“We bought that at the garage sale, right?”
“Yeah, for twenty-five scents.”
He chuckled. “Still think I got ripped off.”
I pulled back to look up at him. I needed to see him—needed to know that laugh was real. But it wasn’t. His eyes had shadows in them. I ran my fingers over his face, watching as he closed his eyes to my touch. “You’re not good, Hunt. Is that why you haven’t come to see us?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m—I’ve been busy.”
“Too busy for us?”
He didn’t respond, but his eyes cracked open to look at me. “I will see you when I can. I promise.”
I studied him, feeling my heart shred at the misery looking back at me. “I don’t believe you, Hunt.”
His eyes misted over as he looked down at our clasped hands. “All I have are my promises, Skye, okay? I’ll see you soon.”
I still wasn’t convinced, but I wouldn’t push him. I dropped my head back down against him, pressing my lips to his throat. I kissed his pulse, whispering, “Okay.”
There was so much I wanted to say, but the words were trapped in my throat because…I just needed this. Needed to be held by him. One half of me was empty without him.
He held me for a few moments, and then the bells jostled close-by. I heard Roy’s voice lower as he spoke gruffly, “You’re not welcome here, boy.”
Shit. I had a good idea who he was speaking to. Hunter did, too, because his body went rigid. I pulled away to look over, and sure enough, Leo was there. His demeanour was unperturbed by Roy. He glanced around the room, searching—
When he found us, his chest sank slowly, and then he walked to us. Hunter was already getting up and settling me down on my feet. “I gotta go, Nugget,” he said. “I’ll come for you, alright? I promise.”
“Hunt,” Leo called, his eyes fixed on him. “Can we talk?”
Hunter’s gaze remained pinned on mine, and his expression hardened. “I’m busy.”
“Hunt—”
Ignoring him, Hunter detached from me and strolled away; Leo moved to follow, but Roy had rounded the counter and the other men on the couches stood up. Leo stopped straight away, glaring at them. “Calm down,” he growled. “I’m not doing anything, alright?”
Hunter disappeared in the backroom, and suddenly there was a heavy silence in the air, and it was dangerously strained.
“You ain’t welcome here,” Roy said again.
“Noted,” Leo retorted, extending his hand out for me to take. When I did, Roy’s mouth flattened as he stared at our clasped hands. He looked disapprovingly at me, but he didn’t speak. He simply went to the entrance door and opened it.
On our way out, he told Leo, “You ever step foot back in here, there will be hell to pay.”
Leo pretended he didn’t hear him, but I did. I heard him, felt his stare at my back as we left. I didn’t speak until we were finally in the car, and even then I hadn’t been able to shake the unease in my belly as I voiced out, “What was that about, Leo? Why are they so determined to keepyouout of there?”
Leo started the car, his gaze trapped on the clubhouse for a moment. “They came to this town and tried to pressure my old man into working with him. He refused. Said he didn’t deal with bikers. We have our own way of dealing business, and on this—I’m not being unreasonable—but on this I agree with him.” His eyes swung to mine, and his face looked hard as he said, “Bikers are bad news, Skye. They don’t fight fair.”
I turned to look at the clubhouse; my skin prickled when I caught Roy still standing there at the door, peering out at us. His face was like stone, hard and unforgiving. He stared at me—I stared back—and then Leo took off.