Page 101 of Dozer

I found a quiet corner table and pulled out my laptop. At least I could catch up on schoolwork. Afraid of what I’d find, my fingers trembled as I opened my email. Nothing from Quinn. I checked my student portal, pulled up my missing assignments, and sent off notes to my professors that I had a family emergency.

Missing a couple of days was going to affect my grades. I’d already slacked off on school work while I obsessed over the two men in my life. The weed and whiskey weren’t helping. I’d definitely gone from agood student with no life to a bad girl with daily freaking drama.

The MC stayed quiet most of the day. I’d catch a glimpse of Dozer or Romeo, but they’d both recognized I didn’t want them hovering over me. I was pretty sure they put Pike on babysitting duties. He’d smile at me but didn’t approach. After my breakdown at the house, I’m sure Romeo and Dozer told everyone to give me space.

Conversation erupted by the door. Dozer and Romeo argued with Blade and Rogue.

I paused in my typing. Although I couldn’t hear what they were saying, they were talking about me. Dozer raked his hand over his head as he glanced to me.

Romeo put his hand on Dozer’s shoulder and spoke to him. Dozer shrugged off his hand and stormed out of the building. Blade and Rogue followed him out.

The roar of motorcycles faded into the distance.

“What was that about?” I asked Romeo when he approached.

“Rogue and Blade are going to see your professor in his office.”

I sucked in a breath.

“Just to talk.”

Code for intimidate. Good, I hoped he shit his pants in fear. Maybe they could write him a note and let him know what comes next if he didn’t stay away from me.

“Why is Dozer upset?”

Romeo cocked a brow as he sat in the chair next to me. “Because he wants to fucking break every bonein his body. Dozer could spit bullets. Hana and Levi aren’t helping when they call the guy Anatomy and talk about cutting off his body parts.”

Normally, I’d laugh, but I had a hard time even smiling. “Gabi called him my anatomy professor as a joke. I feel so stupid.”

“You should have told us.”

“Why would I? Romeo, we hooked up because of Blade and Hana. We’re fun and convenient, but you weren’t blowing up my phone. Don’t get defensive. I wasn’t blowing up yours, either. Why would I go to you to solve an ex-boyfriend problem?”

“You come to me because you’re fucking scared, and I’m your friend. You go to Dozer because he’s your boyfriend. Or you go to Vance because he’s your family. You don’t pretend this cunt is just going to go away because you ignore him. Guys like that don’t go away. They get desperate.”

“You’re right.” I threw my hands up. “I wasn’t thinking of my safety. I was thinking of you, Dozer, this club, my school, my new place, and I didn’t want anything to change.”

Not even keeping Coop nearby would have helped with the school. My dad would have pulled me out of Eminence U.

“You have enough to worry about with the MC,” I said.

“It’s fucked up, Pip. Dozer should have been the first person you went to.”

“He proved today that he’s the last person I should turn to. He was my boyfriend for five minutes before he thought the worst of me. Instead of riding off, he could have walked into the house andconfronted me. Or better yet, he could have believed me when I told him how I felt about him. I keep showing him, and he keeps shutting me out.”

Romeo kissed my forehead. “This time, you’re shutting him out. Make sure that’s what you want.”

The chair scraped along the floor as he pushed back. “The MC will get busy as guys get off work and stop in for a drink. Today’s been shit. Whatever you need. You can stay out here, go to my room, or Dozer’s.”

Ineededto go home. Ineedednot to be afraid. IneededDozer. I wasn’t going to have any of what I needed.

Dozer

I’d stayed out of the MC most of the day. Blade had been right to keep me away from the university. I imagined bone and cartilage crunching beneath my fists, whimpers for mercy, just to spit in his face.

She was mine.

I sat on my bike across the street from a two-story town house in the Hills. A posh upper-middle class neighborhood. I wondered how long it would take for one of the neighbors to report me for suspicious behavior, probably assuming I cased the place for a future break-in.

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