Sinful Protector (Roughshod Rollers MC 2)

“Which is why I have this to say to you,” Brooks says seriously, and I look up. “I don’t know whether that girl wants you or not. But, if you suspect that she’s lying to you, don’t sneak around on her to figure it out. Straight up ask her.”

“I don’t think she wants me to,” I admit.

“Then wait until she does want to answer,” Brooks says, waving a spanner at me. “In the meantime, I know you. You haven’t given up on taking down her ex, have you?”

I cringe. “Allison…overheard me talking to Grant about it. She wasn’t very happy when I said something stupid.”

Brooks snorts. “I know exactly what you would have said, boy, and I can’t say I blame you, based on what you’ve told me.”

“The guys are keeping a lookout,” I say. “They’ll let me know if they find him.”

“Then what?” Brooks challenges.

I shrug. Honestly, I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. All I know is that I want to keep Allison safe.

“I don’t know,” I admit.

Brooks rolls his eyes and whacks me over the head with a rolled up newspaper.

“Ow!” I yelp, glaring at him. “What was that for? I didn’t do anything wrong that time!”

“You were being a fucking fool,” Brooks says, glaring back. “Use that head of yours, boy! You aren’t an idiot. You know about Jesse. You know he’s dangerous. You know he’s a danger to the woman you love. So, what are you going to do about it?”

I stare at him.

The light clicks on.

Brooks sits back, satisfied.

“There we go,” he says. “I knew you could think when you want to.”

“Brooks,” I say, breathless. “Can I…?”

“Take a break,” Brooks says with a dismissive wave, rolling his eyes. “I know I’ll get no work out of you until you make your call.”

“Thank you!”

I grab my jacket and race out of the garage. There are a few people milling about but they scatter out of my way before I can duck around them. There’s an alley a few blocks away and I swerve into it. It’s empty. Good.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and scroll through my contacts, looking for the number I want. It rings three times and I tap my foot impatiently.

“Howard Detective Agency, how may I help you?”

I grin wildly.

“Alex,” I say. “It’s Kyle Jacobs. Do you have a moment?”

“Kyle?” Alex Howard asks, understandably confused. “If this is about town hall, I’m still…”

“No, no!” I say hurriedly. “I mean, yeah, I want to know how that’s going, but I have something else that I need your help with. Do you think you’ll have time to look into it for me?”

“I’m pretty busy,” Alex admits, sighing. “What do you need? I’ll tell you if I can do it.”

I cross my fingers.

“I need you to look into a man named Jesse Willis,” I say.

I remember seeing Jesse’s last name on a letter in the kitchen while I was making popcorn on Saturday. I had stored it away in my mind, in case I needed it, and I’m glad I did.