“Who gives a fuck?”

  Ignoring me, she crouched over Jared and searched for a pulse.

  “Well?” I asked. “Are we calling Dex to help us bury the body? Or the cops to take Jared to jail?”

  She blinked and stared at me. Was that too much info about Dex? Oh, well. I couldn’t be bothered to worry about his secrets right now.

  “He’s alive,” she said.

  I yanked out my cell phone and dialed 911.

  Hours and hours of questions.

  “Your aunt and uncle are your guardians, but you live here?” one officer asked.

  Juliet nodded. “My attorney’s been handling my affairs.”

  The vague answer seemed to satisfy the cop. I had Mr. Porter on speed dial, ready to call if they tried to take Juliet anywhere.

  The cops were finishing when Dex burst through the busted front door.

  His accusing eyes found me immediately. “What the hell happened?”

  I blamed myself too, so he wasn’t alone.

  “And you are?” the officer asked.

  “Her uncle. What happened?”

  “As long as there’s finally an adult present,” the officer said, “we’ll get going. They can tell you what happened. Mr. Samson will be taken into custody.” He threw a glance at me. “If he recovers.”

  “Jared did this?” Dex seethed.

  “Stay away from him.” The cop eyed Dex’s leather cut, zeroing in on the Lost Kings MC patch. “Let the system handle him.”

  “Absolutely, officer. No problem. I feel safer already knowing you’re on the case,” Dex sneered.

  Damn, it was hard not to like him.

  “Since it’s clear he broke in and attacked the girl, we won’t be pressing charges, Mr. Hawkins.” The cop nodded at me. “But don’t go anywhere.”

  “Not planning to.”

  The officer shook my hand and motioned for his crew to follow him outside.

  Juliet told her story one final time before I took her upstairs to bed.

  She winced and I almost lost my mind when she stripped off her shirt and I saw the bruises forming on her back.

  “I should’ve killed that son of a bitch,” I said through my teeth.

  “Don’t say that,” she whispered.

  “He hurt you. He didn’t give a damn about the damage he was inflicting. I should kill him for scaring you alone.”

  “I don’t want that on your conscience, Roman,” she said as I tucked the covers around her.

  Her weary expression kept my mouth shut. This wasn’t about me or my need for revenge.

  It was about protecting Juliet and making her feel safe again.

  Murder could come later.

  I stayed by her side until she fell asleep, then returned downstairs.

  Dex and one of his club brothers were quietly cleaning up the debris and fixing the front door.

  “Thank you for staying and doing that,” I said.

  Dex turned and nodded at his red-headed buddy. He had a dense beard that made it impossible to tell if he was closer to my age or Dex’s. I supposed it didn’t matter, I was just happy to have someone help me clean up the mess. When Juliet woke tomorrow, I wanted no trace of the wreckage to remind her of what happened.

  “Murphy, this is Roman, Juliet’s boyfriend,” Dex introduced.

  The emphasis he added to boyfriend made me think Dex wasn’t all that thrilled with me at the moment.

  Murphy and I nodded at each other. “Thank you for coming over.” I’m sure he had better things to do on a holiday than clean up this mess.

  “No problem. If Dex calls, I answer.”

  Dex rolled his eyes. “You’re not a prospect anymore. You’re the RC for fuck’s sake.”

  Murphy smirked and punched Dex in the arm.

  “RC? That’s road captain, right?” I asked.

  Murphy slowly tapped the patch on his cut that plainly spelled out Road Captain as if I was an idiot.

  Funny fucker.

  Since the night Dex had taken me on my first adventure into the world of vigilante justice, I’d read up on motorcycle clubs. And I certainly learned more about the secretive side from Eraser and Griff. “You plan the trips, right? Maintain the bikes for the club?”

  Dex nodded with approval. Like he was proud I’d done my homework.

  “Yeah.” Murphy seemed to warm up to the conversation. “Dex says you’re turning into a good mechanic.”

  I was more interested in Murphy’s trip-planning skills than an assessment of my mechanical skills. “I do all right.”

