by S. M. Shade
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised he noticed since he spends a lot of time in the parking lot. “We’re hanging out.” If you can count talking through a wall as hanging out.
“She’s a good girl. Had a hard way to go. She’s not exactly the type you just hang out with.” There’s a warning in his voice. “Are you trying to hook up with her?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I just don’t want to see her get jerked around.”
It figures the first time I’m actually interested in getting to know a woman and even having a relationship, I get accused of being an asshole. “I’m trying to get to know her, but she doesn’t make it easy.”
“She’s a stubborn one,” he agrees, laughing.
A light rain begins to fall as I park outside the farmhouse and lead Tucker to the barn. “Pigs are the only animals we keep. There’s pig feed in those storage bins. Be sure to keep them closed tight or the mice and raccoons will tear it up. Just dump in five pounds of feed each morning and shovel out the shit. There’s a compost heap near the tree line where you can dump it.”
“Seems easy enough,” Tucker grunts. His eyes meet mine, shining with a fierce intelligence. I haven’t been so closely scrutinized since I was in a courtroom. “Now, you want to tell me why you keep pigs?”
Nodding, I lead him around to the back where the industrial wood chipper is stored. “The bodies of the perverts get run through here, then dumped into the trough for the pigs to eat.”
The only perceptible response is a slight stiffening of his spine. “And am I responsible for that?”
“No. As I said, all you need to do is feed the pigs, keep the place up, grass mowed, etc. If we need the chipper, one of us will call. Most likely in the middle of the night. We’ll take care of the body, then bleach the trough and chipper to make sure there’s nothing left. You never have to take part or witness any of it.”
He stares at the chipper silently, and the rain starts to pick up. “You can still say no if this isn’t for you. No harm no foul.”
He blinks as if he’s just awakened or maybe walked out of a dark theater. “I’m good. I mean, I can do it. No problem.”
“Great. I’ll show you the house.”
We’re just heading back downstairs when Jeremy walks in holding a twelve pack. Tucker sticks out his hand before I can introduce him. “Tucker Long.”
“Jeremy Martin, nice to meet you, man.”
“Same goes.”
Jeremy glances around. “It’s weird without Jed here, isn’t it?”
“Justus couldn’t stand to stay here, especially alone. He was pretty close to Jed,” I explain to Tucker.
Jeremy flops into a chair and opens a beer, and Tucker and I follow suit. “I didn’t know Jed all that well, but he was a good guy.”
“He was,” I agree. “And a horny old fucker, too. Quite a few times when Justus and I would show up, he’d have a woman waiting for him upstairs. Said he met them at Bingo, of all places.”
Jeremy snorts, “I can’t picture his big bearded ass playing bingo.”
There’s a brief knock at the door and we hear Justus call out, “It’s me, assholes!” He appears in the living room carrying beer. His face darkens as he glances around the living room and I know he’s thinking of all the times he hung out with Jed here.
Justus has never really had a family. He grew up in a series of foster homes, and Jed became a father figure to him. “Tucker, this is Justus.” I nod toward him as he takes a seat on the couch.
“Nice to meet you, man. Have you decided you’re going to stay?” Justus asks.
Tucker leans back, resting his foot on his knee. “Yes. I’ll take good care of the place.”
Justus eyes him. “You’re about Jed’s size. There’s a closet and dresser full of clothes in the bedroom upstairs. I was going to donate them, but you’re welcome to them.”
“Thanks.” Tucker’s response is clipped, but not rude. No man wants to accept charity and though none of us sees it that way, I’m sure that’s how this job and house offer feels to Tucker.
“We were just telling Tucker about Jed and his bingo women,” I announce, changing the subject.
Justus laughs and we start trading stories and experiences we shared with Jed. A few hours later, we’re all nicely lit. Justus pops open another beer and continues, “I swear! We were in line at The Superstore and the woman in front of us was wearing a skin tight tank top with no bra. She had nipples you could key a car with, and the woman in the next aisle was shooting her shitty looks. She mumbled an insult, and all I caught was the word ‘slut’ but the woman in front of us heard it and her face turned red.
