Page 70 of Truck Stop Tempest

“She’s the Prez’s niece. That guarantee enough?”

“Fuck,” I grunted, unable to hide my cringe.

Dane pulled a hand-rolled out of his pocket, his glare never leaving Tuck. “How about you fuckers get outta here.”

“Not a problem.” I slapped a hand on Tucker’s back and urged him to back the fuck off. Even I wasn’t grisly enough to stick around and watch what the guy inside had coming.

The girl was safe, back with her family.

Matt Child? Well. That fucker was in for a world of hurt.

I hurt. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes. Cracked, but still whole. I hadn’t shattered. I was living, breathing, and not at the mercy of any man.

I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in one of Tito’s black hoodies and a pair of his boxers. When I came down the hallway, Aida greeted me from the kitchen table, coffee at the ready.

“Hi.” She offered me a blue mug along with a rare smile.

I took the warm cup, gripping it with two hands, absorbing the heat. “How did you get in?”

She pulled out a chair and made herself comfortable. “Tito gave me a spare when he moved in.”

“Tango told you what happened?”

“He was worried about you.”

Her black sweater bore a wet stain over her right shoulder. Odd as it was, that small imperfection put me at ease.

“Where’s Lucia?”

“Upstairs.” Another grin warmed her icy features. “Rocky is reading to her.”

I slunk into the chair opposite Aida, tucking my knees against my chest, my heels hooked on the edge of the seat.

Worried eyes assessed me from across the table.

“I’m okay. I am. Really.” I dusted a finger over the darkening bruises on my throat.

“I can see that.”

Then why are you here? I wanted to scream. I had always licked my wounds in private. Hide. Hide. Hide. I hated that Aida, of all people, saw me as weak, a victim, but Lord, how I needed to talk. “He’s always been violent. A bully. He’s never hurt me like that before, though. Something’s changed.”

She nodded. Paused. Huffed. “I just got off the phone with Tito. He didn’t handle the news very well.”

“I was going to call him. After my shower.”

Aida shifted in her seat. Dark waves fell over her shoulders. She pulled her hair behind her back before straightening her spine and tilting her head. “Listen. I may be out of line, but there are some things I think you deserve to know before this thing between you and Tito progresses.”

Her confident mask slipped, revealing a hint of fear. Her eyes glazed, gaze drifting to something over my head before dropping to her hands. “Something happened to Tito before he came to Whisper Springs. He came back different than the guy I grew up with. Broken. Half-dead on the inside.” She lifted her chin, blinking her focus back to me. “But the two of you started hanging out, and that spark came back. He’s trying to be the old Tito again.”

“What happened?”

“That’s not my story to tell.” Click, click, click. Her red nails beat an erratic rhythm against her mug. “What I can tell you, though, is he needs to let go of the shit from his past. He deserves to be happy.”

“You think I can make him happy?”

“You do.” Aida sighed, gnawing her lower lip. “He’s going to storm in here, half-cocked, and hell-bent on going after Erik. That’s who he is. He protects the people he loves, by whatever means he deems necessary. He’ll do and say some ugly things. That’s how he protects himself.”

“Aida. I’m not—”

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