I laugh, watching and listening to her. She’s having an entire conversation with the kitten and pretending he’s answering her. A big smile spreads across my face and I shake my head in amusement as I watch her moving around the room, opening and closing cabinets while having a conversation with my cat. She’s fuckin’ adorable.
I ignore all the emails in the inbox of my phone and log out. I’ll deal with all that shit later.
As I’m putting the stuff I bought into my saddlebag, a pretty girl walks by and tries to get my attention. When I ignore her she comes over to me.
“Oh my fucking God, aren’t you Vandal Valentine? From Ashes and Embers?”
“Yup.” I try not to make eye contact with her because female fans can be like psychotic vultures sometimes.
“Holy shit! I love you guys!”
“Thanks.”
“Is this your bike?”
No, I’m stealing it.
“It is.”
“Motorcycles are so fucking sexy. Will you take me for a ride? I would so love that!”
I lower my sunglasses over my eyes before standing to look at her. “Sorry, I’m heading home.”
“Do you live up here? I live right down the road.”
“No, I’m just visiting a friend.”
She forms her big red-lipsticked mouth into a fake pout. “Well that sucks!”
I mount the bike and nod at her. “I’ll see ya around.”
I ride away quickly before she tries to jump on the back or some other crazy-ass shit. That scene was a harsh reminder that I can’t take Tabi for a ride with me because the same thing could happen if we stopped to get a cold drink or to use the restroom, and I’m not ready for her to know who I am or to subject her to women like the one in the parking lot.
Will I ever be?
I’ve fucked myself into a corner, good. Once our month is up, I have to take her home and I have to get back to my life. Since Asher’s got me on fucking band probation I’m definitely going to work at the tat shop with Lukas, because sitting around doing nothing is just going to invite me to start drinking and partying all over again. There will be no way for me to continue with Tabi in my day-to-day life and not have her find out who I am, and eventually find out that I’m the one who caused the accident, and then she will leave.
Unless …