Page 9 of Big Timber

“Thankfully, his babies are too young to understand what’s going on,” Wolfman adds, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I talked to Axel yesterday, and he was going to pass my condolences to Joey. He had nothing I could actually do, though.”

“What you can do is sit on your ass and heal up. I’m going to need you on the front lines of this soon enough.” The meaning behind Declan’s words is clear as day to me and I exchange a look with Wolfman.

Like him, I have a certain reputation. The difference being, I worked long and hard to put my demons to rest. He put his on a leash and takes them for long walks.

“The cops said we can move your bike, and Tin said we should have access to the building in the next couple of days. I think you lying low here is a smart play, although I’m worried about dragging an outsider into our shit,” Declan continues, his eyes quickly shifting upward. “I want you to keep your parlor closed for the time being. There’s extra security on The Office right now, but I don’t want the men too spread out and we definitely don’t want collateral damage.”

“She’s got two days off, then she goes back to the back to the firehouse for the same,” I let him know, keeping my voice low. “I’ll make sure she understands the danger and give her a chance to back away.”

He gives me a nod, reaching for his wallet. “Contribute to her expenses without being showy. I take her as someone who’d get offended. And don’t be a pain in her ass.”

With that, he throws down a bunch of hundreds, motions with the beer for Tonic to dispose of the bottles and stands to leave.

Chapter 3

Talia

Thankfully, I had time for a hot shower and am just putting on my pajamas on when I hear the motorcycles roaring again. Instead of drying my hair, I head downstairs to see Tarak unwrapping his ankle.

“Can I help you with that?” I ask him.

“Nah, I’m putting you out enough as it is,” he replies with a grimace, and I slide a throw pillow his way for some padding between his leg and the coffee table. “If you don’t mind me rummaging through your cabinets, I can take care of myself.”

“I’m not really a spur-of-the-moment type of person, so I’m sorry if I overstepped by bringing you here,” I say, sitting on the bigger couch to his right.

“Talia?” he quietly says my name and I smile at the way it slowly rolls off his tongue as he leans back and stretches his arms over the back edges of the sofa he’s on.

“Yeah?”

“Why are you sitting all the way over there?”

My eyes snap up from the fringe of the pillow that I’ve been playing with and my jaw drops open at the heated look he’s giving me.

So much for not being a spur-of-the-moment type of person, I think as the lopsided grin and tilt of his head have me walking around the coffee table to sit in what little space his frame leaves on the loveseat.

As soon as I sink into the cushions, his left arm curls around me and his large hand intertwines with mine.

“What?” he asks when I let out a nervous laugh.

“I didn’t expect your hand to be so soft,” I honestly answer him, bracing myself to look up at his face when his body shakes with quiet laughter.

“Considering how you ditched me when your family showed up, it’s nice to know you’ve been thinking about how my hands would feel.” The teasing look in his eyes makes my pulse speed up, a fact that isn’t lost on him as he runs a finger over my wrist.

“I didn’tditchyou. But I was flustered since my entire family immediately decided that we’re sleeping together,” I answer, trying to justify my actions.

“My family does, too,” he replies, and it takes me a second to realize he means the men from the Royal Bastards who just left.

“They were really worried about you,” I whisper, realizing the truth behind my statement. “Do you have any real, um, other family?”

“Two siblings that I’m in touch with.” His eyes are suddenly guarded, telling me not to push this line of conversation today.

“How long have you lived here?”

“More than a year, less than two.” His next answer is as vague as his first, so I’m relieved when he continues. “I used to bounce around Royal Bastard chapters, but things just really clicked with Declan and these guys, so I threw in with them.”

I’ve never lived anywhere but here, or even considered leaving Flagstaff for longer than a vacation so I can’t even fathom what his life has been like. He shifts next to me, and I realize that my wet hair is probably annoying, so gathering it together, I pull it over my shoulder.

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