Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

don’t know how much I helped my dad. They don’t know how I helped him find job after job because he was too lazy or high to show up when I did get him a job. Or how I gave him money when he stopped working. It’s why I’m in this mess in the first place. They don’t know!”

I opened my mouth but paused when Elaine walked through the garden area toward the parking lot. She took in the scene between me and Dylan and raised her eyebrows before slowly continuing on her way. I could almost hear her thoughts. She’s having a domestic spat at work? How tacky. And stupid.

My skin heated in that weird way like someone was watching me. Us. Now that Elaine had moved on, I couldn’t see anyone in the vicinity. But I still didn’t feel any better.

I sighed. “I don’t know that this is the best place to have this out, Dyl.”

“Why?”

“Seriously? We’re practically at my work. All my coworkers are a freaking stone’s throw away, and I don’t want this to be a reason they put me up on the chopping block at the end of the month.”

“Are you kidding me? My fucking life is falling apart, and you’re worried about gossip?”

“I don’t—I didn’t mean that. You know you can talk to me, but can’t we go somewhere? Like a restaurant or back to your place?”

Dylan sighed a rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess. If you want. I don’t want you to waste your entire lunch break on me.”

I stood and pulled my purse onto my shoulder before facing him. “I still want you to tell your brothers. They can help you, and honestly I’m not comfortable that you’re making me lie for you.”

I had enough lies of my own to keep track of.

I shook my head and continued. “Nathan has already asked me. I know Ryan has been hinting around. It’s getting out of control. You can’t live your life like this. You have to tell them. And you have to apologize to them. For everything.”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about this at your work.” Dylan stared stone faced back at me. Like a stranger.

“I just wanted to get that out before I lost my nerve.” I shrugged. “It’s how I feel, Dyl, and I’m not going to apologize for it.”

“I get what you mean, but it’s not—” He broke off as his cell buzzed loudly with an incoming text. He pulled his phone out, and his face lost all color as he read the text.

“Dylan? Is everything all right?”

He shook his head tightly. “No. No, it’s really not.” He shoved his phone back into his pocket and just looked at me for a moment before he spoke. “I gotta go.”

“Wait, what? What’s going on?”

“I just… Thanks for listening, Maddie. I gotta sort some shit out.”

“Dylan, I don’t—”

“Love you.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek and headed toward the parking lot. Like he hadn’t just left without an explanation.

A few moments later the telltale roar of his motorcycle rumbled through the area.

What the heck just happened?

I found the answer a few minutes later when I saw my car listing to one side in the parking lot like a sinking ship.

Because both tires on the driver’s side had been slashed.

And traced into the dust on my back window, a simple crown shape with WC underneath—the logo for the West Coast Kings.

I yanked my phone out of my purse and called him. He sent me straight to voicemail.

“Dylan? Did you see my car? Two tires were slashed and they left a calling card. I’m freaking out here. Call me back.”

I stared at that asinine biker logo and hated every single stupid line and what it meant. The hold they had on Dylan. And the knowledge that I was in their cross hairs. They’d use me to get to Dylan, to make him do what they wanted to. I hated them.

Hated them.

Grabbing a tissue out of my purse, I scrubbed the stupid scribble off my car. I didn’t want to see it anymore, didn’t want to even think about it for another second.

But of course, as I waited for roadside assistance, it was all I could think about. Should I tell Nathan and his brothers? Should I wait and see what Dylan decided to do?

I didn’t want to betray him—anymore than I already apparently had by hooking up with his brother—but I was worried. He was in over his head, and if I sat back and did nothing would I be able to live with myself if it all went to hell?

The thought haunted me for the rest of the day until my phone buzzed with an incoming text.

Dylan: Sorry about your car. I’ll pay to fix it. You’re right. I promise I’ll tell my bros everything.

I sagged in relief. It wouldn’t be on me to tell Nathan and his brothers. Thank god. Now he’d get the help he needed to get the Kings off his back.

And away from me too.

Chapter Twenty

Nathan

I admit, I never really paid much attention to Maddie or her family life growing up. She’d always been the kinda annoying little kid hanging around and playing with Sabrina and Dylan. And I definitely didn’t pay any attention to her house or her parents.

I kinda regretted that now. Because we were spending Saturday night at her parents’ house.

Having dinner.

As a family.

I’d never really done the meet the family routine with any of the girls I’d seen outside of high school. And picking up a girl on the way to prom was lightyears from meeting the parents of the girl you were sleeping with, the one you were starting to have serious feelings for.

It had sounded like a bad idea from the jump, and it never really got any better. Apparently, it was the price to pay for abandoning Maddie yesterday morning during her mom’s surprise visit.

Huge regrets.

And they started when Maddie’s dad, Greg, opened the