Diamond in the Dust (Lost Kings MC 18)

She plunks a box on the table. “Pop them in there.”

Some idiot—I’m assuming my father—nailed the baskets to the wall. Prying the little suckers out is impossible. The chair I’m standing on rocks with the effort. My world tips off-balance.

Oof.

Strong arms wrap around my waist, gently setting me on the floor. “Let me do that.” Rooster pries the hammer from my hands.

“Such a gentleman.” Momma gives him a sly smile I can’t say I care for. “Come help me pack up the photos, Shelby.”

Wiping my hands over my jeans, I follow her to her bedroom. She closes the door part-way behind us.

“Things seem serious, Shelby.”

Half-listening, I glance around. Lots of photos to be found in here. I pick a line of them off the windowsill, stacking them in my arms. Hayley and me with the Easter Bunny. Hayley and me with Santa Claus. Momma and Daddy sure let us sit in a lotta stranger’s laps when we were kids. “With what?”

“You and Rooster?”

I close my eyes and inhale a long, slow breath. Are we back to this? After everything he’s done for me.

“Don’t start with the ‘don’t settle down’ speech again,” I warn her, fully prepared to don my battle gear and die on this hill.

Not at all bothered by my tone, she places her hands on her hips. “I’ve given up on that. But I still want you to think about your future, Shelby.” She lowers her voice and moves closer. “You’re making real money now. Stand to make a hell of a lot more in the years to come. You need to have that man sign a prenup before you even think of walking down any aisles.”

I blink and stare. I’d be less shocked if she’d gone and whapped me in the face with a stack of hundred-dollar bills. “Why would you even think that?”

Stubborn as hell, she digs right in. “Exactly what I said. Things get ugly between you two down the line, he’ll be helping himself to everything you’ve worked so hard for.”

Fury that she sees Logan as some sort of bearded gold-digger bubbles up inside me. “First of all, Rooster’s not that kind of man. He won’t take a dime now, even though he’s been busting his ass every night while I’m out on the road. Got his brothers to drop everything and provide me with security too when the record company wouldn’t.”

Her jaw drops.

“That’s right. He never lets me pay for a thing. Besides buying the truck and camper, he’s footed all the hotel bills.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Man his size can’t get a good roll in the hay—”

“You kiddin’ me right now, Momma?” I’m close to bursting into frustrated tears. “Not everything’s about sex or money, I’ll tell you that. He helps me out more than you realize. Not only keeping my ass safe.” I blow out a breath, anger making it hard to search for the right words. “He’s made things so much easier for me on tour. He must’ve been bored as shit night after night, but he never complained once. Did everything possible to make me happy and comfortable.”

“Shelby, you can hire assistants to do that too.”

I stomp my boot against the floor. Damn, I’m too old to be arguing with her. “What the hell is wrong with you? An assistant? Talk about someone only there for the money. He’s here because he cares about me. He’s the only person in the world I trust not to screw me over.”

“You don’t trust me?” She looks so wounded, the little girl in me wants to offer a hasty apology, but I bite my tongue. Questioning Logan’s character was going too far and I’m not havin’ it.

I lift my chin in defiance. “Not right now, I don’t.”

Behind us there’s a knock and Rooster pushes the door open.

My mother turns and stumbles to my side. Guess she forgot how tiny our place is. Shame washes over me. I hate that Rooster probably heard all that ugliness.

“Just for the record,” he rumbles in a low, even tone, keeping his eyes on my mother, “I’ll sign whatever Shelby asks me to sign, Lynn. Get her a lawyer. Draft up whatever you think she needs. All I want is Shelby.” His gaze shifts to me. “She wants to kick me to the curb one day, no amount of money’s gonna fix that. I know how hard my girl works. I have no intention of trying to claim something I didn’t earn.”

I rush over, wrapping my arms around his waist. He crushes my body against his and kisses the top of my head. “Thank you,” he whispers in my ear.

His body shifts and he must be looking at my mother over my head. “We good now, Lynn? Will you stop hassling Shelby? Do you accept that I’m a permanent fixture in your daughter’s life? Or do I need to do more convincing?” With my face still buried against his chest, I both feel and hear his words.