Page 53 of Texting the Wrong Bikers

“No,” I say calmly. “It can’t.”

A beat passes and then Trigger exhales hard through his nose. “Fine.” He gets up, finishes his beer, and pockets his keys. Before leaving, his eyes flick toward Sadie again. He doesn’t even notice he’s doing it half the time, checking, watching, panicking, as if she might turn to dust if he doesn’t watch closely enough.

The second the clubhouse door shuts behind him, Sadie visibly relaxes slightly. Not a lot, but enough. Guilt flickers briefly across her face immediately afterward. “Sorry,” she says quietly.

“You don’t gotta apologize.”

She bites her lip slightly before speaking again. “Kane’s just…”

“Intense?”

She laughs softly in relief. “Yeah.”

I lean forward, resting my arms on the table. “Trigger means well.”

“Yeah,” she says quietly. “I know.”

The problem is, she doesn’t know how bad it can get when Trigger falls too hard. I do. I was there the last time. I watched him nearly destroy himself over a woman who kept one foot out the door the entire relationship. I recognize the signs now, the possessiveness, the hyperfocus, the way Sadie’s moods control his. It’s dangerous, for him most of all.

I glance toward her carefully. “Just… be careful with him.”

Her brows pull together slightly. “What does that mean?”

I choose my words slowly. “He might look tough.” My eyes drift toward the clubhouse door through which Trigger disappeared earlier. “But underneath it, he’s a sensitive soul.”

Sadie looks surprised by that. Most people would be. Then again, most people don’t know Trigger beyond fists, tattoos, and anger.

I continue quietly. “Trigger grew up in a violent home. Never knew love or tenderness. He doesn’t always know how to be affectionate in a healthy way. He got hurt pretty bad a few years back by an ex.” I don’t elaborate, I don’t need to.

Sadie’s expression softens. “I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

The sincerity in her voice almost makes me feel guilty for warning her. Almost. Trigger’s one heartbreak away from losing his damn mind again. She looks thoughtful and for a moment I wonder if I’ve upset her. “You okay?”

Sadie exhales slowly before reaching into her bag. She pulls out an envelope. “Actually, I’ve got something on my mind… Ethan’s lawyer sent this today.”

Every protective instinct in my body sharpens as I hold out my hand. “Lemme see.” I realize as soon as the words leave my mouth that a more appropriate response would have been, ‘What is it?’ However, Sadie hesitates only briefly before handing it over, which is interesting. Most women would resist that level of control from a man they barely know. Sadie just looks relieved somebody else is handling it.

I pull the papers out carefully. My eyes scanning over the legal bullshit, minor custody adjustments, and thinly veiled intimidation disguised as formal language. My jaw tightens immediately. “Seems like he’s trying to save face.”

Sadie watches me closely. “That’s what Dani said.”

“He’s testing what he can get away with, but he’s not pushing for custody either. Seems like he’s doing it to get back at you more than any actual desire for full custody.”

Her shoulders sag slightly. “I know. I’m so tired.”

Something ugly twists low in my chest at that. I hate her ex for his pettiness, for putting her through this shit. If he’s not the asshole who sent that note, and I still think he is, he’s still a dick for doing this to her.

I scan the papers again. “He’s trying to pressure you into changing visitation schedules.”

She sighs. “I know. Unsurprisingly, it just so happens to be the opposite of my work schedule.”

So he’s definitely fucking with her, trying to make it so she can’t work and care for Owen at the same time. “You planning on answering this?”

“I was gonna call him Monday.”

“No.” The word comes out sharper than intended. At Sadie’s surprised expression, I force myself to ease back a half step. This is exactly the shit I’m trying not to do with her, take over, deciding things for her, and yet every protective instinct in me keeps screaming to handle it. To fix it. “To clarify,” I say more calmly, “You’re not calling him directly.”

Her eyes widen slightly. “And why exactly not?”