That wink almost tipped me over the edge but I managed to keep my shit together.  “Yeah.  What time do you need to be there?”

“As soon as you can.  I want to help Mum with the morning rush.”

I picked my keys up off the bench.  “Let’s go,” I said as I shrugged my cut over my shoulders.

She followed me out to the garage and I led her to my car.  As I opened her door for her, I followed her gaze to my bike.  She stared at it for a moment and then turned to me.  “Can we take your bike instead?”

I shook my head.  “Not gonna happen while you’re wearing what you’re wearing.  You cover up some skin and we’ll discuss it again,” I said as I indicated for her to get in the car.

She looked down at what she had on and then back at me with a confused look. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“We come off the bike, how do you think you’ll hold up wearing that?”

It only took her a moment but she got it.  Nodding she agreed, “Okay, I get it.”  She ducked her head and sat in the car but placed a hand on the door to stop me closing it and looked up at me.  “But will you take me for a ride one day?”

I stared down at her; listening to her words and hearing that hesitation again.  With one arm resting on the top of the car door, I leant into the car and invaded her space.  “Just to be crystal fuckin’ clear, you’ll be on the back of my bike, for any kind of ride you want.  You get me?”

She sucked in a breath and her face flushed.  Fuck.  “Time to rock and roll babe, before I pull you back out of the fuckin’ car and let you wrap that mouth around my cock,” I said as I closed her door.  Christ, I needed to get her as far away from me as possible.  My concentration was shot to shit and I really needed it to be clear today.

***

The first thing I noticed when we pulled up outside the café was the bike parked across the road.  The second thing I noticed was that it wasn’t a Storm member.  And the third thing I noticed was that the motherfucker was leaning against it grinning at me.

I checked my anger and got Harlow safely inside.  Stoney had pulled up down the road; thank fuck I’d called him this morning and arranged for him to keep an eye on Harlow.  

“What time are you working till?” I asked her.

Cheryl was behind the counter and piped up.  “I only need her for a couple of hours.  Should be finished by eleven.”

“I’m not leaving you by yourself, Mum,” Harlow scowled at her mother.

“Rubbish.  You’re running yourself ragged working two jobs so I’m sending you home at eleven for some sleep.”

Before Harlow could argue anymore, I interjected, “I’ll pick you up at eleven and take you home so you can get some rest.”

Cheryl sent me a thankful smile and mouthed a thank you to me.  I nodded at her and then curled my arm around Harlow’s waist and pulled her close so our faces were close.  “If you need me, you call me.  For anything.  Okay?”  I didn’t want to alarm her by sharing my concerns for her safety with her but I needed her to know she could call me.

“Okay, but I don’t think I’ll be needing you,” she replied.

I roughly pulled her even closer and brushed my lips across hers.  “Just make sure you call me if something comes up,” I said, gruffly.  Christ, would she ever stop arguing with me?  Even as I was thinking this I knew that the day she stopped challenging me would be the day I lost interest in her and I fuckin’ prayed that she never changed her ways.

***

I exited the café and called Stoney as I walked to my car.  “Harlow’s here until about eleven, at which point I’ll be back to get her.  You stay on her till then, and Stoney, guard her like your fuckin’ life depends on it.  Am I clear?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.  Also, that bike parked across from the café belongs to one of Bullet’s guys.  Keep your eye out for trouble from him.  And, call me with any problems.”  I disconnected the call and shoved my phone back into my pocket.

Without giving Bullet’s guy my attention, I got in my car and took off to Gerry’s for the meeting.  Shit was about to go down and I was ready for whatever Bullet threw our way.  Storm wasn’t a club that you fucked with and Bullet had done just that.

***

I barreled into the back room of Gerry’s Café, ready to go to war if fucking necessary.  Bullet had succeeded in pissing me off by crossing the line when he sent his boy to my house the other day and again this morning by sending him to the café.  He’d jumped the gun and now I’d shove that gun in his face if necessary.

Gerry’s Café was where we did most of our meetings and transactions.  Gerry had been a member of Storm until his death a few years ago in a deal that had gone south.  The motherfuckers had shot him.  He’d died too fucking young at fifty and had left behind a family.  We made sure his family was looked after and in return his wife let us use the back room when needed.  I’d also taken care of the crew that had shot him; they no longer bothered anyone.

Dad and Griff had already arrived, as had Bullet and two of his men.  I scowled at them; Bullet didn’t look surprised.

Standing, he said, “I see that Spider found you this morning.”