won’t tell you that he just walked by, heading from the bar to up the stairs.”
“He didn’t,” I gasped.
“He did. Not gonna lie, sweetie.”
“Fuck,” I said. “He see me?”
“Fraid so.”
She reached into her bag, pulled out a pouch of makeup wipes, and passed them to me. I pulled the visor down and flicked on the light-up mirror to survey my face.
I took a big breath.
“Want me to drive around the block a couple times?” she asked.
“I’m okay. I just need a minute. Go on up, if you want.”
“I’ll wait but I’ll get rid of these guys.”
She got out of her car and spoke to the prospect in the car behind us. He got out and went inside. Good. She leaned against the hood of her car and gave me the minute I needed.
I pulled myself together and got out. “I’m good.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. My face okay?”
“Just walk by them fast,” she said.
I laughed. “At least you’re honest. And thanks again, Laura.”
“Always. And any time.”
We went upstairs together and inside. I would’ve gone in through the bar