Page 68 of Biker's Enemy

Ishould have never believed him when he said bringing Avery home was his “top priority”. For 4 days, I have patiently waited for this man and his unending sex drive to leave and return with Avery – the baby girl I fell in love with.

It’s not like I don’t have feelings for Tanner.

It’s just that this detour to Oklahoma makes me feel like… he’s not being real with me. He’s still the monster who would have thrown Avery to the desert coyotes if given half a chance. I start fussing around the kitchen for the coffee beans and it doesn’t take long for me to realize that the arrogant redhead didn’t even follow me.

He genuinely thinks my ass is going to bring him coffee in bed?

Hm…

But just as soon as the stubborn thought comes to me, a better thought comes in. Let him send me to Juliette.

The two of us will get Avery back.

Since when do I need Tanner Hollingsworth to handle my shit?

I’ll make his ass some coffee. Pretend that I totally accept my fate. And once I’m in my bestfriend’s Santa Fe penthouse… we’ll begin creating a master plan.

When I return to the bedroom, I have a smile plastered on my face which Tanner easily matches. Men. They act all tough, but they will do just about anything to avoid conflict. Even matching my fake ass smile.

“Why you smiling, baby?” Tanner asks, reaching his greedy ass hands out for the coffee. He has sexy hands. Don’t get me wrong. And sexy everything. He’s just an asshole.

“I was just thinking… you’re right. I should go to Juliette’s. And appreciate how much you protect me.”

Tanner sits up and sniffs his black coffee. I can’t tell if he’s enjoying the smell or checking for poison. Either way, he has no poison to worry about. Not today, at least.

With the cup in one hand, he pats the bed next to him.

“That’s right,” he says. “I’ll do anything. And I promise… I won’t be gone long.”

“Don’t let me rush you,” I say, trying not to sound suspicious despite my guilty, racing heart. “You’re right. I need to see Juliette.”

I almost mention missing Avery, but bite my tongue. I don’t want to put him on the trail. He tastes the coffee.

“Fuck, that’s good,” he says. “Remind me to keep you here forever…”

I nod and then whip my phone out. Tanner has his nose buried in the coffee when I shoot off a quick text to Juliette.

Quin: Tanner bringing me over soon. Villain mode.

She’s my best friend. She’ll know exactly what I mean…

Tanner is overly enthusiastic to get me on the back of his bike for the ride to Santa Fe. I try to convince him that I’m too big for a motorcycle, but he laughs his ass off and tells me that rednecks twice my size ride Harleys… If he didn’t laugh like a hyena while trying to make me feel better, maybe it would have worked better.

What really causes me not to beg for him to rent a car is actually trying it. Tanner is annoyingly persuasive. Some might call it mildly threatening. I gear up and cling to him as we hit the highway, heading towards Santa Fe. I still can’t believe he’s going on some random ass mission while Avery is still in danger, but during the few instances I can put that out of my head… the ride is fun.

Like… it’s more fun than anything I’ve ever done in my life. Even better because I don’t have to be in control. Tanner knows exactly how to handle the bike and while I have my moments of pinching his sides like an angry grocery store lobster, I lose myself after a couple hours and just feel… free.

I didn’t even know I was allowed to feel like this. I want to scream like people do on roller coasters, but with my mouth so close to Tanner’s ear, I don’t want to blow his eardrums out. I just grab him tightly and rest my head on his back, appreciating every moment of this.

When we get to Juliette's, his face is all red saying goodbye, and not just from the sun.

“I’m not going upstairs,” he says. “I have to leave but… promise you’re going to be a good girl for me?”

“Duh,” I whisper. “I want you to come back so you can get Avery…”

Tanner flashes me a half smile and then he touches my cheek.

“I’m going to miss your ass,” he says. “And the rest of you.”

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