Chapter 13
Sadie
The sound of shouting jerks me awake instantly.
It’s not unusual for the sounds of Owen’s excited shrieks to wake me, especially on garbage collection days, but this isn’t Owen, it’s Dani.
I bolt upright in bed, heart hammering wildly while sunlight spills harsh and bright through my curtains.
For one disoriented second, I forget Shadow’s downstairs.
“Don’t fucking move!” Dani bellows.
Oh my God! I scramble out of bed so fast I nearly trip over my own blanket before sprinting downstairs in sleep shorts and one of Owen’s oversized cartoon shirts. “Dani!” I cry, skidding to a stop halfway down the staircase.
The scene would almost be funny if Dani weren’t holding a gun.
Shadow lounges on my couch, looking completely unbothered even though my best friend is pointing a Glock directly at his chest. He’s not even tense.
He seems mildly inconvenienced at best. His dark hair is messy from sleep, one tattooed arm casually stretched across the back cushions, while morning sunlight pours through the living room windows behind him.
His t-shirt has ridden up slightly, revealing the deep V on his stomach like an arrow down into his pants.
Dani stands near the front door in leggings and a workout top, gym bag still hanging off one shoulder, gun raised with terrifying confidence. “What the fuck?” she demands.
Shadow raises one eyebrow slowly. “Morning.”
I groan into both hands. “Dani, put the gun down.”
“Why is there a strange man in your house?”
“He’s not breaking in. I couldn’t leave him outside in the storm.” I’m still confused about waking to my friend pointing a gun at my houseguest. Dani has a key, but she usually knocks. I gesture to her and the door. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”
“I was gonna knock, but then I saw a shape through the window. You weren’t there. I thought he’d hurt you,” she says glaring at Shadow.
Shadow looks back calmly. Neither blinks. Honestly, it’s deeply unsettling.
Finally, Dani lowers the gun slightly. “You’re Shadow.”
His mouth twitches faintly. “And you’re the armed friend.”
“I like him,” Dani says with the same abrupt decisiveness she uses for every decision.
“I’m concerned about that,” I mutter.
Shadow laughs softly under his breath. The sound catches me off guard because he’s not exactly the jovial type.
Dani finally holsters the gun back into her bag while eyeing him carefully. “You always sleep in strangers’ houses?”
“Only the pretty ones.”
I blink.
Dani gasps dramatically, grinning in delight at my expression. “Oh, Mr. Smooth Guy.”
Shadow immediately looks regretful for speaking, clearing his throat and looking away from me.
Owen thunders downstairs, breaking the awkward silence. “Auntie Dani!”
Dani immediately abandons all biker interrogation to hug him. “Hey there, kiddo!”
Shadow slowly rises from the couch, stretching slightly.
Despite my best efforts not to gawp, I can’t help staring.
Morning Shadow is somehow even hotter. His white T-shirt stretches across broad shoulders and tattooed forearms. His sleep-mussed dark hair looks effortlessly sexy.
The man looks like every woman’s bad-boy fantasy.
I look away quickly. Dani notices instantly because, of course, she does. She grins at me wickedly while Owen chatters about cartoons. “We’re still going to the gym, right?”
I hesitate, glancing at Shadow. “You don’t have to come.”
“Agreed,” Dani says brightly, patting her purse. “I’ve got this covered.”
Shadow’s eyes flick briefly toward it, evaluating her. To my surprise, he doesn’t ask the usual patronizing question about whether she knows how to use it; perhaps he could tell from the way she held it that she does. Instead, he asks, “You military?”
Dani pauses. “Dad was. You?”
Something shifts subtly in Shadow’s expression. Respect. “Hm,” he says quietly. He nods briefly but doesn’t offer any more information about where he served.
Dani studies him back the same way, like two predators recognizing each other.
Eventually, Shadow says calmly, “I’ll follow behind. One of the others will switch out with me while you’re in there.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
His eyes settle on me steadily. “Humor me.”
Something about the quiet certainty in his voice makes arguing suddenly feel exhausting.
***
Forty minutes later, I’m standing inside the gym trying very hard not to think about the fact that a biker is parked outside watching the building like I’m the freaking president in need of 24/7 surveillance.
Dani stretches beside me. We’ve spent more time talking, or rather with her grilling me about Shadow, than working out so far.
“Oh no,” Dani whispers. “The sentient compression shirt is here.”
