Coast tilted his head, waiting for an explanation.
I blew out a breath. “Merrick’s worked hard to keep her on the right track. Put her through college. Made sure she had everything she needed to get out of here and build her own life. But I’m worried that what her ex did has fucked with her more than she’s letting on.”
“She looks like she can handle herself,” Coast observed.
I scoffed. “She could beat down most of our prospects—except you. Not sure she could take on a SEAL.”
“Bet she’d give me hell, though,” Coast shot back.
“Careful,” I warned.
Coast held up his hands, his grin more a taunt than a promise. “Heard you the first time. I wouldn’t think of crossing that line with her. Besides, she’s not much older than my daughter.”
We continued tinkering with his bike. By the time we finished and I’d showered off the sweat and grime from the day, the party was in full swing.
The clubhouse smelled like smoke, whiskey, leather, and sex—the same alluring cocktail that drew me in when I was a twenty-one-year-old prospect. A fire roared behind the clubhouse, and the air pulsed with the bass of divorced-dad rock and laughter mixed with the occasional growl of an engine revved for no reason other than to be loud and obnoxious.I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Most men my age came home to a mortgage and a minivan. I came home to this—cold beer, hot women, and the promise of a damn good time holding both. I let the familiar mayhem that felt like home envelop me as I walked through the clubhouse to the backyard.
Home. Funny word for a guy who’d never really had one. I’d stopped looking for one as a kid. I’d learned as a teen that touch was easier than trust, a woman’s body warmer than the empty promise of love. I lived every single man’s dream.
I grabbed a beer and found a spot by the fire pit near Fuse, watching the flames throw a golden glow acrossthe crowd. A pretty blonde wearing a low-cut top sat on my lap. She smelled like coconut, lime, and copious amounts of tequila. My hands found their way to her hips, more from muscle memory than real interest.
Mandy? Mindy? I’d already forgotten her name. My pocket chirped twice before I groaned. “Lean over a bit, doll,” I said, reaching for my pocket. She pouted but shifted just enough to allow me to pull my phone out.
It chirped several times again in succession before I unlocked the screen.
Merci: So you know how you said to call if I needed a ride? I think I might.
Merci: Or maybe I’ll sleep in this field. The stars are pretty.
Merci: Do you think I’ll get eaten by a coyote if I sleep on the ground?
Merci: I’ve always wanted a pet armadillo. I wonder if I can catch one.
“Stand up,” I ordered the blonde. She huffed until Fuse patted his lap. I walked away from the group and dialed Merci. The phone rang through to voicemail. I called a second time. No answer. I furiously typed out a text message.
Me: Answer your goddamn phone.
Merci: I’m busy building an armadillo trap. I’ll call you back.
I scrubbed the back of my neck with my hand and dialed her again. This time she answered.
“Where are you?” I snarled.
“Um, so I went to a party. Then these girls I met offered to take me to another party. A betterparty. But it’s someThe Hills Have Eyesshit out here.”
I tensed at the idea of Merci, alone and vulnerable. And drunk. “Send me your location.”
She continued to ramble, her words slurring together. “I wandered away from the group because I had to pee in the woods, and I think they left without me. Which is complete bullshit. Who leaves a girl at a party with a bunch of frat boys she doesn’t even know?”
“Send me your fucking location.” This time, my tone slipped into a clipped order.
Merci ignored me, babbling on like she was speaking in cursive. “It’s peaceful out here away from the party,” she mused. “Don’t worry. I have a pointy stick to keep the coyotes away. And if I can just finish this trap, I could have a pet armadillo by morning.”
My patience snapped. “Merci, if I have to track down Linc to ask him to find you, the next call I’m making is to Merrick. And he’s going to leave his happy little vacation very pissed off that I couldn’t keep his sister out of trouble for more than a few days.”
“What was that?” Merci stuttered, fear edging her voice.
