Page 27 of Barker

Whoever she is talking to sighs. “I’m afraid it can be. It shouldn’t be allowed, but it is. I just wanted to give you a heads up. Also, thank you for the payment you dropped off the other day. I received it and your dad’s bill is up to date now.”

“Thank you. That’s one worry off me.”

“I’m so sorry things are so hard on you. I wish I could do more,” the lady tells her.

“You do so much more than you have to as is. I’ll figure it out. I know he had tests run the other day and he told me they were fine, but were they?” Annistyn asks quietly.

There is a long pause. “He doesn’t want to worry you, but things continue to decline as we expected. I’m really sorry, Annistyn.”

I hear the lady leave and I wait for a few seconds before I step up to the nurse’s station to ask for the pudding. No nurse is there right now, but Annistyn notices me. I can see her wipe under her eyes before heading over to me. “Hey, you. Did you survive lunch with my daddy?” She tries to make it sound like she’s teasing me, but I know her well enough now to know she’s not. She’s barely holding it together. She won’t meet my eyes.

“Yeah, I like him. He’s a good man.”

“The best,” she says quietly, and I notice she looks over her shoulder back toward a window. I don’t question her because she doesn’t need that right now. I think she needs a hug and more money; both of which I can help with, but I’ll take care of them later. Right now, she’s fighting to stay strong and I won’t take that away from her. “So, why are you out here?”

“They forgot his pudding,” I tell her.

She gives me half a laugh. “Of course they did, and he can’t live without that chocolate pudding. I’ll go grab it. You can head back.”

I want to go with her, but it’s clear she needs some more time to herself so I nod. “Okay, see you in a few.” I head back down the hall formulating a plan on how to get Annistyn into the races without causing a fight like last time. She’s good behind the wheel and she could make more than enough money to keep up with her dad’s medical bills. I may have to enlist Talon’s help on this one. He seems to be the only one who can get through that beautifully, stubborn head of hers.

Twenty-Four

Annistyn

The minute that Penny, one of the nurses at my dad’s nursing home, told me the cost for dialysis was rising again my stomach sank. I was making it, but barely. The cost of living, school, and medical bills were going through the roof and no matter how much I could manage to make at Sinner’s Den, it just never really felt like enough.

When I turned around and saw Barker standing at the desk, I swear my heart stopped. Had he heard our discussion? How had I not noticed him before now? A part of me wanted to curl up and cry in embarrassment for the fact that he might know my financial issues. The other part of me, which is the part that always wins, squared her shoulders, held her head high, and plastered on that fake smile to make him think everything was okay.

I wasn’t totally sure if he believed me, but he didn’t push it, which I appreciated. Once I got my dad’s chocolate pudding, I went back to his room to find him and Barker on the couch watching an old western. I stood in the doorway to memorize the scene. I liked the way it looked and felt. I never would have thought Barker to be like this. I obviously had him all wrong. Barker was something I could get used to; which was both exciting and scary.

Right before Barker and I leave the nursing home, my phone vibrates and I see Talon’s name on the screen. I’d been worried about him all day and the gnawing feeling hadn’t left until just now. His text was short but to the point. He was sorry and he’d explain when I got home. I was just glad that he was okay. I hug my dad bye and head out into the hallway to meet Barker. He holds his hand out to me when I step out of the room, and I gladly take it. I like the feel of my hand in his. There’s an unusual sense of comfort in it.

My hands are always cold, but his are warm. Where my skin is soft, his is well used with roughness, just like they should be. I study him out of the corner of my eye, and I can’t help but think it should be illegal to be as good-looking as the Sons of Sin are, all tall, dark and handsome. They are just about every girl's dream.

Once we reach my car, Barker spins me around before pushing me against the car. He runs his hands up my body, starting at my hips. My skin lights on fire from his touch and the humid air clings to my exposed skin as my breath hitches. Suddenly, he buries his hands in my hair and pulls my mouth to his. The kiss is so much more. It’s roughly passionate and the little growl at the back of his throat makes my body vibrate. I dig my nails into his shoulder blades, trying to pull him closer to me.

Barker breaks away and draws in a deep breath. I watch as he drops his head back to stare at the sky above. The sun is setting behind him, and I wish I had a photographic memory for this moment right here. I watch his chest rise and fall with his breath and the flush on his skin. Drawing in a deep breath, I try to calm my nerves that are humming right now. When Barker’s eyes fall back on mine, they are unreadable.

“God, what do you do to me?” I shrug because I don’t have an answer to that. Barker steps back into me. “I can’t get enough of you. It’s like I could get lost in you, in just your kiss, for hours.” His thumb lightly traces over my bottom lip. Slowly, he leans his head back down, but the kiss is so different this time. It’s soft and tender and ends way too quickly. “You better get in that car before I do something that could land us both in jail.”

My mouth falls open, but Barker just laughs and winks before reaching around and opening my car door for me. I slide behind the wheel and start the engine. I watch as Barker walks back to his bike. I don’t know what it is, but there is something undeniably sexy about a man on a bike.

Barker stays behind me until we reach my neighborhood. When we reach the red light that leads to my place, he pulls up beside me and raises the visor of his helmet. Barker winks before turning in the opposite direction, heading home or to work. I watch him for a moment before I turn and head for the apartment.

I’m on cloud nine as I make my way up to my apartment, but the minute I enter the door, a smell I’ve become all too familiar with hits my nose. Blood. I look around and see little drops of blood on the floor. “Talon!” I scream out, as worry floods me.

A petite girl steps out of his bedroom door. Her medium-length red hair is a mess and she has mascara running down her face. “He just fell asleep, but I don’t think he should be sleeping. I heard that’s bad if they have a concussion.” Her voice is soft and sweet with a slight shyness to it. Landrey Collins. Everyone in town knows who she is, because she is the preacher’s daughter. Los Angeles has a ton of churches but only a few in this area of town. Her father is the most well-known in this area. Now the question is: what is Landrey doing in my apartment coming out of Talon’s room?

“I’m sorry, what?”

Landrey wrings her hands. I notice a slight tear at the bottom of the hem of her sundress. “Talon saved me from these guys and he was doing okay, but then a third one showed up and they just beat him. I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t. He was unconscious for a moment, but he woke up. I managed to get him to my car and I tried to take him to the emergency room, but he kept insisting not to,” her voice breaks, and she sobs.

I rush forward without thinking and pull her into my arms. Hugging her just seems like the right thing to do, despite not being an overly affectionate person with strangers. It will calm her down, but then my mind registers that she’s talking about Talon so I step aside and rush into his room. Landrey is on my heels. I stop in my tracks when I see him. He’s lying on his back in the bed. His face is swollen and bruised. His left eye is completely swollen shut. “Who did this?” I manage to ask.

Landrey shakes her head. “I only know two of their names, but they are from one of the other biker gangs, Jerick and Cam.”

My stomach rolls with nausea and anger. I take a deep breath, because I know I need to take care of Talon right now. I turn to Landrey. “Okay, go into my room. It’s a mess, so listen closely.In the corner, you will see a bunch of college books. Mixed in those stacks are a couple of first aid kits. Grab those.” Landrey nods before she disappears. I rush into the bathroom across the hall and grab some rags and towels.

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