  Eventually, I wanted to take Juliet away. Go on the road for a while and leave all this crap behind.

  Murphy and Dex shared a look I couldn’t decipher. “You should come hang out at the clubhouse one night,” Dex suggested. “We have a nice spread out in the woods.”

  I’d also heard about the way a lot of motorcycle clubs partied at their clubhouses. None of it sounded like an environment I’d take Juliet into.

  I narrowed my eyes at Dex. “Is Juliet invited? I don’t go where she can’t go.”

  His mouth twitched. “Maybe on family day.”

  Murphy snorted, as if family days were a rare occurrence.

  Dex nodded at the door. “Help me screw this plate in.”

  When we finished, the three of us sat down at the kitchen table. I hated digging into Juliet’s apple cake without asking her, but I wanted to offer them something for their trouble. Knowing her, she’d do the same thing.

  “Juliet made Irish Apple Cake for St. Patrick’s. You want a slice?” Juliet must have been in the middle of slicing the cake when Jared knocked. One piece was on a small plate and a knife with cake residue was on the counter. I sliced two more pieces and started a pot of coffee.

  “So domesticated,” Dex quipped as I set the plates on the table.

  A sharp retort burned on my tongue but I wanted to be respectful, so I held back.

  When the coffee finished, I set everything on the kitchen table and sat with them.

  Dex took a quick sip of his coffee, then set the mug down with a harsh clunk. “So tell me, Henry Homemaker, what are we doing about this situation?”

  I rolled my eyes at the homemaker joke. Last time he accused me of leeching off Juliet. I couldn’t win with this dude.

  “We aren’t doing anything,” I answered. “I’m going to kill that motherfucker if he gets out on bail.”

  “You go at it stupid, cops will cart you off to jail next.” He glanced at the stairs. “Then who’s gonna look after Juliet?”

  He had a point.

  “Cops seemed to be worried you’d do something about it too,” I reminded him. “Seems like your club’s got a less than sterling reputation.”

  Murphy chuckled and glanced away, like he couldn’t believe my audacity.

  “We’ll come up with a plan,” Dex said, ignoring the jab at his club. “One that doesn’t land either of us behind bars.”

  “They’ll probably hold him at the county jail.” Murphy glanced at Dex and lifted an eyebrow. “We know people—”

  “No,” I cut him off. “He’s mine to deal with.”

  If anyone was going to snuff the light out of that prick’s eyes, it would be me.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Juliet

  I spent a few days at home recovering with Roman by my side. If we needed something, he called Dex and it was delivered to the house.

  “What do you think about a road trip?” he asked me the night before I went back to school.

  “Where?”

  He shrugged. “Anywhere. Everywhere.” He cast a sideways look my way. “After graduation, of course.”

  “How would you feel about selling the house?” I asked. “We can go on the road. Live like nomads for a while. Then pick a place to settle down.”

  “What about college?”

  “I can go to college anywhere.”

  “It’s your house. I can’t tell you what to do with it.”

  I glanced around. None of it felt like mine. I was forever grateful to Mrs. Shields, but after Jared’s attack, it felt tainted. Even though it had been fixed right away, I couldn’t look at the front door without bile burning the back of my throat.

  My aunt still lived down the street. A constant reminder that one day soon Uncle Jared might be in the same house while he waited to go to trial or if he accepted a plea deal.

  “It’s our house,” I insisted. What was mine would always be his.

  “I’m okay with it if you are.”

  “I’ll talk to Mr. Porter.”

  School seemed to move at a snail’s pace. I so desperately wanted to graduate and move on with my life. At least the ice cream shop opened and Ulfric hired me for the season again. It gave Roman and me more time to spend together. Every night after he finished at the front gate, he’d help me close the stand.

  “You want to stay for the second movie or go home?” he asked one Saturday night.

  I glanced toward the big white screen. Through one of the back windows, I caught a glimpse of the horror movie playing. “We already saw it last night. And last weekend.”

