by Chiah Wilder
The day before? Not more than an hour had gone by before she responded, and she was more than happy to hear from him. While he wasn’t sure what the fuck had changed between them, something clearly had. He knew a brush-off when he saw it, especially when he used them more than he cared to admit, so hers was glaringly obvious. Also, it wasn’t much of a shock that she had suddenly gone cold on his ass. Women did it all the time. They were fickle as hell.
Really, they thought men were the users in the world? That they would throw a chick away after sex like she was nothing? Women did it too, all the time. It happened to be a specialty of Tank’s type, and Lena’s action fit the bill.
At least now he knew where he stood in the grand scheme of things, which was nice in its own way.
Though it sure as hell wasn’t comforting.
Lena
“Yeah, he’s been blowing up my phone tonight, but I can’t deal with it. Not after everything that went on with Quinn. I’m not looking for anything serious, but I at least want to know the guy I’m sleeping with and investing my time in wants the same things I do. Clearly, that isn’t the case for him.”
Felicia gave an affirmative noise over the phone as Lena stuck her head out of the office to make sure cleanup in the bistro was running smoothly without her direct supervision.
“I haven’t been texting him back. I’ve been giving him the cold shoulder, but Mr. Honesty can’t man up enough to admit when he’s seeing someone else.”
“You must’ve figured that a man like that had to be seeing more than one woman. It was inevitable. They’re built like that, especially when they’re so good-looking.”
“Yeah. But to tell Quinn about me and not do the same for me in return? That’s totally screwed up. I thought he was better than that. I really misjudged him. And the killer is, I liked him, and was comfortable with him. There was something between us, or I thought there was. I don’t know. It was different with him—way different from anything else I’ve ever experienced in the past.”
“It seemed amazing from what you’ve told me. But just because it was life rocking for you, doesn’t mean it was the same for him. We’re all different people, and we see things from different perspectives. Maybe rich bimbo is his favorite flavor, and you were a taste test that was off the menu.”
Lena struggled to see the logic behind what her best friend was telling her, and couldn’t rationalize the unfairness of the situation. It was like some stupid high school crap, and she was so done with it. Which was why she had given Tank the cold shoulder. As much as she wanted to dig into what was going on with him, confront him about things, it really wasn’t her place after one night together. There were no claims made on each other, and any kind of possessiveness would just make her look bad.
She had more dignity than that, and she wasn’t sure if he was even worth the trouble.
“I have to get back to work. We’ve got a big order tomorrow, and I’ve got to make sure everyone’s clear on the timing of it. I’ll take to you soon.”
“Now that you have less time with Mister Boy Toy, I better be hearing from you more often, or I might have to pop a surprise trip on you.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Smiling, Lena made a kissy noise and said goodbye.
Adalyn stuck her head inside the office, her eyes wide, her lips pursed. “Lena, you’re going to want to see this. It’s not good.”
“Did something go wrong with the shipment again?”
The last time she had to deal with a driver, he’d forgotten to refrigerate the trucks and all the food had spoiled. Lena hurried out of her office and looked out the front window to a mass of fire trucks and emergency responder vehicles parked in front of Gus’s dry cleaning store, catty-corner to the restaurant.
Lena gasped. “What the hell happened?”
“Maybe a gas pipe blew?” Adalyn offered. “Sarah and I heard a huge boom, and we ran outside and saw the flames coming out of the store. I’m surprised you didn’t hear it.”
“I was in the freezer taking inventory. I shut the door to keep the temperature constant. I hope Gus isn’t hurt.”
A small piece of Lena withered inside as she watched the store burn. There was no question as to who would do such a thing in this town, or why they were doing it. Gus must’ve refused to pay the “protection” money. Although she had an inkling that other shops in town were being forced to turn over a percentage of their earnings to the motorcycle club, she hadn’t had the time or the strength to approach anyone to ask about it. Lately, it seemed like she was dealing with one mess after another on her own time.
