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It was nice.
But thoughts of Mark and prison never left my mind fully.
Chapter 14
Slate
“Ashlyn is super excited to be here and she’s finally out cold.” Emma smiled and it was wide but exhausted. A sigh rushed out of her as she dropped into the kitchen chair directly across from me. “If I let her, she would talk until she passed out.”
My brows shot up. “You didn’t?”
A sultry laugh escaped. “No. We read together. She starts so she can practice her reading and I finish to make sure she quiets down enough to actually get to sleep.”
“She’s happy to be here,” I stated slowly. “Are you?” She’d waited two full days before she accepted my offer, and it had caught me by surprise. I thought she would ultimately say no, but I was happier than I should’ve been at her acceptance.
Emma thought about her answer and when she bit her lip and her eyes took on that far off expression, my breath caught in my throat. It reminded me of Vick whenever I asked her a question that one night. She took her time and thought about it like every word mattered. “You know what? I am glad. You’ve proven to be a good guy, and this place is just what we need to readjust.”
“Thanks. I am a good guy.” I pushed away from the table and headed to the fridge. “Beer?”
“Yes, please.” Her words came out soft but for the first time since I stepped foot in her house almost two weeks ago, she actuallysoundedrelaxed.
I turned with two bottles in my hand and found her smiling. “What’s on your mind, Emma?”
Her smile grew. “I was just thinking that I haven’t had a beer in years and now I’ve had two this week. Reminds me of the carefree girl I used to be.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “I was never really carefree to be honest. I’ve always been a bit of a worrier, but I could let loose now and again to have a good time or celebrate with Sara. That’s my best friend.”
I could almost imagine her back then, carefree and feisty, easy to offer up a smile or a laugh. “And what is it that you do to have a good time, Em?”
Her eyes darkened as she looked at me and I wondered if she was flirting with me. I wasn’t sure but it seemed likely. “Honestly, I wouldn’t know a good time if it jumped up and bit me on the ass. Other than watching Ash learn about the world, I don’t do much for fun.”
“Okay then, what would carefree Emma do?” I was curious about the woman she might be when she found herself and her happiness again.
She sipped her beer slowly, giving herself time to think. “Maybe she would go dancing. Or do one of those wine and painting classes.” Emma groaned. “That all sounds so painfully boring, doesn’t it?”
“Not at all.”
She laughed. “You don’t have to spare my feelings, Slate. I’m sure your life is a million miles an hour exciting. Fights. Girls. Motorcycles.”
I laughed. “Is that what you think my life is?” I was surprised it was so benign. Most people—usually women—assumed that I spent most of my days committing crimes and extorting local businesses. Her take was refreshing.
“Kind of, yeah. What is it then?”
I set my beer on the table and sat up tall with my hands hovering over a few inches above the table. My fingers started to move the way they did when I did what I did best.
“That’s it?” She tossed her head back and laughed. “You type all day, like a secretary?”
“No, we have a club secretary for those duties. I’m usually doing tech shit. Checking on our financial interests, keeping an eye on people who might want to harm us. That sort of thing.”
She took another pull on her beer, finding it empty. “So you’re a big bad biker who’s stuck behind a computer all day?”
“Yes to the ‘big bad biker’ part, and no to the ‘stuck’ part. We all have our roles in the MC and mine is vital to our survival and success. But I do get to go out and do non-computer related things. I promise so don’t go feeling sorry for me.”
“I don’t.” She pushed away from the table and headed to the fridge where she pulled out two more beers. “It’s just funny that you left home and went in search of something, and you found it but not how you thought.”
“That’s how life usually works.” I took both bottles from her and popped the caps before handing one back.
