But here I am, waiting to see what a fucking gang member needs from me now.
I take out my phone, hit the record button, and go to slip it under some folders before Big Al shows up. But before I lock the screen, I can’t help but flip through my photos, simply because I need to torture myself one more time today. I bring up a picture of Tori and me from our ax-throwing night. We look so carefree. Like we don’t have a care in the world.
That’s what she did for me. Took my cares away with her smile, kisses, and love.
“What has you looking like a sad puppy, Kalum?”
I hurry up and put my phone down, grateful that I already hit the record button before Big Al got here.
“What do you need? It’s Saturday; don’t you have cars to steal?”
He laughs. “I do. But man, it’s getting harder and harder these days. Could really use that brother of yours to help us up our inventory.”
“Yeah, I heard you hit him up. Made things real awkward for me, Big Al. You know I was trying to keep this on the down low.”
He takes a seat across from me and props his feet up on my desk, like we’re old buddies talking business.
“You can’t blame a man for trying. Your brother is the best when it comes to getting into these high-tech cars. Just wanted to let him know that he always has a place on my squad.”
I stand up and slam my hands down on my desk.
“You will never—I repeat, never—approach my brother again. I’m already letting you use my fucking garage as a damn chop shop. What else could you fucking want from me?”
I’ve played right into his hands if the cocky smile on his face says anything.
“I need you to convince your brother to get back in the game with you. I need you both back on the front line.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “You can’t be serious. I told you, you can use the garage, but you can’t use me. I’m out.”
Big Al takes his feet down from the desk and waits as two of his thugs come up behind him. I didn’t even realize they were here, but apparently, he feels the need to assert his authority right now.
“We need Audis. No one can bust into them anymore because their systems are so loaded. But Maverick can. And no one works better together than you two. So, I’m going to need to use you guys for a few nights.”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Are you sure about that, Kalum? Are you sure you don’t want to talk it over with your brother first?”
“I can tell you what my brother will say, and it will be something along the lines of go fuck yourself.”
All this does is make Big Al laugh, and I don’t know what’s so funny. Do they think having a flash drive of our prior crimes is enough to bring me back in more than I already am? What else could they possibly have to make them think I’d agree to this?
Unless . . .
“That girl leaving your apartment today was quite the piece of ass, Kalum,” Big Al says, standing up and fixing the sleeves on his jacket. “Would be a shame if something happened to her. Pretty girl like that shouldn’t be walking by herself in this town. I did always like the dark-haired ones. And those legs? Shit, man. How long are they?”
I know I shouldn’t react, but I can’t help it. I can’t let him touch Tori.
“You fucking son of a bitch!” I launch myself across the desk, but Al’s guys shove me back down.
This is my fault. She’s in danger now because I couldn’t stay away. Just like Amanda said.
“You have 48 hours to get back to me,” Big Al says as he turns to leave. Hearing my huff, he turns back around, needing to get in one more threat. “And it’s you and Maverick together or we go find the girl.”
33
Tori
I don’t know how I’ve been functioning the past few days. Thank God the restaurant where Scarlett’s working a second job told her not to come in on Sunday, which relieved me of babysitting duty. I don’t know how I would have hidden the fact that I’ve been crying since Saturday morning. Over a man she considers a friend. And I was the one who went and stupidly fell in love with him.
That’s the part that hurts the most—the fact that I let my guard down and let him in. I didn’t seek it. Hell, I didn’t even know I wanted it. But much like our relationship, it was unexpected and exciting.
And I miss it like crazy.
My emotions have been all over the place since I left his apartment Saturday morning. One minute I’m mad at him because in the explosion of our argument, I didn’t even have a chance to ask him who the fuck Amanda was. Then the next second, I’m mad at myself for letting my defenses down.
I rotate between being sad for me, and then for some unknown reason, being sad for Kalum. Something tells me there was more to the breakup than he let on. But like the hardheaded man he is, I’ll probably never know the real reason.
Today’s emotion is embarrassment. Embarrassed because I broke my own rules and went and fell in love with him. Embarrassed because I believed the words he told me, but apparently he still had at least one woman on the side. And embarrassed because I didn’t see the end coming when I should have seen it a mile away.
Who actually believes a guy when he says that he “has things to take care of” when you already gave him a cover of being secret fuck buddies?
Apparently me.
Dumbass, party of one, your table is now ready.
The coffee shop is dead today, and I couldn’t be more relieved. I haven’t had a customer in hours, so I’ve already sent the other barista home and now get to be by myself until the night shift comes in at five. So I do what any self-respecting post-breakup person would do—blast an angry-female ‘90s playlist at just under an obnoxious volume level and angrily clean the espresso machine.
“Am I allowed to order coffee or are we gearing up for Lilith Fair 2020?”
I’m startled by the voice, but once I look up, I can’t help but smile.