I follow her gaze, spotting Tyler across the room, he’s near the free weights, wearing another skin-tight compression shirt that honestly looks painted onto his body.
I snort loudly enough that Tyler glances over.
He smiles, the kind of smile that only a week or so ago would have made me weak at the knees but does nothing for me now.
Sure, he’s objectively attractive, tall, tan, with perfect white teeth.
He’s the kind of polished handsome that looks engineered in a lab specifically to advertise gym memberships.
Yet after meeting the bikers, suddenly something feels off.
He’s too smooth, maybe? Too fake? Too pretty?
Whatever it is, I no longer feel remotely attracted to him.
Dani notices. “He’s finally given you the ick, hasn’t he?”
I chuckle. “Yep, it seems so.”
“You know what his problem is?” she whispers exaggeratedly, her hand covering her mouth like we’re in school.
“What?”
“He probably owns more beauty products than the two of us combined,” she says with certainty. “And I don’t think I could date a guy with a longer beauty routine than me.”
I nearly choke laughing.
Tyler walks over before I can recover. “Hey, Sadie.” His eyes immediately flick to my neck and the fading hickeys just visible above my tank top collar. Something changes in his expression, something I can’t quite place. It’s subtle, but unpleasant. “You okay?” he asks.
The question sounds normal. The tone doesn’t.
“Fine,” I say lightly.
His brow furrows slightly, as if he were expecting a different answer. “Haven’t seen you around much.”
I shrug casually. “Busy week.”
“Yeah.” His eyes flick toward my neck again. “Looks like it.”
Discomfort crawls briefly through me. I don’t like the judgmental tone in his voice.
Dani suddenly appears beside me like an aggressively supportive bodyguard. “Morning, Ken.”
Tyler blinks, confused by the joke, which only makes him seem even more like a dumb jock. “It’s Tyler.”
I cough violently, trying not to laugh.
“My mistake,” Dani replies, smiling innocently. She saunters off, pretending to use the machine next to me.
Tyler smiles tightly. “Friend of yours?”
“Unfortunately,” I mutter.
Dani gasps theatrically.
Tyler looks back at me. “I was starting to think you lost my number.”
Oh God. Right. Tyler gave me his number. He has no idea that I tried to message him but accidentally sexted four bikers instead. Guilt twists awkwardly in my stomach.
“You never texted,” he says.
Something in his tone feels… off. More accusing than teasing, as if I owe him something.
“I got distracted,” I say carefully.
His eyes narrow slightly. “By whoever did that?” He nods toward my neck.
Dani sputters. Tyler frowns, glancing at her briefly before returning his laser focus on me.
I force a small laugh. “You’re a flirt, Tyler.”
His expression doesn’t soften. “And? Doesn’t mean we can’t date.”
“Honestly?” I shrug lightly. “We’d probably drive each other insane. I don’t think I’m the kind of woman you’d want to be with, too many cheat days,” I add, trying to make light of it.
A bark of laughter erupts from Dani. Tyler’s clenched jaw twitches in annoyance. He pauses, nostrils flaring. “So that’s a no?”
I try to smile apologetically. “I like you, but yeah.”
Dani makes a strangled sound beside me. Tyler stares at me for several seconds too long. Finally, he smiles again, painting it on, a forced smile that’s cold around the edges and doesn’t meet his eyes. “Right,” he says softly. “Got it.”
Before I can respond, a familiar voice drawls behind me: “Well damn, bro, that sucks. Rejected before ten AM.”
Heat floods my body instantly as I turn to see who it is: Dash.
I immediately understand why every woman nearby suddenly looks distracted.
He’s wearing gray sweatshorts slung low on his hips and a black tank top that leaves his tattooed, muscular arms completely exposed.
Women openly stare as he saunters closer with lazy confidence.
He notices every second of it, too. Unfortunately.
Dani leans over and grips my arm hard enough to bruise. “Oh boy,” she whispers delightedly. “That one’s a problem.”
Massive problem.
Dash grins at me. “Morning, sweetheart.”
Tyler stiffens beside me. “Friend of yours?” Tyler asks tightly.
Dash glances at him casually. “Soon to be a very close friend,” he murmurs, winking at me. I hate that it makes me blush.
Tyler’s jaw tightens. “Is this guy bothering you?” he asks me.
I blink.
