Reaper's Stand(55)

“Don’t worry about that for now,” he told me. “Worry about Melanie. Later I’ll take you out and we’ll find you some clothes and shit. Until we know what happened with your house, you’re with me. Nice and safe here. Nonnegotiable.”

That caught my attention and I rolled onto my elbow, looking down at him with a frown.

“You think I wouldn’t be safe somewhere else?” I asked quickly. “That sounds like you think my house wasn’t an accident?”

He shrugged.

“I got no idea what happened to your house,” he said. “Probably just a gas leak. Just like the idea of keeping you around for a bit, letting shit settle. Probably hasn’t totally sunk in what happened just yet—you need to figure things out. This is a good place to do it. That’s all I meant.”

I relaxed.

“Sorry, guess I’m a little edgy.”

“I take it that means you aren’t up for wake-up sex?”

I closed my eyes, then shook my head.

“I don’t think I’m up for anything at all,” I muttered. “I have whiplash. Too much happening too fast.”

“Fair enough. Let’s get to the hospital, go check on girl number two. See if they’ll let us spring her.”

An hour later we stood outside the hospital, Mellie gripping my arm as she took in the sight of Painter’s motorcycle.

“I sort of thought you meant a car when you said you’d give me a ride home,” she whispered, eyes wide. I nodded, more than a little startled myself by the transportation situation. Reese had insisted on us riding his bike that morning, saying Painter would meet us at the hospital to give Mellie a ride if she needed one.

I’d assumed that mean a ride in a car. Not so much.

“She did have a head injury,” I pointed out. Painter stood tall next to his bike, his blond hair in short spikes. He frowned at Mel.

“Then call a cab,” he said, his voice challenging. “Don’t have my car with me.”

Reese rolled his eyes.

“Sort of thought the car was implied,” he muttered.

Painter shrugged.

“You didn’t say and it’s not like she’s really hurt or anything. You got a headache?”

Mel frowned, looking nervous and a little excited all at once.

“No, I don’t actually,” she said. “Although they said no sudden movements.”

“So you’ll have to hold on tight,” Painter replied, smirking at her. “I don’t mind.”

“Oh, for f*ck’s sake,” Reese said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “I’ll call someone else.”

“No, it’s okay,” Mel said suddenly. “I’ll try riding the bike.”

She smiled hesitantly at Painter, and my mom radar exploded to life. This was the same kid who’d been screwing Jessica. He was tall, with lots of tattoos and muscles and cute in that way only bad boys can be … My Mellie was a good girl, not the kind of girl to get involved with someone like this Painter. Shit. Was she blushing?


I turned on Painter, whipping out my Parental Voice of Authority like a sword.

“You watch yourself with her,” I snapped. “I don’t want anything bad happening to that girl. I see right through you, little man.”

Reese, Melanie, and Painter all froze, their faces full of shocked surprise. Then Painter started laughing.

“Fuckin’ priceless, prez,” he said, smirking at me. Then he glanced at Mel. “You comin’ or not?”

She nodded quickly, hopping up on his bike while I glared at them both. Painter kicked his Harley to life and then roared out of the parking lot, leaving me alone with Reese.

“Kid’s survived prison, you know that?” he asked me slowly, shaking his head. “Bigger than you, too. Really think talkin’ to him like that is a good idea? You’re kind of small.”

I put my hands on my hips and glared up at him.

“Then why the hell did you let him ride off with her?”

“Because he’ll do what I say,” he told me. “And I told him to take her out to my place and keep her safe. He’ll die before he lets anything happen to her. He’s my brother and I trust him.”

“I don’t care if he’s an Orthodox rabbi,” I said, my voice cold. “He’ll keep his filthy hands off Melanie or he’ll answer to me.”

“Just because he f*cked Jess—”

“I don’t want to have this conversation,” I said tightly. “I’m protective of her. Unlike Jessica, Melanie works hard to avoid trouble. I hear you’re protective of your girls, too, so I bet you know exactly how I’m feeling right now.”

He laughed.

“Yeah, babe, I get it. Just remember—he’s a big boy and he doesn’t have to take any lip from you. Bein’ with me doesn’t give you the right to say shit to him, so be glad you made him laugh instead of pissin’ him off.”

I stepped forward and threaded my hands up and around his neck. Then I gave him a sweet, sugary smile, staring deep into his blue eyes.

“I didn’t do it because I’m with you,” I said softly, my voice deadlier than arsenic. “I did it because that child’s mama ran off yesterday and I’m her emergency backup mother. It’s a job I take seriously. Don’t f*ck with a mama bear, Reese. Doesn’t end well for anyone—not even big, bad bikers.”