Page 17 of Bullseye
“Move!”
“No way, man! No freaking way!”
“No!”
Mikey and Tony and that stupid, unlucky kid.
Opening my eyes, I stare into hers. “Yeah. I know what you mean.”
“So, we’ll be non-sleepers together.”
Jeez, how I wish that meant something else.
“You’ll be here again at six tomorrow morning? I’ll bring you coffee,” she adds.
“Yeah, sounds great. I’ve got some work to do. Really great. Six AM.”
Fuck. Freaking Harry’s been razzing me about suddenly becoming an early bird. Since Sen works the night shift at the gourmet grocery outside town, she comes to the Taphouse early most mornings to pay her dues by working on the bikes. I’ve changed my work hours to make sure I’m around when she is. That’s one of the many nice perks about being Treasurer.
And no, it’s not that I’m crossing any lines, it’s that I don’t trust anyone else around her. Yeah, this is certainly a woman who can take care of herself, but men can be such assholes sometimes. Especially Seth. I just don’t want to leave her to have to watch out for herself.
Seeing me around will let them know they have to keep their damned mitts off of her. Maybe that’s not fair to the liberated woman she is, but frankly, it’s just the way of the club.
Staring down the neck of my empty bottle, I replay the phone call I just took. For the first time in years, I heard from my old man. It was a nothing call, with no real purpose. We chit-chatted about my mother and how long it’s been, but he purposely avoided small talk about the weather. That’s how I knew Mikey and Tony were there. My weather is different than his, and any mention of our ninety-degree days to his cold rain would at least narrow down, if not pinpoint, where I am.
Mikey and Tony must have paid him a visit, and just to fuck around, told him to give me a call. They just aren’t smart enough to realize by omitting the weather talk, he just tipped me off. My father almost never says what he means. He speaks in code. The rest is left for me to figure out. The guys in the Knights think I’m a whiz at reading people, but the truth is, it’s only because I’ve spent almost all of my twenty-six years deciphering code.
Unease is a feeling I’m used to, but not being able to do anything about it really fucks with me. That’s the reason I’m drawn to Seneca like a moth to a flame, and the reason I should stay the hell away from her.
But I’ve promised myself, if Mikey and Tony get anywhere near Hoppa, I’ll make sure Seneca is safe, guarded by the guys, and I’ll be gone before anyone realizes what’s happened. And they’ll be hot on my trail.
I hope.
“Hey.” Harry approaches, and I’m glad for the reprieve from my thoughts. “We’re heading to the diner for some good old-fashioned greasy food. You guys in?”
“Not sure about tonight, Bullet.”
“Well, I’m in.” Seneca smiles, brightening with his offer. “I’ve got the night off, and it’s loud in here tonight. Thanks for the offer, Harry.”
“Okay.” Harry stiffens, but giving the devil his due, he’s really trying. “Let me just grab Seth and we’ll head—”
“Yeah. Cool.” Like hell, Seth’s going to be anywhere near her without me. Not if I can help it. “On second thought, I’m hungry. I’ll ride over with Sen if that’s cool with you, Seneca?”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
Looking down his nose at me, Harry smirks. “See you guys there in ten.”
“Cool.” Draining her last drops of beer, Seneca stands, and then, walking back to the bar, she hops up, leans against it, and reaching across, tosses the bottle into the recycling, giving me the perfect view of her ass.
That was intentional. Dropping back down onto her feet and glancing over her shoulder, she winks at me.
So was that. So, after this month of playing games and dodging around each other, she’s giving me the go-ahead. But why now? Or… maybe she’s been green-lighting me all along, but tonight is the first night I’m actually considering it.
And why am I considering it?
Because although the idea of leaving Harry, Nick, and the rest of the guys absolutely kills me, I may have no choice. If Mikey and Tony are looking for me, it’ll only be a matter of time until they—or someone smarter, like Ironclad—figures out where I am.
And then, I’ll have to leave her. And leaving her will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ll do it, to keep her safe.