Now Gus and his livelihood had paid a bitter price for not bowing down to those hoodlums. A shudder of fear, mingled with disgust, worked its way down her spine. Sooner or later, she would have to put a stop to the madness, even if she had to put her restaurant in jeopardy.
The small bell on the front door dinged, and Lena drew her attention away from the gutted storefront to Lupita, a middle-aged woman who owned the flower shop a few doors down from the bistro. Lupita often came in for a late afternoon sandwich.
At that moment, the florist looked stricken, and her hand shook as she handed Lena the money for her usual order. Lena gently took the other woman aside and into a corner of the restaurant.
“Are you paying them?” Lena asked, praying that the older woman wouldn’t play dumb.
“Yes. What other choice do I have?”
Lena nodded. “I’ve been paying too, but I went to the police. The sheriff and his deputies are going to be here the next time they come for the money. That’ll finally give them the proof they need to arrest them, and all of this will be over for us.”
A bitter laugh bubbled out of the older woman’s mouth as she frowned and crossed her arms.
“Are you for real?”
Lena was confused. “What do you mean?”
“To be so naïve that you don’t know the sheriff is in the MC’s pocket and on Fitzgerald’s payroll since the dawn of time. Fitzgerald wants us out, so he’s using the bikers to put the squeeze on us so we’ll leave. The greedy man wants this real estate so he can build condos and become richer. He’s the one paying the bikers to scare us.” She glanced toward the window. “You can see what happens if we don’t pay.”
Lena’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. “Wait, so you’re telling me—”
“The sheriff won’t do a thing for you, so don’t hold your breath. Stay the strong, beautiful woman you are, and hopefully, we can nip this in the bud on our own or go down swinging.”
Lena didn’t mention that their very livelihoods were on the line, and now wasn’t exactly the time to play fast and loose with a bunch of thugs. Clearly the men had no issue taking anything from any one of them if they didn’t comply. She rubbed her arm, remembering the asshole who had grabbed her the last time. Lupita gave her a giant bear hug. For such a small woman, she was strong.
“You be careful tonight. We have to stick together, you hear me?”
“I’m sure we can find someone to help us. I can’t believe the entire town is corrupt.”
“The Fitzgerald name is powerful in Santa Teresita. The best we can do is watch out for each other.”
“Of course. Yes, you’re right.”
While Lupita took her usual sandwich, Lena couldn’t get her mind off the fact that everything she thought was safe, right, and truthful, was a downright lie. It was as if her whole world had been turned upside down in an instant. Had she become so naïve to come to a place that held happy and loving memories of the summers she’d spent with her parents that she’d seen every exchange in this town with rose-colored glasses?
Am I that clueless? She now knew the sheriff was paid, and that explained why nothing had happened on the case. I wonder if the DA is on Fitzgerald’s payroll. Then a thought she didn’t want to have pushed through her mind: was Tank in Fitzgerald’s pocket too? Maybe that was the connection he had to Quinn. Maybe Fitzgerald was funding Tank’s p
rinting business? Stop! This is insane. One thing was certain, she wasn’t going to keep paying the thugs, even if that meant moving the restaurant to another location. Though it felt like that would be giving in to Fitzgerald and all the immoral things he stood for.
She glanced at Adalyn and Sarah. “Let’s close up early. I think we all need a break.” All she could think about was sitting on her balcony, sipping a glass of wine, and watching the blue expanse of the ocean. Of course, thoughts of Tank would pop into her mind—they did every time she was alone. It had been several days since she’d seen him, but her body still ached for him. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed him. A lot.
More than a week had gone by since Gus’s place had been torched. Lena had been wrestling with her thoughts on whether to stick it out in a corrupt town that now overshadowed the fond memories she’d once had, or sell the condo and start fresh in a new place. The answers eluded her.