Dash bursts out laughing, completely unthreatened, which only pisses Tyler off more. I ignore him and look at Tyler. “No,” I say quickly. “He’s a friend.” I glare at Dash. “And a wiseass.”
Dash grins wider, doing a little bow.
Tyler doesn’t look reassured. “Right. Well,” he says slowly, eyes still fixed on Dash, “I gotta go teach a class. Good seeing you, Sadie.”
“Nice to meet you!” Dash declares, in an enthusiastic tone that sounds patronizing.
The second he walks away, Dani exhales loudly. “Okay.” She fans herself dramatically. “Is it just me, or was that super-hot?”
I laugh helplessly. “More like super-awkward.”
Dash watches Tyler disappear across the gym floor, his expression suddenly contemplative. “I don’t like him…” he says quietly.
Something about the sudden seriousness in his tone catches me off guard. “Why?”
Dash shrugs one shoulder. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, something in the way he looked at you.”
A chill skitters briefly down my spine. But then Dash grins again, storm cloud passing, his mood shifting fast enough to make me dizzy. “But enough about Captain Compression.”
“That’s what I call him!” Dani says, holding out her hand. “I’m Dani, best friend.”
Dash smiles and shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you, Dani, the best friend. I’m Dash.”
“Oh, I already figured that out. You’re exactly like Sadie described.” Dani actually flutters her eyelashes at him. Dani the maneater. If Dash can reduce her to putty, I’m totally screwed.
Dash smiles, mirth dancing in his eyes. “You been talking about me?” he asks me, seemingly delighted by it yet accepting it easily, because, of course, he’s used to women talking about him. His eyes slide slowly down my body. “Cute outfit.”
Heat rushes into my face, but I try to hide it, feigning indifference. “Are you always this shameless?”
He shrugs. “Yes.”
“And honest, too,” Dani interjects, elbowing me.
“Didn’t you want to join the spin class, Dani?” I say through gritted teeth.
For a moment, I worry she won’t take the hint, but she finally gets up. “Fine, don’t say I’m not a good wingwoman,” she whispers. Judging by Dash’s grin, he heard. Dani saunters away, swaying her hips more than usual.
“She’s fun,” Dash says.
“You have no idea,” I mutter, hating the flash of jealousy I feel. Because, of course, Dash would be better with someone like Dani. Childless, carefree, slim, sexy Dani.
“Heard she pointed a gun at Shadow this morning.”
“Yep. I told you guys I didn’t need you to babysit me.”
“She didn’t shoot, so the jury is still out on that.
” I can’t tell if Dash is joking or not.
Something tells me he’s not. “Mind if I join you?” he asks, sitting down before I agree.
Damn, that confidence is annoying. Yet it’s hard not to like Dash, the easy way he takes what he wants, the unapologetic humor.
The next hour somehow becomes the most confusing workout of my life.
Dash flirts constantly, relentlessly, and frustratingly; he’s very good at it.
Cheesy lines sound sexy coming from him.
He says things that would be cringy coming from any other guy, but somehow make me laugh. He’s exactly like he was over text.
He spots me while squatting, saying, “Jesus Christ, sweetheart!” I almost drop the barbell on myself, and he grins with absolutely zero shame.
Later, he steps behind me, helping adjust my form, and the heat of his body at my back sends my entire nervous system into chaos. “Relax,” he murmurs near my ear. “You tense up too much.” My stomach flips violently.
Across the room, Dani watches the entire thing unfold with the delighted expression of a woman observing premium reality television. At one point, she mouths, “I would.”
Unfortunately for me, she’s not the only one who watches from across the room. Tyler’s accusatory gaze bores into the back of my head. But every time I look up, he’s focused on something else, and I start to wonder if I’m imagining things.
I feel guilty for rejecting Tyler and then flirting shamelessly with a guy in front of him, but I can’t seem to stop myself from flirting back.
I do it without even meaning to because Dash makes everything feel light, fun, and easy.
It’s completely different from Kane’s intensity.
Different from Shadow’s quiet watchfulness.
And exactly what I need right now after finding the note, after the betrayal and humiliation of discovering I was messaging four bikers by mistake.
I’m starting to think the guys chose Dash as my bodyguard on purpose today, like they knew no woman could resist his charms. I try my best to, I really do, but the harder I try not to be charmed by him, the worse it gets.
Every time I start forgetting that I’m still supposed to be furious at them, Dash smiles at me like he already knows I’m losing the battle.