Torque: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance (Burns Brothers Series Book 4)

by Gillian Archer

  I sighed. “Those are magic words. Guaranteed to make me happy.”

  “Happy and horny?” Nathan asked with a mock leer.

  I threw the kitchen towel at him.

  He caught it with a laugh and tossed it over his shoulder like a bartender. “Anyway, you said something about your apartment before Dylan went and pissed on your already shitty day?”

  “Yeah.” I groaned and dropped my head back, staring at the ceiling. “My landlord has been giving me the runaround. He won’t answer his phone, he’s refused two different certified letters. At this point I’m either going to have to hire a process server or a lawyer. Neither of which I can really afford.”

  “No need.” Nathan crossed over and grabbed a stack of papers from a side table next to the door. He plopped them onto the counter in front of me with a flourish. “I went over and had a little talk with him about the unsafe living conditions and how you haven’t been living there for almost two months now. You are officially out of your lease agreement. He even refunded you your deposit and this month’s rent that you’ve paid. You just have to get the rest of your stuff out by the end of the month.”

  I stared in disbelief at the stack of papers and the check Nathan pulled out. He’d done all that and hadn’t said a word about any of it.

  “And that’s not all,” he said in his best impression of a daytime gameshow host. “I also figured out how to solve both of our work problems. You need a job, and we need a receptionist. Think about it, baby. It’s perfect. You get a stable job working with guys you love, and we get a receptionist with a brain in her head who can write out and correctly spell our messages. It’s fucking perfect.”

  My disbelief morphed into shock. At least I think it was shock. I couldn’t really take stock of anything at the moment because of the buzzing in my ears.

  The dinners, sweet as they were, he did without asking if I had anything planned.

  My car.

  Managing Ryan and Wendy—all the while not telling me that they knew.

  The lease. My landlord!

  And now my job.

  All of it without a single input from me. All of it decided by him.

  Hope’s words from earlier came back to me. “Nathan is a really forceful kinda guy.”

  “Nathan will take over.” Dylan had warned me. “Inch by inch, until you don’t know who you are.”

  Doormat.

  Inch by inch.

  “Maddie? Did you hear me?” Nathan tilted his head. “You okay?”

  “Am I okay?” I repeated. “I don’t know. Maybe you should tell me how I feel.”

  Nathan blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Well, you’ve apparently decided to run my life. How am I supposed to feel right now? Am I allowed to be angry? Or is this the part where I drop to my knees and service you out of gratitude?”

  “What the fuck? I didn’t—I don’t know what’s going on right now.”

  “Did you give notice at work for me? Or sign a new lease for me too?”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “It’s absolutely fair. You decided that my car wasn’t safe, so you went and changed my oil and rotated my tires without even asking me.”

  “Of course your car isn’t safe. You called roadside service a few weeks ago. I was worried about you.”

  “No, you acted without talking to me. Again. I’m a grown woman. This is my life. I’m the one who makes the decisions about it. I’m the one who decides where I work and where I live. Not you.”

  “What are we fighting about right now? I helped you.”

  “You didn’t help me. You took over. And seriously, what the fuck? I’m not a receptionist. I’m a librarian. That’s not the same fucking thing! I don’t want that job. I want a job doing what I want to do!”

  “It doesn’t have to be a permanent position. Just something to tide you over until you find the job you want.”

  “But that should be my decision. Not yours. The same with my apartment.”

  “I’m lost. Are we seriously fighting over the fact that I got you out of your lease? Really?”

  “Oh my god.” I took a breath and covered my face with my hands. I had to calm down. Before I said something I’d regret. “Haven’t you heard a freaking think I’ve said? Are you trying to paint me as the illogical woman who’s throwing a fit?”

  “You kinda are,” Nathan muttered under his breath.

  But I still heard him. And I saw red.

  “You know what? You can take your steaks and shove them up your ass. I’m done.”

  I stomped over to where my purse usually was. But it wasn’t anymore. Where did I leave it? I couldn’t see it, but I did see my keys that Nathan had taken without my permission sitting on the table next to the front door. I snatched them up.

  “Come on, Maddie. Where are you even going? You don’t have a place to stay.”

  “Like hell I don’t.”

  “You can’t go back to that hellhole of an apartment. It’s not safe.”

  “It’s my decision, isn’t it? You don’t get to control me, and I’ll be damned if I’ll be a doormat for you to walk all over.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  But I wasn’t there to answer Nathan’s question. I’d already slammed the door behind me.

  I was halfway to the parking lot when I heard Nathan’s yell behind me. “Maddie, come on. Don’t do this.”

  I ran to my car and said a silent prayer he’d put it back together, so I could get the hell out of here.

  “Maddie!” Nathan pounded on my window. “Where the hell are you going?”

  The engine roared to life. I slammed the gear shift into reverse and peeled out of the space. I was dimly aware of Nathan cursing, but I didn’t look back.

  The fact that he even thought I was stupid enough to go back to my old apartment said everything. He thought I was a silly, immature girl who couldn’t take of myself.

  I refused to think about the fact that the only place I had to go was my parents’ house. It didn’t prove his point. He was the one being ridiculous here.

