Page 68 of Tempt Me

“No worse than I’ve had while messing with your brothers.”

“Touche.” She laughs weakly and runs her hands over my cracked knuckles. Her touch is so gentle that it makes my heart clutch in my chest.

“Wildflower, I seem to always be coming to your rescue.” I wink, trying to lighten the mood as the voices around us sink in. Bella’s parents are chatting with Coach Hall, and Mrs. Martin is fawning over Jake.

All of us ignore Brock, who’s stuck in the back of the police cruiser, glaring at us like we’re the ones who have done him an injustice. He looks good with a busted nose and caked blood streaked along his cheek.

“Jake….”

“Yeah, buddy?” He glances at me over the crowd.

“Don’t let him clean up before taking his mug shot. This one will look good next to his Most Likely to Live in His Dad’s Shadow photo in the yearbook.”

“Yes, it will.” Jake chuckles as he pats Mrs. Martin on the shoulder and shifts his focus to Bella. “We should go down to the station and get your statement.”

“Yes.” She straightens her spine and brushes her hands on her jeans. “I’m ready.”

“I’ll take you.” I place my hand in the middle of her back, reading to steer her toward my pickup.

“No.” She doesn’t budge. “You need to get to work. It’s bad enough that I’ve repeatedly made you late, got your hand messed up twice, and now, you’re going to be a no-call, no-show.”

I yank my phone out of my back pocket and wait for Rissa to answer. “Twisted Ink.”

“Ris?”

“Yes? Is everything okay?”

“Bella was jumped by her ex.”

“What?!” Her voice is shrill as she hollers into the phone.

“What’s going on?” Rob’s voice comes from the background.

“Dom’s girl got jumped by her ex.”

“What in the fuck? Does he need backup? We can be there in twenty minutes.”

“Tell Rob it’s fine and that it takes longer than twenty minutes to get here.” Brock jerks forward in his seat as Jake slides into the driver’s seat.

The man is going to lose his shit and get into even more trouble. This happens when a child is spoiled rotten, never told no, and never had to work for anything a day in their life. They don’t know how to handle people who don’t bow down and do whatever they say.

“No, it doesn’t. Not if Rob’s in rescue mode.”

Right. I should know. I cut ten minutes off the drive yesterday.

“The guy violated the restraining order and assaulted her, so I’m going to the station with Bella while she gives her statement. I realize this is–”

“You take care of your girl.” Rissa cuts me off, and what she says goes.

Bella shifts from foot to foot as she clutches my arm. “Bella, it’s fine.”

“No, it isn’t.” The worry in her eyes almost does me in. She was the one that was attacked, and she’s worried about me.

“Rissa, can you talk to her? She’s freaked out that I’m going to get fired.” I’d lose my job to protect her in a heartbeat, but I’d miss them.

I shove the phone at her, earning me a dirty look. Jake says something to Brock and starts the cruiser’s engine.

“Sister, are you okay? You have us worried.” At this point, if I showed up without going with Bella to the station, I’d be more likely to get fired than showing up late.

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