Knuckles (Dragon Riders MC #4) - Savannah Rylan Page 0,3
“Simone.”
I smiled. “You’ve already said that, Hoss.”
His eye twitched. “Don’t call me that.”
“So, I see you aren’t on speaking terms with our parents, either.”
His eyes raked down my body. “How the hell did you find me?”
His question caught me off-guard, because it implied that he didn’t want to be found. Was he in trouble, too? I found myself unable to answer his question, but mostly because I couldn't believe how much Justin had changed. Sure, that look in his eye was the same. But he really had filled out well. Arms, chiseled, which I could tell even beneath his leather jacket. His thighs, strong and sturdy, which I could see even behind his jeans. His jawline was more cut than I’d ever seen it, and his cheekbones threatened to cut glass.
His hair was the same, though. That disheveled black hair that always looked a bit too wind-blown for our foster mother’s tastes.
That boy could still stop me in my tracks.
Justin cleared his throat. “How did you find me, Simone?”
His hardened voice pulled me from my trance. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not excited to see me?”
He took a step toward me. “I just want to know where you got my address.”
“I’ve been looking for you for a while. Dug myself into debt hiring an investigator. He said you parked yourself at this address a little while back and hadn’t moved since. So, I came to check it out for myself.”
He blinked. “You hired a P.I. to find me? Why?”
“Maybe I’ve missed my older brother. What’s wrong with that?”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s not why you’re here.”
“What are you, some sort of mind-reader?”
“Something like that.”
His eyes slid down my body again, though I got the sneaking suspicion he wasn’t checking me out. Which came with a twinge of disappointment, I had to admit.
“Simone,” Justin said again.
I grinned. “Always did like that hard twinge in your voice.”
He closed the distance between us quickly. “Tell me why you’re here.”
His body heat seized my gut. The smell of his cologne gave me pause. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, trying to push away the scent of oak and fresh waters that clung to his skin. Justin had always been my protector. My safe place to fall when we were growing up. He had always been there to listen with an unbiased ear before giving such plainly clear advice it was almost comical sometimes.
I needed his help now.
But that required me to suck down my pride.
“Simone!” he exclaimed.
I jumped. “I need your help, I’m sorry!”
My eyes fell to my feet before a finger crooked beneath my chin. And when our skin connected, a shiver worked its way up my spine. He slowly lifted my head until our eyes met, and instead of being met with anger like I had seen in my foster parent’s eyes my entire life, I was met with kindness.
And worry.
“Never look down. It’s beneath you,” he said.
I nodded. “Okay.”
His finger fell away from my chin. “What’s happened?”
“Have I caught you at a bad time? It looks like you’re going somewhere.”
“It’s not anything that can’t wait for a few minutes. What do you need help with?”
I snickered. “I was actually hoping I could schmooze you over a lunch or something first.”
He shook his head. “Can’t do that.”
I nodded. “Right, right.”
“So?”
I sighed. “It’s going to take a bit more time than just a few minutes to get out what I need to get out.”
Then finally, the shadow of a grin pierced his cheeks. “Still thinking things are more complicated than they really are?”
I swallowed down the bile working its way up my throat. “Yeah, well. Let’s just say I’ve really done it this time.”
His face hardened. “Someone has you scared.”
“A lot of things have me scared right now.”
“Like?”
I shook my head. “People. Places. My future.”
He paused. “Right, right.”
I sighed. “Look, I’ll just catch you another time. You go do your thing or whatever and I can give you—”
“I won’t be back for a few days,” he interrupted.
“Oh.”
He thumbed over his shoulder. “Got a ride I need to do for my crew.”
I furrowed my brow. “Your crew?”
“Yeah. Got wrapped up into some nonsense there for a while, but I ended up in the right place. I ride with The Dragon Riders now. Have been for a couple of years or so now.”
“Wait, The Dragon Riders? The motorcycle gang or whatever?”
“That’s them, yep.”
I snickered. “I’ve heard of their crusade around town.”
“Really now?”
“Yeah. People talk, Justin. Always have. And there have been a