Page 39 of Nitro

"Wait, how did you know I was having a nightmare?" I asked curiously.

Nitro looked at me sheepishly, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.

"When I returned here, I realized I didn't have a key. I didn't want to wake you up in case you were sleeping," he explained.

"Hold on a second, you were waiting outside my door?" I asked, incredulous and incredibly touched by his dedication.

Nitro nodded. "When I heard you scream, I sort of shoved my way inside. That reminds me, stay here. I want to check if I broke your lock," Nitro said, standing up.

I watched him go, feeling a sense of awe at his actions.

Nitro had stood guard outside my door, ready to step in the moment he sensed something was wrong.

As Nitro disappeared to inspect the door, I couldn't help but smile. Nitro was definitely what you would call a keeper.

What if your biker bear wakes up one day and realizes you’re too much work to keep? A dark voice inside my head whispered.

I tried shaking off my unwarranted fears, but with Nitro gone, it wasn't easy to do.

The room felt emptier without his reassuring presence.

Eventually, I heard tinkering noises from the living room. Intrigued, I pushed aside my lingering anxieties and got out of bed.

There, I found Nitro knee-deep in my tool box, a look of concentration on his face. He glanced up when he saw me.

"Broke your lock after all, so I'm trying to fix it. Give me a few minutes. Don't worry, I'm good with my hands," he said, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "I worked as a handyman for a few years before joining the MC."

"I didn't know that," I admitted, realizing there were still layers of Nitro's past that I hadn't uncovered.

Despite spending plenty of time together, there were aspects of his life that remained shrouded in mystery.

Foremost among those secrets was what happened between him and his former fiancée and best friend.

As Nitro continued to work on the lock, I hesitated for a moment.

It occurred to me that both of us had already had enough adventures for the night.

"For our next date, we should do something chill," Nitro suggested, breaking the silence.

I nodded, the idea of a peaceful day appealing to me.

"Chill sounds good," I told him. "What are you thinking of?"

Nitro looked thoughtful, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"I figure we could have a nice walk in the woods, maybe stretch out in our animal forms. When's the last time you've done that?" he asked, his hands deftly testing the lock to ensure it was functioning again.

I took a deep breath, contemplating his suggestion. Nitro probably didn't understand what a loaded question that was.

"I can't remember the last time I changed forms," I admitted, my voice trailing off.

It was a lie. I took deep breaths, attempting to steady the turmoil within me.

The truth was, my last memory of shifting had brought me nothing but pain and suffering. But this was Nitro, and with him, I didn't lie.

"Tommy?" Nitro asked, sensing the weight of my response.

He approached me tentatively, as if I were fragile glass, and I hated it when he did that.