Page 54 of Tied to You

“You’ll eat first,” she tells me.

“I’m not hungry,” I lie, looking at the food as she plates me up. My stomach rumbles, and she gives me another one of those looks. She knows I’m lying. “I’ll check on the foal, then I’ll be back up for food. Okay?”

She hums, not looking at me.

I take my tea with me as I slide my feet into my boots, then open the door and make my way to him outside, sat on his bike. Apprehension lingers. I stop in front of him. “Biker boy,” I say.

“Morning, baby.” He checks his phone not giving me his full attention, then once he’s replied to whoever it is, he pockets his phone away.

I sip my tea, waiting. “You okay?” I eventually ask because he doesn’t speak.

Instead he sighs, and I get the feeling he wants to undo the past twelve hours. I can see it in how he bows his head, can feel it in the way he doesn’t give me proper eye contact. “You’re not coming back later, are you?”

He lifts his chin. “I think it’s best I get club shit out the way, then whatever this is between us,” he waves his hand rather dismissively, “we can focus on after.”

“Whateverthisis?” I huff, feeling myself getting more pissed off. It’s like something shifted overnight and I completely missed it. I asked him to take me on a date once he came to bed. Shit, did that scare him? It must have. He can’t even fucking look at me.

Flinching at my stupidity, I give a little laugh, running a hand down one side of my face. “So all that,you see me, and,you don’t want to take another step without me¸crap, they were just words to make me feel better?”

He curses under his breath. “That’s all fucking true. Idon’twant to take another step without you. But I have stuff to do, people who in the next few days will be counting on me. You…” he doesn’t finish his sentence.

“I what? Came into your life at the wrong time? Upset you when I asked you to leave?”

He frowns. That did upset him. “I don’t have time for this, Mollie. I need to go.”

“Then go.” I turn, waving a dismissive hand over my head. Fuck him. He can’t pick me and let me go at the drop of a hat.

After a few moments, the engine roars behind me and the ground vibrates under my soles. I continue back to the house, but yelp when his bike cuts me off, my feet jumping back so as not to get run over. My mug hitsthe ground, smashing to pieces. “Twat!” I yell in frustration.

Before I can reprimand him for scaring me, he takes a breath, leaning back whilst holding the bike steady, one foot flat to the floor. “Don’t be a fucking brat.”

I laugh. The nerve of this man. “Leave me alone.” I move to step around his bike.

“Oh no, Baby Doll.” He edges the bike forward, blocking my path. “I told you, if I make you mine, then that’s it for you. I meant it.”

“You want me again, you don’t want me,” I say mockingly, flailing my arms. “Make up your fucking mind—"

“That date you wanted. Sunday. You’re mine. I’m yours.”

He catches me off guard. I quip him a look, silently grateful that he didn’t say Saturday. The last thing I want to do is have to explain that I have to see my dad and Henry all on the same day. I’m not sure how I’ll get through it.

Ask him to come with you.No. He doesn’t need me the way I think I need him.

I need him?

He avoids my eyes as he pulls away, and without another word, I’m left standing alone, wondering when everything became more difficult.

Chapter Thirteen

MOLLIE

The week flies by with relative ease. I keep busy with work, spending as much time with the foal as possible. Mick named him Rummy, and between the three of us, we’ve made sure he’s settling in well without Blackjack. It still hurts, not having her here. Although I still feel the guilt that drowned me, one thing that has kept me busy, is wondering when Travis will unexpectedly show up.

He hasn’t come by the house. Hasn’t called. Hasn’t text. It’s ridiculous, considering how little we actually know about each other, but I thought seeing his aunt might have made him realise how much they love having him around. And after the other night when we lost Blackjack, I thought we were clear that we liked each other.

Given how he left the other day, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised he hasn’t been around. It’s a constant push and pull between us. We want each other, that’s clear, but he’s a busy man. He might leave me buzzing from my head to my toes, but I need to catch my breath. Coming here wasn’t about finding anyone other than myself. I know this is where I want to be, but it wasn’t meant to be complicated. And since catching feelings for Travis, that’s exactly how things have been. I guess in hindsight I should be grateful that he hasn’t been around to make it worse.

But even now, as I walk around the clothing shop I’m in, desperately trying to find something to wear for later, he’s all I can think about. I don’t like it. Don’t like the fact that I feel needy. This isn’t me. Yet, unable to bury the feelings, I cave and message him, feeling excited and hating myself for being weak all at the same time.