“Tack,” I whispered.
“She’s gotta cut him loose.”
“Tack –”
“Yesterday, Red.”
“Oh my God.”
“You get me?”
“My God.”
His hand came back to my jaw, the pads of his fingers digging into my neck. “Baby, do you get me?”
I pulled myself together and nodded.
“You go to her,” he ordered.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“But you wait. I want you on the back of one of my boy’s bikes when you do.”
I nodded.
“I’m bringin’ him in and he and I are gonna have a chat.”
I nodded again
“She needs to be here, she’s on the back of one of my boy’s bikes. I’m done with him, I’m comin’ here. If she needs you, you bring her here. You do not stay there. I’m puttin’ your house on radar. You’re in this bed tonight when I get to you. Yeah?”
I nodded again.
“Give me the words, Tyra.”
“If she needs me, I bring her here, only on the back of one of your boy’s bikes and I’m in my bed when you come to me.”
“That’s it, baby.”
I swallowed and felt a tear slide partway down my cheek but it didn’t get very far before Tack swept it away.
“That’s the only tear he gets, darlin’. This is not a guy you cry over.”
“I’m crying for Lanie,” I told him as another tear spilled out of my other eye.
That one didn’t get very far either because Tack’s head dipped in and his lips kissed it away. That felt unbelievably sweet but my heart hurt so much, when he did that, I closed my eyes and tears spilled down each side.
I felt his forehead against mine, another swipe of his thumb to wipe the wetness away and I heard him whisper, “Baby, I can’t keep up.”
“She’s my best friend,” I whispered back.
“She’s in good hands,” he said. That made me open my eyes and look into his brilliant blue ones.
I did not know this man. He freaked me out. He scared me. He infuriated me. And he excited me. I fell in love with him once and started to do it again. All of this in less than two weeks.
And I had absolutely no idea if I could trust him.
“Promise?” I whispered and he nodded. “Give me the words, Tack.”