Page 89 of Twisted Road

Keys knew it wasn’t going to be easy. His woman wore her stubborn expression, arms crossed over her chest, her vivid green eyes daring him to give her another order.

“I’m not going to the compound unless you tell me what you’re going to do and where you’re going to be.”

Bog, but he loved it when she challenged him. He liked that in moments like this, Lyric didn’t fear opposing him.

“I told you there would be times I would have to leave on club business. I also told you that there would be times it would be safer for you to be at the compound, where those not going on a mission could better protect you. You won’t be the only wife there.”

Her chin went up. “But I’m not your wife. I’m a girlfriend. I’m already figuring out girlfriends don’t have quite the same status as wives. Which means they don’t have to be protected.”

He waved that ridiculous argument aside. She knew it was silly as soon as she said it aloud. “This is a matter of your safety, so you aren’t going to win.”

“It isn’t about winning.”

“What is really upsetting you, Lyric?” He glanced at his watch. He shouldn’t have indulged himself by making slow, thorough love to her when he was expected to bring her to the compound before first light. He needed to find a way to reassure her, but he hadn’t left himself a lot of time.

“Yesterday. My grand opening.”

He caught up her small backpack and stomped to the bathroom to collect her toothbrush and the other items she used every morning and night. From there, he went to the closet to collect underwear, jeans, a top and pajamas she might need. He stuffed those into her backpack, caught her hand and led her out to the truck.

The last thing he wanted to do was talk about what had taken place during the opening of her salon. Czar had carefully put together the plan to pull off the deception of the century. Having law enforcement as their alibi was brilliant. Photographs for the papers had been taken. They were on all the businesses’ cameras on the street. They were seen by everyone. The plan had been brilliant from start to finish. Not to mention, they were eliminating Ghosts at an astonishing rate. So much so that the head of that corporation was going to have to start worrying about losing so many of his trained assassins.

Lyric was observant. Very. If Keys was close by, she focused on him. It was one of the things he particularly loved about her. She was intensely passionate. She gave him whatever he wanted. She was utterly about him and yet completely her own person. She was intelligent and stubborn as hell when she felt strongly about something. The bottom line was Lyric had noticed something was off and had waited for him to tell her about it. She might have let it go, but now he was not just asking, he was telling her she had to go to the compound and he wasn’t going to be with her.

“We’ll talk about it on the way.”

She was Lyric, so she didn’t fight him. She might be stubborn but she was practical, and she knew he meant what he said this time. There was no argument that was going to change his mind. She slipped into the passenger seat and snapped on her seat belt without being prompted. Her lips were set in that pouty little bow he found irresistible. He kept his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road. It was the only safe thing to do.

“What did you think was going on, Lyric? Torpedo Ink threw a huge community party for the opening of your salon. I know your appointment book is completely filled for the next two months.”

“You always pay attention to me. Always, Keys. It doesn’t matter if you’re next to me or a football field away. You keep your eye on me. You didn’t.”

“Were you uncomfortable? You didn’t reach out to me.” He had to tread very carefully. He wasn’t going to lie to her. He’d promised himself and her that wouldn’t happen.

A smile flirted with her mouth, deepening her dimple briefly. “You’re so good at it, Keys.”

He glanced at her, one eyebrow lifting. “Good at it?”

“Bullshit. You’re very, very good at bullshit.”

He scowled as he turned his gaze back to the road. “You have a mouth on you, woman.”

“Maybe you’d better explain to me what was going on. I’m not stupid, Keys.”

He didn’t like that she might believe he thought that of her. “You’re my number one priority, Lyric. Always,” he said. Meaning it.

“I believe that. It doesn’t explain what was going on.”

“You’re family to Torpedo Ink. It doesn’t matter that they barely know you: you’re mine. That makes you family. Before anything else we do, we remove all threats to our women, our children and the club. Declan and his boys threatened you. They made their move against you. That was a declaration of war, and we take that seriously. Suffice it to say, the threat to you has been removed. We don’t need any further discussion on the subject.”

She was silent for a long time. The high fence around the compound loomed in front of them before she answered. “I don’t know how you pulled it off, but it had something to do with Player, Blythe and Zyah.”

“Wildfire. I love you. I do. But this is something we never talk about. As far as the world knows and will always know, we were having a great time in the streets of Caspar celebrating the opening of your salon.”

He put the truck in park and jumped out, catching up her backpack before rounding the hood of the truck to open the door for her.

Lyric slid off the seat, taking a little jump to land on her feet. Keys hid a smile. He held out his hand to her. When he walked with her, he wanted to be holding her hand. Connecting them together. Letting the world know she was with him, and he was proud of her. Proud to be the man she’d chosen.

It was odd to feel so strongly about something so simple as holding her hand. Doing so tied up one of his weapons. That meant it wasn’t the most intelligent of moves when it came to security. He was confident enough in his abilities to protect her to make the decision to stop living his entire life based on security precautions.