Chapter 10
Rooster
After I made my intentions clear and we decided to hit the road, Sparrow spoke to Bit. Just as I was trying to secure a truck to get my bike and both women back to their side of Jersey, Sparrow came and found me, dressed in her original outfit from the night we reunited.
Slicing her hands through the air, Sparrow said, “Apparently she’s staying. And Sawyer said it was fine.”
Texting Hawk back, I told him to hold off on the ride. “And you’re okay with this?”
She shrugged. “She’s an adult. He’s an adult. She’s letting me go home with you, so there’s not much I can say.”
Heat filled my veins and sent blood rushing to my cock. We could take the bike, and it would be just the two of us. “You ready then?” Hawk already agreed I would skip the rest of the run to get the ladies situated, so there was no reason to waste any time there.
“Yeah. My home, though,” she said. “And this time, can you put my phone in the saddlebag? I freaked out the whole way here that it would fall out of my pocket. I didn’t even carry a small purse the other night since I thought I’d be gone for a couple of hours.
” She dug something from her tight jeans.
“And this. They made it here, but just in case, my keys.”
She handed me a keychain with two keys. Looking down, I smiled. “You kept it?” I’d gotten us matching keychains at the boardwalk in Atlantic City that summer. It was worn, but there it was.
“Yeah, well, I noticed when you left before you still had yours, too.”
“I held onto every piece of you I could.” I studied her face for a reaction.
She blew out a breath and shook her hair with her hands.
“You alright?”
“Yeah. This is still just… I don’t know.” She squinted as the harsh sun beamed down.
Grabbing her hand, I pulled her closer. “One step at a time. Let’s go check out your apartment.”
“Right. No rush. Just going home,” she said with a smile. “Helmet, please.”
After shooting a text to Falcon so I didn’t have to go socialize anymore and letting Hawk know we didn’t need a vehicle, I helped her with the helmet Falcon loaned me.
I climbed onto my Harley, holding my hand out for her, and pulled her close once she was on.
“Hold on tight,” I said over my shoulder.
Sparrow’s heat on my back was a warmth I’d missed for so long. As she wrapped her arms around my waist, a small crack formed in the icy walls that had held me in their grip for years.
The engine roared, and she squeezed tighter. With a grin, I turned and headed down the long driveway to the road.
Dust kicked up behind us until we finally found the pavement again. The part of Jersey we were in reminded me so much of home. Lush trees lined the road, but a small hint of fall was showing with a few touches of yellow and red scattered through them.
It was warm, but it was midday, and the sun was high. Just like back home, it was hot during the day, but starting to cool off at night.
For the first time in a long time, I enjoyed the ride. Sure, I loved riding with my brothers, but it was duty-filled. We rode with a purpose. I hadn’t had a joy ride in so long. Even though I still had a purpose for this ride, I damn sure was enjoying it.
I had filled up on our way back, so we were able to ride with no stops the few hours back to her place. Once we were getting closer to the city the bar from the other night was in, I asked her at a red light where her place was.
It only took a little explanation from her and a few points in the right direction and we pulled into her complex. The sun was going down, but it hadn’t gone completely dark yet.
The complex was nice, but it wasn’t gated, not that it mattered. If someone wanted in somewhere badly enough, they’d find a way. As she pointed to her building, I kept my eyes peeled.
Parking where she instructed, I killed the engine, then helped her off.
“That was a much nicer ride than when we headed north,” she said as she pulled the helmet off.
Climbing off, I agreed, “It was.” I took the helmet from her and secured it in the saddlebag after I pulled her phone and keys out. “Lead the way.”
She took the keys, but her brows pinched. “Why am I so nervous?”
Tucking my hand under her hair, cupping her neck, I looked into those hazel eyes. “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She nodded, but said, “I don’t know if I’m nervous about what we’ll find, or you being in my apartment.”
My jaw clenched. I’d told her how I felt, but I knew she’d need some time.
Which was totally fair. I may have done the right thing for her, but it wasn’t the right thing by her.
She deserved to be angry with me, and it would take time to trust me.
But I’d never stop trying. I let her go once, but I wouldn’t do it again.
