“I’m just thinking.”
She studied me carefully and I wondered what she saw beyond a tough biker, but I didn’t dare ask. “Thinking about sugarcoating the truth?”
“No,” I answered automatically.
“Good, because I don’t need you to lie to me. I need the truth. Always.”
The truth. Women and the truth didn’t usually go together. But Laura had already proven she wasn’t like most women, so I took her at her word. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
“Then tell me what you were thinking just now.”
“You’re bossy.” I smiled. “I kind of like it.” I wiggled my brows. “A lot.”
Her head titled backwards, and a throaty laugh escaped, the sound lyrical and sexy as it hit me in all the right spots. “You’re a bit twisted, aren’t you?”
“Me?” I fixed an innocent look on my face and shook my head. “Not even a little bit.”
“Agree to disagree. Now quit stalling and tell me what you were thinking.”
I stared at her for a long minute, wondering if she was as strong as she seemed. I sure as shit hoped so. “I was thinking how odd it was that they magically showed up right after the cops left your place. Maybe they’ve been watching you.” All color drained from her face and immediately I felt like shit. “Ah, fuck. Sorry.”
“No,” she held up a hand and shook her head, “don’t be sorry. I asked.”
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, hugging her tight because she needed the comfort. And yeah, she felt good as fuck, all soft curves and floral scent invading my nostrils, but that’s not why I did it.
I swear.
Mostly.
Eventually, Laura pulled back. “You really think they’ve been watching me?”
“Don’t know. But I know it’s possible, maybe it’s what I would do, if I were them.”
She blinked rapidly. “Have you done that before?”
“Keeping an eye on an enemy? Hell yeah. But more, they’re trying to weigh the risk of not taking you out while also not starting shit with the MC.”
Her full lips tugged into a lopsided grin. “So you guys are kind of a big deal, huh?”
I shrugged. “To me, fuck yeah, we are. But they’re small time and they don’t have the means to go up against us, which is doing a lot of the heavy lifting right now.”
She swallowed hard. “I hear you. Loud and clear.”
“Good. Are you busy right now?”
“At this moment? No. Why?”
“You wanna make out? Or go out?”
She smacked my chest as she laughed. “Do I need to change?”
“You look great,” I assured her easily. “But maybe put on some shoes.”
We both looked down and she wiggled her toes with a laugh. “Yeah okay. Five minutes,” she replied, and disappeared into her bedroom.