Page 10 of Dublin Brute

The light changes, and we’re moving again. He gives the bike an extra burst of power and I tighten my grip and cling to him, my embarrassment forgotten.

Oh, I see what he did there.

Brendan is definitely a bad boy.

I can almost hear Tanya whooping and giving me a‘you go, chickie’. That girl wasn’t afraid of anything.Carpe diemwas more than her mantra—it was her life aim.

In her honor, I give in to my urge to wrap my arms around him and don’t overthink it.

The contact of my thighs and arms wrapped around him sends electricity zinging through me. Brendan saved me, but we’re almost home. I will exist in this moment a little longer and then I’ll face the truth and let reality crash down around me.

When we get to the corner of my street, I tap Brendan’s chest. “Here’s good.”

He slows our ride, easing to a stop against the curb. When he turns off the engine, the sudden silence rings in my ears. My equilibrium tilts as he sets the bike onto its kickstand and gets off. With an extended hand, he steadies me as I swing my leg over the seat and join him on the sidewalk.

“Thanks for the ride home.” I lift my chin and give him access to unbuckle the strap of his helmet.

He bends to get the buckle open, his hulking frame blocking out the world beyond. “Technically, you’re not home.”

When he removes the helmet, I run my fingers through my hair and tease through the tangles. “It’s close enough. My dad is…strict. He also has very strong opinions about what he calls murder-cycles.”

He arches a brow. “Bikes aren’t dangerous. It’s the ignorant people driving around bikes that are dangerous.”

“Well, you’ll never convince him of that, so it’s easier not to set him off. Honestly, I don’t have it in me tonight to be lectured.”

Brendan dips his chin and brushes a piece of hair behind my ear. “Then, for your sake, I’ll stand down and let the man off easy.”

I roll my eyes. Even the idea of Brendan going toe-to-toe against Jordan the Warden makes my bowels clench. No thanks. This entire walk on the wild side has been an escape from my life. I have no wish for that to collide with reality.

I swallow, realizing his thumb is brushing my cheek and I’m staring up at him, lost in those vibrant emerald eyes. Man, that green can’t be real, can it? Does he wear colored contacts?

The deep rumble of his laughter hits me low in my belly as he leans forward and winks. “No, angel. No contacts. These are the eyes the fates blessed me with.”

Ohmygoodness. Did I say that out loud?

Mortifying.

I close my eyes and hope that he can’t see my cheeks flaming in the darkness. “Okay then. I’m off. Good night, Brendan.”

He chuckles again. “Goodnight, Nora. I’ll stay here and watch until you’re safely inside.”

I step back and miss the warmth of his touch immediately. “Thank you for everything you did for me tonight. You’re a good man.”

Something clouds his expression, and his smirk fades. “No, angel. At least, only a chosen few would think so.”

I’m not sure what that means, but I don’t want him to clarify. You don’t get ‘bad boy’ vibes like he throws off by being an advertising manager. “Well, you were good to me, and I appreciate it. Thank you.”

He dips his chin, and I take that as my cue to leave.

Hugging my arms around my waist, I straighten my spine and leave my mystery biker in the darkness of the shadows. Eyes front, each clack of my boot heel takes me further down the sidewalk and I know exactly what Tanya would say in this moment…

Shake those hips, chickie.

I give my hips a little extra sway and my skin tingles. The heat of Brendan’s gaze caresses me like a tangible touch the entire time I walk down the sidewalk—or maybe I’m in shock, lost in the grief and panic of the night, and have completely lost it.

“Is this your doing, girlfriend?” I whisper into the shadows of the night. “Because there’s no doubt in my mind that you’d reach across the veil and set me up with a hot biker brute if you could.”

I climb the front steps and pull out my keys.

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