Chapter 9
ALANNA
The document on my laptop blurred before my eyes. Words danced across the screen, none of them making sense. I rubbed my temples and tried to focus, but my brain refused to cooperate.
I’d been staring at the same sentence for ten minutes when my phone buzzed against the cushion. I glanced at the screen and grimaced when I saw it was my mom calling. A sigh escaped before I could stop it.
I’d meant it when I told Jaxton I was cutting our parents out of my life, but I hadn’t blocked them from my phone yet. There hadn’t been much need since they’d been radio silent since I moved out of my childhood home, much to my surprise.
But now that my mom had decided to call, ignoring her would only buy me a day of peace at most before she tried again. And I was too tired to deal with a string of her voicemail guilt trips.
I swiped to answer. “Hey.”
“Alanna.” My mother’s voice was sharp enough to slice through the air. “Do you realize how long it’s been since you left? Nearly two weeks have passed without a real update. Your father and I are both very concerned.”
Concerned was code for angry. It always had been.
“I’m fine, just like I told you I’d be.”
“Fine?” she repeated, the word dripping with disbelief. “You stormed out of our home only days after your brother’s wedding. One of your more dramatic moments, I might add. And now you’re living alone in some strange town without—”
“Without you micromanaging my life?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
There was a shocked inhale on the other end. “We only ever tried to protect you, Alanna. You’re not ready to live on your own. You’ve never had to handle real bills or responsibilities. Be reasonable and come home.”
I pressed my eyes shut, clenching my free hand into a fist. “I’m not coming home, Mom.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she scoffed.
“You don’t have to worry about me.” I heaved a deep sigh, already regretting that I hadn’t blocked my parents. “My state scholarship covers my tuition, and I have one from the university to help pay for the rest.”
“State aid doesn’t last forever. And that brother of yours can’t keep throwing money at you whenever he feels guilty.”
The familiar anger flared, hot and bright. “Jaxton has nothing to feel guilty about. If anyone does, it’s me…for letting you and Dad keep me away from him for so long. He’s an amazing big brother, and I’m lucky to have him. Goodbye, Mom. And don’t call me again.”
I stabbed my finger against the screen to disconnect, and then I blocked both of my parents. Tears stung my eyes, born of frustration more than sadness. I had no regrets about going no contact with them. Not after how badly they’d failed my brother and me.
My phone buzzed in my hand again, and I jumped. The screen lit up with a new message.
Ethan
We need to meet up.
I didn’t answer, but another message popped up just as I was about to set my phone down.
Ethan
I didn’t like seeing you with that biker the other day.
My stomach roiled with unease.
My phone vibrated again as I set it down next to me.
I logged in again and got back to work, ignoring any new texts.
About an hour later, I was making good progress when a knock on the door made me jump.
I glanced at the time in the upper right corner of my computer screen. After eight.
Telling myself it was probably a neighbor who needed something, I grabbed my cell—a habit Jaxton had drilled into my head—and padded across the small apartment. I didn’t even think to check the peephole as I twisted the lock because the building felt so safe.
The second the door swung open, I froze.
Ethan stood there, framed in the hallway light. His smile looked friendly, but something about it didn’t match his eyes.
“You’ve been ignoring me.”
His casual tone didn’t fool me. It was too rehearsed.
“I—uh, I’ve been busy. A paper due for Research Design and Methods.” My hand tightened on the edge of the door as I tried to block the opening with my body. “I’m not done yet, and it’s late. You need to leave.”
He stepped forward, and I backed up so he didn’t brush against me. Unfortunately, Ethan took it as permission to come in.
“I won’t stay long.” He strolled past me into the living room like he owned it. “We need to talk about our project.”
I wasn’t comfortable having Ethan in my personal space, especially when I’d never given him my home address. So as I closed the door, I thumbed a quick 9-1-1 text to my brother. Then I turned to him. “You need to leave.”
He took a step toward me. “I don’t get it. We were working. We were close. Until he showed up.”
“Who?” I asked, even though there could only be one man he was talking about.
Ethan’s head tilted, his eyes gleaming with something dark. “You know who. The biker. The one who picked you up the other day.”
My throat went dry. “Drift’s just a friend.”
“Sure he is.” He let out a small laugh that held no humor. “You think I didn’t notice the way you looked at him? Or the way he looks at you? He’s in the way, Alanna. And if you’re not with me, then you’re not with anyone.”
I took another step back, pulse hammering in my ears.
“Ethan, I’m serious. You need to leave.” He reached out to grab my wrist, and I yanked it away just as my phone rang.
The band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club blared from the speaker.
“That’s my brother. He checks in with me every night.
If I don’t answer, he’ll have every Redline King on my doorstep in minutes. ”
The part about Jaxton’s reason for calling was a lie, but the cavalry he’d send to my rescue wasn’t. Not after the text I sent him. My brother didn’t mess around when it came to my safety.
The warning was enough to make Ethan take a few steps back, his arm dropping to his side.
My phone rang again.
I swallowed hard and answered, pressing the phone to my ear instead of using speaker mode like I usually did when I was home alone. “Hey, Jaxton! Hope you and Lark had another amazing day in paradise.”
My voice came out overly bright, sounding fake to my ears. Thankfully, my brother saw right through it.
“Stay on the line.” His tone was calm but clipped. And dangerously controlled. “You alone?”
My throat tightened. “I’ve just been chipping away at a paper that’s due. Haven’t even worked on my research project yet since I needed to wait for Ethan to come over for that.”
Jaxton was the smartest person I knew. He’d definitely get the message I was sending—I wasn’t alone because Ethan was here.
Ethan’s jaw flexed. He didn’t move closer, but his eyes stayed fixed on me, unblinking.
“Got it,” Jaxton growled.
“I’m fine, though,” I quickly explained, before he popped a blood vessel or something.
That was the last thing he needed while on his honeymoon.
It was bad enough that I had interrupted it with my text.
“Just tired. Really looking forward to wrapping up this assignment. The jump from my associate’s classes to this program has been tougher than I expected, even with the lighter course load. ”
Ethan frowned and shook his head. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a great research partner.”
I forced a small laugh that sounded brittle even to my own ears. In large part because he’d literally threatened to report me to the school for an academic violation. “Thanks, Ethan. That means a lot.”
“Don’t like the possessive thread in that little asshole’s voice.” Jaxton sounded like he’d happily reach through the phone and rip Ethan’s balls off.
“That was Ethan.” I flashed my intruder a smile that was meant to reassure him. “You should’ve believed me when I told you that you’d like him. He just stopped by to check in on me.”
Since I hadn’t said a word about my research partner to my brother, he understood that I was just trying to keep Ethan calm.
“Good job, sis. You won’t be on your own with him much longer. I’m sending someone.”
The line went silent except for the faint sound of his breathing. Every second stretched long enough to feel like a lifetime.
Then I heard a familiar sound outside—the low, unmistakable roar of a motorcycle engine cutting through the night.
Ethan didn’t seem to notice. But I did.
And for the first time since opening that door, I let myself believe I might actually be safe.
The faint growl of the motorcycle grew louder, giving me the strength to issue one more warning.
“Ethan.” I forced my voice not to shake. “You really should go.”
“Why?” His eyes narrowed. “Is that even your brother on the phone? Or is it him?”
“Him who?” Jaxton asked in my ear, his tone suddenly suspicious in a way that only a big brother could pull off.
“Relax, big brother. The only guys I’ve talked to since you left for your honeymoon are Ethan and your club brothers.”
What I left unsaid was that I’d done a whole lot more than talk with Chance.