Finding Out (novella)

by Lila Rose

  He closed his eyes and sighed, “What?”

  “I said your name was Max and that you’re a cop,” I said quickly.

  He opened his eyes wide, but then they turned slanty. He glared at me. Uh oh. “I was under pressure when I was making you up. By the way, we’ve been dating for two years,” I added and pouted.

  “Fuck me,” he growled. “No, cupcake. No, we ain’t fuckin’ lyin’, especially when I will be around for a fuckin’ long time.”

  “Fox,” I whined. “Oh, my God, please just go with it; otherwise, what am I going to tell them?”

  “We’ll wing it,” he smiled.

  “Wing it?” I yelled.

  “Yeah, precious,” he said, taking my hand in his while I was in shock. Opening the doors, we walked into the room.

  Like the vultures they were, we were surrounded in seconds by my mother, father, Aunt Lisa—Leanne’s mother, bitch-cousin herself and her new husband.

  “Brace yourself, handsome, brace,” I uttered out the side of my mouth, throwing his words back at him. His eyes were hard, but he grinned for me and placed his arm around my waist.

  “Ivy-lee, I see you finally made it,” Mum sneered. “You should have seen the ceremony. It was beautiful.”

  Fox looked down at me and mouthed, ‘Ivy-lee.’ I shrugged. It was just my mum’s way to make my name sound more elegant. I thought it sucked. Throughout my whole life, Mum always thought she was better than anyone. Even her children. To her we were a burden, she brushed us off to the cooks and cleaners, in the house I was brought up in. I think it had something to do with the fact that her parents were the same to her. My mum grew up with money and was taught at a young age not to care about anyone else but herself. She was mean and vindictive, even toward her own husband.

  Dad and Mum met at a young age, when she wasn’t so uptight. A very long time ago, he used to be fun and caring, but she drew that out of him. Now, he was a man with no backbone. He lived his life quietly and worked long hours to get away from his wife.

  Really, I was surprised that my sister, brother and I turned out half-normal when we had no love in the house as children.

  “I was there, Mum. We were sitting in the back. You just didn’t see me.”

  “Oh, I saw you.” Aunt Lisa smiled, eyeing Fox. She then continued to lick her lips. I glanced at Leanna to see she was also eyeing Fox.

  “Why didn’t you say anything, Lisa?” Mum questioned her sister, who ignored her.

  “So this is your mystery man, Max?” Dad asked.

  “Um...” I began.

  “No. I’m Fox Kilpatrick. I’m your daughter’s new man. We’ve been dating for nearly two weeks now.”

  “Really and what happened to Max?” Mum asked, the look on her face told me she never believed my lie in the first place. Her next words backed that look up. “You may as well come clean. I knew no one would date you for two years. You’re too annoying, even as a child.” My cousin laughed. Dad sighed and walked off to the bar while my Aunt still eye-fucked my fella.

  “It’s true,” Leanne added. “You never could keep down a boyfriend. They only wanted you for one thing, God knows why,” she looked me up and down, “and once they got that, they took off. Pitiful really.”

  “Oh, come now. Let’s not forget Lester,” Aunt Lisa said. They all laughed.

  I groaned. Lester was our neighbour when I was fourteen. I had a major crush on him, and he pretended to like me because my mum and Aunt paid him to.

  “So let me guess, dear,” Mum started, “this here...” she gestured to Fox with her hand and a gleam in her eye. Even she liked the way Fox looked. “...is a friend of a friend helping my poor child out so she didn’t look like a fool in front of her family. She has always been the lost soul of the family. The black sheep that no one could handle being around for too long.” She moved to Fox’s side and took his arm, leaning into his side. “That is so sweet of you,” she cooed. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m more than willing to help.”

  Fox raised his top lip at her and shook her off. He stepped back bringing me with him. He looked down at me and glared.

  “Sorry,” I uttered. Because I was so very sorry. This was all a mistake. I should never have put him up to this, made him put up with my family. No one, none of my friends liked them; hell, I didn’t even like them.

  “Cupcake,” he growled.

