In this case, it’s no different.
“You don’t have a dog, Jesse.” Detective Carter laughs from the table.
“Well, if I did, I wouldn’t feed her it,” Jesse counters.
Before they can get back into it, I interrupt. “Okay, well show me how you do it then. Beau won’t teach me and I know omelet is his favorite. I just want to get it right.” I take a moment to process what I just said, then try not to read too much into it. I just want to be able to repay him in some way.
“All right. Be prepared to learn, Mackenzie.” Jesse starts cracking some eggs into a bowl. “I’ll show you how it’s done.” I look over at Detective Carter. He lifts his shoulder, almost daring me to let him. Knowing I’m better off keeping Jesse around to ward off any of Detective Carter’s questions, I step over to the stove and stand next to Jesse.
“It’s all in the wrist,” he says, and then sets out to teach me how to create some kind of edible breakfast, completely oblivious to my slight freak out.
Who knew last week I would be here, in the kitchen of the Knights Rebels MC, sharing coffee with two brothers. One, who has close work ties to the family I’m running from, and the other teaching me how to make eggs for the man who I owe more than my life to.
The same man who frightens me more than anyone because of the things he makes me feel, the things he makes me want. Things I have no business wanting from a man like him.
Yeah, I need more than a minute to process this.
“Kenzie, did you hear me?” Beau’s voice calls me out of my trance. I look up, coming back to reality and find him standing at the door of my room. His hair is pulled back in some sexy male bun, making his beard look longer. He’s not wearing his cut today, which disappoints me, but the black Henley, pulled tight over his arms, is just as good to look at.
“Sorry? What did you say?” I place the book I was reading down beside me and sit up.
“Have you eaten?” He rests his shoulder against the doorframe, his booted feet crossing at the ankle.
“Ahh, not yet.” I look at the time and realize I’ve just daydreamed my whole morning away.
It’s been a week since Detective Carter came around to see me. Much to my chagrin, Beau came out from his shower, and ripped Jackson a new one for talking to me without him. It’s not that I needed him there when Jackson questioned me; in fact, I was glad I didn’t have him there. Beau would have only tried to convince me to press charges. It’s not that I don’t understand where they’re coming from, but it’s just easier this way. The last thing I need is a paper trail.
“You gotta start eating, Kenzie,” Beau pushes off the doorframe and steps into my room. The name my mom and dad called me sends me back to the good memories of my childhood when my life wasn’t tainted with fear and pain.
“I’m not trying to starve myself, Beau.” My feet find the floor next to my bed and I stand, stretching out my kinks. Eating has been the last thing on my mind lately, not when my stomach is constantly in knots with fear.
“Doesn’t look like it to me,” Beau pushes, throwing me off more with his comments. I don’t know when he’s teasing or being serious. Even after spending two weeks with him, I’m still trying to figure him out. He’s changed a lot since I saw him last. Not that I really knew him. It was only a brief time we spent together, but it didn’t matter. As cliché as it might sound, we had a connection. One that brought us together.
“Trust me, Beau, between you, Hunter, and Jesse, you would think I have some kind of eating disorder.” I shake my head at their over protectiveness.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve come to know all the guys here, but Jesse and Hunter have been around the most. When Beau isn’t around, I find myself either in the kitchen with Jesse, or playing pool with Hunter.
“What’ve Jesse and Hunter been saying?” His brows pinch inward as he steps into my room.
“Nothing, just that I should be eating more,” I tell him, unsure why he’s so concerned. He says the same damn thing every day. Ever since my first day here, Beau has been on my back about eating. I know over the eighteen months I haven’t been eating as well as I should have been. I can see it in the way my clothes hang off my body. So even if I do find his pestering about me eating annoying, I know why he’s doing it.
“Tell them to mind their own fucking business.” He grunts, folding his arms over his chest.
“Ahh, no. I can’t tell them to mind their own business.” I pick up my cardigan and slide my arms though the holes.
Is he crazy? These guys have taken me in to protect me, no questions asked. Made me feel comfortable. Offered me clean clothes, food. I’m not going to tell them to get off my back when I know they mean well.
“I’ll tell them.” He shakes his head, pulling on his beard, his expression guarded. I don’t know much about Beau, but from what I’ve learned, he keeps to himself a lot and rarely shows emotions, but this here is new. This is deeper.
“It’s fine, Beau. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.” He holds my stare for a minute and I wait for him to respond, but he doesn’t.
“All right, now I’m hungry.” I take a step toward him, my stomach grumbling on cue.
“Before we eat, I need to talk to you about Heidi.” All thoughts of food flee faster than a gambler from a bookie.
“You found her?” My voice is hopeful, but dread offers my mind only one thought. He got to her.
