Page 8 of Truck Up

Besides Edge, the owner of Posey’s Lounge and the president of the local motorcycle club, she’s the only other person who knows I own this cabin. Even Chase, my twin brother, doesn’t know about it, and I typically tell him everything.

But this private utopia, miles away from home, is my secret that I don’t share with others. Edge and Amelia are the only exceptions.

I take another drag from my cigarette and lean against the porch post. My nerves settle some, but not enough.

“You’re late,” I grumble as soon as her car door shuts.

“I had to wait for my brothers to leave. They wouldn’t shut up.” She stops at the edge of the porch and stares up at me with her hands on her hips. “You’re mad.”

“I’m not mad.” I snap. It’s a lie. I’m so mad I could spit nails, but I don’t want to admit that to her. She hates it when I let my anger get the best of me. Especially where Badger is concerned.

“Liar.” She chuckles and takes the three steps up to the porch and stops next to me. “I wish you’d stop worrying about him. He won’t touch me.”

I can’t stop the growl that comes out of me. It’s almost an involuntary response anytime Badger comes up. “He’d hurt you the first chance he got.”

“But he won’t get that chance,” she says. Her frustration with me is evident in her tone. “When will you learn to trust me?”

I frown. “I do trust you.”

“Let me rephrase that.” She rests her hand on my chest and most of the tension I’ve been carrying fades away. Her touch ismagic. “When will you trust that I won’t let myself be left alone with Badger? Ever.”

I take another long drag off my cigarette before I flick it onto the ground. Then I blow the smoke up and away from her face. She hates it when I smoke, but today I was too pissed and worried to go without a cigarette.

“It’s not you I don’t trust, Lia. It’s Badger. He’s a snake. He’ll find a way to get you alone. Trust me on that.”

She rolls her eyes and sighs, pulling another growl from deep in my chest.

“Don’t take this lightly.” I insist. “If I hadn’t showed up when I did, he would have—”

I can’t bring myself to say the words out loud. Neither of us have ever spoken the truth of what could’ve happened that night. Aside from moments like this, we don’t talk about Badger. We don’t talk about us. We just be together and pretend that what we’re doing isn’t wrong and won’t destroy both our families if they discover our secret.

Pulling the pack of cigarettes from my jacket pocket, I knock it against my knuckle to grab a smoke. I need it, and regret tossing the last smoke on the ground.

Before I can lift it to my mouth, Amelia’s hand rests on my wrist and stops me.

“I didn’t come here to fight,” she says in a firm, authoritative tone. She meets my gaze and all I see is need and want staring back at me. “Put that away. You said you neededme, not a damn cigarette.”

Before I can respond, she pushes past me and disappears inside the cabin.

Aside from my brothers and Grams, no one gets away with talking to me like Amelia does. If anyone else takes that tone with me, they better be prepared for a fight.

But Amelia? Fuck. Her strength and independence are such a turn on. It makes me want her more. It makes mecraveher.

I stare at the lone cigarette sticking out of the top of the pack. My craving for a smoke is strong, but I don’t take it out. Pushing it back in, I stuff the pack into my pocket and head inside.

There’s only one thing I crave more than a smoke these days, and she’s probably already half naked and on my bed.

The cabin is small with an open concept living, dining, and kitchen area. The kitchen is more of a kitchenette. It’s fine for small things, but not much else.

There are two bedrooms and a tiny bathroom. It’s not much, but it’s all mine and provides the isolation I sometimes need from the world around me.

I love my family, but sometimes I need to break from them. All my brothers still live on the homestead with Grams and Dad. There’s seven of us, so it can be a lot. Even with Garret and Chase moving out of the main house and building their own homes on the property, it’s impossible to get privacy.

I should just move out here, but then I’d have to tell them I own it.

I step inside and lean against the door to close it. It clicks shut and it rings in my ears. It’s the only sound that fills the air before I take a step toward the bedroom. My boots pound heavy on the hardwood floors.

My anger still weighs me down, but my desire for the woman waiting for me in my bedroom is stronger.