Irritated that her day was derailed, she exhaled, blowing the hair off her forehead, and she called Scarlett to let her know she might have to cancel.
“My car has been vandalized outside my house.”
“What? That’s awful. When did that happen?”
Ryan came to her house after eleven and left at around one a.m., and her car was fine then. It was now after lunch.
“I’m not sure, but I’ve just got off the phone with the insurance; now I need to find somewhere to fix it.”
“Hold up a second, Lise.” She heard Scarlett call out to someone called Price. Then she got back on the line. “One of our prospects will come with a pickup truck and bring it to the garage.”
She hadn’t considered the Diablos auto shop, yet a wave of relief washed over her.
Lisa waited on the steps of her house, scrolling through her phone to calm down, when she heard a heavy truck coming down the street. But she hadn’t expected the man behind it on his motorcycle.
Lisa’s stomach dropped when she saw Ryan hop off his bike like a soldier. His hair was wet and flat under the helmet when he tugged it off, as if he’d just finished showering, he caught eyes with her only briefly before he walked over to her car.
“What in the actual fuck.” He swore, growling. “Who the fuck would do this? It’s wrecked.”
“Every window, boss.” Who Lisa presumed was Price said, “Even the tires have been slashed. Do you have enemies, babe?”
“Don’t call her babe.” Warned Splice in a hot growl, without turning around. He had his hands on his trim waist, glaring at the car.
“I don’t know who could have done it.” She relayed everything she’d told the police officer.
“Were any other cars messed with on the street?” he asked, and Lisa nearly shivered at how dark his tone sounded.
“I don’t think so.”
“Key fob, sweetheart.” He gestured with an outstretched hand, and Lisa dropped it into his palm. He tossed it to Price. “Hook it up, take it back to the garage, put it in a free bay.”
“Will do.”
“Thank you,” she told Price, who only smiled and went about hooking her car to the pickup truck.
That was when Ryan turned back around, and she nearly flatlined right there in her front yard when he stalked over and took hold of her upper arms.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just baffled. Nothing like this has happened since I moved in; this is a quiet neighborhood.”
“No one knocked to let you know?”
“I don’t know. But I’ve been working with headphones all morning; I wouldn’t have heard anyone knocking. Are you sure the garage has time to fit me in? I can take it to another place, Ryan.”
He dropped his head and came into her personal space, their noses almost brushing. Lisa sucked in a breath at his proximity, smelling his fresh skin. He might look fierce, but he also looked adorable with his hair floppy over his forehead.
“You’re not taking it anywhere else. I got it.”
“Okay, thank you. I was supposed to be going to your club for the first time. Scarlett invited me, but then I came out to see this, so I’m late.”
Something like flames passed through Ryan’s eyes, and when he touched the top of her arm this time, she trembled at the controlled hold. “I’ll take you there.”
The truck had driven off, leaving only his bike. She eyed it warily.
“On that? After what you told me the other day about riding on the back?”
The smirking man replaced the angry one of only a moment ago.
