Page 19 of Heartbeats & Highways

Waverly laughed. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Later, man,” Dylan said to Savage. To me, he said with a smile, “Hang on tight, Evie. It’s going to be a wild ride.”

Waverly clasped Dylan’s hand and the two of them left the diner.

Savage placed his palm on my lower back and urged me to the table. My head was spinning.

“What’s The Ring?” I asked.

“The club owns a gym. It’s a good cover for that thing I’m not supposed to be doing,” he explained. “That thing you aren’t going to tell anyone about . . .”

I bit my lip and nodded. It wasn’t my business, but Waverly inspired my curiosity.

“How do you know Waverly?” I slid into the booth.

Savage took the other side. He reached out for the laminated menus and handed me one. “I’ve known her since she was born. She’s like my younger sister. Almost sixteen, and a terror.”

“I see.” My brow furrowed. “And Willa is . . .”

“Waverly’s older sister. More like a mother to her though. Willa and I have been friends since we were kids. She’s married to my other childhood best friend, Duke. And Duke is also my club brother.”

“Ah,” I said, putting the puzzle pieces together. “Now her teasing you makes sense.”

“She’s going to run back to Willa and tell her she saw me with you.” He glanced at the menu. “I don’t know why I’m even looking; I know what I’m getting.”

“You don’t seem concerned about Waverly gossiping about your business.”

“I’m not.” He set the menu aside. “What are you having?”

“I don’t know yet.” I frowned.

“Hey,” he said, reaching across the table and setting his hand on mine. “What’s really going on here?”

I bit my lip. “How many of your women have you brought here?”

“Truthfully?”

I nodded.

“Zero.”

I blinked. “Zero. Really?”

“Zero,” he repeated. “I haven’t brought anyone here. Just you.”

“Just me.” I sighed. “I want a waffle. A whole stack of them, with strawberries.”

He grinned. “You got it. And after breakfast, I’ll drive you back to the motel and we’ll grab your shit.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Because you can’t stay there. The club owns a half-way house. There’s a vacant apartment. You’ll be safe there.”

Chapter 6

“You sure this is a good idea?”Agnes asked as she looked out the lobby window to see Savage waiting for me.

“No. Not even a little bit,” I said. “But I heard gunshots last night . . . so I stayed at his clubhouse with him.”

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