“Are you a fan of ‘90s female rock?” I say, grabbing my phone to turn down the volume.
“I can’t lie, Alanis Morissette has always intrigued me. Who knew she could write such angry songs about Uncle Joey from ‘Full House’?”
I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again, but right now, Businessman Ben is maybe the only person I could tolerate spending even a minute with right now.
“Right? And while I’m enjoying our throwback to ‘90s chick rock, I doubt that’s why you came in today.”
He smiles, shaking his head. “While I love walking into an unexpected rock concert, I’d really love an iced coffee. Cream and sugar. It’s going to be a long night at the office, so I figured I could use a pick-me-up and an extended afternoon break.”
I make his drink and wave him off as he goes for his wallet.
“On the house. It’s the least I can do.”
“For what?” he asks, genuinely puzzled.
“For being so great after . . . well . . . that night.”
He motions for us to sit down and I don’t even hesitate to take him up on it. I don’t care what we talk about; I just need to talk to someone. About anything. I’m going out of my mind, but I know if I try to call Annabelle or Scarlett, I’ll spill everything about Maverick and me, and I’m not ready for that yet.
I don’t know if I ever will be.
“How are things with him?” he asks, but not in a jealous, prying way. In a genuine way.
“Well, we . . . he broke up with me over the weekend.”
A tear escapes my eye and he leans over to wipe it away. Because he’s a gentleman. Unlike some men I know.
“I’m so sorry, Tori. Do you want to talk about it?”
I do. I let it all pour out of me. Every emotion, every word, every single feeling. And Ben just sits there, listening—really listening—as I talk through all of this. He asks me questions when he needs clarification and gives me insight when he thinks I’m on the mark, or when I’m way off base.
His assessment:
; 1) Kalum is scared of something.
2) There’s something bigger going on, though he doesn’t know if that’s what Kalum’s scared of or if it’s unrelated.
3) He also doesn’t know who the hell Amanda is, but is deeply curious.
4) Oh, and Ben says he would place money on the fact that Kalum loves me.
“No man says ‘I’ll never forget you’ if he truly doesn’t still have feelings. Something’s up.”
“But what do I do? Do I just wait? Try to get him back? Do I want him back? Why couldn’t I have dated you instead? I bet you wouldn’t have done this to me.”
My questions hang in the air as another customer comes in, so I have to take a break from my impromptu therapy session to make a mocha latte.
When I return to the table, Ben is staring off in the distance, like he’s pondering the great questions of the world.
“Earth to Ben,” I say, playfully snapping my fingers in front of his face.
“When your sister first contacted me about meeting you guys, I thought it was fate,” he says, shyly laughing, but still not looking at me. “I was so nervous to call you. I mean, you are without a doubt the most beautiful woman I have ever met. And when she did, it was like this sign that I was supposed to go out with you. Never in a million years did I think I’d be taking an extended lunch break talking about your ex, who you picked over me. But I’m glad I could be here for you, Tori.”
I grab his hand, much like I did that night in the pizza shop after we left the bar.
“I think it was a sign. That you were supposed to be in my life. As a close friend. Because this—what you gave me that night, and today—I’ll never forget as long as I live.”
34
Kalum
I didn’t know what would happen when I texted Maverick to ask him to meet me tonight.
He could have said yes—that he understood we needed to talk things out on neutral ground.
He could have told me to go fuck myself. If I were him, I would have. I’ve been a real asshole and don’t deserve his time of day.
But my brother isn’t me, and I know he hates how torn up we’ve been these past few weeks—probably just as much, if not more, than I have.
I asked him to join me where Amanda and I usually meet. She’s coming, but I need a few minutes alone with Mav for what I’m about to tell him.
Because tonight I’m coming clean. I’m telling him everything.
The Kings. Working with the police. Tori. Everything.
And as much as it kills me, I’m asking him to get on board with me.
I don’t want to. Believe me, I’ve spent the better part of the last two days trying to think of any other way to be able to help Amanda and her team, while also keeping Tori safe and Maverick out of this.
I came up with nothing.
My leg is bouncing as I wait at the table, facing the door so I can see when Maverick comes in. He spots me, grabs a beer, then heads back.
“I’m surprised you reached out. Never did I think you’d be the one to break the stalemate.” He sips his beer cautiously, like he still doesn’t know what to think about me asking him down here. I don’t blame him.
“Mav, I have a lot to tell you.”
“No shit you do.”
“Please let me talk. Someone is going to be meeting us soon and I need to catch you up before she gets—”
Of course, tonight is the night Amanda shows up early.
She spots me sitting with Maverick and goes to turn around before I wave her over. I didn’t tell her I was bringing him here. My gesture catches Maverick’s eye and he turns to see our old childhood friend slowly walking toward our table.
