Sinful Protector (Roughshod Rollers MC 2)

But…it’s nice to know that he still has my back.

“You alright?” Jacqui asks, rubbing my shoulder.

“Yeah,” I sniffle. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”

“Well, now you have your answer,” Jacqui says, handing me my phone back. “He definitely still wants to be friends with you!” She winks at me. “Maybe, if you’re lucky, he’ll still be there when you change your mind.”

“When”, not “if”, I notice. I give her a small smile.

“I’m glad he wants to be friends,” I say simply.

I really was afraid that I’d lost him for good this time.

“Want a coffee?” Jacqui asks.

“Please,” I say.

Jacqui pats me gently on the shoulder and leaps up, heading to the kitchen. I hear her rattling around cheerfully, the kettle rumbling as she flicks the switch. I draw in a deep breath, composing myself, holding my phone clos

e to my chest.

It was only a week, I remind myself.

But that excuse is getting harder and harder to believe. Only a week? It feels like a lot longer. I hope Kyle isn’t feeling the way that I am. I hope he’s doing okay.

I look at the messages. My eyes burn again and I rub at them, irritated at myself. Now isn’t the time for that. Slowly, I type a message back.

“Thanks.”

Then I hesitate. What he was sent was beautiful. Surely it deserved more than that. I consider this for a moment and then type another message.

“Please let me know if you need any help, too. I’m here for you as well.”

It feels stupid, considering I’m the one that broke up with him. But it’s the one full truth that I’ve told today. Sighing, I lower my phone and run my hand through my hair.

I really am an idiot, I decide.

Later that evening, Jacqui notices that we’re low on food, and she persuades me off the couch to do a food run. I sigh and grumble, but throw on a coat and some shoes. Then we drive down to the shops.

“There’s no dinner if we don’t get food,” Jacqui says cheerfully.

“So you said,” I sigh. “Why couldn’t I just have stayed at home?”

“Because you’ve been cooped up in the house all weekend, and I don’t want you to become a hermit,” Jacqui says. Then her smile fades. “Also…Jesse’s already broken into your apartment. Mine is more secure, but I don’t want him to break in and find you there alone.”

I smile at her, touched by her concern. I hadn’t even realized that this was something worrying her. I had noticed that she would drag me out with her every time she left, but I hadn’t complained about it until today.

“Sorry, I didn’t think about that,” I say to her. “Thanks for looking out for me.”

She winks at me. “That’s what friends are for. And, since you’re so grateful, you can push the cart.”

I laugh. It’s the first time I’ve laughed since Thursday, and it releases something that has been tightly wound in my chest since I found the flowers on my kitchen table.

And then I see Jesse.

I see him as we’re parking the car and my face drains of color. My hand shoots out and grabs Jacqui’s wrist before she can open the door.

“What?” she says, startled.