As usual, Lena was the last one in the restaurant. As she was wiping down the counters in the kitchen, there was a familiar knock on the locked glass door. They were early, by at least three days. But now that she knew Sheriff Windsor was crooked, she wasn’t surprised. Her jaw set and her muscles tensed as she walked to the front of the bistro. Before she went around the corner, she hit the Record button on her phone and slipped it into her apron. The money they were there to collect was already in an envelope in her hand. She wanted the encounter to be quick.
“Back again early, I see. Couldn’t wait to get what you think is your cut, boys?” she asked as she opened the front door. She barely let them in before shoving the money into their hands. “I won’t fight you today. There’s fifteen percent of my profits.”
“You finally got the fuckin’ memo to cooperate, sweet cheeks.” Cougar reached out to cup her chin.
Lena took a quick step back, nearly losing her balance. “You’ll never touch me again. Do you understand?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t fuckin’ tell me what to do, bitch. Just because you were good in this hand off doesn’t mean shit. We got things to do, but next time, if you mouth off to me, I’ll make sure to enjoy those sweet curves you got under me.”
The asshole laughed, counting the blocks of money in the envelope while his accomplice guarded the door.
“How did you know to come here early?” Lena posed the question with an exaggerated feminine lilt to throw them off their game.
Cougar looked up. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Nothing. I’m just confused why you came sooner than you told me you would.”
“All you need to know is to have the money ready whenever we come by. And don’t be asking me any questions.”
“I was just curious, that’s all,” she whispered.
His intense, penetrating gaze moved over her face. “The bad thing about being curious is it can get you killed.”
A chill like death ran through her.
“We gotta go,” the other thug said.
Cougar pursed his lips and blew her a kiss. “Next time.” Turning around, the two men walked over to the business next to hers.
Lena secured the lock and swallowed hard, trying to rid her mouth of the sour taste the encounter with the bastard had given her. She hoped she had enough on the recording to send to the DA as evidence of the extortion. Someone needed to do something, and she had stepped up.
She only hoped it was enough.
Tank
The blue striped curtains were pinned back from the windows that looked out on the tall magnolia trees where Tank’s mother sat in a recliner on wheels, watching the squirrels. A handmade afghan covered her elevated legs, and a rose-colored shawl was draped around her thin shoulders.
Tank stood in the doorway, gazing into the room, and deep sadness crept over him. His mother looked so frail and vulnerable with oxygen in her nose, and her bony shoulders rising up and down with each breath. Memories of his mother when she was strong and healthy flashed through his mind like an old movie of his childhood. A heavy sigh pushed through his lips as he entered the room.
“Hi, Mom.” He forced a smile for her before leaning down and planting a kiss on her cheek. He put his arm around her and squeezed. “Have you spotted your favorite squirrel?”
A smile spread across her face, deepening the fan of wrinkles around her eyes. “I’m so happy to see you, honey.” She squeezed his hand with her pale one. “I didn’t hear your motorcycle.”
“That’s ’cause you’ve been giving too much attention to your new pal.” He teased.
“He’s so cute. He knows me. When Myra takes me outside to sit in the garden, he comes up to me and I give him his treats. I’ve named him Nutty.” A small laugh bubbled past her lips, making the creases in her face more pronounced. “I know it’s not very original.”
“Some of the best names aren’t that original. How’re you feeling? You look… tired.”
She patted his hand. “I’m doing fine. You worry too much about me and you don’t have to. Myra takes good care of me.”
The caregiver was a godsend. They had gone through six or seven from the agency before Myra had come into their lives. She and his mother connected right away, and for the past year, Tank had breathed a lot easier knowing Myra was in the home.
“I worry about you the way you do with me.” He nudged her playfully. “Still, even though I’m thirty-one.”
“In my eyes, you’ll always be my little boy, no matter what age you are. That’s the way it is with parents and their kids.”
