Page 30 of Contracted to the Bikers

“You don’t confirm things like that by walking into enemy territory without backup,” Rook snaps.

“I had backup.” I don’t admit that I didn’t know I did.

That shifts things. Their laser focus snaps to Boone. He doesn’t move or try to defend himself. “I followed her,” he says simply.

Rook turns on him. “You knew she was leaving and didn’t say anything?”

“She was already gone. If I’d wasted time waking you up and explaining, I could have lost sight of her.”

There’s a flicker of understanding in Rook’s eyes, but he’s too stubborn to admit it. “That’s not the point.”

“It is,” Boone replies, voice steady but harder than usual. “I wasn’t letting her walk in there alone.”

Cruz drags a hand through his hair. “How bad was it?”

“Three men were waiting inside for her,” Boone says. “I knew it was a trap when she sailed past the security guard without a problem.”

Rook’s gaze cuts back to me. “What did you say to him?”

I feel foolish admitting it now. “That I’d had a meeting there earlier and lost an earring in one of the meeting rooms. The guard said he couldn’t leave his post, but I could go up and look for it.”

Cruz barks a humorless laugh. “Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all.”

“I know that now,” I snap back, embarrassed at my stupidity.

Rook sighs, bringing us back on track. “Then what happened?”

“When I got upstairs, three men were waiting. I handled one,” I say.

His jaw tightens. “You handled—” He shakes his head in disbelief. “What do you mean you handled one?”

“I knocked him out with a fire extinguisher.”

Cruz stifles a laugh at that.

“You fought them?” Rook says, utterly flabbergasted. He repeats it slowly, as if he can’t quite understand it. “You went into Briggs’ office, alone, at night, and picked a fight?”

“I didn’t pick it,” I say coldly. “They were waiting. I had no choice but to defend myself.”

“And what would you have done about the other two if Boone hadn’t shown up?”

I don’t respond because they’re right. If Boone hadn’t arrived at that moment, god knows what would have happened.

Rook looks at me, his expression pained. “They could have killed you.”

I can’t expect them to be honest with me if I’m not with them. “I know, I was stupid and reckless, but Boone got me out.”

Rook’s anger doesn’t abate. “And that’s it? No harm done? Briggs will know you were both there. You could have been injured or worse, and now we’ve lost any upper hand we might have had because Briggs knows we’re onto him.”

Boone shifts slightly, wincing. Cruz spots it, strides over, and lifts his shirt to reveal the bandages. “No harm done, my ass.” He glares over at me. “You could have gotten both of you killed.”

I hang my head in shame. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Cruz lets out a bitter laugh. “Sorry, wouldn’t change a damn thing. If we lost you…” His voice chokes up, and he can’t continue. I desperately want to go to him, to hug him and say how sorry I am; I can’t stop now, not until the truth is fully out on the table.

I glance at Boone, silently seeking his support. “I know, I fucked up. That’s not all I did.” I take a breath, ready to confess that I kissed Boone, that he did the honorable thing.

Boone’s jaw flexes once. “We kissed,” he says, before I can speak, taking the fall.