Page 38 of Peaks and Promises

That question weighed heavily on me. A douchebag ex was one thing. An outlaw motorcycle club was quite another.

At least I no longer had to worry about how to protect both Summer and Nate while she was at work.

She seemed to have calmed down by the time we reached the store. We went in together, and I made it clear the groceries were on me. Her eyes flashed with anger, and I had to hold back the insane urge to smother her rage by hugging the fight out of her. In the end, she took a deep breath and thanked me.

I was only a little bit disappointed.

We managed to get through our shopping trip without any disasters. No rumble of motorcycle engines or unexpected encounters. No one followed us back to my place.

I made sure of it.

Still, home felt safer. I could relax my vigilance—at least for the moment.

We brought everything inside, leaving their bags near the door. While Summer and I put the groceries away, Nate got a pile of Lego pieces out of his bag and started building something. It reminded me how young he really was. He might have been the size of a small adult, but he was still very much a kid.

“Do you mind if I go shower?” Summer asked. “I feel like I need to wash off…everything.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Thanks.”

The thought of following her into my bedroom flashed through my mind. I wanted to take control. Make her set down all her burdens and lose herself. Make her forget her own name.

But that wasn’t what she needed from me. And it wasn’t a risk I could take.

She wouldn’t want me if she knew the truth.

Besides, I had two people to protect. That was my focus.

I made sure Nate knew to stay indoors and stepped out back to call Gunnar. I needed to run the situation by someone I could trust.

“Yeah,” he answered after two rings.

“I have a situation.”

“Go ahead.”

“Client’s name is Summer.” I didn’t like referring to her as a client, but it was easier to explain. “Single mom, ten-year-old son. Her ex is in town causing trouble. Two of his buddies harassed her at work. Then he showed up outside her son’s school. Last night, they vandalized her workplace. Got her fired. But my gut tells me the son is the real target.”

“What’s she got going on the legal side? Protection order?”

“Not yet. She hasn’t needed one. The ex has been locked up.” I paused. “There’s a complication.”

“What’s that?”

“He’s a member of Midnight Mayhem.”

“Oh, shit.”

“It gets worse. Her mom’s an old lady to someone high ranking. Summer and the ex have been split up for years, but the club never really left her alone. Sounds like they send a couple idiots to harass her every now and then. Make sure she knows they can always get to her. I’d put the mom behind that.”

“And now that the ex is out, he wants his kid. And the club will back him.”

“Exactly.”

He let out a long breath. “Don’t take that client, Reese. You don’t want to get mixed up in this.”

“Too late.”