Page 45 of Faking it with the Bad Boy Bikers

I groaned and stood up just as Tate circled the desk. He bypassed Seth to deck me. The impact rocked me back on my heels and sent cold fury washing over me. I let out a low growl and wiped the blood from my mouth. “I’m going to give you a chance to apologize for losing your fucking mind before I hit back.”

He shoved me. “That’s my baby sister. She’s not someone you can hump and dump. You’re getting your rocks off but everyone is town is going to look at her when you fuckers leave and they’re going to think bad shit about her.”

I shoved him back harder. “We’re not going anywhere and we’re not dumping Nellie. And it sounds like you three are the ones thinking badly about her.”

“Fuck you.” He spit at me.

“No, fuck you. People love Nellie in this town. And if anyone does disrespect her, for any reason, we’ll handle it.” I balled my hands into fists. “Same goes for you. You don’t get special treatment for being her family.”

“I just heard a table of women calling her a slut and talking all kinds of shit about her! That’s not going to be a solitary event.” West shoved Woodrow away from him and ran his hands through his hair. “She just came back. You’re going to hurt her and she’s going to run again.”

I’d had enough. I swung a punch and connected with Tate’s nose. When I moved to hit him again, Seth was there, holding me back.

“She didn’t fucking run in the first place, assholes! Your parents kicked her out and forced her to leave. She was homeless until strangers took her in and gave her more love and care than your parents ever did. I know that because I’ve spent more than five minutes with her and because I haven’t spent that little amount of time being a pile of shit to her.” Seth shouldered pastTate and rounded on West. “And point out those fucking women and I’ll handle it.”

“You’re full of shit.” Something in Mills’ voice made me think he didn’t truly think Seth was full of shit. His face had gone white. “Our parents told us—”

“A load of lies.” I glared at Tate. “She deserves better than all of you.”

“And that’s you three? A bunch of criminals who are hiding behind badges now? You just threatened a bunch of random women. Why should we trust you with our sister?” Tate glared back at me.

“Becauseshetrusts us!” Woodrow threw his hands in the air. “And you’re talking to three men who’ve put in time serving and protecting. We’re not criminals. And as for threatening those women? What do you expect us to do if we hear someone talking about Nellie? Sit around and listen to it like you did?”

“Of course, we didn’t fucking sit there and listen to it! We put a stop to it.” Mills bristled.

“Oh, so you must be criminals. Fucking idiots.” I glanced towards the back of the jail and saw Hammer watching everything with a hungry look on his face. He was eating everything up, this secret view into Nellie’s life that he didn’t deserve. “What the fuck are you looking at? Give the judge your name and get the fuck out of here, you piece of shit.”

I slammed the door shut on whatever he was shouting back and came face to face with Tate again. He’d gone feral, only I could tell it wasn’t aimed at me that time.

“Move. I’m going to kill that fucker.”

I didn’t budge. “Again. You called us criminals.”

Seth slammed his hands down on the desk and shouted over all of us. “Alright! Enough! This isn’t getting us anywhere. You’re concerned for your sister. Fine. Good, even. You’re not doing this shit the right way, though. You’re in here showing your assesinstead of talking to her. I don’t even care if you don’t like us for her. Feel how you want but fucking talk to her. The fact is Nellie is happier now than the day she arrived. She’s safe, she’s thriving, and it has nothing to do with you three. We care about her. You asking us to stay close to her had nothing to do with us staying close to her.

“We stayed close because we wanted to. She’s special. So is Waylan. We aren’t going anywhere, so you’d better get used to us.” Walking over to the door, Seth pulled it open and gestured for them to leave. “We’re busy. Get the hell out.”

Mills and Tate left, scowls still in place, but West hesitated by the door. “I don’t know where to start. Did our parents really kick her out?”

I nodded. “They did. They told her it was what all of you wanted.”

He swore and stomped out, leaving us in a lot of sudden silence.

I rubbed my jaw and shook my head. “I’m not going to be Sheriff of this nuthouse. I don’t want to have to be in charge and remain professional when shit goes down. You two can fight over it.”

Woodrow rolled his eyes. “I saw a petition being passed around the diner to have the next Sheriff sworn in while nude. I’m good. It’s all yours, Seth.”

He grunted. “I seem to be the only one of us who can keep even somewhat of a level head when those assholes come in here. I’m not swearing in nude, though.”

“The petition had five hundred signatures.” Woodrow shrugged. “Better you than me.”

CHAPTER 36

Nellie

“So, there I was, butt ass naked, one leg out of the hot tub, when his mom walks out of the house.” Ava shuddered and then recreated the position while shaking her head. “She’s staring down the barrel of the gun, if you know what I mean. And he’s as calm as ever when he sees her standing there. He just smiles at her and introduces me as his girlfriend! His girlfriend! And then his mom came over and tried to shake my hand!”

I howled with laughter just like the rest of the women at that night’s the Doll’s Club meeting. My sides hurt from laughing and I kept having to wipe away tears.

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