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Something flashed in Rocky’s eyes, some kind of steely determination, but I couldn’t figure out why. “All right. You need to lay low for a while, and you can do that here.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?” I shook my head even as my brain shouted at me to shut the hell up. “You sure?”
“Is there a reason you shouldn’t?”
I sighed. “I mean, besides the fact that someone wants me dead and might kill anyone in his or her path? No.” Other than the fact that my mouth watered for a taste of this man? “Thank you,” I managed to squeak out before shoveling a forkful of scrambled eggs in my mouth to prevent me from saying something silly.
“You need help and I happen to be in a position to be able to help you, but I have just one rule.”
I hated rules with a passion, but I nodded because I also suspected I would hate dying. “Okay. Hit me with your rule, Rocky.”
“You listen to me. You do what I say.” His expression was firm and tight, showing me the take no shit badass side that Nolan told me about. “You don’t know who this is, which means it could be anybody. An ex-lover, a secret admirer, a stalker, or even a friend. Sorry to say you’re gonna have to be on lockdown, sweetheart.”
I should’ve focused more on the lockdown part, but my brain was fixated on the sweetheart part. It was a much better distraction from the danger I was in, which made me feel like the little girl I’d been when I’d first been ripped from my shitty parents and my world was turned upside down. That little girl had lacked stability, hadn’t known where she’d belonged or when she’d be taken somewhere else again. She’d gone back and forth between her aunt and her parents more times than she could count, until finally her father crossed the line and left her with no more parents to speak of.
I hated that feeling and here I was a decade later, feeling it again and hating it even more, because now I knew what stability was, I knew I could provide it for myself.
“I don’t like it, but I agree.”
“Good. You’ll stay here today,” he said around a mouthful of food. “I need to head to the clubhouse for a few hours to talk to my brothers and update them on you. I’ll be back later. I can get one of the prospects to pick you up some clothes if you want?”
I was about to object, but then realized unless I wanted to walk around like an out of work cheerleader then I probably needed some options. “Please, I can pay you back.”
“No need, sweetness. We have money put aside for emergencies. I’ll make sure they get something decent, the club bunnies can help with the choice.
Club bunnies? I had no idea what he was talking about, but I appreciated his kindness. “Thanks.”
We finished our breakfast in a tense silence that slowly dissipated with every second that passed. I watched him when he wasn’t looking, trying to figure out what it was about him that kept my thoughts on the dirty side of things. His gaze met mine and there was that sexy as hell smirk again.
“Anything I can do around here to help out?” The place looked clean, barely lived in, and he could obviously take care of himself.
His gaze raked over my body, and he smiled. “No need to earn your keep, Peyton.”
“How about to be a good housemate, then?”
He stood and took the empty plates to the sink, rinsing them quickly before shoving them into the stainless-steel dishwasher. “Pick up after yourself and do what I tell you.”
I wasn’t any good at doing what I was told, not since back when stepping out of line meant a black eye or a fat lip, sometimes bruised ribs. Rules were to be broken because only assholes tried to control you. But Rocky was giving me a place to stay, so I nodded my agreement.
When he was gone, I took a long bath and thought about what a shitshow my life had become.
It could’ve been worse.
I could’ve been a cold body in the morgue right now with my throat slit.
Chapter 7
Rocky
I arrived at the clubhouse feeling annoyed as fuck by my attraction to the woman my son used to date. How fucked up was that? I felt like a scuzzy old man lusting after a twenty-year-old stunner, but she was tempting as hell, and the way she eye-fucked me this morning made it hard to remember why I had to keep my hands to myself.
“Why so grumpy, bro?” Gio clapped me on the back, a shit-eating grin on his face as if he already knew the reason for my bad mood.
“I’m not grumpy,” I growled, and shrugged his hand off me. “Where is everybody?”
“The office,” he answered easily, hazel eyes still amused as he followed me. “So, for real, what’s up? You seem like a bigger asshole than usual.”
I punched my kid brother in the arm.
