Page 49 of Biker's Babygirl

I smile back, deliciously sated and happier than I’ve ever been in my life.

I watch as Duke—my rescuer, my protector, and my Daddy—falls asleep. I know I should, too. But I can’t, because the one thing that plays in my head over and over again is how this is too good to last.

CHAPTER TWELVE

I tiptoe into the kitchen,and almost jump out of my skin when I see Shep sitting at the kitchen table. The brick that was thrown through the window is on the table in front of him and he’s nursing a mug of something.

I turn around as quickly as I can, hoping against hope that he didn’t see me.

“You don’t have to go.”

Damn my crappy luck!I swallow my sigh and slowly turn around to face him.

“Come on.” He reaches over and pulls the chair next to him out. “Have a seat. Don’t let me scare you off.”

I hesitate, weighing my options. Duke is asleep in the bedroom, and as much as I want to run to him and curl under his arm, Shep is actually being nice to me for once. Maybe I should take this as my opportunity to win him over. After all, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with his brother.

“Okay,” I say at last, shuffling toward the empty chair.

“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?”

I shake my head. “It’s been… a long day.”

Shep lifts his wrist, inspecting the watch he’s wearing. “Correction: it’s anewday.”

I hear the news with a start. “Seriously?”

“Mmmhmm,” he answers just before taking another sip. “Twelve-oh-four to be exact.”

So I’ve officially been with them for a week now. Hiding out—safe, but not safe. And putting them all at risk. For perhaps the very first time I realize all I’m asking them to put up with for someone who is basically a stranger.

Duke doesn’t think I’m a stranger. He thinks of me as his little girl.

The aftereffects of sex are still running rampant in my system and that, combined with the thought, makes me smile.

Shep sees and lifts an eyebrow. “You’re awful happy for someone who can’t sleep. I’d wager you’ve wormed your way in with my brother.” He says it casually, calmly, but there’s a bite to his words that even a deaf person wouldn’t be able to miss.

I force myself to raise my chin and meet the accusation in his gaze. “We love each other.”

“Love!” He slaps the table so hard that I jump. “Love? My brother is a soft-hearted idiot that likes to take in every stray he finds.”

The words make me cringe, but he’s nowhere near done.

“Been that way since we were kids. He’s always wanted to save every bird with a broken wing, nurse every sick fieldmouse. It’s in his nature. Most wouldn’t know it to look at him.” Shep drinks deeply before setting his cup down with a loud thud. “Butyou.” His eyes narrow as he looks at me. “You saw right through that tough-guy exterior, huh? And you’re milking it for everything you can, isn’t that right?”

I gasp, my cheeks stinging with outrage at his assessment. “You don’t know me?—”

“I don’t know you? Hell, you’re right, but I know an awful lot about you after tonight.” As though to punctuate his point, he picks up the brick and turns it over in his hands.

Bricks are innocent objects to begin with, but this one was used as a weapon. The wordsI’m coming for youglare back at me in jagged, blood-red letters. The sight of it makes my body freeze up, but if Shep notices, he doesn’t show it.

“I know you need to be rescued from your psychotic ex. I know you got yourself into a mess you didn’t know how to get out of, and now my brother is going to pay the price. Shit, we probably all are. But you” –He lifts his mug in a mock toast— “I’m guessing you’ll get away scot-free.”

I don’t know what to do. I’m frozen with indignation and guilt and fear.It can’t be true… Duke and Ellie and Elvis… even Shep… No one should get hurt because of me.But I know even as the thought crosses my mind that they very well could be. Lucas would hurt them without a second thought if it meant getting what he wants—me.

Shep sets down his mug and slowly gets to his feet. “I’m headin’ to bed. Maybe I can get a few winks before sun-up. How ‘bout you make yourself useful and set the alarm? The code is Duke’s birthday.”

I numbly register this information. What is he trying to tell me?

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