Page 2 of Broken

This was why she would never tell Rosalie thatwhile she’d been fighting with Colt and doing everything in her power toprotect her mother, Petal had been falling in love with Dirty. From the momentshe saw him, she knew he was there for a reason. She knew without any doubthe’d been put on her detail to keep her busy, to stop her from talking with herbest friend. Dirty had succeeded, and while she knew she was just a job to him,she had fallen in love.

She did not want her best friend to know that he’dbeen the father of her child. Rosalie didn’t even know she’d been pregnant. Therewas a lot she kept from her friend, and would continue to do so. The truth was,the fact she’d fallen in love with that … biker, was already shame enough. Shedidn’t want to add to it with her friend knowing more.

Even worse, when she went to Dirty to tell him thegood news, he’d not been happy. She’d been a virgin with Dirty, yet he questionedif he was the father. Just the memory of it felt like a blow to the gut, butshe didn’t say anything. He didn’t believe he was the father, and she wasn’tgoing to fight him. She had every intention of raising her child alone. Then,she’d gone to that damn garage because Gabrielle wanted everything to beperfect for her daughter’s arrival.

That gunshot had changed everything. She nearlydied.

Her baby, which had been nothing more than alittle dot within her, was gone. Tears filled her eyes, because she felt amixture of grief and relief. She didn’t know how or if she could raise a childalone. Then the guilt hit at even feeling a smidge relieved.

At the sound of the diner’s door opening, sheturned to see several of the Satan’s Death Riders MC, including Dirty himself.

She picked up the menu and made her way into thekitchen where Burto held up a fish slice, inspecting it, before using it toflip the burgers on the grill.

“You know, this Al guy was a genius,” he said.

Petal looked over toward him. “Those are two wordsI never thought I would hear in a sentence about Al.”

“Truly?”

“Yeah, truly.”

She was not about to tell Burto that Al was verymuch dead as he was the one responsible for allowing her best friend to be beatenup. He’d decided to side with the Evil Fuckers MC, rather than with Colt andthe Satan’s Death Riders MC. Either way, it ended with Al dead and the dinernow belonging to her and Rosalie. Petal never thought about owning this place,but now that she did, she wanted to make it an even bigger success.

Al hadn’t been a genius. All he did was serve goodfood. Thankfully, all those recipes were in a special book she and Rosaliediscovered while cleaning out his office. They also discovered that theirprevious boss had made a fortune through the years of running the diner.

Thankfully, with the help of Rosalie’s new family,they were able to make the place their own. They no longer had to worry about ahandsy kind of boss. They were free.

Putting the menu down on the clean counter faraway from the food, she continued to write the week’s menu. They decided tokeep things fresh and exciting week by week. Not only would they have a fewfavorites from the previous week, they’d mix it up with some new ideas.

She had gotten to Saturday when the kitchen dooropened. Petal didn’t even need to turn to know who had entered.

“You’re not allowed back here while he’s cooking,”Petal said.

“I want to talk to you,” Dirty said.

“It’s good to want things.” She refused to evenlook at him. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that.” She finished the menuand made her escape, by heading back the way she’d entered and going straightout the front door. Placing the menu on the ground, she used a few weights tokeep it in place.

Christmas had already come and gone, and they wereheading into spring, but she knew the winds could get a little fierce. Alrefused to weight down his sign and would often send her and Roslie to fetchit. It took her a few attempts to realize he was doing it to see the wind lifttheir skirts. From that day onward, she always wore a tiny pair of shortsbeneath her skirts. It saved her the embarrassment of the wind.

She hoped Dirty would take the hint, but alas, no.He followed her outside, and she was not interested in talking with him.

“How are you?” he asked.

She was polite to him in front of Burto, but now thatthey were alone, she was not going to give him the time of day. With the signweighted down, she stood up, and without looking in his direction, she made herway toward the main door.

Dirty stepped right in front of her path.

With hands on hips, she looked at him and waited. Actually,she set her eyes on the collar of his jacket, which was a lot easier. Shedidn’t want to be one of those women that caused a scene or embarrassed herselfover a man.

The truth was, she just wanted to get over him. Atthis point, it had been a few months since they had been together, and he’dcrushed her heart.

“You’re in my way,” she said.

“Damn it, Petal, come on. I’m here and I’m tryingto help. Trying to see if you’re okay.”

“Why?” Petal asked, finally lifting her head.“Because you know at the end of the day, you don’t have to care? Let’s face it,the baby is gone, and you’re completely in the clear, right?”

“That’s not—”

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