Cards of Love: Knight of Swords

My gaze traveled over his black leather vest again, this time taking in some of the patches decorating the front.

Loyal Brother. Lost Kings MC. On the left side. Brother’s Keeper. Respect Few, Fear None. On the right.

Huh. That last one I could definitely relate to.

“You ride, Roman?” Dex asked.

“No, sir. Don’t have a license.” Motorcycles had always interested me. But since the probability of ever being able to afford one seemed about the same as sprouting wings and learning to fly, I didn’t give them much thought on a daily basis. I liked the look of Harleys over crotch-rockets and that was about my extent of knowledge on the subject.

Since Juliet seemed safe with this guy, I decided I should take off and let them visit.

I stood and picked up my bag. “I should head out. Nice to meet you, sir.”

“You need a ride?” he asked.

“Nah, I’m only a few streets over. Thank you though.”

Juliet stood, her mouth turning down with unhappiness. “You don’t have to go—”

“No, it’s fine.” I reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “I really do need to get home before someone comes looking for me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Early?” She batted her lashes and smiled.

Damn did I want to kiss her, but not in front of Dex, who was watching us like a damn cobra about to strike.

“Early,” I promised.

Eleven

Juliet

I watched Roman go with a mixture of sadness and guilt. It hadn’t occurred to me that he might need to be back at the home by a particular time. I didn’t want to be responsible for getting him in trouble.

“So, he your boyfriend?” Dex teased as soon as Roman was out of sight.

“Just a friend.”

“Seems to like you a whole lot more than just a friend.”

“You think so?” I asked probably a little too eagerly.

Dex groaned and sat back. “You’re making me feel old, Julez. Weren’t you eleven last week?”

“Uh, no. Try five years ago.” I thought for a minute about how to express myself. “I like Roman a lot. He’s really nice and thoughtful.”

Dex nodded to my backpack on the floor in front of me. “Noticed that,” he said. I liked the approval in his voice. Was happy he saw Roman walking me home. I wanted Dex to like Roman as much as I did.

Even though my cousin Debbie was a lot older than me, she’d been like the big sister I never had. I’d tagged along with her and Dex a lot when I was little. His approval meant something to me.

“Just be careful. Boys his age can’t be trusted.” Dex laughed. “I was one. I remember.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s really not like that.” I leaned in and lowered my voice. “He tried to kiss me yesterday, but when I said I wasn’t ready, he backed off. He told me today he won’t try again unless I want him to.”

Dex shifted, his gaze darting around the porch. “Why you gotta tell me stuff like this?”

I suppose I could’ve talked about it with Vienna, but I didn’t feel comfortable sharing this with her for some reason. She’d tell me I was stupid for turning Roman down or make a joke about how he needs a “real woman.” Both would only make me angry.

“What should I do?”

“Revisit when you’re twenty-one?” Dex suggested.

“I’m serious.”

He blew out a breath and stared straight ahead as if he was searching for someone out of sight to provide the right words. “What do you want?”

“I want to get to know him more. I like being around him. Talking to him. He really listens. And he’s smart. And he doesn’t mind that I’m smart.” I stopped myself before I crazy-babbled anymore silly high school girl stuff.

“Then get to know him more. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“But how do I tell him I want him to kiss me?” I whispered, then quickly added, “When I do.”

I couldn’t confide the real reason why being so close to a boy scared me the way it did. Not to Dex. Not to anyone ever. But I fell asleep last night wondering what it would feel like to have a boy I liked kiss me. To want to be close to him more than my next breath.

Dex groaned and looked away. “When the time’s right, you’ll both know.” He shook his head. “Can’t you talk to Suzy about any of this?”

“Heck no. She’d probably scream at me about getting knocked up in high school like her sister did.”

He winced at the mention of Debbie’s mom, my aunt Sharon. “She scream at you often?”

I shrugged it off like it was no big deal.

He reached over and patted my leg. “I’m sorry, peanut. I wish…well, what I wish doesn’t matter. You’ve only got a few years until you’re on your own.”

And doesn’t that terrify me almost as much as being trapped here forever.

My fear must have shown on my face, because Dex looked even more troubled. “You still want to be a nurse?”

“Don’t know how the hell I’ll pay for it, but yes.”

“It will work itself out, Juliet. Somehow.”

I doubted that. “I miss them. Mom. And Debbie was like the big sister I never had. I could’ve told her this.”

Sadness clouded his eyes and I wished I’d kept my mouth shut. “She loved you,” he rasped. “Her little peanut.”

In the driveway, a truck door slammed and someone shouted. “Why is this piece of shit in my driveway!”

Dex clenched his jaw. “I planned to be out of here before he came home.”

“He works second shift now.”

“When’s Suzy get home? She still working nights?”

“No, she should be here soon.”

He sat back as if he had no plans to leave, even with Uncle Jared muttering and cursing his way around the house.

One heavy boot thudded against the porch steps and I shuddered. Dex glanced at me and frowned.

“That your bike in my driveway?” Jared asked.

“Who else’s would it be, old man?” Dex stood and shook my uncle’s hand, even though Jared seemed pretty cranky. Dex always ignored my uncle’s moodiness but never backed down because of it. Something I admired and respected. If I was Dex’s size, I could probably get away with it too.

“What’re you doing here, Dex?”

“Wanted to stop by and give Juliet an early birthday present,” he said as if he was trying to remind my un

cle that I had a birthday coming up.

Good luck with that.

Uncle Jared and Aunt Susan hadn’t acknowledged my birthday in years.

Jared grunted at the explanation.

“I’m going to wait around so I can say hi to Susan,” Dex said, leaving no room for discussion.

My uncle slammed the door open and stomped into the house without answering.

Shaking his head, Dex dropped into the chair next to me. “He seems angrier than ever.”

I shrugged. Uncle Jared’s always been unpleasant.

Twelve

Roman

Not so surprisingly, the next morning when I got off the van in front of the school, there was a Harley parked at the curb.

I recognized the owner right away.

“Hi, Dex,” I said, approaching him first. Guess it was time to prepare for the “Stay away from Juliet” speech. Too bad I had no intention of staying away from her.

“Morning, Roman.” He reached out and shook my hand.

Maybe he wasn’t here to tell me to back off.

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited. “You looking for Juliet?” I asked when he didn’t start the conversation.

“Nope. Looking for you.”

“Well, you found me.” I glanced at the school. “I need to be inside.”

He cocked his head. “It’s ass-crack early in the morning.”

“Yeah, well I don’t exactly get a lot of freedom.”

He nodded. “You like Juliet?”

“Yeah, I like her a lot,” I said, deciding to forgo cockiness in favor of honesty.

“You got a job?”

Okay, didn’t expect that question.

“Haven’t been here long enough to look for one.”

“I might be able to hook you up with something.”

“And why would you do that?”

He blew out a breath and glanced away before answering. “Because if you’re gonna be hanging around Juliet, I don’t want her dating a bum.”