“Let’s just go check it out, then go from there,” I said before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
She turned to walk, but stuck her hand out. Grasping it in mine, I followed her lead until we were close to the building. “Hand me your keys,” I said.
She held them up. “It’s this one over here,” she said, pointing to the door.
I walked ahead and inspected the door. Kneeling down, I looked near the clasp. Markings. Standing, I pulled out my pistol and she gasped behind me. “Hang back for a minute.”
She nodded but her eyes were wide as she watched me check the door. It was locked and I couldn’t turn the knob, but with a little push, it opened. Someone fucked up the door and tried to make it look untouched.
Stepping inside, I flipped the light switch and looked around.
Standing near the door, I listened for any movement.
Besides a few faint sounds from outside, I heard nothing, so I crept around the apartment, checking any corners or closed doors, then looked under the bed.
The faint smell of citrus that always clung to her lingered in the air, stronger in her bathroom and bedroom.
Once I confirmed it was clear, I called her inside. “Anything seem out of place?”
She came inside, closed the door, and looked around.
The door opened to the living room that held a sofa, and a chair that was decorative more than functional.
The kitchen was on the other side of a wall, but had a cutout that overlooked the living room.
A small table was tucked against the wall with two chairs.
She slowly walked around, not touching anything but hovering her hand over what she was inspecting. She stepped into the kitchen and stopped. “Shit.”
Taking quick strides to her, entering the galley-style kitchen I asked, “What is it?” I didn’t notice anything.
“My badge is gone.”
“For work?”
She pushed her hand through her hair and blew out an exasperated breath. “Well, it was. I was fired a few days ago.”
“Oh, shit.” I had a lot of questions, but I didn’t want to add insult to injury. “Did you have any friends there? Anyone that you’d want to tip off?”
Her voice was shaky. “Um, my boss was fired, too but I’m not sure if they asked her to stay until an announcement was made.
Very high-up positions were handled differently.
She sent me my separation notice but didn’t say anything except a copy and paste statement.
I could text her to check in. I didn’t really get close with anyone, but I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her, or anyone else. ”
Cupping her shoulders, I tried to reassure her. “If you were let go, they probably disabled your badge. But touch base with her. Be vague but mention you lost it just in case. You don’t want that coming back to you.”
She trembled under my hands, so I pulled her close. “We’ll figure it out. And I got you.” I pulled away slightly so I could see her face. “Let’s check the rest of the place.”
Nodding, she released her grasp from me and stepped around me to go to the bedroom.
I followed her to the only bedroom. I hadn’t really paid attention when I was doing my sweep before, but it was cozy.
A queen bed was in the middle of one wall with wooden nightstands on either side and a fluffy comforter with a small floral pattern of pink and blue. Plush pillows were piled on neatly.
She opened the closet and looked briefly before she moved on to the desk that sat across from her bed. She ran her hand over the desk, then opened the drawers. “Someone’s been in here, too.”
“Anything missing? Credit cards? Checks?”
She cracked a grin. “Checks? Who still has checks?”
“I do. I don’t trust all that online shit.”
“Don’t you mostly use cash? Or was that just because you were twenty last time we hung out?”
Shrugging, I said, “Mostly cash. But I have some money in a few banks. Just in case.”
“Just enough to look legit?”
“I can’t pretend I’m someone I’m not, Sparrow. You know the club has its own interests.”
She turned, leaning on the desk. “I never wanted you to be someone else. I just wanted you.”
The air was thick with that statement hanging between us. “Sparrow, I–”
She put her hands up. “Let’s not hash that out right now. Someone broke in. Nothing besides some cash is gone from here, but this isn’t how I left it,” she said, pointing to the desk. “I gotta figure this out. Probably start with a police report.”
She started to pull her phone out, but I walked over and snatched it from her hand. “You can’t do that.”
Her head jerked as her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? I was burgled! I have to report it.”
Holding her phone high as she swung her hand in the air trying to get it, I shook my head. “No. We’ll handle it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, really?” She crossed her arms. “How are you going to handle it?”
“Don’t worry about that. But grab a bag. You can’t stay here.”
“I’m not waiting it out at a hotel while you ‘handle’ this. I’ll have a locksmith fix the door and–”
Stepping closer, so close her heat kissed my skin, I looked down at her. “You’re coming with me.”