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Gauge’s fingers steeple in front of him and press to his face, like he’s trying to pray the thoughts away. I’m no better. My leg bounces uncontrollably, and I pinch the bridge of my nose.
I growl in frustration. If I can’t talk about what I’m going through with Gauge, who the fuck can I talk to? I decide to let my thoughts out. “Even if I wanted to pursue a relationship with her, she’s not on board. Apparently she’s living by the same ‘one and done’ code as me since her last boyfriend.”
Gauge sniggers. “Never thought a woman would give you the shaft.”
“This one’s stubborn,” I admit. It’s easier to talk about my feelings for Josephine knowing Gauge is in the same position with Opal.
Gauge gives a firm nod. “Good for her. You fucking need someone with a backbone who will challenge you. All those past bitches rolled over and took whatever you gave them. It’s why this one has you wrapped around her little finger. She doesn’t and won’t put up with your shit.”
“All true, but it’s more. One look at her and I was snagged. It’s fucking fate, I tell you,” I say, leaning back in the stool and crossing my arms over my barrel chest.
“You don’t believe in that shit,” he counters.
I turn my deadpan-face to him and raise an eyebrow. Both of Gauge’s go up. “You’re telling me the sex is so good you’re rethinking your fucking relationships theory?” he scoffs.
I shake my head. “You have no fucking clue. Or maybe you do,” I say as I see Opal across the diner staring longingly after Gauge.
“Motherfucker,” Gauge mumbles into his coffee. “Enough of this brother-bonding shit.”
Gauge and I have been best friends since we met at boot camp. Just a couple of eighteen-year-olds, angry at the world, finding themselves and their way by becoming SEALs. We found brotherhood through our shared trials and victories. I trust him with everything including my life, and the feelings are mutual.
When I decided to retire after a decade of service, Gauge followed my lead, and he never batted an eye when I suggested we should cruise the country. Chase left the SEALs after seven years of service to follow us. And Punk served his four years before joining our crew. We have a dozen MC members now, but these guys, my motley crew—Chase, Gauge, and Punk—have been with me long enough to know I’m fucking breaking all my rules for Josephine.
Needing to shake off my nerves, I stand and stretch before slapping a hand on Gauge’s shoulder. He nods and stands to follow me out, needing no words to know I want to ride. Punk falls in line and we walk to our bikes where Chase is already waiting.
My phone pings with a text from Chase containing Josephine’s address. I smirk and climb on my bike, pulling out her business card.
When I requested her card, it threw her, but she obeyed and handed one to me. One quick glance and I knew it had her cell number, giving me another way to keep in contact with her.
“I didn’t even need to reach out to Steve at the station. Her address isn’t unlisted,” Chase says, climbing on his own hog.
I frown. Well, that isn’t safe at all. I’ll talk to her about changing her address to unlisted when I see her tonight.
I shoot her a text.
*Don’t forget about tonight, Pixie. I’m coming for you.*
With a nod to my brothers, I start my bike and pull out with Gauge at my right, Chase and Punk behind. We make our way out of the city and let loose. This is our first real ride since coming back from Colombia less than twenty-four hours ago. We all need it. The wind whipping around us and the constant rumble of our engines puts us in a meditative state. We all have our own demons, but in this moment when our tires hit the open highway, we’re finally free.
The sixty-mile drive to Denver gives us a little reprieve before we meet with our next client. He’s some rich investor named Henry, who’s being blackmailed by an ex-lover with pictures of him in some compromising positions. Henry reached out to us through our security company website.
The guy’s in a sore spot. To his family and colleagues, he’s a mild-mannered straight guy, when in reality he’s a closeted gay man into S&M. He was tied up and blindfolded when pictures were taken without his consent.
Lucky for Henry, cyber work is a damn breeze for us. Chase was the intel specialist on our team back in the SEALs, and fuck if he ain’t a straight-up hacker now. The guy is scary with what he can find out and get into with only a computer. Chase prefers to keep things as legal as possible, but when we’re in a pinch, he has no problem breaking a couple laws for the greater good.
It doesn’t seem fair, what Henry is going through. He wasn’t hurting anyone by enjoying his sexual needs. He’s not married or involved with a partner of any kind, no kids—he’s just a poor sap who got screwed by someone in whom he put his trust.
My mind drifts to Josephine.What happened in her last relationship?Did she put all her faith in him and he did something inexcusable? What exactly is she scared of, giving her the opinion that avoiding me is the safer route?
All I can recall her saying about her past relationships is something about not being with anyone since breaking it off with her ex.
Suddenly, I’m able to piece it all together without her having to fill in the blanks. The fucker hurt her, and she has sworn off men since. If this past fuck-up hinders my chances of getting in her pants again…
I’m a level-headed man—have to be in my line of work—which makes my sudden temper unjustifiable. This woman is seriously messing with my head. I sigh.
Shit, I know it’s going turbo fast. It would have been easier on both her and I if she were another conquest, but my ‘one and done’ attitude fucking flew out the window the minute I held her. All I know for certain is I need to earn her trust by being the best man I can possibly be for her.
Before leaving Denver, we reassure Henry we’ll be able to help him. Any hard copies, USB drives, or computers will be confiscated by our ground team, which I will most likely lead. Anything in a network or cloud will be deleted or buried so fucking deep it will never see the light of day.
