“You and Cheyenne going to be seeing each other?” she asks, her voice small.

“No, I just told her I’d give her a turn on the bike, Tom Cat.”

She shrugs, and that fuckin’ hurts more than she’ll ever know.

“It’s fine, you can do whatever you want. If you want to see her, that’s cool with me. I don’t care.”

Jesus. Could she fuckin’ rip my heart out anymore?

“That what’s wrong with you lately?” I ask.

“No,” she says, softly. “I’m fine.”

She’s lying. Fuck. I want to reach out and shake her, tell her that I fuckin’ want her, but there ain’t no point. If she wanted to tell me she had feelings, she would have done it by now.

“You want me to pick you up?”

She nods. “Yeah, if you’re not busy with Cheyenne.”

“Tom Cat, I’m never goin’ to leave you alone for anyone.”

She forces that fake smile again. “Later then, Danny.”

“Later, babe.”

Then she’s gone.

Fuck.

Why do I get the feeling I’m losing her?

CHAPTER 7

PRESENT - SPIKE

“Hey friend!”

I roll my eyes as I hear Addison’s voice. I just stepped into the bar and there she is, dark hair waving about as she bounds over to me like an excited puppy. I swear to god, this girl would get under anyone’s skin - she’s kind of addictive. I don’t smile at her, though on the inside I do. She stops in front of me, flashing me a beaming smile as she looks up, swiping a piece of stray hair from her face.

“You know you’re somewhat like an annoying dog, precious?”

I don’t call anyone precious, yet it seems to fit her well. She chuckles, and hooks her arm through mine.

“In a happy mood again I see?”

“Aren’t I always?”

“You here to see Ciara?”

I stiffen and she stops, turning to look up at me. Devious little shit. She wanted that reaction.

“Hit a nerve?” she smirks.

I lean in close, gripping her shoulders. “Remember what I said about dancin’ with wolves girl?”

“Yeah, I know, they bite and all that bullshit.”

Fuckin’ smart ass.

“Don’t put your friend in my world, precious. You know it ain’t for her.”

“What I know,” she says, spinning and waving down the bar attendant, “is that you aren’t being very nice to her, and if you don’t want her in your world, you’re going the wrong way about it. Don’t you know us women love a challenge?”

I grunt. “Fuckin’ know it all right. Where’s your old man? I’m surprised he let you out.”

She laughs loudly, throwing her head back. “Yeah, well, he doesn’t own me you know?”

“Does fuckin’ so.”

She spins around, glaring at me. “What is with you over-possessive bikers?”

“What is with you stubborn ass women?”

She narrows her eyes and turns again, ordering two beers. When she’s got them in her hands, she nods towards the booth.

Well fuck, I’m not escaping her anytime soon. Funny, ‘cause part of me kind of doesn’t want to. Fuck, I’m turning into a pussy.

We sit down, and she slides a beer across the table at me. I grip it, take a big sip, and then put it down, staring right into her eyes.

“What’s with you tryin’ to push Ciara onto me?”

“What’s with you being such a fucking jerk-off about it?”

I feel my lips twitch. “You need to let it go, yeah?”

“Why? Because you’re being a jerk due to the fact that you care about her, or because you don’t care about her?”

Fuckin’ women.

“My answer to that doesn’t change the fact that she’s no good for me.”

“Why, because of what happened with Cheyenne?”

I flinch. She continues.

“Because I imagine you don’t plan on spending the rest of your life alone. If you do, that’s a sad and long life you’re going to have.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Your point, precious?”

“My point is that she cares about you, a lot. She’s a good person, and she could be good for you, if you stopped treating her like an ass.”

“That’s the problem,” I growl. “She’s too good for me.”

Addison raises her brows, and I curse inwardly. Well fuck, I just openly admitted to Addison, and a little to myself, that I don’t hate Ciara and that it goes far deeper than I am willing to let on.

“Who says she’s too good for you? You, or her? Because I can guarantee it doesn’t matter to her what you are.”

“Well it should!” I snap.

“You don’t have to make the same mistakes again, Spike. You can be good to her.”

“No, I fuckin’ can’t. Now fuckin’ drop it Addison, or I’ll get up and walk out.”

She sighs deeply, but puts up her hands. “Fine, we’ll drop it.”

“Good.”

We’re both silent a moment, before her face brightens again and she leans forward. “You wanna do Karaoke with me?”

I raise my brows. “You fuckin’ serious?”

“Oh yeah, come on, it will be fun.”

“I’m a biker,” I point out. “We don’t fuckin’ sing.”