Page 32 of Biker's Tribute: Property of Bear

Deb touches my arm gently. "Take it from a lady kicking cancer's ass, ignore my son's comments on race. He would be lucky to get attention from a doctor."

"He just saved me because I was there," I reassure her. "Sorry, Deb."

"It's nothing," she says. "It's hard watching your son grow up and knowing that... well... he would be lucky to find a woman to put up with him at all."

Before Deb can offer me more wisdom about Ethan, we hush up because we hear his footsteps stomping around the house like an irritated ogre. He bursts into the kitchen like he expected to catch us french kissing.

"What were you talking about?"

"None of your business," Deb says. "Do you have good news for me? I have to get to my appointment, Bear."

She calls him Bear. It's cute. Plus, watching their interaction gives me ammo for when I inevitably get trapped with her son later. Bear.

Ethan sits at a kitchen counter stool, his stance spread wide. He pulls his phone out and I hear suspicious notifications, which he addresses in a few seconds before giving his mother the news. He doesn't address me directly, although I'm clearly just as eager about getting to Boston.

"Security breach," he says. "Bikers must've tracked me through Darragh Murray, but they didn't just come after me, they breached his brother's home security system and hit multiple points in Boston."

"Why?" Deb asks. "I thought your brother had them handled."

"We did," Ethan snarls, his grumpiness increasing exponentially. "These men are posers. Members who fell off the original Midnight SS roster, stole weapons and cuts... they're the outlaws of outlaws."

"How many of them?" Deb asks, her gaze sharpening on Ethan's. This is not her first rodeo and honestly, I don't know what type of family this is in the first place. I didn't reveal too much to Deb and I can see that I was cautious not to underestimate her.

It's not about liking her, it's about the fact that I witnessed a crime... and I'm way over my head.

"Rian Murray whacked three of them at his estate. I got the one who broke into Dr. Yancey's office, and the Boston PD has one more who they suspect committed the Cambridge murders."

Deb's face grows white. "The Cambridge murders?"

"Yes."

"So you have a fall guy," she responds in a hushed tone, as if the walls could listen to us. "Good."

"I didn't hurt anyone," Ethan says, his voice so steady that I believe him.

His mother nods. "Good. Excellent."

"So we'll be back in Boston soon?" I ask hopefully. Ethan glares at me like I just asked him to look at his butthole.

"No," he growls at me. "Mom, Aiden Murray will collect you from the city tomorrow with a convoy and provide a personal security detail until your next appointment.” Then he changes his attention back to me.

“You're staying with me."

"Staying here?"

New York and Boston are practically sister cities. Maybe I could convince Mallory to come out and visit if this man won't let me out of his sight...

Ethan pops my bubble enthusiastically, barely concealing his wicked smirk.

"No," he says. "I'm taking you out West until the Boston Police Department completes their investigation. And trial."

"That could be years," I blurt out. I try to stay cool around Ethan, but this is ridiculous. He can't yank me out of my life and expect me to sit around captive for years.

"There must be some compromise," Deb says to her son, offering the brutish man some reason and sense. "Dr. Yancey has a life and she must have clients and friends..."

Ethan glares at both of us.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone to scheme," he says. "I brought this mess to Amanda and if she dies, her blood will be on my hands. It's not happening. Ever."

---