Page 14 of Rush
Rush studies me for a second. "Ciara's protective, that's all."
"Of you?"
"Of her friends."
"Right." I get in my car. "See you around, Rush."
"Yeah."
I drive away thinking about the way Ciara looked at me, the subtle edge in her smile, the way she positioned herself between Rush and everyone else.
Interesting.
But not my problem. If Rush wants to be friends with someone who's clearly into him, that's his business.
I've got better things to do than worry about territorial women and complicated bikers.
Even if the complicated biker is starting to get under my skin more than I want to admit.
I make a decision right there in my car.
Rush can watch all he wants, but I'm not chasing. If he wants something he can come get it.
I never chase.
Never have, never will.
3
RUSH
I'm outside Trinity again on Tuesday and I've stopped pretending this is about the job.
It's not. It never was.
I tell myself I'm just making sure she's safe, but that's bullshit and I know it.
The truth is I can't seem to stay away. Every instinct I've got is pulling me toward her like gravity.
She comes out of the science building at noon with that blonde friend, Maya, and they walk toward the café down the street.
I keep my distance, engine idling beneath me, watching them through the glass. They settle at the back, good line of sight, easy exit, it doesn’t matter, if something went wrong, I’d be through that door before anyone else even moved. I shouldn’t still be here, but I am, I can’t leave, and I’m sure why the hell not.
I watch her laugh at something Maya says, I learned her name earlier today when I heard Everly call out to her. I watch her tuck her hair behind her ear, and watch her hands move when she talks.
I'm cataloging details I have no business noticing—the way she bites her bottom lip when she's thinking, the scar on her left hand, and the small silver ring on her right thumb.
This is bad. This is exactly what I can't let happen. But knowing doesn't change the fact that I'm here, watching her like some obsessed asshole who can't take a hint.
Twenty minutes later, they leave the café and head back toward campus. I wait until they're inside before I ride back to the clubhouse.
Tank's in the garage when I walk in. "Where've you been?"
"Errands."
"Bullshit. You've been following Diesel's daughter around Dublin."
I don't answer because he's right.
