“Huh?”
“I want to take you somewhere. You can’t tell me no once we’re there. I can buy you whatever I want. You game?”
“Isn’t there supposed to be a safe word between us?” He roars with laughter, causing people around us to turn and stare.
“We can discuss that later, but you should be thinking about it,” he says through his laughter.
“Come on you,” I say grabbing the front of his T-shirt to get away from all the stares.
We get a few paces up the block before I release the fabric. When I drop my hand to my side, John brushes the back of his against mine. I look up at him, and the smile on his face causes my cheeks to warm.
I nod to let him know the small gesture is okay. I can handle it. His smile broadens.
He gestures for me to follow him as he hails a cab. We jump inside the first one that stops for him. He pulls up an address on his phone and gives it to the driver.
I’m a little nervous and unsure about where he’s taking me, but I trust John, so I sit and watch as the cars and buildings go by. When we pull up in front of a Ducati dealership, I turn to look at John with wide eyes. He can’t be serious.
“You brought me here to do what?”
He reaches to stroke my hand. “I’ve been thinking. When Nate gave me your license, I was curious. He mentioned later that you took interest in the course.
“He took a guess that you knew how to ride and made sure to get your license with the motorcycle rating. When you came to Seattle, you went straight for a bike. You rode like it was second nature.” He looks over my face. “You like motorcycles.”
I never thought about it. When I needed a ride, I wanted something quick. I had gone for the bike without thinking. It was so second nature; I hadn’t even thought about being licensed to ride or not. Honestly, I still wouldn’t have given it a second thought if he didn’t just bring it up.
I ride at the compound all the time. If I’m not in the gym, most times you can find me on the track. However, that doesn’t mean I want him to buy me a freaking bike.
“John—”
He shakes his head. “Didn’t I tell you once we were here, I’d buy you whatever I want?”
“You want to buy me a Ducati?”
“I’m going to buy you a Ducati. I want to see you smile and if I can’t kiss you right now, then I’ll spoil you instead. It will be as close as I can get to my own pleasure.”
“Come on, man. Stop playing.”
He laughs. “Get out of the car. I’m not playing.”
I do as he says and an hour later, I have a custom bike being delivered at the end of the week.
Chapter 38
Little Helper
John
Four and a half months later…
“Roni, I know you’re upset. Baby, I’m sorry. I promise to make it up to you. Call me back. You can’t ignore me forever.” I sigh and end the message.
I get it. This is the fourth time I’ve had to cancel on her. I haven’t been to New York in months. With all that’s going on, Dad has needed me to pick up some of the slack. I’ve had three bounties today alone.
The first two were simple. This last one, I can feel it in my bones I’m going to have to get my hands dirty. This guy is a real shitbag.
And still, all that’s on my mind is my girl. I miss her face. Seeing it through a computer or phone screen isn’t enough.
Knowing that she sleeps in my bed every night and I’m not there drives me crazy. Once Torque turned eighteen, they moved into my apartment in New York. However, every time I try to head to New York something gets in the way.
Now, she’s ignoring my calls and I’m ready to say fuck it all and go to New York to see what the hell is going on. I push out of my car grumbling to myself. This is some straight bullshit.
“You ready now?” Ryan asks as he leans against the roof of the car.
I nod. “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”
“All right, all right, all right, let’s get us a scumbag today,” Ryan chants.
“Your bitch ass better not make us chase you,” I mutter to myself as we come up on the house we’ve found Baron Jones at.
Sure enough, we’re on our way into position not even ten feet from the house when the door swings open. Baron comes out with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he laughs over his shoulder and calls something into the house. As soon as he turns and lands his gaze on me and then bounces to Ry, he lets the cigarette fall from his lips and takes off around the house.
I pull my taser gun and take chase, waving Ry to try to cut him off from the other side of the house. This dude isn’t going to outrun us. He’s about five packs a day out of shape.
I stop at the back of the house and flatten against the washed-out siding. The sound of grunting sends me into action. Apparently, Ryan moved faster than I expected.
When I peek around the corner with the taser aimed, the mix of emotions that runs through me almost makes my head explode.
“Roni, what the fuck?”
“Not now,” she snaps back at me.
Roni takes this dude, twice her size, down so fast I think my head spins. She sends a hand into Baron’s throat before she spins and kicks him in the gut. He stumbles back but shakes it off and tries to charge her.
Roni fucking runs up his chest, locks her legs around his neck and spins so they both rotate as she takes him to the ground. I don’t get to blink as she pulls cuffs and slips them on his wrist. She then sits on his back, looking up at me expectantly.
“Really, Roni?”
“You know her?” Ryan says as he comes around the corner.
“Yeah.”
Baron grunts. “Get this bitch off me.”
Roni pops him upside his head. “Watch your mouth.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose as she stands, moving out of the way for Ry to lift Baron to his feet as he eyes her suspiciously. Roni, on the other hand, completely ignores Ryan and the prick that’s hurling curses at us all. Her attention is fixed on me.
“What are you doing here?”
“The kid has gotten good at tracking.” She shrugs.
I throw my hands up. “That’s not even what I meant. Wait, Torque tracked me?”
“Isn’t that what I just said?”
I point a finger at her. “Don’t even. Is he here with you?”
“No, he made this cool shit. It’s like the ear comms from the Toy Cop academy, but better. I think he’s found his calling—”
“Roni,” I drag out.
She tilts her head to the side. “I thought you’d be happier to see me.”
I close the gap between us. “You just show up on a dangerous bounty out of the blue. You cuff a guy twice your size. Hold on… where did you get the cuffs.”
She pats my cheek. “Always be prepared.” She winks at me.
I narrow my eyes at her. I don’t know whether I want to kiss her or spank her. As my anger starts to wane, I’m leaning more toward kissing her senseless.
“By the way, I’d like my cuffs back, dude,” she calls over her shoulder to Ry.
“Who are you?”