Page 54 of Wild Night

“Girl,” he says, his eyes dancing as he looks at me, “you couldn’t have done shit. Would have been on someone else, no matter what. You walked into that clubhouse with the weight of the world on your shoulders and trouble tailin’ your pretty ass. We all clocked you the moment you slid that pretty red car into the parking lot. But family helps family.”

“I don’t even know anyone there. I’ve only talked to Dakota a few times,” I whisper.

He hums. “Dakota loves you. And unless you plan on doing her dirty, then that shit wouldn’t have mattered. No matter what.”

“No matter what?” I ask. “I’m going to assume what you’re doing down there is not on the up and up, and it would have been a problem for the Feds to come sniffing around. So I think it would have mattered greatly.”

My words come out in a harsher tone than I intend. But if Shocker notices, he doesn’t react in any way. Instead, his lips curve up into a bigger smile. He clears his throat and shakes his head a couple of times as if nothing bothers him. My tone, my words, they all just roll right off his back.

“Shit goes down, darlin’ girl; your family is the one who helps you out on that, blood or not. That’s what we do. That’s who we are.”

Tears prick the backs of my eyes, and they threaten to roll down my cheeks. I don’t understand what’s up with me being so emotional. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I chalk it all up to the culmination of everything that’s happened in my life recently.

“I’m not sure I deserve that kind of devotion,” I say.

Shocker reaches out, wraps his fingers around mine, and squeezes me firmly, his eyes never leaving mine. “You deserve it all, Posey. Don’t ever let yourself believe you don’t.”

With that, he releases my hand, slaps his palms against his thighs, and stands to his feet. I’m not sure what’s going on, but he seems ready to leave, and I haven’t told him if I’m going with him or not. In fact, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If I wasn’t confused before, which I was, I’m certainly perplexed now.

“I’ll be back tomorrow. We’ll have another talk. You want me to bring you anything?” he asks.

I can’t imagine wanting for anything with Void in charge, but then a thought flashes in my mind, and I think about Lainey and her amazing pastries, and I suddenly must have one. I mean, it won’t be hers, of course, but I could use a pastry.

“Maybe a dessert of some kind?”

Shocker’s eyes widen. He blinks a few times, then he shakes his head, his lips twitching into a smile. “You missing Lainey’s place?” he asks.

“I am,” I confess the truth of it.

He hums. “See what I can do, darlin’ girl. Now, you think of anything you want to ask me or talk to me about tomorrow. I’ll be here and answer everything as best I can.”

Without another word, he walks away. I watch him move through the living room and toward the front door. He pauses, lifts his arm, and gives a wave to Void. A few moments later, he’s out the front door, and I hear the engine of a motorcycle start up before it fades away.

“You good?” Void asks from behind me.

Turning my head, I look over my shoulder to see him leaning against the jamb of the kitchen doorway. His gaze searches mine, his expression serious and concerned. He’s handsome, barefoot, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, his eyes on me.

God. I wish I could just want him the way I want Ivy. I think it would make things easier. Then I could just tell Shocker I’m going to stay here with my man, and then I won’t be a problem for anyone ever again.

And sure, I could lie and say that, but I’m not someone who lies like that. Just thinking about the lies that Lucian told me makes my stomach twist. There is no way I could make someone else feel the way I feel every time I think of him.

And I couldn’t do that to Dakota.

“I’m good,” I murmur.

“No, you’re not,” he says with a snort. “You’re lost inside your own head.”

He’s right. I am. I’m completely lost. “I didn’t know what to say to him, and I don’t know what to think.”

Void pushes off the jamb and walks into the living room, sinking down in his recliner with a groan as he pushes back and lifts the footrest. I watch him get into position, and my lips curve up into a smile.

“You say whatever the fuck you want. Stay here, move there, move somewhere else entirely. World is your fuckin’ oyster, Posey. You have all your money back, plus some. You don’t have anything that is keeping you here.”

“I have my niece there,” I say.

“Your niece you don’t know?”

He’s not wrong. But at the same time, it’s not because I didn’t want to know her. It’s because of my parents. My sister was never going to bring a baby into our home. I wouldn’t, either, and I would never expect her to.

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