  But I didn’t make it that far.

  I pulled onto the 5 and merged into the middle lanes. Since it was Saturday night, the traffic was fairly light. And didn’t mask the familiar motorcycle merging about a half mile behind me.

  Nathan.

  Seriously?

  I swiped at the tears coursing down my cheeks. I had every right to feel the way I did. He’d gone behind my back and arranged everything for me. Despite me. It pissed me off that I’d tried for weeks to break my lease and Nathan cleared it up in one fucking afternoon.

  When I heard a motorcycle pull up beside me, I didn’t bother to turn my head. I knew it was Nathan. And I had to concentrate on driving because of the tears occasionally blurring the road.

  When he pulled ahead of me, I huffed in annoyance. I didn’t know what he had planned, but he had to know by now that I was going to my parents’ house. He knew the route as well as I did.

  A huge object came whipping at my car. I saw a glint of metal and slammed on my breaks. It smashed into my windshield with a horrific clash of glass and metal. I ducked my head toward my chest and stood on my brake pedal.

  Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

  My heart pounded in my ears as I screeched to a stop.

  Was I okay?

  What was that?

  I had about a second to take stock of the stinging on my face and see the thick metal chain jutting from my windshield when my door wrenched open.

  I screamed.

  “Maddie!” Nathan yelled. His hands cupped my face as he peered down at me. “Are you okay, baby?”

  I could only blink and nod stupidly at him.

  “That son of a bitch! I’m gonna kill every last fucking King.” He ran his hand over my head, flicking a few slivers of glass away. “Stay here.”

  And then he was gone.

  I took a few gulping breaths, trying and failing to cal
m my racing heart. I could’ve died. That was the scariest fucking thing that ever happened to me.

  I thought your life was supposed to flash before your eyes before you died. I felt vaguely disappointed mine hadn’t.

  A giggle escaped.

  It would’ve been a boring show. Maybe my brain decided to spare me the boredom.

  I giggled again.

  It was official. I was batshit crazy.

  Okay. I could do this. Someone just tried to kill me. I should probably call the police.

  Maybe that was what Nathan was doing. He probably had to go back to his bike to get his phone or something.

  I popped open my glove box and found the scrap of paper with my roadside service details on it. I didn’t have to search long since I’d used it only a few weeks ago.

  Should I stand outside and call or was it safer to stay inside my vehicle? My dad had lectured me about roadside safety when I got my license but that was a decade ago.

  Maybe that was what Nathan meant about staying put.

  I twisted around in my seat to see what he was doing.

  But he wasn’t there.

  “Wha—”

  I unbuckled my seatbelt and stood up, looking at the spot I was sure Nathan had parked his bike. But it was empty. He wasn’t there.

  He’d left me.

  Alone and bleeding on the side of the road.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Nathan

  A rage like nothing I’d ever felt before burned through me. They threw a fucking chain through her windshield. In front of me. I’d watched the fucker do it and hadn’t been able to stop him.

  I wasn’t gonna rest until every single one of those fuckers was six feet under.

  But I lost him at the I-80 interchange when traffic grinded to a halt, and he wove behind a tractor trailer and disappeared.

  I darted through the halted traffic, looking every which way, but couldn’t find him.

  It didn’t matter. I knew that patch he didn’t bother to hide.

  Every last King who didn’t know my name, was damn sure gonna know it by the time I was done with them.

  I took the next exit and circled back to where I’d left Maddie.

  Maddie.

  She stood shaking next to her car, the goddamn chain still jutting out of the windshield. A police officer asked her questions as he took notes. His head came up as I cruised to a stop behind them. He shoved his notepad into a pocket as his other hand went to his holster.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them,” he ordered.

  With my palms up, I slowly approached the two of them. A second cop came from around the front of Maddie’s car where he’d apparently been taking pictures.

  “Identify yourself,” the second cop demanded.

  “I’m Nathan Burns. Maddie’s boyfriend. I was riding behind her when this happened.”

  The first cop kept his hand on his holster as I approached. “You saw the suspect?”

  “Yeah, I tried to follow him on my bike, but I lost him on the I-80 interchange.” I leaned forward to look at Maddie, but she kept her head turned away. She wouldn’t even look at me.

  “Do you know who did this?” The first cop asked.

  “It was a Kings MC member. He didn’t even try to hide his patches.”

  “Have you had any run-ins with the Kings Motorcycle Club, Ms. Roberts?” The second cop asked.

  “Yes,” Maddie murmured. She sounded almost trance-like. “My roommate is having some troubles with them, and apparently it’s bubbled over to me. They slashed my tires a few weeks ago. One of them showed up to our condo and threatened me.”

  “What!” I took a step toward Maddie but she flinched and backed away. “Dylan’s caught up with those fuckers?”

  “Like you care. He told you weeks ago.” She turned toward me, the scratches on her face now plain to see. “And just now when they ran me off the road—which you saw—you left me to go play hero. Some fucking hero you are.”

