Bend

by Sophia Gray

  John jerked around to face him. “The fuck are you talking about?”

  “It’s Shane! He’s fucking dead! And the cops are coming.” Bryce didn’t stay to explain anything further. He just raced off, disappearing out the door once again.

  John glanced back at me, looking as though he wanted to stay and finish what he’d started. But then the sirens actually started flashing in the widows and the sounds reached our ears. I saw panic flash in his eyes. He dropped the gun, panicked, and ran as quickly as he could.

  I sat there, shaking, hurt, terrified, but oh so relieved. The police were here. I was okay. I would be okay. I let out a sob of relief, but it was short lived. The door slammed open once again, causing me to jerk my gaze up again. I was sure it was John having decided to come back for me, but when I looked to the door, I froze.

  It wasn’t John.

  It was Ciaran. He’d come to save me.

  Cursing, he raced across the room to me. He knelt down in front of me, undoing what remained of my bindings. His eyes swept across me, searching every inch of me, lingering on my face, where I was sure I was quickly forming an ugly looking bruise. “Are you okay?” he asked me, his voice sounding strained. “I heard you scream.”

  I tried to answer him, but only a sob came out. He finished undoing my bindings and I threw myself at him. My arms wrapped around his neck, clinging to him. I was safe. He was here. Everything was going to be okay.

  For a second, he seemed frozen, but then his arms came around me and he held me back. I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, but eventually he pulled away a little. Just enough to help me stand. I clutched at him before he could pull away any farther, though.

  “What...what are you doing here?” I managed to get out.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked me, brushing the backs of his fingers against my bruised cheek carefully.

  I shook my head. It most definitely was not obvious, but I didn’t say that. Instead, I asked, “What happened?”

  “It’s a long story, but the basics of it are that Shane is dead and the Irish Hounds are under arrest for murder.”

  My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “But what about the dirty cops?”

  He shook his head. “I had some of my guys sniff ’em out. They’re being questioned right now. As for the Hounds, I had my guys show the police what they did, how they murdered my men. They’re going to go away for a long time. And with no Shane, the ones who aren’t put away will have a hell of a time surviving out here on the streets.”

  I stared at him. I was incredibly relieved to hear about them being arrested and Shane being dead and the dirty cops found out. But if I were being really honest, in that moment, I didn’t really care. All I cared about was that I was standing here with Ciaran, his arms still lingering around me, and I was alive. I would survive tonight, and so would he.

  “Thank you for saving me,” I murmured. “I...I really thought I was going to die tonight.”

  His whole body tensed at my words and he pulled me closer. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

  I smiled at him, tears forming in my eyes. He was such a good guy. Determined to save me, to protect me even though he didn’t feel the way I felt about him. Biting my lip, I debated not saying anything more, but I knew I had to. After almost dying, I had to tell him one more time that I loved him, even if he couldn’t say it back.

  “Ciaran, I...” I faltered. It hurt to say this to someone who wouldn’t feel the same.

  “What is it? Are you hurt?” He sounded so concerned.

  I smiled at him sadly. Yes, I was, but not the way he meant. “No, I just...I just wanted to tell you that you’re a good man. I know you don’t think so sometimes, but I do. I can feel it in my heart. And I want you to know that I don’t care if you’ll never love me back. I will always love you anyway. I just wanted you to know—”

  He closed the space between us, his hands cupping my face, then he drew me to him. His lips crashed against mine in a searing kiss that left no room for argument: he wanted me. His tongue found its way into my mouth and his lips pressed tightly to me, wanting and needing more. By the time he pulled away, my breath was gone and my heart was going a mile a minute.

  Breathing heavily himself, he said to me, “I love you, too, Elle. I should have told you the first day I saw you. I knew you were an angel and you’re way too good for me, but damn it all if I don’t want to be selfish and have you anyway.”

  “You...you love me?” I couldn’t believe it. Was I hearing him right?

  He nodded his head. “Yes, I do. And I’m not letting you go again.”

  He kissed me once more and I melted against him. For the first time in a while, I thought maybe everything was going to be all right.

  Epilogue

  Ciaran

  I sat at a table reserved for me. I had a cold beer in one hand, already about halfway finished. The bar was nice, nicer than most I’d spent any amount of time in, and I appreciated the soft lighting and the general ambiance. It had one of those cozy lounge feelings to it and I liked that. It spoke to me of class, though maybe I’d just seen too many old movies with girls in red dresses lounging across pianos as they sang.

  There was actually a piano on the stage in front of me, but the spotlight wasn’t focused on it or the man playing at it. No, the spotlight was centered on the beautiful, alluring brunette singing her heart out on stage—and all eyes were following that spotlight.

  Elle looked beautiful. She was wearing a midnight blue dress that clung to her curves and tapered down her legs to stop just below her knees. She’d spent days trying to find the right dress, complaining of fit and coloring and everything under the sun. But I hadn’t minded. I knew it was just nerves, and I also knew it wouldn’t matter what she ultimately picked in the end. She would be killer on stage.

  I was right. She sung a sweet, soft song that dipped into my rib cage and wrapped itself around my heart. It was a love song and it was my favorite of hers. She’d written it only days after her ordeal with Shane, a means of getting out what fear and tension had remained in her bones after that horrible night. The song had helped, and when I asked her what it was really about, she said it was about loving me.

  How could I not love it after that?

  Her voice filtered through the room, softening the light further and lulling her audience into a sense of romance and peace. My chest swelled with love and pride at knowing that was my girl up there. And hopefully tonight, I could make it official.

  I fingered the little velvet box in my pocket. I’d gone to a thousand different shops looking for the right damn ring and ultimately I hadn’t even bought any of them. None of them seemed right for the woman of my dreams. When I finally did find the right ring, I’d almost laughed at myself.