  “Did he just call her cupcake?” Leanne gasped. “More like a mountain cake. Her arse looks like she eats a whole heap of them. Why did you even make me invite her?” she whined, no doubt to her mother.

  “Because we had to show that we can understand when it came to people like her.”

  “Fuckin’ enough,” Fox barked.

  “Fox,” I started.

  “No, precious, you don’t put up with that. My woman doesn’t put up with that, even if they are fuckin’ family.”

  “Keep your voice down, young man.” Mum warned.

  “No.” He let go of me and stepped up to Mum with Aunt Lisa and Leanne beside her. “You do not talk to my woman like that. From now on, you will be sweet and charming to her. I don’t give a fuck if you’re her mother or not. If I see or feel her body tense once more because of words you, any of you, have spoken to her, then I will make you pay. My woman, Christ, your daughter, is the best thing to happen to my life. You don’t even deserve to be in her presence. But she’s too kind for her own good and came to this shit, over-the-fuckin’-top wedding.” Fox took a step back and held my hand. “You threaten her again into something like this, you’ll be hearing from me,” he warned. All of them were frozen in shocked states. The room was quiet. There were several eyes on us, and then, from the bar, came clapping.

  I turned wide-eyed to my father, who was smiling big and clapping. “Here, here,” he said.

  I tugged on Fox’s hand. He looked down at me and said, “Your mum’s a bitch. Your Aunt’s a bitch and so’s your cousin. Fuck, precious, next time I’ll take your warning. You wanna get out of here?” he asked, turning us so we faced each other.

  Grinning huge, I laughed and shook my head. “You have made my day.”

  “Good,” he grunted.

  “And I’m sure you’ll make my night even better.”

  His eyes warmed instantly. “Fuck yeah.”

  “So I’ll need food for energy. Let’s eat their food and drink their booze, then we’ll get out of here.”

  He chuckled and said, “Sounds like a plan.”

  # #

  The plan had been good and it was good. We ate. We laughed and even my father came to talk to us. He told me he was proud I’d found a man who was willing to take care of me and protect me from anyone, even our family. He then told me he was going to file for a divorce. I gasped in surprise and gripped Fox’s hand hard. I never thought I would see the day my father grew some balls. I was glad to witness it. He said he couldn’t take her attitude any longer and that he wished he had stood up for me and my siblings like my man did, a long time ago. He hated himself for it and asked for my forgiveness. He also told me he hoped I was willing to spend more time with him. He looked to Fox after asking that.

  Fox, who was leaning back in his chair with his arm along the back of my chair, said, “It’s up to Ivy.”

  Dad looked back at me. I smiled and said, “I would really like that.”

  “Thank you,” he answered, emotion in his voice. He hugged me and disappeared from the reception.

  The plan that we had went to shit when I told Fox I was running to the loo before we left. They were inside the reception room so I guess we both thought everything would be fine, and really, I had been lulled into a sense of safeness being around Fox and hearing nothing from Jim.

  I was wrong.

  Opening the door to the bathroom, someone shoved me from behind. I went flying. Thankfully, the sink was in front of me and I managed to grab it before I sprawled on the floor.

  “What the—” I began.

  “Shut the fuck up
, you stupid slut.” I turned to find the man I once saw from his profile picture online. Jim was standing there with a knife held out, pointed at me.

  Chapter Nine

  Killer

  I was waiting for Ivy by the doors so we could get the fuck outta this fucked-up reception. I wanted to get back to her place and pound into her. I was already hard just thinkin’ about it. Shit, let’s face it; my dick was hard as soon as she walked outta her room in that goddamn dress.

  My thoughts soon changed. I had been waiting on a call all night to see if Vi, Talon’s sister, had any more luck finding the cockhead antagonisin’ my woman. She said she had a lead. Obviously, that didn’t pan out, which pissed me off. I just wished her shit would be over. I wanted someone to find the fucker who threatened her, so I could beat the hell outta him for scaring her.

  She was right though. There was no way in hell this prick would ruin what we had goin’ on. It had been fuckin’ years, years since my dead heart woke from its doze. Now that it had, because of Ivy, I was ready to protect it and her in every fuckin’ way. Which meant I was willing to do anything to get this fucker out of her life so we could move the fuck on and then I’d tell her I was movin’ in permanently.

