Page 195 of Sweet Temptation

Fuck.

I started up my bike and headed for Summer’s, watching my back. Wondering if I was being followed. I was halfway there when I remembered I had my fucking gun on me and changed course.

I headed back to my place, locked it in the storage box and left it there. Then I burned it back to Summer’s.

As I was pulling into her driveway, I got a call from Jude.

I fucking sighed.

“What took you so long?” I answered, with all the sarcasm I could muster. I had very little sense of humor where all this biker shit was concerned, and I had a feeling Jude didn’t either.

Piper was the only one cracking jokes here.

“Let’s see,” he said. “I was considerin’ how to word this.”

“Speak your mind,” I said, as I got off my bike.

“Alright. Hear you been callin’ up Piper and givin’ him orders. I’m lettin’ you know, since apparently you never got the public service announcement on this or saw the after-school special, that that is a very bad idea. No-go. You don’t tell a biker what to do, and you don’t give the VP of the West Coast Kings orders.” I looked up at the sky as he reamed me out. “He’s got some friendly feelings for you, Ronan, since the two of you go back. But that won’t last long, you keep servin’ him shit.”

“Noted.”

“So this is how it works. Piper does his job, and trust me, he’s damn good at it. You do yours. You watch Summer’s back, and when the Kings have info for you, you’ll know.”

“Is he having me followed?”

“What?”

“Does Piper have a guy on me? Is he watching me? Or Summer?”

“Watching Summer is your job,” Jude said, and he didn’t sound amused.

“Just wondering. It occurred to me that maybe he doesn’t trust me and he’s having me watched.”

“Listen to me. You’re getting fuckin’ paranoid or something. Piper isn’t havin’ you followed. Just do your job and keep your nose out of his.”

“Right.”

I ate it, and didn’t bother arguing. Even though it pissed me off.

I’d had enough time to reconsider my attitude, and what good it would do me, on the ride here. It wouldn’t do anyone any good, and most importantly, it wouldn’t help Summer.

Jude hung up on me, so I figured he was mildly pissed, too.

Maybe I was getting paranoid.

But then again, I’d never had to protect anyone I cared about as much as I cared about her.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ronan

When I walked into Summer’s house, I found Andre in the sunroom, alone. Summer’s parents where nowhere to be seen. Their car was no longer in the driveway.

“Where is she?” I asked him.

“Hello to you too, boss,” Andre said. “She’s down in her studio.”

I let him go, then headed straight down there. It was a single room in the back corner of the basement. The door was ajar and I pushed it open.

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