The Biker and the Loner (Oil and Water #3)- S. Ann Cole Page 0,58

word. "Wanna beat him up so bad."

"Hey!" Kendra snarls back. "That's my brother-in-law, and by extension, yours too. He's only trying to be there for her. None of this is his fault. Would you rather he pushed her away and not comfort her?"

"I'm the one who should be comforting her. I'm her man!"

"But she didn't choose you for this," she shoots back, squaring off with me. "She didn't choose me either and I'm her best friend. But you don't see me whining and pouting like a menstruating pussy."

I blow smoke in her face. "You're a real bitch, you know that?"

"Tell me something I don't know."

Scanning her up and down, I take in her funeral attire, inclusive of a hideous tiny hat with some bead and mesh shit, a broach on her Puritan dress, and heels she can barely stand straight in. I’m guessing this is her attempt to fit in with the posh, ritzy, elitist crowd of Kathy's family and friends. But Kendra's a ragged badass, the look doesn't work on her.

I tell her, "You look ridiculous, by the way."

"Kiss my ass," she snaps. "I did this for Ley. Because I love her. So you can suck my dick from behind, you asshole."

"Alright, break it up, you two," Onyx gripes from where he's straddling his bike next to mine. "You're always dumping on each other. Think I like it better when you’re oceans apart."

"Shut up," Kendra and I both growl at him.

Onyx throws his hands up in defeat, grumbling under his breath, "Shit's sake."

I reach out and rip the ridiculous hat from Kendra's head and toss it over my shoulder.

Quick in defense, she punches me. "Hey, that cost me a pretty penny."

Unphased, I yank her close and throw my arms around her shoulders. “Your man's a billionaire, what're you complaining about?"

"Eh, true." She shrugs. "And you're right, that thing was atrocious."

I chuckle and take a pull of my joint. "Sticking around for a while this time? Judge's losing his shit."

She snorts. "When is he not? But yeah, we're back two weeks earlier than we planned. There's a lot of work to be done on both our ends that can't be ignored much longer, including house-shopping, so we won't be traveling again for a few months."

"Thank fuck. You're a pain in my ass, but I miss you when you aren't here."

She scoffs. "You just miss having me roll your joints."

"Nuh-uh." I tug her ear. "Ley rolls them for me now. She's the boss at it. The only reason you've been doing it for the past few weeks is ‘cause she's avoiding me."

"I taught her well." She mimics dusting off her shoulder, proud of herself. "My little Ley is all grown up."

I narrow my eyes across the cemetery, watching as my woman curves into another man's arms, seething as he strokes her hair and whispers words to her that only she can hear. Burns me up inside to see that shit, and I have to physically restrain myself from doing anything about it.

Kathy, she did this. Whether Leyana realizes it or not, she’s still being controlled by that woman, even in death. Kathy did this to hurt her, to make her live with the regret of leaving her for the rest of her life, to make her blame herself.

She took Leyana from me, and I wish I could revive that bitch just so I can put a bullet in her head.

"You think I've lost her?" I ask the top of Kendra’s head.

She shrugs. "We just have to wait and see."

"For how long? Feels like I'm dying inside, Kenny," I grouse. "For how goddamn long? It's been three weeks."

"When we first started hanging out,” she says, “I used to wonder about her. No relationships, no interest in anyone, no real life, nothing. But I didn't know what I know now—that she was waiting, for you." She twists in my arm around her shoulder to stare up at me. "She waited five years for you. Five years. Now it's your turn. How much time do you think she's worth?"

Chapter 15

Leyana

I sip gin and tonic while another of Isaac's hookups prattles on in my ear.

He's up on stage, singing his heart out so hard it's as if his lungs are about to turn inside out. His vocals are sick. It blows my mind how amazing he is at this.

The word is getting out there, and his small band is landing more and more gigs each week, their fan base growing with each performance. I was