Page 55 of Rebel

“She’s my kid too.”

She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t say you couldn’t see her, I said we weren’t staying here.” She marched to the door and yanked it open, glaring at me until I got the hint and left.

I turned to tell her that we’d pick up this conversation later, but the stubborn woman slammed the door in my face and locked it.

Locked me out.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Nikki

“Good evening road warriors, truckers, bikers, and fellow travelers. Welcome toHighway Pulse.Tonight’s topic is sad goodbyes. Friends, farewells, and tears that leave us warm in the wee hours of the night. Tell me your stories and I just might tell you mine.” Being on the air and being with my daughter were the only times I felt normal these days. Thanks to Logan, Livvy had to divide her time between us, which meant this was my place to bask in normalcy. “Hey Sherilyn, you’re on the air.”

“Nikki, long-time listener and the story I have to tell you is a doozy.” She had a deep husky voice, the kind bought by a pack a day habit. “His name was Trent. Back then I thought it was the sexiest name I’d ever heard. But our weekend together was nothing short of magical. He was everything I ever wanted in a man and that long weekend was like a movie.” Sherilyn sighed and took a hit from her cigarette. “The worst thing about him was that he lived on the other side of the country. That was more than a decade ago, but I still think about him fondly.”

I dabbed my eyes. “Well you can’t get better than that, can you?”

“Naw, you sure can’t,” she replied with a laugh. “Thanks for letting an old lady ramble about times past.”

“Thank you for sharing with us.” I played an old rock tune about being shaken all night long and let my thoughts wander to the parallels of my story and Sherilyn’s. She got lucky that shenever knew Trent long enough to find out the rest of his flaws. And I couldn’t even regret knowing those flaws, because it gave Livvy what she wanted, a father.

He wasn’t the man I thought he was, not back then, and not even a few weeks ago, and that was all right. I didn’t need him to be anything other than a good father. It didn’t matter that his kisses made me feel more alive than I had ever felt with a man, or that he showed me what true ecstasy was. It didn’t matter. I wouldn’t let it.

More calls came in and I listened with a wistful smile to all the tales of brief love stories, friendship, and more, solidified on the road. “Okay, one more story. Caller, you’re on the air. What’s your name and what’s your story?”

“You can call me Bob, Nikki.” The caller’s voice was very deep and there was a hint of menace in his tone. “I have a story about a sad goodbye, and it goes a little somethin’ like this. Keep your fuckin’ mouth shut, and it’ll be a good long while before you have to say goodbye to that adorable little girl of yours.” The call ended abruptly.

My hand shook and my voice trembled. I couldn’t say anything, so I rolled over to the next song and motioned for Mia to play three songs before I closed myself in my office for a few minutes. I paced the length of the room, barely able to breathe. Those assholes threatened my little girl. Blatantly. Clearly. There was no question about it, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

The door opened and closed, and I knew it was Mia. “Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey,” I shot back a little brighter than normal. “Great show, right?”

“Nikki.” Her tone was gentle and sympathetic. “Are you okay?”

“Hell no, I’m not.” I turned and looked at my friend. “They threatened my baby. How do I unhear that? I can’t.”

“Come stay with me, both of you. It’ll be a never-ending sleepover.”

“I’d love to Mia, I really would.”

“But?”

I sighed and wiped my hand down my face. I’d thought about what Logan had said, and he was right. If I stayed with Mia, then she’d be in danger too. “But I can’t. They’d kill you just to get at me, Mia, and I can’t lose you. I’ll stay at the clubhouse until my house is fixed up or I find something better.” But there was no better option. That’s what I realized over the past few days of looking. Anywhere I reserved using my name, they would find. They would follow me from the station and come after me. The clubhouse was my only option. “Dammit.”

Mia wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “I’m sorry this is happening to you Nikki. There are so many people who deserve this shit.”

I laughed and blinked back my tears because I refused to cry over this. That’s what they wanted, me walking around terrified of my own damn shadow. Was I scared? Hell yes, but I was also an expert at pushing my feelings down deep and moving forward.

Fuck them.

“Thank you for that.” I shook off my emotions, limb by limb, until I felt loose. Lighter. Less afraid. “Okay, time for the send-off.”

Mia stepped back and nodded. “Time for the send-off.” We left my office, and I went back into the studio while she headed to the producer’s booth.

“We have one more call, Nikki.”

“Okay roadsters we have one final caller. Oracle, you’re on the air.”

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