Page 71 of Zen's Crash

“Look, I know what I’m talking about. Mattie is a good few years younger than me,” he pauses as he catches Tank sniggering. “Okay, more than a good few years. Anyway, when it comes to love, age is just a number. Did your woman do something to make you start questioning her devotion to you?”

“No. She’s been amazing. She even bought herself some earrings to match the engagement ring I bought for her.”

He takes a long drink of his beer and wipes his mustache with his sleeve. “Does that sound like a woman who has it in her mind to give you back the ring you bought her?”

Shaking my head, I tell him, “All I know is, she might like that ring better than she likes me. Maybe she plans to keep the ring and ditch me.”

Tank frowns at me, looking a little disgusted. “Now, that’s just crazy talk.”

“I told him that already,” Rigs says before taking a sip of his beer.

Shaking his head, Tank asks, “How the hell much have you had to drink tonight, anyway?”

Holding up the bottle, I say, “It’s my first and only beer of the night. I’m taking Lexi out to a fancy restaurant later to verify that we are indeed engaged, and I want to be sober.”

“You are the most messed-up brother in the clubhouse when it comes to women. I want you to know that,” Tank tells me.

Evan, who has been eavesdropping, leans over the bar in front of me. “Look, bruh. You’re worrying about a bunch of shit you don’t have to worry about. Kayla says your girl is crazy about you. You’re all she talks about, apparently the sex is…” he pauses, and I can see his ears are turning red—dude might talk the talk, but he’s still not walking the walk. “Out of this world.”

“Wait, what? How does your girlfriend know all that?”

Evan shrugs. “Girls talk. Don’t tell Lexi I told you. I don’t want it getting back to Kayla that I told you things she said in confidence. If you mess up my relationship for no good reason, this will be the last favor I ever do for you.” Glaring at me, he adds, “I’m not even joking about that.”

“Prospect, calm the hell down. I’m not about to betray a brother.”

Evan’s expression shifts to one of pleasant embarrassment. “I’m not a brother yet, but I will be one day.”

He glances over my shoulder and murmurs, “Heads up. Your woman just hit the top step and is heading this way. She looks like a fucking rock star.”

I slowly turn in my seat and am astonished at how beautiful Lexi is. She’s wearing black leather pants and a black satin sleeveless shirt. With her dangling black diamond earrings and the matching engagement ring sparkling on her finger, she really does look like a rock star. I slide off my seat and meet her halfway. “You look amazing—like a dark angel fallen from heaven just for me,” I say, bringing her hand to my lips and kissing it.

If someone asked me what I was doing in this moment, I wouldn’t be able to tell them. I’m running on pure excitement and emotion. But whatever I’m doing is working, because she’s smiling at me like I’m the love of her fucking life. I wrap her arm around mine and walk her to the door.

Lexi doesn’t mind putting her helmet on over her pretty hair. I can tell she did it up special for the occasion. I just keep reminding myself that Lexi loves me. If her friend Kayla can be believed.

Spending almost forty grand on a ring is worth it if it makes her happy. Hell, I’d pay twice that. Truth be told, I like her style. The black diamonds are very much our style.

I feel like I’m experiencing whiplash. One minute we’re chasing killers, and the next I’ve got the luxury of worrying about ways to make Lexi like me more.

This is a big night, and I want everything to go off without a hitch. Lexi deserves the best, and this is my opportunity to prove I can be a good provider. I just have to play it cool.

***

Once we settle down at our table for two in the fanciest restaurant in town, I pull myself together.

Lexi looks around. “This place is really fancy. My family never ate out, so this is a real treat for me.”

“What? You mean rarely, or never?”

She gives me a faint smile. “I mean never. At the time I thought it was because my dad didn’t see the point in sitting in a restaurant when he could get it delivered right to his home. Now I think it was because he didn’t want to be out in public where his brother could harass him for money.”

I lower my eyes, ashamed for bringing it up. “Yeah, I think your folks must have realized a woman turned up dead every time Harris didn’t get what he wanted from them.” When her eyes tear up, I quickly add, “I’m sure it wasn’t just your father’s refusal to give him money that pushed him over the edge. The police will sort it all out, but my best guess is he did it when he was enraged, or happy and wanted to treat himself, wheneverhe got bored, or even when he wanted to celebrate some accomplishment in his life. They’re kind of like addicts.”

The server comes over and takes our order. She brings wine and pours it for us.

Lexi takes a sip of her wine and asks, “What do you mean when you say serial killers are like addicts?”

“I mean it’s a compulsion they can’t control. My mother had an alcoholic uncle. She said he used every reason in the world to get rip-roaring drunk. Every single holiday, he drank at family functions until he passed out, getting belligerent by the end of his benders each time. It got to the point where she lost hope of ever having any kind of holiday or special occasion that didn’t involve a bunch of drunken behavior out of him.”

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