Knuckles (Dragon Riders MC #4) - Savannah Rylan Page 0,4
lot of good things said about you and your crew down over the years. How you guys help. How you guys heal. How you guys really take care of this place.”
“We do what we can.”
An idea hit me. “How much do you guys charge?”
He blinked. “For what?”
“To help people. Do you guys take on clients?”
“Not unless it’s an emergency.”
“And unless they pay.”
“That, too.”
“How much?”
He cocked his head. “You don’t need to pay me for my help, Simone.”
I giggled bitterly. “It’s cute that you think only you can solve this issue.”
His eyes darkened. “I don’t like the language you’re using.”
“Unfortunately, that kind of language has become common in my life. I’ve taken some wrong turns, and I do need help.”
He looked back at his bike. “I can’t say we’re taking on any clients right now. Not with everything we’re currently wrapped up in.”
“Sounds like I’m not the only one in trouble.”
He turned back around to face me. “Are you still stationed in town?”
“I’m actually a couple of hours away. I don’t live far from the community college I went to.”
“Good for you. What is your degree in?”
I rolled my eyes. “Medical transcription. Ask me how well I’m doing.”
“Not well, I take it.”
I shrugged. “Apparently, work is harder to come by than I figured it would be.”
“Does your struggle have anything to do with money problems?”
“No.”
He nodded slowly. “Are you lying to me?”
“Would you be asking if you already knew I was?”
He finally produced a grin. “As quick as ever.”
I reached out, running my fingers down the worn leather of his jacket. “And as handsome as ever.”
He chuckled and took one last look at his bike over his shoulder before his eyes found mine again.
“You want to get out of town for a bit?” he asked.
I paused. “Thought you had something to do for the crew.”
He nodded. “I do. But it’ll require me to hole up in a motel for a few days. I’ll be out of town on my own. If you’d like to come with me, you’re more than welcome. We can talk when I’m not doing recon.”
“Recon, huh? Sounds spooky.”
“The guy we’re chasing, Skeleton, isn’t nice, no.”
“And how ‘bad boy’ is this bad boy?”
He pinned me with a stare. “The kind that traffics women, deals drugs, and will harm any man, woman, or child that gets in his way.”
My blood turned cold. “Well. Sounds like a peach.”
“You coming is risky. And dangerous. But I can see the fear in your eyes, even though you project confidence. I don’t want to leave you behind by yourself. You’ll be safer with me.”
“I know. That’s why I worked so hard and maxed out my credit card to find you.”
“You send me that bill and I’ll pay it off.”
I paused. “Come again?”
He turned, walking back to his bike. “Send me the total of your credit card debt and I’ll pay it off.”
I walked quickly behind him. “You don’t have to do that, Justin.”
He threw his leg over his bike. “Just send it to me, Simone.”
“All right. Fine. I can do that.”
He slid his bike helmet on. “You getting on?”
I sighed. “This is where I tell you I’ve never been on a bike before.”
He reached behind him, digging in a compartment before he pulled out a helmet. “Well, put this one, kick your leg over, and hang on tight. That’s about all you need to know.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’m wearing a dress and heels?”
“I’m a safe driver, especially when carrying precious cargo.”
My cheeks blushed at his comment. Did he just call me “precious?”
I took the helmet from him. “If you say so.”
I threw my leg over the bike, but it took me a while to get my dress situated so that it covered everything it needed to. And when Justin leaned back between my legs, I had to hold my breath so I wouldn’t moan. I mean, I’d always found the man attractive. Foster brother or not, he’d always been hot. And I’d always had a secret crush on him I never told anyone for fear of judgment or teasing. Damn it, I was teased and bullied so much as a child that I was scared to talk about anything. Or make any wrong step.
Not with Justin, though.
He always made me feel at ease.
“Link? Yeah, it’s Knuckles.”
“Knuckles?” I asked.
He held up his finger as he continued to talk. Even though I didn’t see a phone in either of his hands.
“Uh huh. Yeah, look. I’ve kinda run into an issue. No, I haven’t left