“I’ve never broken my word.”
She studied him intently and then she smirked. “The redhead from Big Bill’s shop. Only reason I came to Conundrum today is because Viper is away tonight. He’s meeting her at a bar in Red River, since he can’t come into town.”
He didn’t need to look at Jagger. They’d been through this drill before. Protecting Evie. It was what they had always done. “Jag, you got Evie’s number?”
“I’m on it.” Jagger bashed the screen on his phone, waited. “No answer.”
“I’ll head out to Red River.” He walked down the alley, his heart thudding in his chest. Evie and Viper. Christ. And he’d thought Mark was no good for her.
“Gun can take over here. I’ll go check Evie’s house.” Jagger hesitated, called out. “Zane … she might not be happy to see us.”
Zane kept walking. “She never was, but we saved her anyway.”
EIGHT
Things are going to go wrong when you’re dealing with complex machinery. Don’t give up. Just do a better job each time you try.
—SINNER’S TRIBE MOTORCYCLE REPAIR MANUAL
“Well, look at you.” Connie looked over her shoulder from her seat on Evie’s couch and put down her video game controller. Beside her, Ty groaned.
“You’re dead. Now I have to reset.”
Evie grimaced at Connie’s slow perusal of her date-night outfit, a sleeveless black sheath dress that buttoned up the back, knee-high boots, a silver chain belt, and chunky silver earrings. The neckline of the dress dipped low, but not too low, showing only a hint of cleavage.
“Nice with a naughty twist,” Connie concluded. “Old Vipe’s gonna have a heart attack when he sees you. But then that’s the problem with dating an old man.”
“He’s in his mid-forties. That’s not old. He was in his late teens when his daughter, Arianne, was born. Same age as I was when I had Ty.” She straightened a pile of magazines on the glass table behind the couch. She and Ty had chosen glass and beige leather when they decorated the living room to brighten up the small space. Ty had picked out a few shaggy beige cushions and a matching area rug that were a nightmare to clean, but he said they reminded him of the sheep from his favorite video game, and she didn’t have the heart to refuse.
“Maybe he’s after you because he’s having a midlife crisis.” Connie picked up her controller, turning her focus to the screen. “Although what do bikers do when they have a midlife crisis? They already have the young girls, fast cars, and hot bikes. Maybe they buy a minivan and waist-high jeans, slip on some socks and sandals, get an office job, and start mowing the lawn.”
“You’re dead again, Connie.” Ty fist pumped the air. “You want to start again or play something else?”
Connie stood and ruffled his hair. “How about a board game? You know about those things? From the prehistoric age? They don’t have a controller and no one dies a painful death, especially me. Just good, clean, old fashioned fun.”
“I think I’ve got one of those.”
“Now who’s sounding old?” Evie laughed as Ty raced to his room.
“Wish I was coming along on your date,” Connie said wistfully. “My dry spell is getting drier every day and I’m guessing Vipe’s not gonna show without his mouthwatering biker posse to keep him safe. Maybe I could have some Black Jack fun. Although Tank was kinda cute. And he gave me his number.”
“I might end it with him tonight,” Evie said, fiddling with the links in her belt. “That’s why I picked this dress. I thought maybe he’d change his mind about me. I like him, but the whole shooting thing outside the shop scared me. And Zane … I mean it’s over between us, but if he’s going to be part of Ty’s life, things could get complicated since they’re from rival clubs. I just don’t know what to do.”
“If you were going for the matronly look, you haven’t succeeded. You’d look hot wearing a burlap sack.” Connie lifted an over-tweezed eyebrow. “And do you really think a man like Viper hasn’t already figured out what you’ve got going under that dress? Or that he isn’t interested when he sends one of his men to set up a date? If you don’t want to see him anymore, you’ll need to tell him flat out, otherwise I don’t think he’ll be turned off by the way your boobs are busting out all over the place.”
Evie glanced over at the hallway leading to