“Nothing much.” Eli sets down his beer, and we share a short clasp of hands.
I nod toward Nina, and she nods back. While she’s fought with most people in the club, the two of us have never had problems. She’s aware my heart has always belonged to these kids.
I need to talk to Eli alone, so I go direct. “I’m grumpy, Eli.”
Both of his eyebrows rise because that’s the equivalent of me announcing someone has a gun to my head.
I shrug my shoulders in fake annoyance. “I thought we were friends, and I’ve been waiting at that bar all night for you to buy me a beer, and nothing. You’re a terrible friend.”
“You men are strange,” Nina says in a light tone, and I offer her a wink and a lopsided grin because I don’t disagree.
Reading my intent clearly, both Eli and Nina stand. Nina smooths out her jeans, looks at me and then offers Eli a shy glance. “Thank you for keeping me company.”
“Are you leaving?” Eli asks, and I need to pinch myself because it almost sounded as if he wants her to stay.
“I didn’t take tonight off, just told them I’d be in late.” Nina’s a bartender in town.
“Do you want someone to ride in with you?” Eli rubs a hand over his head like he’s a nervous teenager. That’s interesting.
There’s a slight roll of her eyes. So slight, it was hard to catch, but it was there. “I’ve been a big girl capable of taking care of myself for a long time, but thank you for the offer. You gentlemen have a good evening.” She doesn’t look at either of us like we’re gentlemen, and that’s what is admittedly sexy.
Nina’s not my type—not when I’m stuck on an English teacher who’s out of my league—but Eli’s still looking. I shove my hands in my pockets and wait. Eli will eventually stop staring at Nina as she walks away, and the build-up to this is worth it.
One second toward busting his balls. Two seconds toward busting his balls. Three…it continues long enough that when Eli slowly swings his attention to me, the smile on my face tastes like a full steak dinner with apple pie for dessert. À la mode because ice cream makes everything better.
Once he meets my eyes, his head drops. I love my life.
“Chevy’s mom?” I say with the right amount of Nina and Eli sitting in a tree without having to sing the k-i-s-s-i-n-g.
“You’re annoying,” Eli responds.
I didn’t know it was possible, but I smile wider. “Yeah, I get that lot. Not to spoil this moment, but we’ve got problems.”
“What size problems?”
He’s going to love this. “Mia Ziggler-size problems. The type that fit on the back of a motorcycle and will be here in about five minutes.”
Any trace of humor on his face is gone in a flash, and back is the man who knows how to hide bodies. “Mind filling me in?”
Sad part? “I honestly don’t know much other than I’ve got an eighteen-year-old girl with bruises who just tried to run away from home via bus. The police showed at the station, and now she’s on the back of Dust’s bike, and she’s on her way here. Don’t know about you, but here I thought with the rug rats graduating, our life was going to get boring.”
He grunts. “Why would you think that?”
I shrug an I-don’t-know. “Stupidity, I guess. Real question should be how do we want to play this out?”
“Carefully,” he says. “As careful as it gets.”
Agreed.
Chapter 15
Addison
I did not enjoy that motorcycle ride. It was too fast, too cold, too frightening. It was nauseating and absolutely out of control, and I don’t like out of control. I like things in their place, I like things in order, I like knowing that I have some sort of ability to save myself if needed, and on the back of that bike, it was chaos.
Dust pulls off the gravel road and turns off his motorcycle. I’m super quick sliding off, and Dust snatches my arm as I stumble and almost faceplant. The moment I’m steady, he lets go and I back away from him, rubbing the spot he touched. I don’t like people touching me, especially guys.
In the distance, beyond the woods are lights and the sounds of people laughing and talking. This must be the infamous Reign of Terror clubhouse. “Why are we parked so far away?”
“To give you a chance to regain your land legs without an audience. I