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“You’re staying here. I’m going to head to the animal shelter.” She disappeared into her bedroom, changing out of her pajamas into a pair of jeans and a shirt that had both seen better days.
Tying her hair up on top of her head, she left her room to see Grant already at the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Hell no. No, not happening. Not at all. You are not coming with me.”
“And why not?”
“Because I’ve said so and I don’t want you there.”
“Maddie, what has gotten into you?”
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Grant, but this with us being friends isn’t exactly happening. We’re never going to be friends. I felt sorry for you, and I cannot find a good enough reason to kick you out of my house. You made my life a misery growing up, and your brother tore my heart out. So please, when I need space, kindly give it to me.”
Grant opened his mouth and closed it.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea you going out on your own. I will keep my distance and I’ll even shut up. I know what happened the last time you were at the animal shelter, Maddie, and I don’t want to see that happen again.”
She wanted to argue with him, but the truth was, she didn’t have a good enough reason.
“Fine.” She hated giving in, but it was the only thing to do. He wouldn’t leave her alone otherwise. “But you will be walking the dogs as well. If you’re determined to go where I go, you don’t get to be lazy.”
Maddie grabbed her jacket, shoving her hands that were already cold inside. She sped down the steps and walked several feet when Grant called back to her.
“Wouldn’t this be quicker?” he asked.
“I thought you didn’t have a bike.”
“I’ve been kicked out of the club, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to ride my beauty. My patch is gone, not my property.”
“Oh,” she said.
The bike looked like a death trap.
“Climb on, I’ll get us there faster.”
Grant climbed onto his death machine, and Maddie did the same, feeling her nerves getting the better of her as she didn’t know what to hold on to.
“You’re going to have to hold on to me,” he said. He took her arms and wrapped them around his body.
Maddie loosened her hold immediately.
“You don’t want to fall off, do you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then hold on to me.” He gave her hands a little pat.
She hated it.
The sound of the bike. The feel of the bike.
She was going to die. There was no doubting it.
Sickness coiled in her stomach.
“Are you okay?” Grant asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. Are we there yet?” she asked.
“Not even close, babe. We haven’t moved.”
She opened her eyes and saw they were still in the same position.
“Oh.”
He chuckled.
“Don’t call me babe.”
“Sweetheart.”
“No, you just get to call me Maddie. Nothing else.”
“Okey-doke,” he said.
This time, she squeezed her eyes shut after he started to move. There was a point as he rode to the animal shelter that she thought she heard him ask her to let go. She couldn’t.
She was so scared of falling off.
They got to the animal shelter in one piece, and Maddie was more than happy to climb off.
“Are you okay?” Grant asked.
“Yep. I’m fine. Totally fine.”
She looked toward the animal shelter, grateful for the distraction. The sounds of barking dogs were overpowering.
Entering the shelter, she spotted Hellen, who looked a little too frazzled. The moment Hellen saw her, she came running around from the counter and pulled her in for an embrace. “I’ve never been so happy to see someone in my whole life.”
She laughed. “I brought reinforcements.”
Hellen glanced at Grant, who held his hand up in acknowledgment.
“We’re too swamped to be picky.”
“Tell me what you want.”
All of the dogs needed to be walked. Some of the kennels needed to be cleaned. Food needed to be handed out.
The volunteers had some kind of sickness bug mixed with the flu. Maddie didn’t know if there were a few lies going around, or if you could have a sickness bug and the flu together. Either way, she was just happy to be of use.
****
Bull sat at the empty reception desk, thinking about Maddie. The room looked filthy. Every morning and evening, she’d give the place a quick clean so customers were happy to stay. Without her, the place looked like shit.
There were no decorations up. No festive shit. The Halloween tinsel sat on the floor in dirt and dust.
At forty-two years old, Bull finally knew what it was like to have and lose something he wanted more than anything else. It wasn’t like he didn’t treasure Maddie. He did. He fucking loved her. She was his life. His whole world, and once again, club business got in the way. He had to do whatever he could to protect her.
