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A light blush touches Lexie’s cheeks, and I find it endearing. “Oh, that was Riggs. The fucker would lose his head if it wasn’t screwed on. He can’t find something at the club, I’m the one he comes to for help.” she explains.
I smile and silently hope that Riggs finally gets his head out of his ass where Lexie is concerned. They’ve been doing this dance for years now.
“I see. Well, it’s good to be needed.” I reply. Wanting to say more on the subject, but I know she’ll be ready to shut me down if I do. The subject of Riggs is strictly off limits. Even to me.
I know that he’s a lot older than her, but that doesn’t seem to bother Lexie, she’s been pining over him for years. I stop in front of her and take her hands in mine, changing the subject for now.
“I don’t know if I’ve said this to you before or not, but I just wanted to say thanks for letting me stay here.” I tell her. We both have unshed tears in our eyes, and Lexie moves to envelop me in a bear hug. For such a tiny woman, she’s strong.
Pulling back, she casts a critical eye over me and arches a brow. “You’re welcome here as long as you want,” she tells me, adding in a more critical voice, “Are you seriously going dressed like that?”
“What’s wrong with how I’m dressed?” I demand, knowing I’m opening up a hornet's nest with that question.
“You really don’t want me to answer that, do you?”
“I’m done dressing for men. I’m dressing for me now.” I tell her, done with the conversation.
Lexie shakes her head at me, grabbing her tiny black leather cross body bag.
“I’ll get the old Zoe back if it’s the last thing I do.” I hear her mutter, before she grabs the keys and waits for me to pass through the front door before locking it.
“Good luck with that.” I tell her. “Oh, and there’s no way I’m riding on the back of your bike. We take your car, or I’m not going.”
“Wow, listen to Miss Priss.” She drawls.
I shrug and walk silently to the underground parking garage, where she has her Harley and the red VW Beetle parked. Standing at the passenger side door, I wait for her to unlock it before sliding inside. She gives me a lopsided grin before getting in behind the wheel.
We sit in silence during the drive, as the radio blares obnoxious hip-hop music that I desperately want to turn off. But it wasn’t my car, so I sat in silence and stewed over it instead.
The closer we got to the gym, the more anxious I became. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this. I was in rehab for almost two months after being released from hospital, my dad and Lexie my only visitors, so I owe her so much.
All too soon, we’re arriving at the strip mall where the new gym is located. Next to a coffee shop, a bakery, and a vet’s practice. Lexie jumps out, as though she had been nervous about being surrounded by metal. She’s a biker babe through and through, the only time that she would stop riding a motorcycle is if snow or ice were involved.
Taking a few deep breaths, I can’t stall any longer. So, belying the fact that I’m nervous as hell, I alight from the compact car, jut out my chin, and strut towards the entrance to the gym.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Chains
I'm stocking the shelves with towels while Ky oversees a boxing class filled with young women. They seem to flood to his gym daily, less for working out and more for trying to flirt with the owner of the place. How he finds the time to be here overseeing everything, and continue with his underground fights, I’ll never know.
Music is pounding through the sound system, when the door to the gym opens and in walks Lexie with Zoe following close behind. The plan was to get out of here as soon as I finish up restocking with fresh towels, or I was going to lose my damn mind.
Ky doesn’t really need me here, but he’s keeping me around for the simple fact to keep me out of trouble and not go to see the woman who has just walked through the door. I would tell myself today is the day that I would see her, check in on her, but Ky’s kept me so busy that when I do eventually drag myself back to the clubhouse, I’m so fucking tired I can’t even think.
I stand there in shock when I see her; she doesn’t look like the confident, independent woman I remember from only a year ago. The woman who would chew my ass out for trying to hit on her, even though she was married. She never caved, and I’m sure she never would. If her marriage was on the straight and narrow.
Now, she just looks like a scared little mouse, that a small noise would send her scurrying. She’s wearing clothes that nearly swamp her slight frame, and I can tell she’s definitely lost weight since the last time I’d seen her. It’s her hair that’s taken all my attention, whereas the beautiful auburn color is still the same.
Her hair, which frames her beautiful face, is the same short style she sported a year ago, which was the last time I’d seen her. Her wide green eyes are still shining with a brilliance despite what happened to her. Regardless of all the changes in her, she’s still the most beautiful woman in the whole damn world to me. No one could compare before, since, or after her. Yeah, I’m a sappy motherfucker. So, sue me.
I saw the moment she clocks my presence, her eyes go wide, and I can see the gasp on her lips as her eyes search for an exit. It’s like I’m having an out-of-body experience as I see myself drop the remaining towels on the floor, and stalk towards my woman, there’s no way I was going to let her leave now that she was here in front of me. When I’m a hair's breath away from her, I gently touch the side of her face, and smile down at her; she’s wearing white sneakers, so I practically loom over her.
I see no fear in her eyes as I smile down at her. “Hello, little one.” I growl softly. Watching as a deep blush covers her cheeks. Interesting.
“Stop pawing the girl and let us through.” Lexie breaks into our moment, a tone of exasperation in her voice.
“You’re just jealous. And I wasn’t pawing her” I shoot back and for a second, I think I see hurt in her eyes, but she quickly covers it by turning steely grey eyes towards me.
