Page 29 of Biker's Baby

THIRTEEN

Abe

It had beena long shift at work. Mostly because by the time we got back from the trip Iris needed me to make with her, I only had time to sleep for a couple hours before I had to get ready to head back to work.

I’d spent months of my life running on energy drinks and coffee before, but I wasn’t in love with the idea of having to do it again. I wasn’t twenty-one anymore, and the lack of sleep was taking its toll on me.

But I was glad she was so relieved to have her things back from her neighbor, and I was glad to have her back out of that wretched little town. I knew she didn’t care if her stalker ex saw her out and about with me, but I didn’t want to just be the pawn that was meant to scare him off.

I wanted him to be shown once and for all that he had to leave her the fuck alone, or he would wind up in a living hell. I would happily put him there myself.

Just seeing her with him would be enough to piss him off, and it was a gamble whether he’d even see the two of us together anyway. But, I wasn’t in the mood to explain all this to Iris. She was happy enough with the fact we’d gotten her things, I didn’t want to throw a damper on her mood.

And even that I found hard to believe. I shouldn’t care that much about what she thought over what we were doing, but I did. I liked to see her happy, and I did things that I knew would make her happy. It might be crazy. In fact, I’m pretty sure that it was crazy to feel that way, but it didn’t change the fact that it was how I truly felt.

It was difficult to get her out of my head, even when I was at work.

I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about her all day, every day like I was, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted her to be safe. I wanted another chance with her. I wanted the impossible.

I was interrupted during my shift with my ringing phone, and I felt slightly annoyed to see that it was Iris calling me. Not that I didn’t want to hear from her, but I didn’t want the other guys on shift to hear me. Especially Glenn.

It had been hard enough dodging his prying eyes anyway. The more she was around, the more likely it was he would find out about her. And I still didn’t know how I’d deal with that should the need to deal with it ever arise.

“Hello?” I said.

“Come outside,” Iris replied.

“What?” I asked.

“I said come outside,” she said again.

“Outside? Are you at my work?” I exclaimed. In answer, she hung up the phone.

I stormed out the front door, nearly seething at her to see her standing outside right out in the open. In fact, she was leaning against my bike, as though she couldn’t think of another way to make herself more obvious to the entire fucking town.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped as I rushed toward her. I glanced over my shoulder. The last I had seen Glenn, he was around the back of the shop. But, that didn’t mean he would be back there forever.

“I was sure I’d heard someone trying to do something with the window back at the house,” she said. “I got scared so I brought Tristan and we came to find you. I’m sorry!”

She pointed to her car where her little boy was sound asleep in his car seat.

“Fuck! You know how much trouble I’m going to be in if anyone sees you here?” I hissed.

“I didn’t know what else to do!” she cried. “I was scared. What if it was Joel?”

I shook my head.

“You can’t stay here,” I told her.

“What should I do?” I asked. “Do you want to come look at the place?”

“I can’t leave while I’m on shift,” I told her. “Why don’t you go somewhere public – somewhere busy where you can stay out in the open but still be somewhere safe in case your ex shows up?”

“How many places are open this late?” Iris asked.

“I don’t fucking know! Go to McDonalds!” I said.

She gave me a hurt look, but there wasn’t anything else I could do for her right now.

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