  Someone knocked at the front window. Cursing, I hurried to answer. I hoped they wanted something simple.

  I raised the window with a whoosh and click. The guy standing on the other side was so tall, I had to bend over and stick my head halfway out to see his face. Thick hair, strong jawline, tentative smile.

  “You wouldn’t happen to be Juliet by any chance, would you?”

  I studied his wide shoulders and thick biceps. No ink that I could see, but it wasn’t like I wanted to ask him to take off his shirt. I couldn’t tell if he was a biker friend of Dex’s or someone else.

  “Who’s asking?”

  He smiled wider. “I’m a friend of Roman’s.”

  “Eraser!” Roman shouted. He hurried through the small space and cracked open the side door that led to the parking lot. “Holy shit, brother. What are you doing here?”

  Curious, I followed Roman outside. The two of them tackle-hugged each other.

  Eraser thumped Roman on the back. “Good to see you on this side, brother.”

  “You too.”

  They moved to where I was standing at the side of the shack. Roman slipped his arm around my shoulders. “Juliet, this is Easton Cash. He saved my ass on many occasions while we were at the Castle.”

  “Family can call me Eraser,” he said, extending his hand to me.

  “Oh! Roman’s mentioned you.” I quickly shook his hand.

  “I was in the area.” He gestured toward Roman. “Remembered you said you worked here. Took a chance thinking maybe you got your old job back.”

  “I’m glad you did.” Roman tilted his head. “Griff’s not with you by any chance, is he?”

  “Nope. But he’s doing all right. We’re all gettin’ together tomorrow afternoon at my uncle’s racetrack if you want to come. Place isn’t open yet. But we’re having a cookout. I’d love to have you both there.”

  “You sure it’s not a family thing?” Roman asked.

  Eraser tilted his head and gave me a can-you-believe-this-guy eyeroll. “I just said you’re family, did I not?”

  Roman glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. Was he looking for my yes, or for me to give him a reason to say no. I couldn’t think of any reason not to go. Besides, I wanted to learn more about the friends Roman had made at the Castle. He still wouldn’t open up about what happened there.

  “We don’t have to work until six. I’d love to go,” I said.

  Roman’s smile seemed genuine, maybe even relieved, and I felt good about my decision.

  “We’ll be there,” Roman promised.

  “Do you want ice cream?” I asked Eraser. “I’m about to close up but I can make you a milkshake or something.”

  He ducked his head and gave me a sheepish grin, like he really wanted one but didn’t want to ask me to make it. “Do you have strawberry?”

  “I sure do.” I squeezed Roman’s arm. “You two catch up, I’ll go make it.”

  Ulfric gave me permission to give free ice cream to my friends when he hired me. Vienna didn’t eat ice cream and I really didn’t have any other friends who came to visit besides Roman, so I didn’t get to take advantage of that perk often.

  When the shake finished, I capped it, grabbed a straw and slid it onto the counter.

  “Thanks, Juliet.” Eraser said.

  I made two more and set them aside, then broke down the machine and cleaned everything.

  Roman walked in the side door as I was finishing up. “Sorry, you should’ve waited for me to do that.”

  “It’s my job.” I waved my hand at the windows. “I wanted you to catch up with your friend.”

  His expression slid into an animated smile. “I’m so happy he’s doing okay. He’d been trying to get placed with his uncle for a while. And it sounds like it’s working out.”

  “Was he in foster care too?” I asked.

  “Yeah. In and out.”

  That vague answer was all Roman would say. But I guess Eraser’s story wasn’t his to share.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Roman

  Juliet handed me the car keys the next afternoon.

  “What’s this?”

  “You should drive us out to your friend’s place.” She opened the passenger side door. “You’ve got your license now.”

  We were running late, so I didn’t argue. I slid behind the wheel and moved the seat back. “You worried I don’t want my friends to think I’m whipped or something?”

  She chuckled and rolled her window down. “No.”

  “Because I’m not one of those guys who has a problem with his girl driving him around.”

