“It’s me,” Cannon’s voice says through the door. “It’s been forty minutes, and there hasn’t been any sign of a cop or a police cruiser in the complex.”
I don’t want to admit that he was right. So, when I jerk the door open, I say, “How do I know you didn’t run them off?”
Cannon’s eyes scan my new outfit quickly, then my face. I would almost say that he looked momentarily relieved before he replies. “You know I wouldn’t do that. The cops aren’t coming. They never were. I’m sorry about that. I’m sure you would rather have someone in uniform here than me, but I’m all you’ve got.” His hands gesture to himself, and I wish my body wasn’t instantly affected by him the way it is. And it’s like the harder I try to resist, the more attractive the biker becomes.
The worst part is, I think I actually believe him.
“So, what do you suggest I do now?” I ask because I don’t have a clue.
“You can’t stay here alone tonight,” Cannon says simply.
“So where am I going to sleep?” I know that I could stay here, but I don’t really want to. I would toss and turn all night, getting startled by every little sound, afraid that the men have come back to finish what they started.
“The police can’t protect you from Bailey, but I can,” he tells me. “The Savage Kings can keep you safe, if you’ll give us the chance.”
“Okay, fine,” I agree because I’m out of options. “Now what?”
“Pack a bag. You’re coming to stay with me and Conrad until the election.”
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I blurt out almost a little bit too defensively.
“You won’t have to,” he says, hands braced on his hips. “We have a spare bedroom.”
“Why can’t I just get a hotel room?” I ask because spending time in his home, with him always around is not going to help me keep fighting the attraction.
“Because I don’t want to sleep in a hotel where people are always coming and going. My house is safe. The prospects can take turns sleeping on the sofa and standing guard. We have security cameras and alarms. And if I’m not there, my brother and Hannah probably will be. You’ll be safer there than you will be anywhere else in the city.”
His explanation doesn’t leave much room for argument. And I’ve already given him a hard enough time as it is. If I had just let him and the prospects come inside, then maybe the intruders wouldn’t have ever laid a hand on me.
“Well?” Cannon asks. “Are we going to stand here and argue about it for another hour, or can we get moving?”
“Give me a few minutes to pack,” I reply; and for a second, his face looks surprised.
“I’ll wait in the living room,” he says before he slips away.
I pull out my medium size rolling luggage and a hanging bag and get to work, making sure I have about four days’ worth of outfits and pajamas. Once I grab my travel toiletry bag, I haul part of it into the living room and find Cannon rummaging through my cabinets.
“What are you doing?”
“Just checking out your stash, seeing what you like to eat.” He closes the wooden doors and turns to face me. “You expecting a coffee shortage?” he asks, and I know he’s referring to the tower of K-cup drawers that are all full.
“I like what I like, and I don’t want to run out,” I tell him.
“Right,” he mutters, coming over to the living room. “Ready?”
“As ready as I will ever be to go stay with you,” I respond.
“Good enough.”
He reaches for the luggage handle and takes it from me, then grabs the hanging bag slung over my arm. “It’ll be nice to sleep in my bed tonight,” he says on the way to the door. “Coming?” he asks when he gets there and turns around, but I’m still standing in the same spot in the living room.
“Yeah,” I agree with a sigh.
And as I walk over and grab a black coat out of my closet since the white one holds memories I want to forget, I can’t help but wonder what my parents would say if they found out I was sleeping over at the house of a man who is part of the Savage Kings MC. They would probably think I’ve lost my mind. Strangely enough, I didn’t even consider going to stay with them. Neither place has ever been home, so I would be as alone as I am here. No, I would feel safer with Cannon. Besides, there’s no point dragging my mother and father into the drama with Bailey.
Chapter Twelve
Cannon
I’m still surprised that Madison so easily agreed to come stay with me. I thought for sure she would protest more or back out before I got her in my SUV. But here we are, driving down the road to my house with the prospects in the car behind us.
From the corner of my eye, I see a glow from her phone and glance over to see what she’s doing.
“I’m texting Lily to let her know that I’m staying with you. What’s the address?”
I call it out, and she types it in.
“I don’t expect you to trust me,” I assure her. “And I think you’ll feel better once we get to my place and you meet Conrad and Hannah. But I did try to warn you yesterday.”
Madison groans and says, “Seriously, you’re going to pull a ‘I told you so’ tonight?”
“Well, it’s true,” I say.
“Yes, you were right about Bailey being ruthless. I was wrong to think he was a decent human being. Are you happy now?” she asks.
“Hopefully, you won’t be so stubborn the next time I try to help you.”
“You were a stranger who came out of nowhere. How could I know if you were telling the truth or if you were just some crazy guy spewing conspiracy theories and wanting to scare me enough to drop out of the race? I was confused, especially since during all of that you were trying to ask me out.”
“Now you know I’m none of those things, though,” I say when I put on the turn signal for our road.
“Maybe. The jury is still out,” she says, but I can tell from the softness in her voice that she’s joking.
“One thing I know for sure is that you’re never going to go out with me.”
“No, I’m not,” Madison says confidently.
“Which is fine since I can’t sleep with you now anyway.”
“No, you can’t.”
“No, I mean, I don’t want to.”
“Wow. That’s so nice to hear,” she replies sarcastically.
“No, what I meant was that no matter how badly I may want to sleep with you, I can’t now because I can’t get rid of you in the morning.”
“What does that mean?” she asks.
“I don’t do serious relationships. No commitments, no feelings, which means nothing but one-night stands with women who understand it’s only sex.”
“When we first met, you acted like it was your life’s mission to get me into your bed.”
“What can I say? I’ve never been turned down before, and you did it so brutally it hurt my ego.”
“Oh, whatever,” she says, and I can hear the hint of a smile in her voice. I’m just glad that I could take her mind off of what just happened for a few minutes. And for the first time, she finally said something that makes her sound her age.