“She looked desperate to get out of there, but the cashier was taking his time. And I swear, Jed looked her right in the eye and said, ‘Ain’t nothing wrong with showing a little nipple. Without them, titties wouldn’t have a point.’
“The woman laughed despite her embarrassment, and the judgmental bitch in the next aisle huffed away. ‘Don’t worry about her, honey,’ Jed told her. ‘It’s just jealousy. She was so ugly she’d make a freight train take a dirt road.’ The next time I came over, she was in his bed.”
Everyone laughs, and Justus has a real smile on his face for the first time in days. “To Jed,” Tucker says, holding up his beer. “I’m sorry I didn’t know him.”
“To Jed,” we chorus.
Tucker looks around the group. “I have to ask just how you get away with what you do. Don’t the police notice missing pedophiles?”
I nod at Jeremy, who explains, “Most of the time we just report them to the police, anonymously. We gather all the information we can, screenshots of online conversations, IP addresses, etc. There is a task force in Indy that deals with online predators and human trafficking, and they’ve never failed to use what we send them to lock up the sickos. When they drop the ball, we pick it up, and turn the sick fuck into pig food. There have been a couple of missing person reports in the past, but nothing has ever been traced back to us. These guys have usually alienated any family or friends before we ever get involved.
“When we do need help from the authorities, we have a contact in another group called Striking Back. They help women and children who are victims of domestic violence, and have a lot of friends in high places, including judges, FBI agents, and cops. The Reed brothers aren’t guys you want to mess with. It’s good they’re on our side.”
“I’ll introduce you to Mason Reed,” I promise. “He’s programmed into the cell I gave you as an emergency number. If anything ever happens and you can’t reach one of us, he’s the go to.”
It falls silent for a few minutes before Jeremy asks me, “So, what’s up with the chick next door to you? You fucking her?”
Thank you, Landon, for having such a huge mouth.
“No, I’m not fucking her.”
“But you want to,” Justus pursues.
Tucker stares at me while I answer. “I’m trying to get to know her. She’s kind of skittish.”
“Any idea what happened to her?”
“No,” I reply, at the same time Tucker says, “Acid.”
My head whips around. “What?”
“She had acid thrown on her when she was young. I don’t know the circumstances, but she told me that much.”
Fuck. I imagined it was a car accident or something, not an assault. “You don’t know who?”
“Didn’t ask and she didn’t say.”
“I’ll kill the motherfucker,” I growl.
The smiles exchanged between Justus and Jeremy don’t escape my attention, but I ignore them.
We drink until the beer runs dry and Tucker eventually goes to crash upstairs. As dawn approaches, Jeremy takes one of the other two guest rooms, leaving me and Justus on the front porch. The horizon glows pink with whispy clouds strewn through the sky.
Justus stares into the distance. “Jed would like Tucker. I think he’ll work out fine.”
* * * *
Ayda has been
avoiding me, and only giving short, clipped answers when I try to talk to her through the wall. It’s starting to piss me off. After her reaction to me in her kitchen, I know she feels the same pull I do between us, and I’m not going to let her ignore it.
The faint sounds of her T.V. permeate the wall, as if she’s trying to keep it down so I don’t know she’s there. “What are you watching?” I ask.
After a few seconds of silence, she replies, “Just the news.”
“Thanksgiving is a few days away.”
“Yep.”
“Do you go to your family, or do you cook?”
A thump and a sigh makes me picture her, slumped against the wall. “Neither. I just skip it.”
She plans to spend Thanksgiving alone? Yeah, that’s not happening. “You’re coming with me. My friend’s girlfriend is cooking at his house and we’re invited.”
“You mean you’re invited,” she snorts.
“Me and whoever the hell I want to bring. Be ready about noon.”
“Thanks for the invitation, Dare, but I’ll have to pass.” My cock hardens when she says my name, which is fucking ridiculous.
