Time Will Tell (Maybe #3)(18)

“You have no idea. Men like them, Sin and Arrow, f*ck, wouldn’t want to mess with them. Glad they’re on our side.”

I didn’t want to get into his biker politics, but I find myself asking, “Why, are they higher up than you?”

Zach shakes his head. “They’re just from a different chapter. Where you live, actually. I’ll have to introduce you one day. I forget you don’t know everyone.”

“Sounds good. You know you look like you’ve been to hell and back,” I tell him, amused by his appearance.

“How was your night?” he asks, studying me. “How’s my girl?”

His girl?

I think not.

Not anymore, at least.

“Went out for dinner, a bike ride, and watched some movies,” I say, sitting next to him.

He sits up straighter. “Trillian let you take her on your bike?”

I nod, not telling him about how she got on the night of the club. “Yeah, and she f*ckin’ loves it.”

“Fuck off,” he breathes. “She wasn’t scared? I’ve been trying to get her on my bike for years. And just like that, she lets you? She and I are going to have words.”

My eyes narrow on him. “You f*ckin’ won’t be having words with her about it.”

His eyes widen, and then he smiles. A slow-spreading smile that makes me nervous. “You like her.”

I glance away and sigh. “I do. Fuck, she’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman and never found. But it’s more than that—I can’t even explain it. I just want to protect her.”

And f*ck her like crazy, but that’s another story.

Zach laughs. “Fuck, only Trillian could tame someone like you.”

“Me? Tamed? Not f*ckin’ likely,” I deny. We’ve only just met. It isn’t possible. “And ‘someone like me?’” I ask, even though I know what he means.

I love women.

And I’ve loved them ever since I turned fifteen.

A lot.

But this thing with Trillian is different. I don’t just want sex from her. I want her. I want everything—things that have never crossed my mind before.

“You know what I mean, Xander. I’m not saying I’m any better. I just don’t want to see Trill hurt. You’re one of my best friends, but Trill is, too, and Trill needs me, so you better know that I’ll be there for her no matter what.”

I’m not mad that he’s essentially saying he’ll choose Trill over me if I f*ck up. I’m glad, because Trillian deserves someone to be there for her. “I got you.”

“Good,” he replies. “She needs a good man. She deserves one.”

“I know. We’re going to be seeing each other while I’m here,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I like being with her.”

“She’s sweet as f*ck, isn’t she,” Zach murmurs. “Kindest heart I’ve ever known.”

I stand. “I told her I’d make her breakfast.”

Zach stares at me a second then starts laughing. When he starts making whipping sounds, I decide to get out of there. I head to the store to grab a few things, unsure what Trillian has. Now back at her house, I knock on the door, my hands full of groceries.





Chapter Nine


Trillian


After spending the night in his arms, I wake up alone. I don’t know how I feel about that. However, about an hour later, Xander is back at my front door, his arms full of groceries. Wide-eyed, I let him in and sit on the kitchen counter top as he makes an omelette with a side of bacon.

I’ve never had a man besides my dad cook for me before. It’s definitely something I could get used to.

*****

“Zach messaged and wants to go for a ride tonight. Do you want to come?” Xander asks as he unscrews the lid on his water bottle. It’s a warm day today, so we decided to go to the beach. We’re both sitting on our towels on the sand after just having come out of the water. Xander is bare-chested, rivulets of water dripping down his smooth, tanned chest. My mouth is dry.

“Trill?”

Oh, right, he asked me a question. His body is making me stupid. “Are you sure you don’t want to spend some alone time with Zach?”

“I’ll be with Zach all day tomorrow while you’re at uni,” he replies, tilting his head back and drinking. I watch his throat work as he swallows, and I suddenly feel the need to fan myself. I glance around and see that I’m not the only woman to notice the fine specimen sitting next to me. In fact, any female within the ages of fifteen to sixty on the beach seems to be watching him. I glance at Xander, who is now looking at me, either oblivious to all the attention or used to it.

“Maybe you should put a shirt on,” I mock-whisper. “You’re creating a spectacle.”

“What?” he asks, mouth twitching. “You should talk. Any male that walks this way zooms in on your tits and ass.”

My mouth drops open. “That’s not true.”

I’m wearing a one-piece swimsuit, but the sides are cut out, showing a little of my stomach. It doesn’t show much cleavage, but obviously, every flaw on my body can be seen. I walked out with a t-shirt over it, until we were about to get into the water and Xander asked me to raise my arms and he pulled it off. He assumed I wasn’t going to swim in a t-shirt and I didn’t correct him. He’d smiled at me then lowered his gaze, taking me in, before reaching his hand out and leading me to the water. He didn’t make a big deal out of anything or make me feel too awkward about him seeing me in something so revealing for the first time.