Page 12 of Hansel
Pope thought I was sleeping with Gio? And if he thought that then so did everyone else. Part of me wanted to laugh at how ludicrous it was. But in a way it was perfect, it made me shudder, but it was the perfect cover story.
“Don't judge me, Pope. Not you. You're not exactly a boy scout.”
Throwing back his head, Pope laughed. “No I'm not, but Sylvie is fine with it as long as she is involved. I'm not judging you, Gretal. All I'm saying is that you could have chosen someone else. Someone who doesn't have a giant stick up his designer covered ass.”
For a second, I stared at him. It wasn't the first time he had made his interest in me clear in the last twenty-four hours. I had known Pope and his old lady Sylvie for years. And never once had he tried it on with me. I had never known him to disrespect his wife so blatantly.
Men were all assholes.
All of them
“Someone like you?” I needed him to say it out loud.
“Maybe, Gretal. I think we could have fun together. But someone other than Gio, anyway. You can do better.”
I bit back the urge to tell him Sylvie could do better. “I'll keep it in mind, Pope. But it won't be today.” Or ever, I added silently. “I need to get going.”
“Work?”
The way he said it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Pope was creeping me out. Not by what he was saying, but by how he was saying it. I had a sneaky suspicion that he was trying to find something out rather than truly hitting on me. Gio and Fang would want to know.
“Yeah,” I finally answered him with a shrug. “Was good seeing you, Pope. Hopefully I get to see you again soon.”
Pope's rough fingers brushed against the back of my hand. “I hope you do as well.”
Something was going on with him, and I was going to find out what it was.
***
I was maybe five miles outside town, and my nerves were finally starting to calm down, when a bike overtook me and slowed. Being on the open road always did that. It gave me time to clear my head. My brain focuses solely on the road ahead of me and the powerful machine between my thighs.
I frowned. I had been so caught up in just being present that I hadn't even heard it approach. It wasn't until it was ahead of me that I knew it was there. One of the Sons had followed me. For a second, I thought it might be Pope, but one quick glance at the bike and I knew it was someone so much worse than him.
I recognised the Harley. The sleek black paint and shining chrome. The heavy machine would have been too much for me to handle but it was no problem for Hansel.
My soon to be ex-husband had chased after me.
There would be no quiet escape for me this time.
Slowing, he motioned with his hand for me to pull over. I didn't want to, but if I didn’t then he would just chase me until I did. It would be better to get this over and done with.
Swinging myself off the bike, my boots sank into the wet grass on the side of the road. I waited for him to do the same.
“Take your helmet off, Gretal.” There was no hello from my husband, only a growling command that made my insides flutter with unexpected need. He stalked towards me, all barely contained rage and sex appeal. And he oozed sex appeal. He always had.
Not giving me a chance to do anything, two big hands tugged it from my head. My blonde hair was in disarray.
“Why did you fucking sneak out of my bed like a thief in the night, Gretal?” Idly, he smoothed one hand down over my wayward locks, flattening them back down. Just like he always used to.
“I didn't sneak out. I left. There's…” The words died on my lips as his head lowered angrily over mine.
His face was furious but his lips on mine were unbelievably soft. With a sigh, mine parted under his.
This was the reason I had to leave. Why we couldn't be around one another.
“I love you, Gretal. You drive me crazy, but I love you.” He broke away, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets. “You should have woken me up to say goodbye.”
“And what good would it have done? I'm not staying, Hansel. I have a job to do.”