“You don’t have to bring anything. I’ll stop and grab a pie or something.”
“I said no, Dare.”
“I heard you.”
“You’re in a mood today.” She’s usually full of smart ass retorts. “What’s wrong?”
It’s quiet and about the time I think she won’t answer, she speaks up. “You know the man who sleeps behind the dumpster? I bring him food sometimes, but he hasn’t been there the past few days. I think something might’ve happened to him.”
“He’s fine. A friend of mine owns a farm and needed some help. He gave him a job and a place to stay.”
“Really? How do you know him?”
“Same way you do. We’ve spent a few dinners together on the curb.”
Silence stretches out and I can almost hear the gears whirring in her brain. “Thank you for helping him. I tried, but he wouldn’t go to a shelter or anything.”
“He’s really fond of you. I invited him for Thanksgiving dinner as well, but he said he’s going to visit family.”
“Why the hell was he on the street if he has family?”
The indignation in her voice makes me smile. “He might be full of shit and just doesn’t want to come.”
“So, you’ll take no for an answer from him?”
“He’s not as sexy as you.”
“You’re so full of shit, your eyes are brown.”
“They’re blue, actually. I’m surprised you didn’t notice.”
“You’re so conceited,” she laughs.
“I’m not conceited, sweetheart. I’m convinced. I’ll pick you up at noon.”
“Fine, but I’ll make the pie.” She yawns and I hear her T.V. click off. “Good night, Dare.”
“Good night, Ayda.”
Chapter Seven
Ayda
I can’t believe I agreed to go with Dare for Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve managed not to meet him face to face since Halloween, but when he told me what he did for Tucker, I just couldn’t say no. My hands are shaking with nerves as I straighten my hair and pull on jeans and a sweater. I have no idea who will be at the dinner, and meeting new people always makes me want to throw up. The inevitable stares and whispers. Even blatant questions about my scars from those who seem to think it’d make a good conversation starter.
He knocks on the door a few minutes before noon, and the sight of him steals the oxygen from my brain. His midnight blue Henley brings out the color of his eyes, and clings to his torso, showing off his defined chest and abs. Dark jeans hug his ass, and I may have a slight urge to squeeze it. Just a little.
His gaze sweeps down to my feet and up again until his eyes meet mine, making my heart leap forward. He leans and places a soft kiss just below my ear and murmurs, “You look good enough to eat.”
“Then maybe we can just skip this whole Thanksgiving thing,” I suggest. I’m not completely joking. I’d much rather spend the day alone with him, but he won’t let me get away with it.
Chuckling, he steps inside. “No way, darlin’. I want to introduce you to my friends.” He sniffs. “It smells fantastic in here. Apple pie?”
“And cherry. I figured chances are someone will have brought pumpkin.”
I pull the two pies from the fridge and he takes them from me, balancing them on one huge palm as we walk to the parking lot. An icy breeze cuts through my clothes as if they’re made of paper, and it’s a relief to settle into his warm car.
“Are there going to be a lot of people there?” I ask, trying not to sound as concerned as I am.
“Let’s see, my friends Landon, Justus, and Jeremy. Landon’s girlfriend, Zoe, and her brother, Ethan. I think maybe Ethan’s boyfriend. I can’t remember his name.” He tilts his head and knocks me out with that killer smile. “You’ll like Zoe. She’s a smart ass too.”
“Too?” I smack him on the shoulder, grinning.
“I stand by my statement.”
Landon’s house is huge. I swear, add on a few rooms and you could call it a mansion. I wonder what he does for a living. I don’t have much time to dwell on it before I’m lead into a large bright kitchen crammed full of hot guys. Seriously, it’s like they were plucked from a sexy bad boy warehouse.
“Ayda, this is Landon, Jeremy, and Justus,” Dare announces, gesturing to each as he says their name while keeping his arm around my shoulder. “Be nice, assholes.”
Landon and Dare could be brothers with their dark hair and blue eyes, although Landon’s look a bit green, and Dare’s body is way bulkier. Justus is just as hot with his blond curls and a dimple that shows when he smiles at me. Jeremy is more classically handsome with clean cut brown hair and a lean body.
