Page 2 of The Biker's Forbidden Craving

She narrows her brows and stares at me with anticipation, as though I’m holding her back from her dreams. “Why don’t you talk to your brother?”

“Umm… Duke’s an overprotective psychopath. That’s the first reason. There are quite a few others, though. You don’t want to mess with him or the people he knows.”

The kitchen quiets, and for a second, I can hear every word being spoken, every toe being tapped.

‘The Prez has to go. He’s a traitor.’

My heart pounds hard as I try to rationalize what I’ve heard. That can’t be right. I must have heard wrong. I hate this.

I hate that he’s involved with this MC, but what can I do? I’ve begged him to change his life. He doesn’t listen.

“Okay… you heard that too, right?” Maci’s face looks paler than before. She leans in slowly and says, “They’re totally after your brother, aren’t they?”

I glance back at the two men sitting in the corner booth, noticing more details than before so I can describe them to the police if I need to. Buzzed hair, dark black ink, a scorpion on one of their hands… or maybe it’s a spider.

What the hell is going on? What did Duke get himself wrapped in this time?

I lean in closer, trying to hear more of the men’s conversation, but the kitchen noise has picked up again. I’m staring when one of the men glances toward me, making direct eye contact.

Oh shit!

“We gotta go,” I announce to Maci, who’s seemingly unphased by the amount of danger she’s in.

“Why? This is just getting good. I need a juicy story, and this is the most interesting thing that’s ever happened here. Trust me, I’ve been on this mountain since the day I was born. Twenty-seven years and nothing. Now, all the sudden, some action, and you want to leave? Girl, you’re from Texas! Aren’t there shoot-outs all the time there?”

“Shoot-outs?It’s not the wild west anymore. Not to mention that these guys probably won’t shoot either. They’ll kidnap us, take us back to their secret lair, and we’ll never be seen again. Don’t you ever watch crime dramas? This is the beginning of every episode. A quiet night at the diner, an innocent bystander, and bam… back of a blacked-out van with nothing but a six foot hole on the horizon.”

Maci laughs as she dips another fry into her milkshake. “Let them. I need some excitement in my life. Last week, I wrote two stories about farm animals, and one about a local woman who lost her wallet at the candle shop, but had it returned to her by another shopper. Do you know how boring that is? A kidnapping might make me feel alive again.”

“Fantastically alive, then wishing you had boring,” I say, pulling a twenty from my purse. “We should go.”

“Why? They aren’t even looking at us anymore.”

“What if they recognize my face? He’s my brother.”

She rolls her eyes and waves a floppy fry at me. “You said you don’t talk to your brother.”

“Yeah, but people still know things.” I stand from the booth. “I’m going, and you should come too.” I’ve barely stood when the man on the right with the scorpion tattoo fixes his stare at me. I’m probably drawing attention to myself. If I’d just sat still and pretended I didn’t hear them, none of this would matter. Instead, I’m in full panic mode like an idiot.

What was I thinking coming out here?Well, I know what I was thinking. I was thinking I needed a fresh start, and what better way to start than living in a fantasy land with my brother’s best friend. We’d be in a new place, we’d both be starting over, and we’d be tempted to talk and spend time together.

I’m delusional.

“I’m heading out. I highly suggest you follow me.” I speak the words to deaf ears. Maci is in full-on journalist mode. That, or she really is desperate for an adventure. Truthfully, I’ve been known to novelty seek myself, so I get the allure, but still.

“Nope!” She grins wide and twists her long, dark hair to the side. “I’m totally good. If they take me, I don’t owe rent this month, right? Silver linings everywhere.”

“Silver linings,” I repeat, shaking my head as I step out into the street. Truthfully, I’m probably being ridiculous. One look doesn’t mean anything. They don’t know me, I don’t know them, and they don’t know I heard anything.

I step out into the street and climb up into the red Ram truck I drove all the way here from Texas. I couldn’t leave it behind. It’s the one thing my father left for me when he passed. I think he knew how much I loved the full-length mountain decal he had put on the tail gate. It’s true, I do, and every time I see it, I think of him and all the cowboy movies he used to love to watch. If I see one on TV, I leave it on in the background just to feel closer to him.

Letting out a sigh, I turn the engine over, but it doesn’t start.Shit!Of course, it doesn’t start. The lights aren’t automatic. I’ve forgotten that twice now.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

A heavy knock hits the side window, and I do my famous jump-scream duo. I should really work on an attack more menacing. I don’t think the jump-scream move is going to stop anyone.

“Sorry.” Hank’s voice is low and graveled, sending waves of serotonin through every cell. “I know you’re scared of your own shadow. I should’ve thought that through.”

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