Page 61 of The Biker and the Baker

A ping follows a vibration from the phone in my pocket and I set the wine down so I can get it out, checking the screen.

Onyx: Sup with you? Your energy’s off.

Me:Nothing. I’m good.

Me:But I’m full and sleepy so I’m gonna walk back to the RV.

Onyx:No. We’ll be done soon.

Me:I wasn’t asking your permission.

Onyx:Well I’m *asking* you to wait on me.

Deciding it’s best to keep out of the living room, I hike up on one of the stools at the kitchen island and down more wine. I’m pathetic, I know.

Time passes—I’ve lost count—before they both stroll into the kitchen. His new braids aresick. Yep, she’s good.

Onyx comes over to me and moves the wine bottle out of my reach. Prying the glass from my hand, he drops me a kiss. “Think you’ve had enough, P. Let’s go.”

As I start to slide off the stool to leave, Scratch calls from the living room, “Yo, Nyx. C’mere real quick.”

He nudges my chin with his knuckles. “Be back.”

Awkward silence remains in his wake, Leyana and I standing on opposite sides of the island.

“Thanks again for dinner, Ley,” I say in an attempt to fill the weird silence. “It was great. You’re a really good cook.”

“You’re not cool with me doing his hair,” she states rather than questions.

And because I’m terrible at faking, I admit, “I’m not.”

“Do you know how to cornrow?”

“Not that stylish, no.”

“Then I’ll teach you,” she offers.

A frown pulls at my brows. “Really?”

With a short laugh, she drops her forearms to the granite. “When Scratch and I were dating, he relied on Kendra to roll his blunt and I hated it—sister or not. So, I learned how to roll thembetterthan her.”

“It’s not in a bad way or anything, you know,” I explain. “It’s just…you feed him, you groom him, he’s on your land…”

Her smile is so kind, so warming. “We—the Michaelson's—look out for him because no one else does. Cookie’s his blood and all, but she treats him more like an asset, less like family. He takes care of all her babies—her businesses—but she doesn’t really take care ofhim,as a person,in return. So we do.”

“Well, I’m here now.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. “I’ll take care of him.”

A grin splits her pretty face. “I don’t doubt it. At all.” Then she sighs. “But to be honest, we rely on him a lot, too. He helps so much, especially with the kids. Looking out for him makes us feel…better. Less like we’re taking advantage, you know?”

I nod as I think about this, twisting my lips to the side. “Okay, cool, I’m fine with the other stuff. But his hair, you can’t do it anymore.”

“Deal.”

“You’re gonna teach me, but I’m also gonna take extra lessons on the side, so by the time I’m done, I’ll be braiding tighter and neater than your dainty little fingers ever could.”

She belts out a laugh. “Got it.” Eying me contemplatively, she asks, “Does this mean you’re sticking around?”

“Yeah…” I smile, finally allowing myself to embrace the idea. “Yeah, I think I am.”