Aggie

A ggie walked across Rigg’s and Phoenix’s yard to her house. She had spent the whole day playing with her great-granddaughter, Lydia, and it was perfect. Phoenix had the lifestyle that had always wanted but never got to have. Sure, her first husband, Phoenix’s grandfather was a good man, and while he was alive, she had the fairytale. But once he was gone, she and Phoenix had to scrimp and save just to make ends meet every month. It was a hard way to live until she met her second husband. thought that he was the same type of man her first husband was, but he quickly proved her wrong. He liked to go down to the local biker bar, Savage Hell, and pick up barflies. He’d make them pretty promises—the same ones he had once made her, and they were just as foolish as she was.

Her second husband did have a few good qualities, such as his bank account. She found that out when they landed in court, filing for divorce. followed her ex into Savage Hell and caught him red-handed—literally. He had his hand on some young blonde’s ass, and she took a few pictures before confronting him. That was the night that she met Savage and the Harlots. They were the sister club to the Royal Bastards, and when her ex tried to take her phone from her, Savage and the Harlots got involved. Her ex was kicked out of the bar and told not to return. All in all, she faired pretty well in the divorce. She got a hefty sum from her ex, and she also found her club and the best friends she could ever ask for. They might have been younger than her, but they were all like family.

had been alone for almost five years now. First, she lost her husband, and then, she lost Phoenix. Having her granddaughter and now, great-granddaughter back in her life was unexpected, but so sweet. She hated that Phoenix had spent the last four and a half years thinking that she couldn’t come back home or ask for help. She would have done anything to help her granddaughter, but Phoenix had always been a stubborn kid. She was home now, and that was all that really mattered. She had to grow up way too young—something that never wanted for Phoenix, but she was safe now. Riggs made a fine husband and father for Lydia, and having them all next door was just the icing on the cake.

had plenty of experience of having to grow up too quickly. She was only sixteen when she met her first husband. Everyone told her that she was crazy to get married when she was seventeen, but she graduated from high school early and got married anyway. She had to because if she hadn’t her daughter would have had to grow up without a father. was four months pregnant when they said their vows, and just one month after she turned eighteen, her daughter, Raven, was born.

History had a nasty way of repeating itself, and when Raven told her she had gotten pregnant by some looser kid from high school, at just fifteen, she wasn’t sure how they would survive it. After Raven had Phoenix, she left her newborn with and took off. She never saw her daughter after that day, and she worried that the same thing would happen with Phoenix when she took off at just sixteen. But it hadn’t and felt like things were finally looking up for her and her little family.

She had left the back door unlocked, wanting to let some of the fresh, summer air in. walked into the kitchen and jumped out of her skin when she found Vindicator sitting at her kitchen table. Someone had beaten the shit out of him, and he seemed to be trying and failing at stopping the blood from dripping down his head and onto her table.

grabbed a few clean towels from the drawer next to her sink and sat down next to Vin. “You want to tell me what the hell is going on, or do you want me to guess?” He grumbled something about her minding her own business and she couldn’t help but laugh. “You made it my business when you broke into my house and bled all over my kitchen.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not ready to tell you what happened. And for the record, I didn’t break into your house. I didn’t have to since you left the back door wide open for every crazy person to just walk in,” Vin said.

barked out her laugh, “Your words, not mine.” She blotted his cheek with one of the towels, causing him to wince. “Oh, don’t be such a baby,” she said.

Vin started to stand, and she grabbed his arm, tugging him back down into the chair. “For an old woman, you’re strong as hell,” he grumbled, “and you’re a horrible nurse.”

“That’s because I’m not a nurse, smart ass,” she grumbled, “and I’m not a fucking old woman. We’re almost the same age, asshole. So, how about telling me the story behind all the blood I’m mopping off your face and my table?”

“I got the fuck beat out of me, that’s what happened,” Vin mumbled.

“Vin,” warned, “you know me well enough to know that I’m not going to give up.”

He blew out his breath, “I was at Savage Hell, having a few drinks, minding my own business when this asshole went after one of the barflies who liked to hang out there regularly.”

“And let me guess—you were the girl’s shining knight in armor. You just can’t help yourself, can you?” had seen it over and over—Vin liked to help the damsel in distress. He liked other women and that’s why her hopes that he’d someday notice her were dashed. Every time she hung around him, she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush on the cool boy instead of a fifty-four-year-old woman. She had a feeling that Vin was a few years younger than her, but old enough to know better than to chase young barflies around.

“What the hell does that mean?” he growled.

“It means that I’ve noticed you hanging around those young women. They hang all over you and I’m betting that have left Savage Hell with a few of them.” His breathing picked up and she was pretty sure that Vin didn’t like her assessment of him. That was just too bad because she wasn’t about to take back her words now.

“You don’t know me,” Vin spat. “For the record, I didn’t leave with all those young women—just some of them. They don’t interest me, ,” he insisted. “Hell, I’m old enough to be most of those women’s grandfather.”

“Oh,” she breathed, “how old are you, Vin?” She was bold to even ask, but he brought up the age thing.

“I’m fifty-six,” he said.

“I see,” she breathed. Her guess of him being younger than her was completely off. And for some strange reason, hearing that Vin was two years older than her gave her hope.

“Why do you look so surprised about how old I am?” he asked.

“Because I thought for sure that you were younger than me,” she admitted.

“Does age matter to you?” he asked. “I mean, we are just friends, right?” She had told him that numerous times. He would catch her hanging around him, following him around like a puppy, and when Vin accused her of liking him, she would insist that they were just friends. Why couldn’t she just admit that she liked him? Hell, she wanted him, but giving him those words was damn near impossible.

bandaged his forehead and looked him over, “I think that the bleeding has stopped, but you’re going to hurt like hell tomorrow.”

“That’s not an answer to my question, ,” he insisted. “We’re just friends, right?”

“Why do you keep asking me that, Vin?” she asked.

“Because I need to know, . Are we or are we not friends?” She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t give up without an answer to his question.

“Um, yes, we are just friends,” she lied. For a split second, she thought that she saw a flash of disappointment cross his face, but then he adapted his stoney-chiseled expression again.

“Good to know,” he almost whispered. He stood from the wooden chair and thanked her for helping him.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Anywhere but here,” he grumbled, grabbing the key to his bike and turning to leave from the back door.

“Why do you seem angry at me, Vin?” she asked. “You asked me a question and I gave you an honest answer.” Her answer wasn’t honest at all, but she wasn’t about to change her mind about what she said now. It was too late.

He shrugged, “I just expected you to be honest with me, ,” he almost whispered. “And I guess I was hoping that your answer would be different.” Her gasp filled the room as she watched him walk out the back door, letting it slam shut behind him, and she wondered why she suddenly regretted lying to him. Maybe she was trying to protect her own heart, but she’d never thought herself capable of hurting Vin’s heart.