Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

I stared at him in silence. I wished like hell that he’d let me in. But I also understood he wasn’t ready. “’Kay. But just so you know, when you are ready, I’ll be there. Shovel or no.”

Dylan chuckled unsteadily. “You’re fucking whacked. But thanks.”

The rest of the drive passed in silence. Only this time, I had a million thoughts running through my head. Instead of just being sad about Nathan, now I was wondering what trouble Dylan had caught himself in. Was it a girl? Maybe she was pregnant? Or had an STD? Who else would be texting him bad news so late on a Thursday night?

I blinked and we were pulling up to his condo in Midtown. But instead of pulling into his driveway, Dylan idled at the curb.

“I need to go take care of something. Do you mind taking my cheesecake in for me?”

“Your cheesecake? Did you seriously not grab me a slice?” I tried for a teasing tone, but I was seriously worried about him.

The smile Dylan gave me in reply was nowhere near his usual dimple twinkling grin. “Maybe. If you’re nice to me.”

“Sure. Take care of yourself, okay?”

“Always. Lock the door behind you.”

I grabbed the plastic containers from the backseat and gave Dylan another searching look that he avoided. Sighing heavily, I pushed my door open and climbed out of his lifted pickup.

I don’t think I’d made it even five feet up the sidewalk before he left in a screech of tires. That wasn’t out of the ordinary. All the Burns brothers—even Sabrina—drove like bats out of hell. I tried really hard not to read anything into his urgency to leave.

But it didn’t make me worry any less.

When I got to his front door, I juggled the dishes and my purse as I dug for my key. But of course, me being me, I dropped one of the dishes then my purse. Cursing, I ducked down and thanked god that the lid had stayed on. Dylan wouldn’t be happy if I got gravel in his cheesecake. After shoving everything else back into my purse, I found my keys and had a better handle on my load as I stood up again. I moved to push the key into the lock when I felt something press into my back.

“You Dylan Burns’ girl?” A deep and threatening voice asked from behind me.

It felt like everything slowed down except my heartbeat. It thrummed in my head so loud I swear I could taste my pulse.

“Well, are you?” He asked again, pushing what I was pretty sure was a gun deeper into my back.

“I-I-I am.”

What the hell? Why did I say that?

“You tell him that the guys aren’t happy with him. And if I have to come back and deliver the message again, I won’t be so fucking nice about it.”

My eyes widened as I felt him step closer to me. A waft of tobacco, sweat, and peppermint had me gagging. Or maybe it was the way he rubbed his erection into my lower back.

“Or I can be really, really nice. You get me, sweetheart?”

“I-I do. Get you. I understand. I’ll tell him.” The words left me without conscious thought. I’d tell him the sky was green if it would make him leave me alone. Oh god.

“You be sure to do that. I’d hate to come back out here again.” He dug the gun deeper into my back while rubbing against my lower body at the same time. “Or maybe I’d really love it. We could have some fun together—me and you.”

Bile tickled at the back of my throat. Oh god.

“I’ll tell him.” I whispered. “I promise.”

“Mmmm, too bad. You’re all soft and round. The way I like my women.” He grunted low in his throat then pushed harder against me. “What the fuck?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Nathan’s voice thundered from somewhere behind us. “What the fuck is going on here?”

Chapter Two

Nathan Burns

I seriously couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Little Madison Roberts was all but being dry humped on Dylan’s front step by a fucking biker. I mean, the guy wasn’t wearing club colors, but I knew a biker when I saw one. What the hell kinda bizarre alternate reality had I stumbled into?

The guy stepped away from Maddie, but kept one arm around her back like it fucking belonged there. Like he had a claim to her.

What the fuck?

“Nathan.” Maddie’s eyes were wide as they swung from me to the asshole and back again. “You’re here!”

“Uh, yeah. I live here. Remember? Right next door.”

“Right. No, I know that.” She laughed unsteadily. “I just meant—”

“What I want to know is what are you doing here?” I watched as the biker stepped even closer to Maddie. I ground my teeth as I took in the implication of their body language. “I thought you were swinging by your place?”

“I was—we were—but Dylan had to take care of something instead.”

I nodded like what she’d said made sense. Like she hadn’t somehow acquired an asshole biker boyfriend in the ten minutes since I’d last seen her. Tilting my head, I took in the guy’s appearance—his leather jacket, thick beard, and the visible tattoos on his neck. One tattoo in particular had me clenching my teeth. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

“I uh…” Her eyes swung from me to the asshole again.

The asshole patted Maddie on the back and then swung his arms around his back in an awkward movement. “I’m gonna get, babe. Remember what I said.”

He jerked his chin at me and strutted away, knocking into my shoulder as he passed.

Ass.

I watched him go then turned back to Maddie with raised eyebrows.

She gulped and blinked innocently back at me.

Fuck that.

“What the hell are you doing hanging out with bikers, Maddie?”

“I…what? How did you know he’s a biker?”

“His jacket was worn in some spots but not others. Like he usually wears a vest over his jacket. Besides, I know his