Page 49 of Single Mom's Bikers

“It’s not a date.” But her smile says otherwise. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Just coffee?” I raise an eyebrow. “Is that before or after you check his background for the third time?”

She throws a fortune cookie at me. “I only ran it twice, thank you very much. And he’s clean. Military service, honorable discharge, not even a parking ticket.”

“Of course you checked.” Some things never change. Like how Rose protects the people she loves—sometimes from themselves.

She sobers slightly. “Speaking of checking things. The latest transfers cleared.”

Just like that, we’re back to business. Rose pulls out her tablet, showing me complicated flowcharts of how Luca’s money is moving through various accounts.

“The new bike shop I set up in South California is perfect,” she explains. “Small enough to not draw attention, big enough to justify the cash flow. Another month, and we’ll have the last batch cleaned.”

I try to focus on the numbers, but my mind keeps drifting to that night last week, to three pairs of hands finding refuge on my skin.

“Evie.” Rose’s voice brings me back. “Are you listening? This is important.”

“I know, I know.” I force myself to concentrate—not that I can help it. “How much is left?”

“About two million.” She shows me more charts. “Once it’s clean, we’ll need to decide what to do with it. Property investments maybe, or?—”

The distinctive rumble of motorcycles cuts her off. Three bikes pulling into the driveway.

My heart jumps as I watch them through the window. Rick leads, as always, with Chase and Zane flanking him. They move like one unit.

“You’re staring at them too hard.” Rose’s voice holds amusement.

“Can you blame me?”

They’re beautiful together—leather and denim and easy grace as they dismount. Chase says something that makes Zane laugh while Rick shakes his head, and his fond exasperation is clear even from here.

“I still can’t believe this is my life sometimes,” I admit quietly.

“Having three gorgeous men worship you?” Rose teases. “Yeah, must be rough.”

“Not just that.” However, the memory of that night heats my blood. “All of it. The girls being happy. Having a home. Friends. Family.”

“You deserve it.” She reaches across the table, squeezing my hand. “After everything Luca put you through…”

“We both do.” I squeeze back. “Which is why you should give Draven a chance. Stop analyzing and just…feel.”

Her expression softens. “He loves his son to bits, and it kills him that he can’t always be available to pick him up from school, but he knows his hard work will pay off someday.”

“He’s a smart man. Has he mentioned what happened to Owen’s mother?”

“Said she ran off immediately, before Owen started to talk. She wanted to live in a big city, and Wolf Pike was too small for her to thrive in her acting career.”

“Oh, poor Owen. Having your mother run off on you like that is insane.”

She stares into her tea like it holds answers. “He makes me want things I shouldn’t. Normal things. Dating and family dinners and…”

“And?”

“And I caught myself looking at houses in Wolf Pike yesterday.” She laughs shakily. “Me. Looking at real estate listings like some kind of…”

“Normal person?” I finish gently.

Before she can respond, the front door opens. My men file in, bringing the scent of leather and wind with them.

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