Page 5 of Sin for You

Bull was there and he’d just finished putting chains on my tires—obviously taking advantage of the spare car key I’d asked him to hold on to for me, since I had an extremely bad history with keys. As in, I lost a lot. A lump formed in my throat at his kindness.

I headed over. “You didn’t need to do that.”

He glanced up and shrugged.

I crossed my arms. “I wish Mase hadn’t told you to look out for me,” I said, surprising us both.

He stilled, those heavy brows of his dropping like they often did around me.

“You must be sick to death of me, of”—I motioned to the car, trying to explain—“all of this. You really don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

“Just chains, Quinn.”

“Right, yeah.” I bit my lip, that lump in my throat getting bigger. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.” I opened the driver’s door. “See you tomorrow.”

He grunted and walked away, though I noticed he hovered in the doorway of the bar until I’d climbed in the car, started it, and headed out. He did that kind of thing all the time as well. Making sure I was safe.

The streets were quiet as I drove toward my now empty childhood home and another sleepless night. I hadn’t slept properly since Bevan did what he had.

Mason had moved to Portland, Oregon, to be closer to Janie after they’d met in college and start his career as a police officer. I’d moved there as well because I knew my dad didn’t want to be here in Rocktown anymore, that he only stayed because of me.

He said there was nothing here for him anymore and followed us like I knew he would. He’d kept the house here, though, and it had been waiting like a warm familiar blanket to surround me when I needed to escape the city after Bevan screwed me over.

I turned a corner.

Hot air hit my face. What the hell?

I held my hand up. Yep, definitely hot air.

My heater was working.

I bit my lip.

Bull had fixed it.

God, he was always doing stuff like that. Quietly making life easier for me without fanfare or expecting thanks. Expecting anything. He was always just there when I needed him. Fixing things, making sure I had what I needed. Even while I was working tonight. He’d moved things—I grinned to myself—and, in one case, a person out of my way with a grunt or a growl, then he’d carried on. Like I was always in his peripheral vision. Like he was always looking for ways to take care of me.

I loved it and hated it all at the same time.

A couple of months ago, a guy got a little too touchy-feely at the bar, and Bull threw him out, literally. It was the first time I’d ever heard him raise his voice.

He watched over me, protected me. I should probably have told him to back off, if only for my own well-being. I didn’t need to grow more attached to him. But for some reason I hadn’t.

“Shit.” I suddenly remembered I hadn’t stayed to help cover for Nancy.

Huh. But then neither had any of the other waitresses, and Bull hadn’t mentioned it again before we left.

Surely, he hadn’t…

Had he actually lied about Nancy being sick to stop me from having a drink with Ezra?

No.

Surely not.

Well, shit.

Chapter Two