Page 78 of Sweet Temptation

That gut feeling of mine? The fucking instinctual twitch that I never ignored? It was going off right now, itching at the base of my skull.

Everything about this job felt… off.

It was getting messier by the minute.

More complicated than it should’ve been.

Between the police, the Kings, and the show of protection that Summer now had around her at all times, I should’ve been feeling better about her situation.

But I didn’t.

At least now I was pretty damn sure the restraining order was guaranteed.

I went to my car and put my bag in the trunk, slid into the driver’s seat. Then I pulled out my phone to text Naveen.

Me: Let tail know, watch for Kings. I want to know if he sees them around.

Me: Or any nefarious dudes at all who aren’t Sinners.

Naveen got back to me right away. The man lived with a BlueTooth bud in his ear.

Naveen: Piper?

Me: He’s invested.

Naveen: Great. Watch your back.

Yeah, I’d be doing that.

I pulled out of the lot and headed for my apartment.

I wasn’t afraid of Piper and his club. I’d never crossed them, and I didn’t plan to start. Piper and I weren’t exactly besties, though. Never had been.

I may or may not have stolen his prom date on a dare, once upon a time.

At least I married her, so I was pretty sure he’d let that go long ago.

Piper Grayson would never be patching me into his band of blood brothers and I didn’t want him to, but we had a certain mutual respect. Ish.

With that gnarly instinct still prickling at the base of my skull, though, I called Maddox again while I was driving. Didn’t hurt to check in again.

He didn’t answer.

I couldn’t reach Summer either.

Brody had sent me a screenshot of her schedule for this week, and she didn’t have anything marked down for this morning. But she was probably just in her studio. Or listening to music in her music room. Or doing yoga.

That’s what I told myself, but I didn’t like it.

I stopped off at my apartment to store my gun and pack an overnight bag with some things. Then I packed up the saddlebag on my bike and pulled it out of the garage.

I called Maddox again. This time, I left him a voicemail. “Hey, asshole. Pick up your phone when I call you.”

Then I rolled out of the parking lot and burned it back to Summer’s house.

I didn’t like being out of contact.

I told myself not to worry. She was safe at home. But that prickling feeling was only growing worse.

---