  From past experiences, there was no time worth wastin’. When you saw what you wanted, you went for it, and I had. I wanted it around me all the damn time. I wanted Ivy around me as much as I could and that meant one of us was shiftin’ places, likely me.

  My phone rang from my pocket. I fished it out and flipped it open, “Yeah?”

  “Where in the fuck are you? Tell me, brother, that Ivy is at your side?” Stoke growled over the noise of a movin’ vehicle.

  “She went to the bathroom. What in the hell, Stoke?” Drawing my hand into a fist, my brows drew down. I was annoyed from his question. He knew where we were, yet a panic settled deep with my gut.

  “Find her. Get her, Killer. He’s there. The fucker is there. Billy just called. He was knocked out outside the fuckin; reception place. He’s there, man.”

  “Christ,” I yelled. The people in the room paused to watch me. I didn’t give a shit. I ran for the ladies’ room and ripped the door open. “FUCK!” I bellowed. “He’s got her. The window’s open. They’re outside on the move. I’m heading out.” I punched my fist into the wall. Pulling away my hand, dust and shit flew everywhere from the hole I’d left behind. No sooner had I done it, I was on the move again. I had to get to her. I had to find her...I just had to.

  “We’re a minute away. Billy should be out there. Go, brother, go.”

  I threw the front doors open and bolted around the side on the gravel road in the car park and suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

  “What the fuck?” I whispered.

  The dick with my woman spun toward me, away from Billy, who was holding a gun to the wanker. But as he spun, the knife at Ivy’s throat cut into her, causing her to cry out. I watched as blood dripped down her neck.

  “Move away. Back off now or I’ll kill her.”

  “What in the world?”

  Christ. Ivy’s whore of a mother walked up beside me, others gathered around. Jim moved their bodies so he could see both Billy and me.

  “You need to back the fuck up and take your hands off my woman.”

  “H-handsome,” Ivy started. I watched her swallow. “There’s no use talking any sense into him. I’ve tried.”

  “Shut, up you slut,” Jim screamed, shaking her.

  “Dammit, that hurt,” Ivy complained. “And I’m not a slut. I never was and never have been. I hadn’t even had sex for two years before I met Fox. Two years, Jim.”

  I rolled my eyes. Bloody hell my woman could talk at any inappropriate time. I pulled my gun from the back of my jeans and pointed it at him. “I won’t say it again. Let her go and we won’t kill you.”

  “Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Ivy’s mum snapped.

  “Shut it, woman,” I hissed.

  She put her hand on her hips and said, “I will not shut it. A man has a knife to my daughter’s throat.” She looked toward Jim. “Who are you and what are you doing? I can’t believe you brought this trouble here Ivy-lee. It’s disgusting.”

  Fuck. Just that statement had me wanting to punch the bitch out. Too damn bad I didn’t hit women. I was seriously thinkin’ of changing that for a second. For once, I wished Hell Mouth was around. She could have done it for me.

  “Really, Mum?” Ivy glared. She tugged at Jim’s arm at her throat.

  “You all need to shut the fuck up or I will kill her,” Jim screamed.

  A van came barrelling around the corner and stopped. I smiled. My brothers were here. The door to the van opened and Griz got out, Talon came around from the other side, and from the back of the van, came Stoke, Blue and Pick. All had their guns out and aimed at Jim.

  Jim looked about ready to piss himself. I could see sweat beads on his brow. His hand now shook at Ivy throat.

  “Oooooh, someone’s going to get it,” Ivy sang.

  “Jesus, precious. How about you don’t tease the fucker while you have a knife at your throat.”

  She looked like she was pondering the damn thought and then she said, “Good idea.”

  “W-who are you all?” Jim stuttered.

  “You played with the wrong woman, Jim,” Talon started. “She belongs to us. She’s Hawks.”

  Jim actually squeaked like a little girl, causing my brothers to laugh. There was no way I would laugh until my woman was outta harm’s way.

  “Blue?” I called.

  “Yeah, brother?”

