AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re not,” I insist. “You’re not fucking expendable, Tank.”
“I’m glad you think that, but it’s not about self-esteem, honey. It’s a brotherhood and what it means to be in a club. Luckily, Ace hired a kick-ass lawyer who doesn’t like to lose. She found evidence, hard evidence that the judge couldn’t deny, to prove it was self-defense. From me or the other guy.”
I blink in shock. “So, is it totally over?”
“It is.”
My body sinks in relief. “But what about the other guy. Is he going to prison?”
“No, Soph. He’s not. But, that particular shit show is now in the past.” He pulls me forward and brushes a soft kiss against my lips that is exactly the distraction I need. “Tell me something about you, Sophie. Something that’s not serious but something I should know.”
I smile. “First date talk?”
He nods. “We haven’t had a first date. Yet.”
“We kinda had a date at the bistro.”
He chuckles. “I guess we could call it that. Wish we could have had more sunrise breakfasts before I got locked up.”
“Well, you’re here now, and I’d love to have an early morning breakfast with you.”
Tank runs his thumb against my cheek and asks, “What else would you like to do?”
“Eat? I’m fucking starving. I want tacos. Anyway I can get them. Hard or soft. Corn or flour. Shrimp, steak, chicken, or fish, give it all to me. With extra salsa.”
“Is that good for the baby? The salsa? Not too spicy?”
I roll my eyes. “A girl’s gotta eat, and I have fierce cravings. I’ll lay off the salsa. What about you, Tank? Are you a taco kind of guy or a steak and potatoes guy?”
“I’ll fuck up a good steak, sure, but give me fried chicken and real mac and cheese any day of the week. None of that boxed shit, either. I want it cheesy and bubbly and a little brown on top, fresh from the oven.”
“Noted.” I smile at him like a lovesick fool, feeling my heart double in size at the shared moment of silence. “Is your family in Angel Harbor?”
“No. My sister and my nephew are up in Sacramento. She’s doing really good these days, working at a cooking school.”
“Wow. That’s great. My brother and sister both live in Angel Harbor. He’s a single dad and works at the port. She’s, well, now she’s a social media girl, but last year she was a chef. She wanted to open up her own restaurant, but she found out how hard it is, so now she takes pictures of food for restaurants.” It’s nice, getting to know each other like this.
His expression is light, almost carefree, but I know our little forty-eight-hour love bubble is close to an end.
“Soph, I hate to say this, but I need to get back to the clubhouse,” he says almost with regret. “You want to come with me?”
Hell nois on the tip of my tongue, but I opt for diplomacy. “No thanks, I think I’ll just stick around here.”
His brows pull into a frown. “Why? What’s going on?”
I shrug. “What do you mean?”
“There’s something you’re trying like hellnotto say.”
I sigh. “I went to the clubhouse when you were locked up, and, well, Ace is mad at me.” That’s a gigantic understatement, but that’s enough for now.
“What? Why?”
“Don’t know, maybe that’s something you can ask him about.” I inhale deeply and let it out in one long, slow breath. “Also, you should know that Nova and Maggie are gone, no longer in town. And the clinic was leveled.” My eyes slam shut as the image of the clinic appears in my mind’s eye. “It was a firebombing, but, thankfully, the place was empty, at least as far as the news is saying.”
Tank’s hand shoots out, gripping my shoulder as he pulls me close until my face is pressed against his chest. “Are you all right?”
I shrug. “I’m working on it,” I admit honestly. “It’s just another thing to deal with, you know?”
