Page 13 of Sly (Dragon Riders MC 5)
From the growing sound that quickly became familiar.
It’s a bike.
Once I pinpointed where the sound came from, I slipped Tara behind me. With my hand on the butt of my gun on my hip, I poised myself, readying for a fight. If this was Skeleton coming out of the woodworks, I’d be ready. I’d be ready to put a bullet between his eyes before he even explained what the fuck he was doing out here.
I never should have brought her out here.
“Sly? I’m getting worried. What’s going on?”
Now, she’s caught in the middle.
Her hand gripped the back of my shirt. “Sly, are we going to be okay?”
All I wanted was to enjoy my time with her, and now look at it.
She sniffled. “Sly, please answer me.”
My focus was supposed to be her! Not some bullshit bike!
I cleared my throat. “Stay behind me and you’ll be just fine. All right?”
When I saw the shadow of the figure on that bike tear into the field, I pulled my gun. I aimed it at the tires, readying myself to blow them out. I thought it was odd that there was only one bike. Especially if this was Skeleton attempting to get the one-up on me.
But when I saw the lack of a leather jacket, it gave me pause.
Until his face became clear. “Tara. Get the fuck on my bike. And don’t say a word.”
I didn’t like the way he glared at her, but when I felt her move, I stepped back in front of her.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
Chains narrowed his eyes. “Are you preventing my sister from getting to me?”
“No. I’m trying to figure out what the hell you’re doing out here when you should be with the guys. I know what you’re supposed to be up to today.”
“Yeah. And I’m done. So, give me my sister and we’ll be on our way.”
Tara stepped out from around me. “I’m staying, B—Chains.”
His eyes slowly found their way to hers. “On the bike, and not a word.”
I shook my head. “I can take her home. It’s fine.”
Chains glared at me. “You're not taking her anywhere ever again. You got that?”
I snickered. “Pretty sure your sister’s a grown-ass woman, Chains.”
“How did you know she was my sister?”
I shrugged. “Not like you two don’t bear a resemblance. It was easy to put together.”
Chains looked directly at Tara. “We need to talk. Get on my bike and come on. I can make us some coffee.”
Tara took my hand within hers. “Sly can give me a ride home. We’re fine.”
Chains shook his head. “Nope. So long as you’re living with me, you’re living under my rules. Get on my bike or get your stuff and find somewhere else to dwell until you can find a job.”
She scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not kidding one damn bit,” he said as he eyes turned to mine, “and I figured family would’ve been sacred since I’m rushing your fucking crew, but I guess not. Maybe I’ll have to rethink my pledge.”
I grinned. “Maybe you should, B’Chains.”
It was the one slip-up I needed in order to figure out who the hell this guy was, and he didn’t even make the mistake. Tara did. And while part of me felt guilty for how I had dragged her into all of this, she had given me the smallest lead I needed.
Then, Tara’s voice rose from beside me. “I’m a grown woman, Chains. And if you think for one second that you can boss me around and threaten the roof you willingly gave me until I could transition into another job? Then, you can be that person if you so choose. But you won’t control me or my actions. Understood?”
Chains’ face hardened. “I think we’ll have a better conversation about this exact topic at home. Alone. Over some sobering coffee, don’t you think?”
She shook her head. “Sly can get me home.”
“Or you can come home to your stuff outside the front door. And if you want to test me, Tara, you go right on ahead. But I highly doubt your hook-up date here is going to take you in and give you somewhere to go. Isn’t that right, Sly?”
He stared me down, and I knew I had to make a choice: stand up for Tara or keep Chains on our side so we could figure out exactly what the fuck was going on.
And right now? We had worked way too hard to let Chains go.
“He’s right, Tara,” I said.
She looked up at me with wide eyes. “What?”
I sighed. “You need to go with your brother. I’ll see you soon.”
Chains scoffed. “Over my dead body.”
Tara didn’t even look at him. “I can arrange that, if you want me to.”
I smiled deviously. “I like your sass.”
She giggled. “And I like your face.”
I like your face, too. “Go with him. Smooth things over. We’ll talk later, okay?”
