Gypsy King (Tin Gypsy, #1)(55)

“Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe because she never talked about him. Like never. I even asked her once if she’d had a nice weekend with her company and she just smiled without answering me. It was almost like they were hiding something. I always wondered if maybe he was married.”

“Maybe.”

The neighbor’s eyes got wide as she realized what she’d just said. “Oh, God. No. That’s not what I mean. Please don’t put that in your story. Amina was so kind and sweet and generous. I don’t want you to think she’s some kind of home-wrecker or mistress. I was just talking out loud. I’m sure he wasn’t married. She wasn’t like that.”

“Don’t worry.” I smiled. “I won’t write anything that isn’t true. Speculation is just that.”

Her face paled. “Really. I’m sure he wasn’t married. And she was wonderful. Truly.”

“I’m sure you’re right. Thanks again.”

She went to her door, quickly disappearing inside with the stroller. Probably scared she’d stick her foot in her mouth again.

Dash and I didn’t stay longer. We both walked silently to the bike, not talking until my helmet was on.

“Well, that was interesting,” I said quietly. “Turns out Amina had a regular visitor on the weekends.”

“I heard that.”

“Do you know where your dad has been most weekends?”

Dash’s jaw ticked. “He didn’t kill her.”

“I’m not saying that.” I frowned. “But I think we’d better find out exactly how long your dad has been having sex with Amina Daylee. And if it wasn’t him, then she did have a boyfriend. I wonder how he’d react to learning she’d gone to Clifton Forge and hooked up with your dad.”

“Sounds like we need to track down a boyfriend.”

“Yes, we do.”

Dash straddled the bike. “Good thing the neighbor showed. Otherwise this would have been a wasted trip.”

“We got lucky.” I settled behind him. “And we were lucky the house was listed too so we could get inside.”

“What were you going to do if it hadn’t been listed?” he asked over his shoulder.

I shrugged. “Pick the lock on the front door or break in through a window.”

Dash’s eyes crinkled at the sides as a slow grin spread across his lips. Then he burst out laughing, the sound echoing across the block as his shoulders shook. “God, you’re fucking amazing. Too bad you don’t like me.”

“That’s right. I don’t like you.” Not at all.





Chapter Fifteen





Dash





Bryce and I stopped by a taco joint to grab lunch before riding home to Clifton Forge. The return trip was quiet, not as intimate and exciting as the trip to Bozeman had been. Her arms didn’t grip me quite as fiercely. Her legs didn’t hug the outside of my thighs.

Maybe she’d gotten used to the bike and how to shift her weight. But that featherlight touch felt more like her pulling away.

I hadn’t expected the whole act like a married couple bit. It made sense why Bryce had done it, but dumbass that I was, it had taken me too long to catch on.

I just . . . wasn’t that guy. I wasn’t the wife-and-kids type. Being a family man was Nick’s priority, not mine. My niece and nephew were amazing kids. I liked having a sister-in-law who gave me shit and loved my brother as eternally as my mother had loved my father.

But I had never imagined that in my life, and even if I could picture it, I didn’t want it.

Fucking no, thank you.

I’d witnessed firsthand the destruction it had brought to Dad’s life when Mom had died. I saw Nick’s fear when he’d learned Emmeline had almost been kidnapped.

I’d had numerous black eyes, a fractured ulna and collarbone, two broken noses and a few concussions thanks to the boxing ring and a few fights. Physical pain I could handle. A broken heart?

Nope. No point in even putting myself in that position.

Bryce being pissed at me wasn’t going to change my mind. She didn’t get to judge the way I lived my life—past, present or future. She wasn’t my wife or girlfriend, so she didn’t get to be angry that I wasn’t a hand-holder or cringed at the idea of babies.

By the time we pulled into Clifton Forge, it was my turn to be mad. Bryce and I were casual. We were having sex, temporarily. I guess I shouldn’t have spent the night.

When I pulled up to her house, she was off the bike in a flash, stripping off the helmet. “We need to talk to your dad and see if it was him visiting Amina.”

“Yeah.”

“I want to be there.”

“Fine.” I narrowed my eyes and studied her face. It didn’t look angry. She didn’t seem hurt. She just seemed tired.

Maybe I’d been reading way too much into her reaction to me at Amina’s house. Maybe she was just preoccupied with what we’d learned from the neighbor. Had I gotten worked up for nothing?

I sure hoped so. This would be a lot easier if I didn’t have to worry about Bryce pressuring me for a commitment.

“Meet me at the garage at ten tomorrow,” I told her, returning her items from my pocket.