  More of her sweet laughter. “I know you’re not.”

  “You get to play co-pilot, then.”

  “No problem.” She studied the directions Eraser had scribbled on a napkin last night. “Take a left when we reach Main Street. Looks like we follow that for a while.”

  Uncomfortable sensations crawled over my skin. That was in the direction of the Castle. I didn’t want to be anywhere near that place. But I swallowed the brutal memories and put the car into gear.

  Juliet guided me there easily. Only the last few steps gave us trouble. The sign for Zips was sun-faded and covered by years of overgrowth.

  “I think that was the right back there,” Juliet said.

  No one was coming from the other direction, so I whipped the car around and sped back to the turnoff. I took it slow over the gravel and dirt path until we encountered an eight-foot chain-link fence. The gate was open but the whole place looked abandoned.

  “You sure this is it?” I asked.

  I caught Juliet’s shrug from the corner of my eye. “Zips.” She pointed to a sign above us. “Must be the place.”

  “All right.” I continued on the dirt path, finally entering what looked like a parking area. In the distance, I spied what looked like stands to sit in, a racetrack and some other scattered buildings.

  I parked next to a shiny black late’60s Mustang Fastback.

  “Cool car,” Juliet said.

  “Eraser’s uncle is supposedly into all kinds of classics.”

  “Well, he owns a racetrack. So that makes sense.”

  “Smart-ass.” I leaned over and kissed her. “Thanks for coming out here with me today.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” She studied my face for a moment, then hesitantly opened her mouth. “I, uh, was happy to meet one of your friends. You don’t talk much about what happened when you were…away.”

  My jaw tightened. I didn’t ever want to talk about that. “You’re my best friend, Juliet. Always.”

  Her eyes softened. “You’re my best friend too. That’s why I want you to know you can always tell me anything.”

  Wrong. The things I’d been through were too ugly to put inside her head. “Thank you.” I left it at that.

  We stepped out and I glanced around. Music thumped from the direction of the racetrack.

  “Snazzy Buick!” someone called out.

  I turned my head and my eyes landed on a happier-than-the-last-time-I’d-seen-him Griff loping across the pavement. He’d let his hair grow since he’d been out. It kept flopping into his eyes and he impatiently pushed it back.

  “Fuck!” He slammed into me, hugging me so tight, my ribs creaked. “It’s so good to see you outside in the sunshine, brother!”

  I squeezed him back. “You look good.”

  He pulled away, keeping his hands on my shoulders. “Same. Freedom agrees with you.”

  Wide-eyed and tentative, Juliet came up beside me. I pulled her closer. “Juliet, this is Griff. He was one of my roommates at the Castle.”

  “Oh damn!” Griff whistled. “You are pretty. I always figured Roman was exaggerating.” He held out his hand and, laughing, she took it for a quick shake.

  “Roman always says you saved his butt.” Her gaze skipped my way and back to Griff. “I always hoped he was exaggerating.”

  “Eh, I showed him a thing or two,” he answered with easy evasiveness.

  “Where’s Eraser at?” I wanted to move away from this topic.

  Griff waved toward the track. “Trash-talkin’ himself into a race, probably.”

  We followed him through an unmanned entrance gate right up to a high white, wooden wall that kept the stands separate from the track. Griff stopped and waved for Eraser to join us.

  “Wow, it’s so much bigger than I expected it to be.” Juliet turned and took in the racetrack with wide-eyed appreciation.

  “That’s what all the ladies say.” Griff tipped his head and gave his version of a humble shrug.

  I glared at him.

  “Oh, you meant the racetrack.” Griff let loose with a devilish grin. “Yeah, that’s big too.”

  “Hilarious,” Juliet deadpanned.

  “Ooo.” Griff pointed at Juliet. “I like her.”

  A dark-haired guy slightly taller and maybe a little older came up behind Griff and bear-hugged him, lifting him off the ground.

  “Motherfucker!” Griff shouted. “Get off me, Remy.”