Page 74 of Silver Fox Daddies

I step forward. “You’ve been ignoring all of our calls. Not texting. It’s been this way for two weeks.” I square my shoulders. “You need to tell us what’s going on.”

I knew it. Melissa’s tense face tells me all I need to know.

Something’s wrong.

It scares me that she doesn’t look frightened. I watch her, waiting.

“You’re killer bikers. I should stay away.”

Bishop swipes a hand up her arm, bringing her into a side hug. “I know, sweetheart, but we have things under control. Promise.”

The muscle in her jaw remains tense, a tear slipping from her eye. She looks at me, and more start to fall. “I don’t think we should?—”

“No,” says Cash. “Don’t say that.”

I continue staring at her, narrow-eyed. Is this why she’s been avoiding us? Is that it? Just because we’re “dangerous bikers?”

She can’t even look at me anymore, her eyes flicking to the ground.

I frown.

“Things are dangerous,” explains Bishop, “but that’s no reason for us to put a stop to…whatever this is.” He looks at her in a way I’ve never seen him look at a girl before,ever,like he’s really seeing her. It’s not just about looks—if it was, I’m sure Bishop would’ve grown bored by now. “Look, you have to stay away, but let us into your life.”

“Your life is…unpredictable.” Her eyes waver to me again.

“Yes,” Cash says. “And I can see how you might think that’s scary. But you have to trust us, Melissa. Don’t cut us off and let us assume the worst. Let us in.”

She looks at the floor, searching her feet. She’s mulling something over. Deciding.

She sticks her head out into the corridor, checking that the coast is clear. Then, she walks across the hall and cracks open a door, poking her head in.

“In here, so we’re out of the way.”

Two weeks without her, and now she’s inviting us into a private room?

This is sure gonna end well.

I flash the others a look and trail in behind them.

It’s an empty lecture hall, and it’s huge. Seats ascend all the way up to the top. At a guess, the place can probably accommodate five hundred people. A lectern has been positioned center stage. For some reason, I expect Melissa to get behind it and begin a speech. Instead, she crashes on the first row of red benches and looks up at us.

“You’re right. I do need to trust you, but it’s just hard when I know your…history.”

“History?” Bishop says, surprised. “What are you talking about?”

“You know.” Melissa eyes me briefly, then turns back to the other two. “You’re all criminals. Trained killers that get paid to shoot people dead.”

“It’s not just about killing.”

I indulge Bishop’s words. Isn’t it? I thought in his world the only two things that mattered were power and pussy. Maybe Melissa has flicked his switch.

“I like you guys. I’m embarrassed to admit how much, to be honest.”

“Then, what’s there to go ghost about?”

She stiffens in the seat, that muscle in her jaw tightening again. After an interval of silence, she answers, “Nothing.” Her voice so tiny that all I want to do is wrap my arms around her.

But I suspect there’s more here that she’s not telling us.

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