Page 12 of Wrecked By Rev

“You’re brooding again,” Rogue says without looking up from the table.

“I don’t brood.”

“You absolutely brood. It’s your whole thing.” He sinks the shot, straightens up, grins at me. “What’s going on? You’ve been weird all week, going to tell me what’s going on yet?”

I take a drink. Consider lying. Decide against it.

“Wheels’ sister showed up at the garage last week. She’s got a problem.”

Rogue’s grin fades. He sets down his cue, giving me his full attention now.

“Angel? I didn’t know she was back around.”

“She wasn’t. She is now.” I stare at the label on my bottle. “Some guy’s been stalking her. Four months. Cops won’t do shit. She came to me for help.”

“What kind of help?”

“The visible kind. She wanted someone who looks like a threat. Figured if this asshole sees her with a patched biker, he’ll back off.”

Rogue’s quiet for a moment. I can feel him putting pieces together.

“So you’ve been—what? Playing boyfriend?”

“Something like that.”

“And how’s that going?”

I don’t answer. I don’t have to. Rogue reads faces better than anyone I know.

“Ah,” he says. “That well, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“No, no, this is good. This is—” He’s fighting a smile. “Rev, you’ve been a monk for years. Turning down every woman who looks your way. And now you’re telling me Wheels’ sister shows up and suddenly you’re playing house?”

“I said shut up.”

“You like her.”

“Rogue.”

“You actually like her. Holy shit.” He laughs, and I want to put my fist through his face. “This is amazing. The great stone wall finally cracks.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Brother, it’s exactly like that. I can see it all over you.” He picks up his cue again, still grinning. “So, what’s the problem? She’s not interested?”

“She’s Wheels’ sister.”

“So?”

“So she spent five years staying away from the club because every time she sees a cut, she thinks about her dead brother. And now I’m supposed to—what? Ask her out? Pretend that being with me wouldn’t remind her of the worst day of her life?”

Rogue’s smile fades. He’s quiet for a moment.

“That’s rough,” he finally says. “But brother—if she came to you, she’s already made that choice. She walked back into this world on her own two feet.”

“For help. Not for me.”