Page 102 of Dozer

They’d be right.

Once I’d seen enough, I headed back to Pippa’s place with the repaired window. I parked in her driveway and pulled the key to her house from my pocket, the key I’d left in her car with my fucked up note but took back when I saw it on the counter.

Regret twisted like a serrated knife, tearing, and shredding its way through my guts. I’d panicked, and she’d shut me out. I didn’t blame her.

If Gabi watched on her surveillance app, I hope she recognized I wasn’t here to cause any more hurt than I already had. Fuck, I hated this. Hated that our space had been violated. Next time Pippa walked into the house, there wouldn’t be any reminders of today.

I stripped out of my cut and my shirt because I was about to get wet. Starting in the bathroom, I hauled the soaked bedding to the backyard. I spread it out so it could dry before I tossed it all into the landfill along with the mattress Anatomy had defiled. I lugged it through the house and out to the garage.

My phone pinged with a text.

Unknown:Thank you.

Dozer:Who is this?

Unknown:It’s Gabi. I know she’s angry, but I’m grateful you’re there for her.

I set my phone aside. She didn’t need to thank me. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to Pippa. By the time I left her house, darkness had engulfed my surroundings. I was hungry, tired, and hesitant to return to the MC.

I stopped off for tacos and ate them while I sat on my bike and watched the professor sit behind a computer in one of the upstairs rooms of his townhouse. The curtains were open, and the glow of the monitor lit his face.

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t Indiana Jones with a chin strap and glasses. The guy had to be early thirties. He pried open the top buttonson his dress shirt. With the sleeves rolled onto his forearms, he clasped his hands behind his neck.

I wanted to crash in and fuck him up. But I’d made a promise to Blade and Rogue that I’d stick with the plan. I didn’t really want to spend the rest of my life in prison with Levi’s old man. I needed the element of surprise.

Dusting my hands off on my jeans, I noted the dark sedan in the driveway. The first frisson of pleasure snaked along my spine. Flipping a U-turn, I headed back toward the MC. Now I’d know who to watch for, and the car he’d be driving.

It was late. A few guys stood around the fire in the oil drum.

“Go to bed,” I said to them with a note of humor I didn’t feel, but I didn’t want looks of pity. I made my way into the chapel. Now that I was home, and yeah, this was home, I felt every stressful minute of the day crashing over me.

A fresh wave of regret choked me. I missed her, missed the scent of her hair, the feel of her skin, and her warmth close to me. She was in there. His room. I paused outside of Romeo’s door knowing my girl curled up against him, in his bed. Closing my eyes, I listened, obviously not satisfied with the pain tearing through me because I had to know if she was fucking him.

Inhaling a slow, calming breath, I fought the thunder rolling through me.

“Fuck.” I stormed away from the closed door and headed straight for the shower.

Ten minutes later, I crawled into my bed. The darkened room hid my fears. Heat rolled through me,and my eyes burned. I scrubbed my hands over my face. I’d fucking lost her.

Creaking sounded outside my door. It was nearly two in the morning. I leaned up on my elbow.

The door cracked open. Light from the hall silhouetted her form. Long hair tumbled around her shoulders. She wore an over-sized T-shirt.

Words wouldn’t form. My throat tightened as she crossed to my bed, lifted the covers, and slid in next to me.

She released a shuddering exhale, her body relaxing into my bed. I wanted to touch her and pull her close.

Thirty seconds later, I thought fuck it. She was in my bed. I settled into my pillow, spooned in close behind her, draped my arm over her hip, and pulled her flush against me.

I breathed her in. Wetness trickled onto my cheek, but I wasn’t fucking crying. I wasfine. Maybe just overwhelmed.

After a few minutes, she rolled over and curled into my chest. I held her close, her breath warm against my skin.

“I don’t want to be scared,” she whispered.

I tightened my hold. Fuck, but I needed this girl.

I expected to feel her snuggled against me when I woke, but the empty bed let me know that whatever happened last night, hadn’t stretched into the morning.

---