“Um,” I shifted on my high heels, wishing not for the first time that I’d gone back to my classroom to get the Converse trainers I usually wore to walk home. “Nothing, stranger. Just walking home from work.”
He nodded, swung off his bike and swaggered forward with a multi-ringed hand extended to me. “Name’s Nova.”
“It seems you already know my name,” I replied even though I shook his hand.
The grin he flashed me was practiced, a study in beauty and arrogance. “King sent me to give you a ride home. He wanted you to know he woulda done it himself but was needed at the Compound. He also wanted me to ask how the fuck you been getting home when your piece of crap car is still at the shop?”
I bristled. “I’ve been walking. You tell King if he didn’t want me doing that then he should have been working on my car so I could get it back.”
Nova crossed his arms and stared down at me. “That kid has been working on that good for nothing car every spare moment he’s got.”
“Oh,” I sighed, frustrated with myself. Why did I turn into a raging judgmental bitch the first second I was reminded of King’s biker status or faced one of his biker kin?
“Listen, I’m sorry. It’s been a really long, tiring day but that isn’t an excuse to be rude,” I apologized.
Nova’s face broke into an even more beautiful smile. “No worries, doll. Both King and Zeus told me you got spirit, not at all surprised to find they spoke the truth. Wouldn’t like you much if you didn’t.”
“They both told you?” I echoed dumbly.
“Sure. Zeus was spittin’ mad when he came back from pickin’ up Harleigh Rose from school and there you were bein’ fuckin’ accosted by your slime ball ex. That’s why King’s not here to take you home, he and Zeus are fixin’ to do something about that motherfucker.”
My eyes widened so far they hurt. “What?”
He laughed. “Don’t worry your pretty face about it. We got your back, girl.”
“I don’t need you to ‘fix’ the problem with William. It’s my problem and I’m going through the appropriate channels to fix it myself,” I told him firmly.
I trusted King not to do anything extreme but his father was another story.
Nova peered at me. “How’s that workin’ out for ya?”
I was silent because we both knew the answer to that question.
“Right, so, are we gonna stand here all day or am I gonna take you home?”
“Take me home,” I muttered mulishly as I followed him over to his bike.
He laughed then laughed even harder when he saw my expression of wonder as I took in his huge, sleek motorcycle. It was even bigger than King’s and had The Fallen insignia painted in dark green and white on the side.
“A girl who looks like you and can appreciate a good ride?” Nova said as he swung a long leg over his bike and waited for me to settle. “Easy to understand what’s got the Garro men all riled up. Doesn’t hurt that you look like a fuckin’ delicate little princess too.”
“Queen,” I corrected before I could think about it. “Like a Queen.”
He looked over his shoulder at me with new questions in his heavily fringed eyes. “Sure, like a Queen.”
I bit my lip and resolved not to say anymore but happily, I didn’t have to because Nova started his bike with a loud roar and took off towards my cabin. I pressed my cheek into his back and huddled against his back as the cold air whipped over me.
It said something about King that he would send one of his brothers after me even though he had to have been angry with me for running away. It probably pissed him off to realize that I’d been walking to and from school every morning too. I wondered if he would be at my door the next morning to drive me on the back of his bike and the thought made me sick and excited all at the same time.
“Queenie,” Nova said after he’d pulled down my driveway and come to a stop in my sloping front yard. “Please tell me this ain’t your place?”
I dismounted, pleased that I was getting the hang of it, and fisted my hands on my hips. “It is and before you say something mean about it, I’ll have you know, I’m very proud of Shamble Wood Cottage. I’m fixing her up myself.”
“Seems you could use a fuckin’ hand,” he grumbled, his pretty face creased as he took in the disastrous yard and the peeling paint. “Looks like a fuckin’ Halloween haunted house.”
I bit my lip but didn’t say anything because I had gotten a lot of trick-or-treaters that fall.
“Thanks for the ride, Nova,” I said, then it dawned on me and I laughed. “Casanova, right?”