“Then don’t give me shit over worrying about you. Kids got that right too, you know.” He smiled and tucked the blanket around her legs. “I was thinking we could go to the Silver Strand sometime this week if you’re up to it. I’ll buy you lunch.” The twinkle in her pale blue eyes warmed him, and he chuckled. “I think you’re gonna take me up on that.”
“I’d love to go. I used to take you and your brother there a lot when you were in grade school. We’d have picnics.” She had a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was reliving those memories.
“You’d make your kick-ass potato salad, and sometimes we’d pick up fried fish at the pier.”
Her head bobbed up and down. “At Anthony’s. They had the best fish in town. Sometimes we’d wait until the fishing boats came in. You used to love watching the boats coming into the harbor. I used to think you were going to join the Navy when you got older—that’s how much you loved the water and ships.”
He laughed. “Then I became a rebel in high school, and you realized there was no chance in that.”
She grabbed his hand and pressed it against her cheek. “You came into your own in high school. You’re not made to follow the path others tell you to. I was happy you didn’t go out to sea because I love having you here. Now, your brother always had his head in books when you and the other boys were hanging out on the beach, tossing balls around. I don’t think Christopher liked the picnics as much as you did.”
Bitterness soured his stomach at the mention of his younger brother. He tried to keep the edge out of his voice when he asked, “Have you heard from him?”
“He’s busy with all his cases. That law firm keeps him working day and night. It’s the largest firm in L.A., and the third largest in California.” Her eyes lit up with pride.
“Yeah, I know.” I’ve heard that a million fucking times. “I’d think he could spare a ten-minute phone call. He managed to take a trip to Spain. Didn’t you get a postcard from him last month?” He regretted his words the minute he saw her pained expression. “Those firms are known for working you to death. You make the big money, but you don’t have much of a life.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “You’re right.”
His mother gazed out the window, leaving Tank to wrestle with the anger he had regarding his brother. Since they were young, Christopher’s only goal had been to rid himself from the shackles of poverty and rise above it, which Tank thought was great. The problem was,
he’d forgotten about the mother who had helped him climb the damn ladder. She had scrimped and saved for years to make sure the two of them had what they needed and wanted. For Tank, that was a Harley-Davidson. For Christopher, it was a college education. And now that he was a high-powered lawyer, he’d forgotten where he came from. He sent money to their mom and helped pay for her caregiver, but Tank knew all their mom wanted from her youngest son was to hear from him. His mom never said an angry or disapproving word about Christopher. In Tank’s mind, she was in major denial, but he figured that’s what kept her heart from breaking.
“Are you dating anyone?” His mother’s voice startled him out of his thoughts.
“Not really,” he replied, running a hand through his hair.
“Yes, you are. Do you know that whenever you’re upset or annoyed, you touch your hair? You’ve done that since you were little. So, who is the woman who has you all mixed up?”
Knowing it was hopeless to try and fool his mom, he leaned back in the chair. “I met her at Dawson’s engagement party. She catered it.”
When he didn’t go on, she patted his knee. “And?”
“We saw each other a few times. End of story.”
“No, it’s not. Did she break it off?”
Again, he swiped his fingers through his hair. “I guess. She won’t return my texts or answer my calls. She’s skittish with commitment.”
Her hearty laugh put a grin on his face. “And you’re not? Ever since you divorced Trisha, you’ve closed yourself off from any chance of finding happiness with a woman. This is the first time since your divorce that I’ve seen you caring about someone enough to be annoyed at her.”
“Yeah, I get the irony, Mom. I thought Lena was different, but then she pulls this ghosting shit on me, and it reinforces what I know—women can’t be trusted.”
“I’m a woman. Do you trust me?”
Tank grimaced. “That’s different, Mom.”
“No, it’s not. There are a lot of parents who aren’t there for their kids.” She folded her hands in her lap. “Look at your Aunt Martha. She was more interested in dancing every weekend than she was in her kids. How many times did Justin and Amy come over for dinner or sleep over when their mother was carousing around?”