  “Who-kay.” The second cop raised his hands. “This is not a conversation to have on the side of the freeway. We’ll give you ride back to the station, Miss Roberts. And you, sir, please meet us there to answer some more questions.”

  I’d rather have Maddie on the back of my bike. But before I could voice the thought, one officer ushered her into the back of their squad car. I accepted the business card the second cop pressed into my hand.

  He stayed with Maddie’s car while the squad car in front of me pulled away with my girl inside.

  I stood on the side of the road, watching helplessly.

  And it didn’t get any better when I got to the station. Maddie was already inside talking to a detective or something while they had me in another room thumbing through photos of known Kings members. I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. The guy was on a bike wearing a helmet. I wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a lineup. But I could probably ID his bike.

  I pulled open the door to ask a cop if they had pictures of motorcycles when Maddie and her dad came around a corner toward me.

  “Maddie. I’ve been so worried, baby. Are you okay?”

  She just shook her head, looking at me with disgust when she pulled away from her dad and headed for the exit.

  Greg sighed. “You might want to give her a little time.”

  “I didn’t just run off. I was trying to get the fucker. I swear I stopped and made sure she was okay first. I swear I did.”

  “I know. I know. Just…” He sighed. “You’ve got to give her some time.” He patted me on the shoulder, turned, and headed in the same direction Maddie had gone.

  I clenched my fists in frustration. I’d never felt so helpless. I hadn’t been able to stop that fucking King and I hadn’t been able to catch him. Now Maddie didn’t want anything to do with me. Although she was pretty pissed with me before we even got on the freeway.

  Dammit.

  I ached to turn and slam my fist into the wall, but even I knew that a police precinct wasn’t the place to have a hissy fit. Instead, I tried Ryan’s anger management bullshit and counted to ten. Then twenty.

  I was somewhere around thirty-three when I remembered what Maddie had said on the side of the freeway. Her roommate was having run-ins with the Kings. Something she claimed he’d told me weeks ago.

  Dylan.

  He’d never told me a damn thing.

  Fuck, why did lately everything seem to be about him lately? And why was he tangled up with the Kings? He should know better.

  I flagged down the officer who’d left me with the mugshots. “I’m sorry, but nothing’s standing out. I didn’t a look at his face. Do you have any photos of bikes? I’d be able to ID his motorcycle in a second.”

  “Uh, I don’t think so. But I can check. In the meantime, Detective Harris would like to speak with you in interview room two.”

  I closed my eyes with a muttered curse. “Of course he does.”

  I already knew what was coming.

  But I still let the officer escort me to the tiny room with the one-way mirror and sat opposite a tired-looking man in a cheap suit.

  “Thanks for sitting down with me, Mr. Burns.”

  I tipped my head. “Uh huh. Can we hurry this along though? I have to go see my girl.”

  “Right. Right. So tell me again what happened on the I-5 today.”

  I went through the story again, leaving out the fight at my condo, but detailing everything I saw and how I was certain it’d been a King.

  Detective Harris took a few notes. “Now what can you tell me about the business that your brother has with the Kings.”

  “I don’t know anything about his current dealings with the Kings. Last time I spoke with one was before they tried to kill my brother, Ryan, outside of our shop downtown. You might’ve caught footage of that on our show or any of the major news outlets.”

  Our producer, James, had been working late and hid on the roof of the shop, where he’d filmed the whole attack after he called the cop
s. It was the reason that no matter how much shit he gave us about filming or receptionists or whatever, we still kept him around. Ryan owed him his life.

  “Well that’s not entirely true is it?” The detective asked with a glint in his eye.

  “What part? Everything I’ve said is true.”

  “You did run into a King outside of your brother’s condo about a month ago. At least according to Ms. Roberts.”

  I winced. “I forgot about that. No, that’s true. I did run into a King outside our condo.”

  “Our?”

  “Me and two of my brothers all own condos in the same building.”

  “Right. And you were there when a King threatened Ms. Roberts. And just…what? Walked away? Didn’t care? That’s the kinda man you are?”

  It took everything in me not to lean across the table and bash the fucker’s face against the table. “Of course I care about Maddie. But I didn’t know that fucker had been threatening her. I thought they were dating and I let her know exactly what I thought about that when he left.”

  “Right. Because you guys do not have any dealings with the Kings Motorcycle Gang.”

  “We don’t. They fucking burned that bridge when they came after Ryan. We have no business or personal dealings with the Kings.”

  “Except for Dylan apparently.”

  I raised an eyebrow and didn’t say anything.

  “And you know nothing about that. Despite the fact that you live next door to your brother and work with him?”

  “That’s what I said.” My rage was simmering, and if I wasn’t careful, it’d boil all over the detective in front of me. My jaw ached from the amount of biting back my words I’d been doing. “If you don’t have any more questions about the assault on my girlfriend, I’m gonna go.”

  “Oh, we’re just getting started.”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve told you what I saw on the I-5, who did it and where you can probably find them. Unless you’re arresting me, I’m out. Any other questions about my brothers, you’ll have to direct to our lawyers. I’ll make sure they have your number.”

  I pushed back my chair with a screech and left. Detective Harris didn’t try to stop me.