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“I do,” Harley said coolly. “Thank you, officer.”

“You know about Ace’s history, correct?”

That made me stand up. I stood between Harley and Forest, and though I kept my dragon leashed, I felt him flashing gold in my eyes. “Harley’s an adult,” I hissed. “She can make her own decisions. Why don’t you do your job and find the person who did this?” Thebefore I dowas silent, but Forest heard it as clear as if I’d said it aloud.

Forest’s remarks weren’t totally without merit. I had a history. He’d handled the aftermath of some of the clan’s worst deals. In the past, I may have tried to smooth over this interaction to keep Forest on my good side. But now, my dragon’s need to protect our mate overwhelmed my logical brain.

She was myfated mate.What I’d done in the past was just that—the past.

I helped Harley to her feet. She leaned heavily on me with a sigh, and I held her close, taking her weight as we walked toward my bike. “You’re really okay?”

She nodded. “A little shaken up. What’s up with you and that cop?”

“He’s the cop, I’m the felon.” I shrugged. “Not more to it than that. He’s been around since I took over the clan, so…”

“So, he’s seen a lot of shit,” she said with a teasing edge to her voice. “Makes sense. You’ve made some less-than-stellar decisions.”

I snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”

“Ugh, dealing with this rental is going to be a nightmare.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll have the guys at the shop cover it. You can drive one of our cars.”

“As long as you’ve got some automatics.”

“I’m sure we can scrounge one up.” As the police finished their record-keeping and began to let traffic move through, I walked Harley over to my bike.

She paused and ran her hand over the leather seat with a thoughtful expression on her face.

“I can call one of the guys if you’d rather take a car,” I said.

“No, it’s not that. Don’t worry, I remember riding on the back of this bike.”

As did I. We’d spent that summer zipping around Lakeview on this very same motorcycle. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I saw who was driving that truck.” Harley turned around and hooked her fingers into my belt loops, smirking a little. “What kind of dick were you giving Blakely to drive her so insane?”

I burst out laughing, loud enough to make the cops glance over. I shook my head in disbelief. “That’s what you’re wondering about?”

“What? It’s a normal question. She ran me off the road!”

Laughing, we leaned against each other. It was a ridiculous situation—hell, a dangerous situation—but Harley always knew how to make me laugh. These last ten years had made her toughas hell. It’d take a lot more than Blakely’s crazy driving to spook her.

I grasped her waist with both hands and pulled her close to me, still smiling. “The time I spent with Blakely isnothingcompared to time spent with you.”

The color returned to Harley’s cheeks as she held my gaze. “Yeah?”

I ducked my head down, so my lips were close to her ear. “No woman comes close to you.”

My dragon purred, relieved to have her close, safe, happy. Now, we just needed to get home, get somewhere private, so I could show her again what she meant to me.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Maybe it was only a text…

Nope. The buzzing continued. Harley smiled and tapped her fingers against the shape of my phone in my pocket. “Gonna get that?”

I sighed and released her waist reluctantly, then answered the phone.

“Ace, everything okay?” Striker asked.