Page 23 of Texting the Wrong Bikers

Sadie takes longer to answer this time. Long enough that the tension starts crawling beneath my skin.

Then finally:

I’m not some innocent wallflower that needs protecting, you know.

I don’t need to think about my reply.

I’m just being honest. You’re right—I’m trouble.

Three dots appear immediately. Disappear.

Maybe I want a little danger in my life.

Shit. “Well, I tried, boys,” I say with a shrug, showing them the screen.

Dash snatches the phone from my hand and types:

Then we’re the man for you.

I glower at him. “Way to fucking ruin it and give it away. She still thinks she’s just talking to one guy.”

“No, she doesn’t. Not for sure,” Shadow says with certainty.

I open my mouth to disagree when the phone buzzes again.

If you’re so confident, then come over.

The music suddenly feels too loud, the room too busy, the lights too bright.

Dash slowly sits upright. “Well. That’s interesting.”

Chief’s jaw tightens. Shadow crosses his arms. Every muscle in my body locks instantly. Shit just got real.

Dash recovers first. “Obviously, she means me.”

“Why the fuck would she mean you? She was just talking to me,” I snap.

“Because I’m charming.”

“You’re exhausting.”

Chief holds out his hand calmly. “Lemme see.”

I don’t want to give him the phone. Which apparently tells everybody exactly how bad this has gotten.

Dash whistles low. “Trigger’s gone full caveman.”

“Shut up.”

Chief reads the message once. Then again. “Is she drunk?”

Shadow finally stands, stretching slowly before taking the phone off Chief. “No. She’s lonely,” he says quietly, setting the phone down.

Beneath the flirting, dirty jokes, and teasing, we all know he’s right. We hear it in the pauses. The late-night replies that come almost instantly. The way she lingers even after saying she should sleep. Sadie doesn’t want the conversation to end. Neither do we.

“So, is one of us going to go? Should we all go?” Dash asks, looking between us.

Chief shakes his head. “No. If Trigger is right and she thinks it’s just one guy, it will scare the crap out of her if all four of us show up on her doorstep.”