Page 59 of Rafe: Sins of the Father

“See your point.” He grins. “You gonna just roll up on your bike and drop her off at the front door?”

I sigh. “Yeah, that probably won’t go over well, will it?”

Billy lifts a shoulder. “Let Melissa drop her off. Her father will think she’s some friend from Huntington.”

“Melissa okay to drive?” I glance at the table in front of her empty spot, but only see a water glass, and I didn’t keep track of how many empties the waitress took away.

“Yeah. I cut her off on the last round.”

“Will she be okay doing this for me?”

He folds his arms and leans in his chair. “Hell, I’m sure she’ll be glad for the time alone to drill her for info.”

When the girls return, Billy stands and whispers to Melissa before she sits down, and I see her nod in agreement.

I take Tori’s hand, drawing her attention. “Melissa’s getting ready to leave. How about if she drops you off at home? I’m sure the last thing you want is me riding up to your doorstep with you on the back of my bike. Not that I wouldn’t love to do exactly that.”

“No, you’re right. It would be better if Melissa drops me off. I can explain that.”

Fiona and Tori exchange numbers before we leave. I walk Tori out to Melissa’s car and take her hands, bringing her to face me. “I’m glad I got to spend some time with you today.”

“Me, too. I had a really good time.”

“See, the club’s not so bad, huh?”

Billy is saying goodbye to Melissa at the driver’s door, telling her to call him as soon as she gets home.

I open the car door, and Tori slips inside. I reach across her and buckle her belt, then dip my head and kiss her softly. “Text me when you get home.”

“I will.”

I close the door, and Melissa pulls away.

Billy slaps my arm. “Nice move—the seatbelt check, steal a kiss move. Smooth.”

“I really like this girl, Billy.” The taillights disappear into the setting sun.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Rafe—

Tori’s new tire scrapes along the bed of the company pickup truck as I shove it in and slam the tailgate. It finally arrived, but I’ll doubt I’ll have time to get it put on her car in time for her to make her 9am class.

By the time I swing the truck into the mill’s parking lot, it’s almost 8:30. Before I can head up the drive to the big house, I see Sawyer and Tori standing with Charlie in front of the mill office. My foot hits the brake next to the silver Mercedes, and with my elbow out the window, I lean out.

“Just picked up your new tire.”

“Park the truck and come here a minute,” Charlie says.

The looks on all three of their faces sets off alarm bells in my head. Something’s not right.

Sawyer’s arms are folded, and he looks pissed.

Shit. What now? Climbing from the truck, I walk over. “Everything all right?”

“No, Rafe. It’s not,” Sawyer says. “You want to explain why we found this in your saddlebags just now?” He holds up a zippered bank bag. It’s burgundy emblazoned in gold with the name of the bank the mill uses. Citizen’s Federal.

My eyes shift to my bike sitting parked in the shade of a tree next to Bubba’s truck, not twenty yards away. What the fuck are they doing going through my saddlebags?

---