Page 55 of Mensa's Match

The background noise told him she was driving.

“Where are you?”

“I’m on US49 and probably half-an-hour outside of Hattiesburg.”

His free hand clenched into a fist. “What the fuck?”

“It’s not a big deal, Mensa. Wyatt came by the shop, and he mentioned Rod with Corrupt Chrome is interested in finding out more about me. More than he was before, which isn’t ideal. Wyatt suggested I go back to Jackson and let this guy forget all about me.”

He clenched his teeth and took numerous deep breaths to get his temper under control.

“You still there?” she asked.

“You didn’t think to fuckin’ call me?” he bit out.

“Mensa, this works out for both of us. You can’t leave town. I need to pack up my apartment at some point, and this keeps us both safe. Two birds, one stone.”

He shook his head. “How in the fuck does this keep me safe?”

“Leaving town would put you at risk of being arrested.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

She paused. “What would you have said?”

“I’d have said my woman doesn’t run from her problems.”

A lengthy silence ensued. Even he couldn’t believe he admitted that, but there it was. She was his. If he were honest with himself, he’d been thinking of her that way since the break-in.

“I’m not your woman, Kenneth.”

That made him even madder, which shouldn’t have been possible. But she did that shit to him. Made him feel more than he ever thought possible.

He stalked back to his bike. “You fuckin’ are, and if you’d have called me or better yet,waitedto tell me in person what you were planning, I’d have fuckin’ shown you.”

“When did this happen?”

“Maybe when I fucked you inside my room at the clubhouse, but you know it happened sooner than that.” He ran his free hand through his hair. “When are you comin’ back?”

“Next week.”

“What the hell? Next week?”

“It’s going to take time to pack up my place. Why are you so mad about this? Rod will forget all about me by then.”

“He fucking willnot. But I’ll make sure he does.”

“Mensa. Don’t do anything stupid. And seriously…he’ll move on to some other chick by then. I’m perfectly forgettable.”

“Whitney, you aren’t a woman any man forgets. He isn’t going to forget about you in a fuckin’ week.”

He heard the smile in her voice. “That’s sweet, but you’re wrong, my…”

She trailed off and he knew he had her.

“My… what, Blume?”

She paused. “My friend.”

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