After the introductions and nice to meet yous are out of the way, Zoe kicks everyone out of the kitchen. It may have had something to do with Dare knocking a bowl of flour to the floor. “All right! Everyone with a penis, out!” she exclaims, then turns to me. “Stay and chat, Ayda, if you’d like to get away from these brutes for a bit.”
Landon grabs her around the waist and whispers something in her ear while Dare looks down at me. “Are you okay?”
He’s asking if I’m okay without him and as much as I want to follow him, I don’t want to be the clingy girl. Besides, Zoe seems nice. At least it’s a lot quieter once the crowd of sexy moves to the living room.
“What can I help with?” I ask, hopping onto a stool. Zoe smiles and shoves a cutting board full of celery and onions toward me.
“Would you mind chopping them?” She pours a glass of wine and hands it to me. “Trust me, you’ll need it. We’re drowning in testosterone tonight. Five guys and us.”
Laughing, I accept and start chopping the vegetables. “So, how did you and Dare meet?”
“He lives next door to me. How did you meet Landon?” I ask, trying to steer the conversation away from me.
“I met him at a club the first time, but I didn’t get to know him until later. I answered an ad for a housekeeper.” She gestures around the room, flour flying from her fingers. “It turned out to be Landon’s house.”
“Wow, so you ended up dating the boss, huh?”
She grins at me. “I couldn’t stand him at first. He was so full of himself and bossy, but he grew on me.”
“Dare said he’s not conceited, he’s convinced.” I roll my eyes.
Zoe laughs and takes the cutting board full of chopped vegetables from me, dumping them into the dressing. “Confidence isn’t an issue for any of them. They’re all sweethearts under that cocky exterior though. So, how long have you been seeing each other?”
I’m not sure what to say. “Oh, we’re not…really dating or anything. He just invited me because I didn’t have plans. We’re just neighbors.”
Zoe cocks an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”
“It’s true,” I laugh.
Zoe looks up from stirr
ing a pot of boiling potatoes and points the spoon at me. “I haven’t known Dare for too long, but Landon grew up with him, and this is the first time he’s ever introduced a woman to his friends.”
That makes me pause. “Really?”
“Really.” She peeks at me. “And don’t even try to tell me you aren’t interested. There isn’t a single woman alive who wouldn’t climb all over that man.”
We laugh, and she pours me another glass of wine. With all the food either prepared or finishing up in the oven, she takes a break and sits across from me. It feels good to laugh and share in some girl talk. Dare was right, I like Zoe.
“Let’s go bug the guys. Don’t want them getting too comfortable without us,” she giggles, and we head to the living room.
Dare and Justus sit on either end of the couch while Jeremy and Landon occupy two oversize recliners. Zoe walks over to Landon and he instantly pulls her into his lap, dropping a kiss on her lips. Dare grins up at me and grabs my wrist, tugging me to sit beside him. His arm slides around me like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and Zoe gives me an I-told-you-so smile.
“Having fun?” he murmurs.
I don’t get a chance to answer before I feel a warm body on my other side. Like right by my side. Justus grins at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. His thigh is flush with mine when he says, “So, Ayda. How do you feel about male entertainers?”
What the hell does he mean, entertainers? Justus is obviously trying to rile Dare up, and by the look on Dare’s face, it’s working. Snuggling against Dare’s side, I reply, “If you’re trying to tell me you’re a hooker, I’m not interested.”
Everyone laughs, and Dare shoves Justus off the couch with one hand. “I’m a not a hooker, although if I wanted to charge, plenty of women would pay for my services,” Justus announces, climbing back onto the couch, this time staying on his side.
“He’s a stripper,” Zoe informs me.
“Exotic dancer!” Justus insists.
The rest of the evening flies by. Dinner is delicious, and everyone is gathered in the living room when Landon suddenly appears from a back room dressed in a three piece suit and drops to one knee in front of Zoe.
