Page 44 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part 2

“What the fuck was that?” Kai asks, sounding as flabbergasted as I feel. “Should I be concerned with this?”

That question grabs my attention. He seriously thinks I have anything to do with her?

“No. There is nothing that would get my mind off Charley, especially not her. She was a good piece of ass for a while, but I promise, dude, that’s all she was.” After taking his time studying my face and body language as a fighter would, Kai nods.

“Good, ‘cause—”

“I know. You’ll rip my dick off and feed it to me or something. Got it. Don’t worry, I have no intentions of hurting your sister.”

He cracks a smile. “That wasn’t exactly where my mind was but that works the same.”

As we’re walking back to the gym and our vehicles, the night dies down, the city growing quiet. The air is still, a bit of an early fall chill surrounding us, flowing over our skin and making us shiver.

“She’s not stable, is she?” he asks, breaking our strained silence by addressing the elephant in the room.

“Not in the slightest. I’m not sure what she’s on, but she is hitting it hard.”

“No kidding.” Kai hits the key fob to unlock his Challenger. The clear lights flash as the locks disengage. I swing my leg over my bike after grabbing my leather jacket and backpack out of the gym. I kept them placed by the door so I could grab it quickly and reset the alarm. The trust Kai puts in me, giving me the codes to his business, doesn’t go unnoticed.

I toss my leg over my bike as Kai opens his door. “Did you see the bruises on her arm?” Kai’s nod is slow, contemplative. An uneasy feeling settles over us that has me taking in a slow breath to calm myself.

“Is she with Jonas?” he questions, a sour look on his face.

“I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she approached him to work together somehow to get back at Charley.”

“Jesus Christ. It’s like I’m living in a movie,” he mutters, and I’m inclined to agree. This sort of shit doesn’t normally happen in real life.

“My thoughts exactly. Let me tell Charley about tonight, okay?” He tilts his chin, staring me straight in the eye, and I know that is a warning, that I’d better tell her.

“Keep in touch, please, and watch over my sister.”

“You got it.” I pull off, hauling ass to get to my girl.

CHAPTER20

Damn,it’s been a good day. Jonas isn’t on campus, at least nowhere that I have seen. His truck isn’t even in the parking lot. Needless to say, I’ve rested easy knowing he isn’t here. No surprise attacks in the hallway, no cafeteria hallucinations, nothing. It’s been quiet, maybe too quiet.

Riggs has been in a pleasant mood, though sometimes when I’m looking at him, I can see it falter. Those parts of the day haven’t been good, but he’s rebounding better than in the past. The rollercoaster of emotions he feels daily is exhausting for me, I can only imagine how he deals with it.

The day is finally over and Riggs and I are walking hand in hand to the parking lot when he stops and his fist clenches around my hand.

“What?”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he grits out, his jaw rigid. I follow his furious glare to the parking spots.

His beautiful bike is on its side, fluids staining the black top.

My stomach drops.

This is the last thing he needs.

Still keeping our hands clasped together, I step in front of him and place my other hand on his cheek. He won’t say, but he loves it when I do that. Preferably with both hands, but I don’t trust him not to run off if I let go of him.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He huffs, a pained noise, and I notice his breathing pick up. “You have insurance, right?”

“Charley, my bike is totaled. I just finished paying Jensen back the money I owed him for buying it. I can’t afford it. Do you know how fucking expensive they are now? Astronomical. I might as well buy a car.”

“Insurance might not total it,” I say when I don’t mean it. The poor bike is toast, that much is obvious. I’m nauseous just thinking about it. He has worked so hard for everything he has. That bike is his pride and joy.

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