Page 13 of Operation K-9 Brothers
Only it wasn’t Jack.As soon as she opened the door to find Lane standing on her porch, she mentally cursed herself for not checking through the peephole to make sure it wasn’t an unwanted visitor on the other side.
To keep her ex from coming inside, she pushed Rambo back with her foot before stepping out and closing the door behind her.“What are you doing here?”
She’d told Lane more than once she didn’t want to see him.She glanced at the chromed-out motorcycle parked on her driveway.Why hadn’t she heard it when he’d arrived?Had he coasted up so she wouldn’t know he was here?Probably, since he would have guessed that she wouldn’t open the door to him.
“Still playing hard to get, babe?”He smirked.
“There’s no playing about it, Lane.And I’m not your babe.I want you to leave.”She didn’t want him here when Jack arrived.Lane was unpredictable, and he considered her his property.Jack would be a trespasser, and Lane would act first and ask questions later.That typically meant fists would be involved.
Lane wore “bad boy” well, from the messy mop of dark brown hair down to the motorcycle boots.The tribal tattoo covering one arm used to fascinate her, more so the dragon on his back.He knew that, which was probably why he put his hand on the doorframe, strategically positioning his arm so the tat was near her face.
There had been a time when she’d been drawn to men like Lane Gregory, the ones who thumbed their noses at the rules, who had a dangerous edge.She hadn’t needed therapy sessions to know that Tate had left her with unfinished business.Tate had been her first bad boy, and she’d fallen hard for the always-dressed-in-black, motorcycle-riding boy her senior year of high school.It had been a surprise when he showed an interest in her, the overachiever good girl.
At first she’d ignored him when he would say hi to her in the halls, but she couldn’t deny that he was cute.Over time she got to know him, and beneath the swagger and bravado was a boy with a gentle heart, and she’d loved him as much as a teenage girl could love a boy.He had broken her heart, although unintentionally.He’d left this world doing what he loved best, riding his motorcycle.
Looking back, she could honestly say that Lane had been an attempt to recreate those few months during high school when she’d felt like she was floating on a cloud.At first, she had thought she’d found another Tate, because Lane had hidden his true nature well.But he hadn’t been able to sustain it.His anger and aggression began to show in small ways.Hard grips on her arm, flashes of temper when she didn’t please him.When his treatment of her and others escalated into violence, she ended things with him.That hadn’t gone over well, and he’d showed his displeasure by hitting her.
Problem was, he refused, even now, a year later, to accept that they were done.“Go away, Lane.”She reached behind her for the doorknob.“And stay away.”
He put his hand over hers, stopping her from opening the door.“Look, I know you’re still pissed about me hitting you.That was wrong and won’t happen again.Besides, I didn’t hit you that hard.I’d never hurt you, Nichole.”
That he could say that with a straight face didn’t surprise her.He really believed that he hadn’t hurt her.From experience, she knew there was no reasoning with him, and it disturbed her that she wanted to slap him.He was the reason she hated violence with a passion.
“Move your hand.In fact, remove yourself from my property.”Jack would arrive any minute now, and a confrontation between the two of them was the last thing she wanted.
“I’m meeting some friends downtown for a few beers.Thought you’d want to go.”
“No, thanks.”
He sighed.“Come on.It’ll be like old times.”
Exactly.
“You love riding behind me,” he said when she didn’t respond.
Correction.She used to.She still enjoyed riding on a motorcycle.Just not with him.When he dropped his arm to his side, she ducked inside and pushed the door closed, locking it.
“Damn it, Nichole.”He banged his fist on the wood.
She leaned against the door and closed her eyes, willing him to go away.A few minutes later, after getting anotherdamn it,she heard the rumble of his bike.She went to the window, letting out a relieved sigh when he backed out of her driveway.Seconds later Jack drove up.That had been close.
“Hey,” she said, stepping out to the porch as he walked up.
He smiled.“Hey yourself.”His gaze shifted to the road.“Who was that?”
Drat, he’d seen Lane leaving her house.“No one.”
