“Doesn’t matter. He’s a middle-aged, non-descript white male. As run of the mill as they come.” The guy was probably a pro. A pro what? I had no fucking idea and didn’t care. I just wanted to be left the hell alone. “So what was so urgent we had to meet for breakfast before the roosters woke up?”
A grin split his face and he looked at me with something like affection in his eyes. I ignored the feelings it caused and waited. “You wanted to speak with me,” he clarified.
“Wrong. I thought I did and I changed my mind, so you offered to buy me breakfast to get me to change my mind.” I stabbed the potatoes with my fork and shoved them into my mouth with a smile.
“And are you ready to talk yet or do I need to pile on the charm?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Save the charm for someone else, Jag. I’m only interested in your help. A very specific kind of help so I’ll tell you enough to let you decide if you are willing and able to help.” I took a long sip of coffee until the steaming black liquid burned my insides and then I told him my story. A story light on details but with enough flesh that he got the gist of my predicament. “So there you have it, the whole sordid tale.”
Jag’s expression was blank as he stared at me for longer than I felt comfortable letting him stare, but eventually his shoulders relaxed, and he seemed calm. “You have my help. Whatever you need, say the word.”
That was exactly what I wanted to hear but I wasn’t satisfied. “I’m happy to hear that but it seems like you and your people have enough going on and the last thing I need right now is for any kind of law enforcement to interfere in my life.”
“Why don’t you let me worry about that?” His smile was playful and boyish. Irresistible. “Now that I’m helping, do I get all the details?”
“Not here in the open.” I couldn’t take the chance that I was being followed by someone else that I hadn’t seen and have them overhear what I knew for certain. “What was going on when I pulled up to your…place?”
He grinned again, something that came easily to him. I envied that, his ability to wear a smile no matter what was happening. “Some asshole thought he could order his ex to come back to him by threatening her. We had to show him he was wrong. Plus, that ex is my buddy’s wife now.”
“Shit.” That was some serious shit. “And that little lesson required all the emergency vehicles in town? I call bullshit, but you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” It was probably best if we kept some secrets between us.
“I just told you. Rocky used to date this scumbag who was the head of a gang in LA and when his business started going south he decided he wanted her particular brand of assistance again. He wouldn’t take no for an answer and me and my brothers had to say it until he heard it and accepted it.”
The way my body reacted to his words, so calm and harsh with a deadly dose of venom running through his tone, was crazy. It felt crazy and out of control, like I was setting back the women’s movement at least a hundred years. But I was turned on by his words, the certainty
in them and the ferocity with which he spoke them. “So you’re like a real-life outlaw biker, huh?”
“A biker yes but we’re not outlaws. Not really,” he added hastily. “We have legit businesses that we all run and yeah, if someone fucks with one of us, they fuck with us all.”
“Good to know.” I could still catch glimpses of the boy I used to know, especially when he said certain phrases or laughed. God, that laugh had been the balm my battered heart and soul longed for back then. It was rich and loud, full of life and enjoyment. Jeremiah was a boy who’d enjoyed life, at least until it had all been snatched from him. I still hadn’t decided if I would accept the help he offered but I was glad we’d gotten a chance to talk for a bit, so I dropped some cash in the tray with the check, passing on the mints, and handed it to the passing waitress. “This was fun, Jag.”
He frowned and looked up at me. “That’s the second time you bought me a meal and I don’t like it.” It was almost a pout, a sexy little pout that made me think about kissing him again. Dammit.
“Don’t worry, I fully expect you to put out.” A laugh escaped at his shocked expression.
“I can do that. But first we should probably talk about things, don’t you think Vivi?”
Hell no I didn’t think we needed to talk about anything, especially when he pitched his voice low and panty meltingly sexy. “I’ll let you know.”
Jag stood and got in my face. “You can follow me to my place.”
I could have argued and told him that no one bossed me around and then went on about my way. But I was too damn curious about him and those kissable fucking lips so I nodded and left the diner because I was about to do something really stupid.
Like sleep with Jag.
Chapter Seven
Jag
Whatever shit Vivi had gotten herself into was deep enough to get her to come to me after more than a decade of radio silence. I was sure the way I pulled away from her years ago had a lot to do with why she was so damn prickly right now. Still, she didn’t turn the other way at her first chance. Instead, she followed behind until we reached the outskirts of town and pulled into the plot of land I bought a few years ago. It wasn’t much but it had plenty of space for a house, a computer lab and a garage for all my vehicles. It was all mine and that’s what mattered to me.
“Go on into the garage and kill the engine,” I told her, stopping my bike just outside the entrance.
“Aye, captain.” She gave a sarcastic salute and managed to squeeze her camper into the small space without my help.
“What do you want help with first?” I stood in the back doorway with my arms crossed, staring at her as she stared back at me, gray eyes liquid and sharp.
“I don’t need help with anything. That’s the point of having a camper so I don’t have to unpack my shit everywhere I go. Come in.”