Page 23 of The Savage Outlaw

Priest looked at Eden. “What do you think?”

“She has great boobs,” Eden said with a mouthful of Muffin’s hangover messy special. “I wish I could go with no bra.”

“You could,” Priest said.

“No, I can’t,” Eden said, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red once again.

“We need privacy,” Priest said to Maggie.

She showed her hands and went into the kitchen. Priest sat down next Eden and inched closer to her.

“Now that you have some caffeine, vitamin D, and some good food and pills, it’s time to talk, doll. Your time is almost up here. I figure keeping you safe for almost an entire day is payment enough. Now tell me what the fuck is going on. Entice me to care more. Let’s work something out.”

“I am not doing some kind of thing where you want to have sex with me and then you protect me,” Eden said. “That’s first and foremost. Especially after what I saw last night. I’m not judging anyone at all. Do your thing. But not near me. I’m a nurse. I’ve seen a lot of things. I know about a lot of diseases.”

Priest loved this conversation with Eden. He loved that she was feisty in the morning, hungover, being short and bitchy with him.

“So you want a nice, clean cock, huh?” Priest asked.

“And that’s what you took from what I just said. Wow.”

Priest leaned even closer toward Eden. Close enough that if he wasn’t going to kiss her then what would be the point of being so close…?

He curled his lip.“So are you going to tell me who is out to hurt you or what?”

Chapter Eight

Death and Vows

Eden ate fast. Non-ladylike fast, not that she really cared what Priest had to think. Plus, there were passed out naked women all around her. Oh, and the friendly woman behind the bar just had her shirt up, showing off her perky little breasts to Priest. Just for the hell of it.

Not that it made Eden jealous. She didn’t give a damn about that. Just like seeing Priest having sex with that other woman last night. If that’s what he wanted, then so be it. It did not bother Eden one bit.

She finished her last bite of Muffin’s special breakfast and before she could put her fork down, a burp escaped her mouth, which instantly turned her cheeks bright red.

“Bet that felt good, doll,” Priest said.

“Excuse me,” Eden whispered.

She reached for her coffee and drank.

Whatever the hell that seven-foot-tall-biker-slash-chef did to her breakfast, she actually could feel the hangover easing up. Melting down and away from her body. She suspected maybe there was something more than just some over-the-counter meds. That would have been a disaster as her job obviously required her to be clean and sober.

“Priest,” she said. “There was no, like, marijuana in this, right? Anything like that? I get drug tested at work.”

“Muffin’s food is magical. That’s all I can say.”

“That’s not funny at all.”

“Not trying to be. Now get talking, doll. You’re wasting my fucking time.”

Eden swallowed hard. “It was a mistake coming here. Okay? I’ve said it many times already. But you keep asking me. So what am I supposed to do?”

Priest reached for Eden’s face. It surprised her. She felt fifteen, stupid, bad boy romantic fantasies playing out, but instead, Priest touched the top right of Eden’s forehead.

“Nice mark on your head,” Priest whispered.

Eden gasped. “Oh…”

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