Page 34 of Trick
“I’ll make sure everything is locked and the alarm is on. Beau lives over five hours away from here, anyway. It will be fine.”
Chapter 11
Trick/Jase
Viking and I both immediately objected.
“Absolutely not. We don’t know for sure it’s him, and an alarm won’t scare off a man who’s determined to hurt you,” I stated firmly, while Viking took a far less diplomatic approach.
“You must have shit for brains if you think we’re gonna let you stay here by yourself, girlie.” He stood up, wincing and grabbing his lower back as he straightened to his full height.
She stood up, too, and drew her shoulders back, obviously ready to give us both an earful. I stopped her before she even opened her mouth. Stepping closer, I put my hands on her shoulders, gently kneading them until she relaxed a little.
“Look, darlin’, we won’t take a chance where your safety is concerned. Either you come to the clubhouse, or I’m staying here tonight.”
“Now, wait just a goddamned minute. If you think I’m gonna let you spend the night here with her, you have shit for brains, too. I’ll be the one stayin’.”
I turned and looked at Viking, whose normal scowl had deepened considerably. “You threw your back out again, which means you aren’t in the best shape to physically defend her if Beau or whoever the fuck it is decides to show up here. Lauren either comes to the clubhouse, or she’s stuck with me.”
He reluctantly nodded, and I turned back to her, giving her shoulders an encouraging squeeze. “So, what’s it gonna be…the clubhouse, or me as a temporary roomie?”
She rolled her eyes and heaved a disgruntled sigh. “I don’t think Elvis would do well at the clubhouse, and I’m not leaving him here alone, so I guess you can have the guest room. The bed in there is only a twin-size, so good luck with that.”
Yeah, my six-foot-four-inch frame would be hanging off the end of the mattress, but I’d endured worse nights. Of course, that was the night of my patch-in party when I’d gotten so drunk that I’d passed out naked on top of one of the pool tables and woke up with the eight-ball digging into my left ass cheek – and even more disturbingly – the tip of my dick covered in blue pool chalk. To this day I had no idea why.
Viking left a few minutes later, and I walked out with him so I could move my bike into Lauren’s garage. He eased his leg over his bike, then called out to me.
“If you lay one finger on my niece, I’ll string you up by your balls and beat you like a motherfuckin’ piñata.”
I gave him a salute, which he returned with his middle finger before firing up his Harley and roaring out of the drive.
I mounted my bike and walked it into the garage, then grabbed my gym bag out of the saddlebag, thankful that I kept an extra toothbrush in there, along with deodorant and a change of clothes. Back inside, Lauren trailed after me as I made my way through the house, double checking that all the doors and windows were locked.
I had her reset the alarm, frowning as I saw that it was an older system which was only meant to alert the residents to an intruder and scare them off. It wasn’t actively monitored or even set up to contact the authorities if the alarm was tripped.
“I’ll have Brick update this system tomorrow. We’ll add some cameras, too.”
She started to object, until I pinned her with a look that meant it was non-negotiable.
“Fine,” she sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor.
I pulled my phone out of my cut and shot off a text to Brick, giving him the rundown on the situation and telling him that I wanted a top-of-the-line system installed the next day. He responded back quickly, telling me he would be here by ten o’clock.
I relayed that to Lauren, who told me that she wasn’t scheduled to go into the studio tomorrow anyway.
“The booths were already booked,” she explained, “so I’d planned to stay home and prepare notations for the next few chapters.”
She took a deep breath and then glanced around the room, trying to pretend that my presence wasn’t making her nervous.
“You know you’re safe with me, right?”
She nodded, then glanced away again. “Of course. I know you won’t let anyone get in.”
I crossed the room and tipped her chin up, forcing her to look me in the eyes. “I won’t, but that’s not what I meant.You are safe with me,” I repeated slowly. “I know I probably cross the line sometimes when I flirt and tease you, but I would never do anything you don’t want me to do.”
Her eyes searched mine, and she nodded again, apparently satisfied of my sincerity.
“I know that, but thank you,” she said quietly.