  “Can you and Pick get these people out of here?” I asked. If something was gonna go down, we didn’t need the witnesses.

  “Everyone clear the fuck out. Now,” Blue yelled.

  Most moved all except Ivy’s damned mother.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

  “Fine,” I barked.

  Just then another car came around the corner, a sleek Mercedes. As soon as it stopped, out hopped Vi, her man, Travis, and Butch.

  Vi walked up and stood to the front of the bikers. She pulled her gun out and pointed it at Jim and my woman.

  “Jim Coben, you are under arrest for the murder of three women. Come in quietly or not,” she shrugged. “My brother and his crew will take care of you.”

  “Y-you can’t do that. Cops can’t threaten people.”

  Vi smiled. “I’m not a cop. I’m just a PI.”

  “You are the shit.” Ivy smiled. My brothers once again chuckled around me. “We so have to have coffee one day. I want to hear all about your PI days. Oh, hey, Butch.” She waved. She fuckin’ waved like nothin’ was really going down. Like she didn’t have a goddamn knife at her throat.

  “Ivy,” I growled.

  “Yeah, yeah. Right, I’ll stay quiet now while this dick has me. But can we hurry this along? I was on a happy high earlier but it’s fading.”

  “Holy shit,” I heard Billy utter. I was thinkin’ that same fuckin’ thing. Could my woman never shut the hell up?

  “Dammit, Ivy,” I snapped.

  “Don’t you snap at me, Fox Kilpatrick,” she barked back. “Sorry, sorry just a little tense here, right...” She made a zipping motion across her lips.

  “Hang on.” We all groaned when she started up again. Jim yelled for her to shut up. She told him no.

  “I think I like her.” Vi grinned.

  “What do you mean, Vi, by Jim is under arrest for murder?”

  “The cops have been looking for him for the last three months. He’s done this to three other girls from that dating site.”

  “You met on a dating site,” Ivy’s mum screeched.

  “T-three other women?” Ivy stuttered. “Three?” She moved her head slightly, making the blade dig in.

  “Cupcake, please,” I asked.

  “You’ve hurt three other women.” Her tone was low, a mix of sadness and a hint of anger.

  “And they deserved everything the
y got. Stupid sluts.”

  Ivy looked back at me. She had tears in her eyes for women she never knew.

  “Ivy,” I warned.

  “Handsome, he can’t keep doing this.”

  “And we’ll take care of it,” I said. I just knew she was forming some sort of plan in her head.

  “Fox, you know that isn’t going to work until I’m out of the way.”

  “Ivy, whatever you’re thinkin’, fuckin’ don’t,” Talon ordered.

  Ivy closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they looked so sad it hurt me to my core. “Don’t,” I uttered.

  She didn’t listen. She pulled her head down causing the knife to slice her throat more, and then brought her head back hard, hitting Jim in the nose. He dropped her, gripping his nose. As my brothers jumped him, I went for Ivy, who had fallen to the ground.

  Laying my gun on the ground, I reached for her arms and rolled her over. Blood flowed from her neck. Ripping off my tee, I held it against it.

  “Get her to the car, Killer. The car,” Vi yelled beside me. I picked her up and ran to the car where Travis was already waiting in the driver’s side.

  I climbed in the back with Ivy on my lap. She looked up at me and smiled. She went to talk, but I shushed her. “No, precious, don’t. I’ll tell you how fuckin’ foolish you were later, and then you can tell me how sorry you are.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. My tee was soaked with her blood. I applied more pressure, trying not to hurt her. She reached her hand up and touched my cheek. She was in pain and bleeding, yet she was still trying to comfort me.

  Christ.

  “I’m movin’ in to your place, cupcake. After this, I’m movin’ in and you will not say anything about it.” I told her as her eyes started to close. “No, no, no, Ivy, precious, keep your eyes open for me. Fuck, please, keep them open for me.” I blinked and blinked, but the stupid tears wouldn’t go away. I turned my head to wipe them on my shoulder. “That’s it, cupcake. Keep your eyes on me. Good girl.”

  “We’re here. I’ll get someone to help,” Travis said and then vanished.