Page 40 of Rio's Release

When I release her, her lips are red and her eyes are wide, staring up at me.

She may think this is goodbye, that this is the last time we’ll see each other, but I know it’s not. It can’t be. No way in hell am I letting this woman walk out of my life again.

“Goodbye, Shelby.”

She fumbles for her car door. “Goodbye, Rio.”

Zig and I watch her and Jenny drive away.

A waiter jogs out, drawing our attention.

“You forgot your wallet on the table, sir,” he states, handing it over.

“Thanks,” I mumble, sliding it into my pocket.

Zig eyes me with a wide, toothy grin.

“What?” I snap.

“You and that wallet. It’s like you want someone to steal it.”

“That’d be a dumbass decision on their part. And for the last nine fucking years, I didn’t have to keep up with one, did I?”

“Okay, sorry.” Zig holds his hands up in mock surrender.

I turn my gaze to the road. Shelby’s car is long gone.

“You can’t get that girl by sheer force of will, boss. She’s not a brother you can boss around,” Zig tells me, following my eyes.

“She seems guarded now. Wonder why. She seemed jumpy when she saw that cop.”

“Maybe like the rest of the town, she knows to steer clear of them.”

“Maybe. Maybe there’s more to it than that. I need to know. I want to know why she hates this town so much. I need to get to the bottom of that. Got any info?”

“No, but I can look into it. Bandit’s been flirting up that chick in their records department.”

“Check around. Find out if there are any rumors about it.”

“Maybe her friend Jenny knows.”

“She tell you anything?” I ask, hope flaring.

“Just now? Not much, but she knows her friend has got it bad for you.”

I grin at his answer and feel Zig studying me, but stay quiet.

“Said she moved to Cloudcroft,” he adds.

I whirl on him. “The place we stopped? She was right there?”

“Guess so.”

“That’s what, an hour and a half away?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He puts a hand on my arm. “Do you really want to drag this girl into your world again, Rio? Into the MC world?”

“I’d never let anything happen to her; you fucking know that.”

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