Page 9 of Xavier

“Xavier?”

“Yeah, baby.”

“Am I dumb to trust you like this?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he paused in his rubbing of my back for a couple of seconds before he started up again. “What do you think?”

“You’re the only person who’s ever supported and protected me. You’re everything my parents would hate, but you’re the one person who’s been there during the scariest moments of my life, doing what needed to be done.”

“I think that should tell you what you need to know.”

“Yeah.” I lay my head on his chest. This time, Xavier put his other hand on the back of my head to hold me to him.

“I’ve got you, Tillie Girl. I’ve got you.”

Those were the last words I heard before I surrendered to sleep, Xavier’s steady heartbeat coaxing me to drift…

Until sleep took me.

Chapter Five

Xavier

A couple hours into the drive, four more bikes pulled up beside us. I was surprised that Venus and Piston didn’t veer off and leave the escort to us, Kiss of Death, but Oktober moved alongside Piston; the two fist-bumped in greeting. The whole convoy continued on like nothing was amiss. I had to smile. Prison had been hard. Fuckin’ hard. But the connections and family I’d made there were the closest and most supportive I’d had.

“Two escorts,” Tiny chuckled softly. “Right. Bet they had to make the rest of the guys stay home.”

I was grateful Tiny was considerate of Tillie and kept his voice down. She was sound asleep in my arms. Once she’d finally settled against my chest, she didn’t move except for her steady breathing. If she let out a small, delicate snore now and then, I’d never tell her.

“Fuckin’ missed the guys. And home.”

“You had a job to do. And you know you could have come home once you finished. Why the fuck did you stay in that hellhole so long anyway?”

“You really have to ask me that?” I glared at him over Tillie’s head.

“Yeah. You coulda been home instead in some cell like a fuckin’ animal.” Tiny frowned at me through the mirror. “Her?” I knew what he meant.

“Yeah.”

We were silent for a while before Tiny spoke again. “Worth it.” It wasn’t a question. Tiny could see me. He’d always seen me, even when no one else could. We’d been in the same foster home as kids and had stuck together. Even when sticking together meant we both got in trouble with the law.

“Was.”

Yeah. We were guys. Why waste breath on a full sentence when a couple words would do?

We stopped an hour outside of Nashville when Tillie stirred. “Where are we?” She didn’t lift her head, just shifted her position slightly and snuggled in deeper. I grinned, rubbing her back again.

“Just pulled into a truck stop,” Tiny supplied cheerfully. “You ready for some chow?”

Then Tillie stiffened, her eyes flew open. “Ohmigod!” She pushed up but I held her still, not wanting her to bump her head on the roof of the truck.

“Easy, honey. What’s wrong?”

“How long have I been asleep? And straddling your lap?” She sounded so mortified I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You were sleeping so peacefully, there was no way I was waking you.” I helped her sit up slowly. “Besides, I liked knowing you were secure where you were.” I smiled at her as I brushed a lock of hair off her cheek.

She gave me an adorably confused look. “But I was sitting in your lap.”

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