“He said that another truck bobbed and weaved until it was next to the asshole’s. Coal got the plate number or letters of the other though.” Wheels rocked back on his heels.
“What was it?” she barked when he didn’t spit it out quick enough.
One brown brow lifted then he directed his stare at T-Rex. She hated that the good ole’ boys club was all about asking for permission to each other first. She seriously wanted to kick both men in the nuts or shins, whichever she could reach.
“It read GDSGFT,” Wheels stated.
“His plate said what?” Lux rubbed her hand down her face, trying to puzzle out the letters.
“I believe he’s saying it said God’s gift,” T-Rex explained in his deep voice.
Now if it were his license plate that said such a thing, she’d totally believe it as gospel, but any friend of Davis’s was far from a gift.
T-Rex looked down at her then back at the other man, a slight grin on his gruff face. Both wore leather cuts with their club rockers on them, proudly showing they were members of the Royal MC, but that was where the similarities ended. Wheels was slim and wiry looking with tattoos, while T-Rex was, well, he was every wet dream come to life. She wondered if there were more tattoos that weren’t visible. Her mind picturing all that skin covered in ink. Sure, she’d seen him with his shirt off, but only glimpses since she didn’t want to ogle him and come off like a stalker.
Silence filled the air, bringing her out of her thoughts of the sexy man naked when it became apparent, they weren’t going to say anything else with her there.
“Excuse me. Do you boys need me to leave so you can gossip?” Yep, she was totally being a brat, but dammit, the big jerk brought it out in her.
“Ah, mon chérie, I promise you, the last time I was called a boy was the day I left primary school. I’d done lost my virginity to a school aide who was old enough to buy us liquor, and figured that title didn’t suit me, and neither did anyone else.” T-Rex bent close to her ear, warm breath fanning across her neck. “If you’d like a visual, I’ll gladly let you take a peek.”
Son-of-a-bitch. Just like that, her face was flaming again. However, she had learned the hard way to not let others see you squirm. “That sounds mighty interesting, Mr. T. Alrighty, let’s see.”
“I’m out,” Wheels said, tossing his right hand in the air and made for the back door.
Lux let out a snort at the easy way he spun on his shitkickers like he was used to making a quick exit.
Chapter Three
Lux wanted to pump her fist in triumph at the growl T-Rex made, but she didn’t. She and Nora both sat down in the office that didn’t hold just one desk but four, which created two L-shapes. When she’d first started working at Twisted Ink the office was a complete disaster with one metal desk and a chair that had seen better days behind a dumpster. After a year, she’d redone the space, creating a working environment that they could all sit in if they chose. Not that the four of them were actually ever in there at the same time much, but if they had to be, there was space and chairs that were comfy for them all, plus extra ones for guests. She took her seat behind the desk that was her own, plopping her feet up like she normally would, ignoring the smirk on the big man’s face.
Nora sat across from her in one of the guest chairs that was not as comfy but matched the aesthetic of the room. Black and chrome. She wasn’t your girly girl who liked pink and shit. She liked pink, but she’d be damned if she had to stare at it for hours on end.
Ember took his seat while the man of her—T-Rex leaned against the wall, staring at her. She tried not to notice the way his biceps bulged. Truly, she did. Yet it was like trying to not notice the sun rising in the East every fucking day. You just couldn’t do it, especially when you lived in Califreakingfornia.
“Nora, can you give us some details about the man who was or is stalking you? I know it might be a little difficult, but now that he followed you here and it appears he doesn’t give a shit about any order you have for him to keep his distance, you might want to think about other measures of safety.” Ember drummed his fingers on his desk.
Lux watched the color drain from Nora’s face at the implications that Ember laid out. How had Nora not thought of all the scenarios. She took her legs off the desk, ignoring the loud clunk her boots made and reached for Nora’s clasped hands. “Hun, I know you think that a piece of paper signed by a judge will protect you, but a sociopath doesn’t give two shits. A sociopath with money and friends in high and low places gives even less than that. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
A tremble shook Nora’s entire body while she tried to speak. Lux didn’t say another word, neither did the men in the room with them. No, they let Nora process what was clearly going to be a life altering way to her living, at least for a while. With a deep inhale, Nora straightened her shoulders, then exhaled loudly. Lux couldn’t help but notice the way Ember watched the other woman. He wasn’t staring at her tits or leering as if he was imagining her naked. No, he was watching her like he...cared.
“What do you suggest? My family and his are deeply entwined, like kissing cousins or some shit. I don’t speak to any of them. Luckily my grandmother left me a trust when she died, making it to where I don’t depend on them for money. Because trust me, they tried to keep me under their thumb. It didn’t matter to them what he...he did to me. They kept telling me to go home, that he was sorry. Like it was okay, but it wasn’t. He killed—” Nora stood from her chair, wrapping her arms around her middle, tears tracking down her face.
Lux got up, her eyes watering at the devastation and anguish she heard in the other woman’s voice. God, what did Davis do to Nora? “They were wrong.” That was all she said. All she could say.
Nora nodded against Lux’s shoulder crying great sobbing tears. She looked at T-Rex while she held the woman who she had hated for such a long time. She’d been sure Nora had known what Davis had done to her all those years ago. Hell, Lux was sure Nora knew and still allowed the man who had done much more damage to not just her mind and body, but Lux’s reputation, into her life. Sure it was long ago, some might argue a lifetime, but the asshole still held power over her. No, she didn’t see him or even think about him for long stretches of time, but then something like this happened and bam, she was that young girl again. The girl who was nearly destroyed. Yet, Nora had been a victim of the bastard’s too. Lux knew what kind of smooth talker Davis had been. During her stay in the hospital, she’d had nobody visit her, but she’d had social media. She’d seen Nora and Davis posting updates about one another. Of course she’d responded to the other girl when she’d asked if she would care if she dated the fucker. She’d been angry and hurt. Stupid and naïve.
She knew the type of monster he and his friends were firsthand, and how the people of their close-knit society could tighten their ranks to keep a secret safe. They protected one another, ensuring that one of theirs wouldn’t be harmed. It didn’t matter that Nora or Lux had been one of theirs as well. They weren’t one of the elite families. They weren’t from the good ole’ boys, the ones that were sure to get into the same college because their great great granddaddy had. A legacy wasn’t in her heritage like the Donaldson’s, which kept them safe behind their golden gates, protected from prosecution.