Page 37 of The Biker and the Baker
“Did it?” He’s smug as he removes his hand from under my dress and licks his fingers. “We’re just getting started.”
Um…“We shouldn’t have done that.”
He frowns. “Why?”
“Because you’re indirectly my boss.”
“Funny.” He snorts. “You’ve made it real damn clear since you started working at the pastry that you take orders from Cookie, not me. So I’m your boss now that you want an excuse for not being with me?”
“I’m—” My phone rings. Saved by the bell.
“Bitch, where are you?” Lissa demands when I answer. “I’ve been looking all over for you and I know you didn’t leave because your car is still here.”
“Wait by the car,” I tell her. “I’m coming.”
You already did. Hard.
Happy to have a legit excuse to get the hell out of there, I place my palms on Onyx’s chest and gently prod him back so I’m no longer sandwiched between his hardness and the table. “I have to go. Lissa is ready.”
Straightening my dress, I do the best I can to look like Iwasn’tjust finger-banged against a table by my enemy.
“Let me take you out,” Onyx says.
“Busy.”
He laughs. “I didn’t even give you a date or time.”
“I’m busy, all the time, every day.”
As I make to move past him, he grabs my hand, keeping me in place. “Why’re you fighting this so hard?”
On an impatient breath, I brush wisps of hair from my face. “Because you’ve known me for well over a year and wanted nothing to do with me because I wasn’t skinny, tall, or leggy. So what’s the deal now? Why are you interested all of a sudden? I haven’t lost a single pound. In fact, I gained some. So, I don’t get it. I just don’t.”
He appears genuinely perturbed. “Think you’re projecting your insecurities on me, babe. And it’s funny, ‘cause I’ve never pegged you as the insecure type.”
“Fuck you.” I yank my hand from his grip and slam out of his RV. Screw him. I’ve never been insecure a day in my life.
Except with him, my subconscious whispers.You care what he thinks. You’ve always cared. Because he interviewed you three times, and three times he hired the skinny, pretty ones over you. And at work, he only gives his attention to them. Yes, it’s true. He makes you insecure, and he deserves to have it projected on him.
No, he doesn’t. This is ameproblem, and I can’t hold him accountable for my inner issues.
Funny, it doesn’t matter how confident we think we are, there’s always someone out there who has the power to remind us of the truth. Insecurity is a part of humanness, though, right? It keeps us humble. Without it, we’d all be conceited, overconfident narcissists.
No one is truly as confident as they portray themselves to be. We’re still insecure, we’ve just trained ourselves to hide it well.
Chapter 9
Onyx
As I steeronto the complex of Kior’s fancy-ass uptown apartment, two nomad bikers stop outside the electronic gates, knowing better than to follow me in.
That shit started over a month ago. Right after Uncle Roller returned to Denver. Teenage wannabes following me around, never coming near, but silently begging:Lead us.
They need a club. A president. A home. But it isn’t going to be me. I’m done with that life. Not about to end up like my old man. The few brothers who were smart enough to get out in time have wives and kids now, living their best lives without having to look over their shoulders.
That married-with-kids life has never been appealing to me before—too safe, too balanced, too healthy. But recently, my perspective has changed.
Fuck that biker life.
