Page 41 of Old Flame

“Who is that?” Nixie asked, not even trying to hide the jealous snark in her tone.

I ignored her and tore my eyes off the sight of Lick coming up to Salem. Seeing him touch her was fucking with my head, and Lick wasn’t someone you wanted on your bad side. He wasn’t mentally stable on a good day.

“You think she’s safe with him?” I asked.

“He killed a fucker for her. Hauled her ass out of there without a backward glance. I know he’s a messed-up son of a bitch, but he seems to like that one.”

Micah’s response wasn’t helping. It should have. She’d be safe with Lick. But I didn’t want her safe with Lick. I wanted her safe with me.

Dangerous territory, Tex.

I glanced down at Nixie, who was curled up to my side as if she had to stake her claim. “Let’s go.”

She smiled brightly up at me, as if there had been a contest and she’d won. Little did she know, that wasn’t it at all. She was a buffer. Something to keep me from making a mistake. There was no contest because the winner had been chosen long ago. Iwondered if it would always be that way.

Walking over, I climbed onto my bike, and unable to stop myself, I took a glance in the direction I needed to ignore. Lick held Salem’s hand and steadied her as she climbed onto the back of his bike. Emotion surged in my chest with so much force that it fucking hurt.

She’d always looked adorable in a helmet. Seemed some things never changed. He was talking to her, probably giving her directions. I’d taught her how to hold on and lean with me. She knew it. I was sure she remembered. Her head nodded, and then she wrapped her arms around him. The smile that spread across that sadistic fucker’s face made my entire body tense.

Nixie pressed against my back, and her hands slid down toward my cock. I reached down and jerked her hand away from it. She knew that shit wasn’t allowed when I was driving.

“I can suck it before I get onstage tonight. You’re staying to watch me, aren’t you?” Her mouth was close to my ear, her voice breathy. She was trying too hard.

I cranked the bike and let the engine roar to life instead of answering. My focus was still solely on Salem. She was on the wrong fucking bike, and that was eating me alive. Her head turned then, and our eyes locked. But this time, it was her who looked away first.

17

Salem

Present Day

Tobacco and lime? I couldn’t figure out what it was that Lick smelled like. Concentrating on that was better than thinking about all the other stuff. Starting with the man who had held me against my will and ending with watching Rome—with that half-naked young female on the back of his bike, wrapping her arms and legs around him—pull off, following Micah and his wife. We weren’t engulfed in the herd of bikes far enough to block the sight of them from my view, so I kept my eyes to the left, watching the city pass by and thinking about Lick’s scent. It was unique.

I hadn’t wanted to get on the back of his bike. When I’d seen Rome, I had thought he’d come see if I was okay. My wishful thinking that he’d have me ride with him was ridiculous. He had the stripper-worthy woman with him, and what man wouldn’t want that straddling him and pressing up against his body? I hadn’t stood a chance at that invite. Still, I had hoped. Unable to stop myself.

My world had tilted, and everything I’d thought I knew was gone. The security I had worked to build was snatched from me once again, and I was clueless as to what I was going to do next.

Would the police question me? Would there be a trial? How would I go to Kendrix’s funeral and face people, his kids,knowing the reason he’d died? Having been there when he was shot?

My stomach was a mountain of knots, and I tried my best to get back to figuring out what Lick smelled like.

Look at the mess I’ve gotten into.

My internal dialogue with Eamon often calmed me, so I gave it a shot.

You’re living on the wild side these days.

It seems that way, although not of my own making.

Relax. It’ll all work out in the end. How many times do I have to remind you of that?

I leaned with Lick as we turned along with everyone else and wondered when I’d be going back to my apartment.

Pepper had said that, for my safety, I had to go with them, just like she was doing. Although she’d not seemed real happy about getting on the back of the bike of some guy she’d called Country. She told him she’d ride with someone else because he already had a woman on his bike. One who looked a lot like the girl on the back of Rome’s. But Country told the other woman to go ride with someone named Fox and ignored her pouting, which was blatantly obvious. Pepper didn’t seem impressed and rolled her eyes, but she went and climbed on the back of Country’s bike. He was grinning when they pulled out beside us.

I’d been envious of that.

Pepper had the sex appeal to equal the half-naked female with a perfect body. I did not. I lacked that trait while Pepper had it in spades. It was effortless for her. Part of who she was. There was definitely some chemistry going on with her and Country. He was attractive. Tall, blond, almost too clean-cut to be a biker, but more of an edge than the average male. I wondered why she hadn’t wanted to ride with him—or had she? Maybe it had been because he’d had the other woman on his bike.

---