Page 45 of Come Back to Me

“If it carries on, the matter will escalate. I’m here in a friendly capacity. Though, because of Paulie, I’m friendlier than Sergeant Reilly would be.”

Her nose wrinkles. “We had a run-in with that idiot. Not surprised you came around. Reilly about pissed himself when Dad climbed off his bike.”

Amusement filters through me. “Sounds about right. But he didn’t send me. We’re in different forces.”

“Whatever. I’ll pass the message along but...”

“Paulie warned me about your dad.” I rub a hand over my chin. “You know if you ever need a job, my ranch is hiring. Could always use help with the horses.”

“One day, the guy I’m with will take over for my old man. He won’t?—”

“If he doesn’t end up dead or in jail first. Is that what you want? To tie your future to some biker?”

She blinks. “You don’t pull your punches, huh?”

“Nah. Paulie liked me for a reason. Said that for a rich boy, I had the heart of a scavenger.”

Her grin’s sheepish. “That was a big compliment. Paulie loved scavengers.”

“Was it true or bullshit that he had a pet raccoon growing up?”

“Oh, it was true.” Her sheepish grin sags. “I appreciate the offer, Cody.”

“There’s no expiration date on it.”

“The good folk of your prissy town might not appreciate someone like me working for you.”

“You think I give a fuck about that?” I scoff. “Tell your dad I’m not Reilly.”

“He doesn’t like the police.”

“Neither do I, but I’ve faced down worse than your father, so you should probably warn him I’m not scared of the MC.”

Though I shouldn’t ask, I hesitate for so long that she sighs. “What is it?”

“Did you drop out?”

Paulie used to be really proud that Amy earned a scholarship for a boarding school that, ironically enough, is close to Pigeon Creek—Our Lady of Sorrows. Which, of course, tells me everything that I’d never been able to make sense of.

Why the Rabid Wolves have started coming around Pigeon Creek—because the Prez’s daughter attends OLS.

Fuck, I was slow to figure that one out.

“No. Kit doesn’t mind me finishing school.”

Kit being her man.

God, she’s only a kid! How can she have ‘a man’?

My fingers ache with how hard I clench them. “How old is he?”

Her smile’s tired. “I’m not jailbait.”

“Aren’t you?”

“I chose him.”

“You sure about that?”

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