“Mandy!” Maverick leaps out of his chair, wrapping her in a hug. To this day, I don’t know another person on the planet who calls her Mandy, but she’s never stopped him. Even though she’s my age, I always suspected he had a crush on her when we were kids. She was his babysitter. It made sense. It broke his heart the day he found out she was my first kiss and I felt her up when we were 14.
“I haven’t see you in . . . God, it’s been forever,” he says, pulling out a chair for her. “What are you doing here?”
She looks at me, trying to feel out how she should proceed. She’s just as confused as Maverick is.
“She’s who we’re meeting tonight. She’s just a little early.”
They both look at me, wondering what I’m about to say.
Here goes nothing.
“I don’t know where to begin, so I guess I’ll start with a few months ago, when Amanda reached out to me . . .”
“. . . so that’s how I let Big Al start using the garage to break up the stolen cars.”
This is the first piece of information we’ve dropped on Maverick’s lap. He hasn’t blinked in about five minutes.
“What is he trying to blackmail you with that even got him in the door?” Maverick asks.
“I made a flash drive of some old surveillance video that linked you to past thefts,” Amanda adds. “Uncharged ones. Some of the early ones y’all pulled with your keyless hack. Ones that the feds know about, but won’t charge you with as long as your brother cooperates. But since Big Al doesn’t know what’s going on, he thinks he holds all the cards.”
Maverick grasps his beer bottle with both hands, holding on to it for dear life. We just dropped a ton on him, and it’s a lot to process, but I need to know where his head’s at.
“Say something, Maverick. Hell, yell at me. Something.”
Another minute passes, and he still doesn’t look up at me when he asks, “How could you not tell me what you were doing?”
“Because I couldn’t bring you down again.”
“Bring me down? What does that even mean?”
“This seems like a good time to use the ladies’ room.” Amanda gets up and walks away, allowing Maverick and me to have a moment.
“I’m the reason you went to prison in the first place. There is evidence out there because of me. I couldn’t get you involved in another ring again.”
He shakes his head, now looking at me dead in the eyes.
“Did you develop the keyless hack? Did you get to be on an FBI watch list when you were 18 because you were pulling shit people only saw in movies?”
I shake my head, knowing where he’s going with this.
“No, Kalum. That was me. All me. Yeah, you might have introduced me to the world of stealing cars, but I took it to the next level. Me. Only me. And you should have let me clean up the mess I made.”
“You’re right.”
My words startle him. “Did I just hear for the first time in my entire life that I’m right and you’re wrong?”
I laugh, peeling the label from my beer. “You might be right, but I’m right too. I had my reasons, Mav, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
He sighs, knowing that this argument could go on forever. Amanda sits back down, sensing that the mood is a little lighter than a few minutes ago.
“So is that it? You’ve been pretending to be blackmailed to go undercover to help the cops to save me? Honestly, Mav, I thought it was going to be a lot worse.”
I sigh, preparing myself for the next part.
“That was all it was. But that’s not the only thing he’s now blackmailing me with . . .”
“You’re a fucking idiot.”
“I fucking told you this shit would happen.”
“How could you do that to her? Does Jaxson know? He will fucking kill you.”
“You didn’t even have the balls to break up with her and the only reason you did it was because of a text I sent you? You are an asshole.”
It took me an hour and a half, two beers, a shot of whiskey, and a tongue-lashing from Maverick and Amanda to get through everything.
He was angry. So was she.
But I felt relief. For the first time in months, I didn’t feel like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.
We sit in silence for what seems
like an hour, processing everything I’ve just said. I don’t know what’s next, but I have an idea, and I need both of them to go along with it.
“What’s next?” Maverick asks. “If Big Al wants both of us to be in, and it will help bring him down, I’m in. Just say the word.”
“I hate to say it, but that’s probably what’s going to need to happen,” Amanda says. “But we can’t go in half-cocked. I need to talk to my team to see how we want you two to play it.”
“I need to give him an answer by tonight,” I say, “or else he said he’d go after Tori. And frankly, he has eyes on her now. I need to make sure she’s as safe as possible.”
Amanda nods. “You’re right. Text him and say that you’re in. But tell him you can’t do anything until after the opening this week. That will give us some time to come up with a plan. If it works like I think it will, this could be the smoking gun we need to bring him down.”
“What about Tori? Can your team protect her?”
She shakes her head, looking down before giving me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Kalum. We can’t. Our resources are stretched too tight right now and since she’s not an actual part of the investigation, we just can’t.”
“I need her safe, Amanda. I won’t do anything if I think she’s in an ounce of danger. I don’t trust Big Al as far as I can throw him.”
“What if you push her away so she won’t even think of being anywhere near you?” Maverick suggests. Amanda and I shoot him a questioning look, wondering what’s going on in that brain of his.
“What do you have in mind?” I ask.
He sighs, already hating the words about to come out of his mouth.
“Maybe it’s time that two kids from the old neighborhood finally got together.”
35
Say You're Mine Page 30