“You don’t have a dog, Jesse.” Detective Carter laughs from the table.
“Well, if I did, I wouldn’t feed her it,” Jesse counters.
Before they can get back into it, I interrupt. “Okay, well show me how you do it then. Beau won’t teach me and I know omelet is his favorite. I just want to get it right.” I take a moment to process what I just said, then try not to read too much into it. I just want to be able to repay him in some way.
“All right. Be prepared to learn, Mackenzie.” Jesse starts cracking some eggs into a bowl. “I’ll show you how it’s done.” I look over at Detective Carter. He lifts his shoulder, almost daring me to let him. Knowing I’m better off keeping Jesse around to ward off any of Detective Carter’s questions, I step over to the stove and stand next to Jesse.
“It’s all in the wrist,” he says, and then sets out to teach me how to create some kind of edible breakfast, completely oblivious to my slight freak out.
Who knew last week I would be here, in the kitchen of the Knights Rebels MC, sharing coffee with two brothers. One, who has close work ties to the family I’m running from, and the other teaching me how to make eggs for the man who I owe more than my life to.
The same man who frightens me more than anyone because of the things he makes me feel, the things he makes me want. Things I have no business wanting from a man like him.
Yeah, I need more than a minute to process this.
“Kenzie, did you hear me?” Beau’s voice calls me out of my trance. I look up, coming back to reality and find him standing at the door of my room. His hair is pulled back in some sexy male bun, making his beard look longer. He’s not wearing his cut today, which disappoints me, but the black Henley, pulled tight over his arms, is just as good to look at.
“Sorry? What did you say?” I place the book I was reading down beside me and sit up.
“Have you eaten?” He rests his shoulder against the doorframe, his booted feet crossing at the ankle.
“Ahh, not yet.” I look at the time and realize I’ve just daydreamed my whole morning away.
It’s been a week since Detective Carter came around to see me. Much to my chagrin, Beau came out from his shower, and ripped Jackson a new one for talking to me without him. It’s not that I needed him there when Jackson questioned me; in fact, I was glad I didn’t have him there. Beau would have only tried to convince me to press charges. It’s not that I don’t understand where they’re coming from, but it’s just easier this way. The last thing I need is a paper trail.
“You gotta start eating, Kenzie,” Beau pushes off the doorframe and steps into my room. The name my mom and dad called me sends me back to the good memories of my childhood when my life wasn’t tainted with fear and pain.
“I’m not trying to starve myself, Beau.” My feet find the floor next to my bed and I stand, stretching out my kinks. Eating has been the last thing on my mind lately, not when my stomach is constantly in knots with fear.
“Doesn’t look like it to me,” Beau pushes, throwing me off more with his comments. I don’t know when he’s teasing or being serious. Even after spending two weeks with him, I’m still trying to figure him out. He’s changed a lot since I saw him last. Not that I really knew him. It was only a brief time we spent together, but it didn’t matter. As cliché as it might sound, we had a connection. One that brought us together.
“Trust me, Beau, between you, Hunter, and Jesse, you would think I have some kind of eating disorder.” I shake my head at their over protectiveness.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve come to know all the guys here, but Jesse and Hunter have been around the most. When Beau isn’t around, I find myself either in the kitchen with Jesse, or playing pool with Hunter.
“What’ve Jesse and Hunter been saying?” His brows pinch inward as he steps into my room.
“Nothing, just that I should be eating more,” I tell him, unsure why he’s so concerned. He says the same damn thing every day. Ever since my first day here, Beau has been on my back about eating. I know over the eighteen months I haven’t been eating as well as I should have been. I can see it in the way my clothes hang off my body. So even if I do find his pestering about me eating annoying, I know why he’s doing it.
“Tell them to mind their own fucking business.” He grunts, folding his arms over his chest.
“Ahh, no. I can’t tell them to mind their own business.” I pick up my cardigan and slide my arms though the holes.
Is he crazy? These guys have taken me in to protect me, no questions asked. Made me feel comfortable. Offered me clean clothes, food. I’m not going to tell them to get off my back when I know they mean well.
“I’ll tell them.” He shakes his head, pulling on his beard, his expression guarded. I don’t know much about Beau, but from what I’ve learned, he keeps to himself a lot and rarely shows emotions, but this here is new. This is deeper.
“It’s fine, Beau. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.” He holds my stare for a minute and I wait for him to respond, but he doesn’t.
“All right, now I’m hungry.” I take a step toward him, my stomach grumbling on cue.
“Before we eat, I need to talk to you about Heidi.” All thoughts of food flee faster than a gambler from a bookie.
“You found her?” My voice is hopeful, but dread offers my mind only one thought. He got to her.
