Page 35 of Nuts

“Okay.” I glanced down the hallway. “You just want me to put my stuff in there?”

“Until we figure something else out, that’ll be your bedroom,” he said. “While you’re here, it’s yours. No one will go in there, including me.”

“Wow. Okay. Thanks.”

“Smoke and I knocked the wall out when we remodeled the bathroom, so there’s a door that goes into the hall bath. If you’re in there, lock the door.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Do you cook?” I asked.

He gave me a look. “Me?”

I nodded.

“Toast. Maybe an egg from time to time. Other than that, no. Why?”

I loved to cook. When I was younger, before Josh started his violent fits, I used to cook for him every night.

“Do you mind if I do?”

“Not much here to cook, but I don’t give a shit.” He shrugged. “Whatever flips your switch.”

I motioned toward the bedroom. “I guess I’ll put my stuff up.”

“I ain’t much on hanging out in here.” He looked around the house nervously. “I’ll be in the driveway staring at that Hernandez guy’s place.”

“Aguilar.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “That’s what I meant.”

As he turned toward the front door, I carried my things down the hallway and opened the bedroom door.

The gray bedding and overstuffed pillows wasn’t what I would have expected Percy to choose, but then again, he was different than anyone I’d ever met. After I hung my clothes in the closet and put everything away I looked around the room.

The bed and two nightstands were along one wall. A matching dresser was positioned against the wall at the side, and three large framed black and white photos of vintage motorcycles were hung in the center of each open wall.

The hardwood floors were polished to perfection. At the foot of the bed, and at the left side, throw rugs were placed.

It resembled something out of a magazine.

I pressed my hand against the comforter. The mattress gave some resistance, but not like the hard one I’d been accustomed to sleeping on.

I turned and fell onto the bed.

It was like lying on a cloud. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

A knock on the door startled me. I jumped to my feet, and looked around. Confused for a second as to where I was, my mind eventually caught up with me.

“Come in.”

The door opened. Percy stood in the hallway with his hand resting on the doorknob. He wasn’t wearing his leather vest, which I found odd.

Dressed in a white tank top, jeans, and a pair of lace-up boots, he looked intimidating as hell.

“Stay in here. No matter what, don’t come out until I come tell you it’s okay. You can come out of the room, just not the house.”

I swallowed heavily. “What’s wrong?”