  I’d been cleaning out the bar and the apartment above it. After Ma’s death, I couldn’t bear to live in the old place anymore, though I’d inherited it and everything else from her. I’d spoken with Elle about it, wondering if it would be wrong to sell it, or if I should just suck it up and move into the damn place.

  As always, she’d been sympathetic and wise at the same time.

  She’d smiled at me and slipped her arm around my shoulders for a half hug. Then she’d told me honestly, “Your mother wanted you to have this. Not because it meant the world to her, but because you meant the world to her. She wanted to give you all she had, but it’s up to you what to do with it. She doesn’t live in this place anymore, Ciaran. She lives in here.” And she’d tapped my chest over where my heart beat soundly, reminding me my mother would be with me no matter what I did with the old place.

  After that talk, I’d decided I would keep it, but we wouldn’t live there. I found a good manager—Kelly, Patrick’s cousin—and told her she could live in the apartment above the bar for free so long as she took care of the place. I checked in once a week.

  Before she moved in, I’d insisted on cleaning the place out to make sure it was in good shape and
that I didn’t leave anything valuable behind.

  It was when I was cleaning out Ma’s closet that I found an old shoebox full of precious memories. For a moment, it almost felt wrong to be looking through these mementos that had once been so important to a woman who no longer existed, but remembering she was my mother and she would have wanted me to know her life, I began to sift through her things.

  Inside the box was a stack of old photographs. They were of her and Pa when they were young, looking lively and like something out of an old time newspaper. They could have been Bonnie and Clyde. The thought made me chuckle.

  The pictures were mostly the same over and over again. Pa with his arms around her. Them kissing sweetly. Laughing. Kidding. Smiling. The love in those pictures was palpable and undeniable. I saw their first house, their first car, their wedding. I saw a picture of them in front of the bar with a sign in the background that read Closed. Their entire life seemed wrapped up in these pictures. I even found a few of myself in there and one of me and Shane when we’d first come to live with the Sullivans.

  It hurt in unexpected ways, but I kept the picture. He’d ended up the wrong kind of man and he’d died that night, bleeding out in the snow before the police arrived, but in the beginning we had truly been brothers.

  As I continued to sift through her cherished things, I came across more than pictures. An old lacy glove that looked like the one she wore in the picture of their wedding. A bow tie that must have belonged to Pa. A charm bracelet with a shamrock and a cross on it. And finally, I came across a box.

  A black velvet box.

  I opened it up and was surprised to find a curled up note fall out of it. It was in Ma’s handwriting.

  Ciaran,

  Before you ask, of course this letter’s for you. I knew you’d be the one to find it, just like I knew you’d be the one to need it. I married your father fifty years ago and I never regretted it for a minute. He swept me off my feet—and drove me crazy. But there was never a doubt in my mind how much I loved him.

  The day he proposed to me, he offered me a ring. He said that the hands were for friendship, the crown for loyalty. The ring was for forever and the heart was for love. I didn’t take that ring off again until the day he died.

  It hurts to lose the other half to your soul, but I know I’ll see him again. When I do, I won’t be needing this ring. But someday you will.

  When you find that woman who puts a fire in your belly and an ache in your heart, give this to her. She’ll be the one to last forever, you just wait and see.

  I’ve always loved you, my son. I’m with you, wherever else I might be.

  Love,

  Ma

  If I’d found that letter a year or so ago, I would have thought she was crazy. I had written myself off as the kind of man who didn’t settle down. But when Elle walked into my life, I should have known she would have turned it upside down, and when I read that letter, I knew Ma was talking about her. She might not have known it at the time, but Elle was who that ring belonged to.

  I just hoped she felt it, too.

  Elle finished up her song, her eyes finding mine across the room. She smiled, reminding me I’d once been delirious and believed she was an angel sent straight from heaven. My opinion on that matter hadn’t changed much and every so often I just liked to remind her of that.

  The crowd erupted in applause and I saw Elle blush at the attention. She was still getting used to it all, but I had no doubt she would grow accustomed to her adoring fans. Her dreams of becoming a famous singer were finally coming true and I was just happy that I got to tag along for the ride.

  Six months ago an agent had given her a call. They loved her demo and sought her out. After that, things moved faster than either of us could have expected. She was doing shows like this and was even scheduled to open for a major band next week in Dallas. I could see by her wide-eyed expression that she still couldn’t believe it was all happening, but I wasn’t in the least bit surprised.

  I remembered that soft song she’d sung to me when I’d been sick and feverish. It was no wonder someone else had heard what I had: the voice of an angel.

  Elle took a bow, then laughed a little at herself. She hurried off stage so she could rush over to me. A couple of people stopped her to talk with her and I thought I even saw a young woman ask for her autograph. It was really happening for her and I couldn’t have been any happier.

  I stood when she reached the table and pulled her against my body. Her hands went palm flat against my chest as I leaned down to touch my lips to hers. Part of this was a need to have her, a constant need. The other part was to let every asshole in this place know she was taken. That she was mine, period.

  My tongue slid across the seam of her lips and she parted them eagerly, not caring who was watching as I slid it into her mouth to deepen the kiss. My hands couldn’t help but wander. One remained at the small of her back, holding her close to me, but the other slid along her side, trailing over her hips and around to grasp at her firm ass. I pulled her closer so she was pressed against my crotch, my growing need for her evident.

  She gasped and I swallowed the sound, but it was a reminder that we were in public and no matter how much I wanted to take her right there on the table, I wasn’t going to get to do that. I’d have to wait until we got home.

  But at least she’s coming home with me, I thought, pleased with myself.

  “Hell of a show,” I murmured to her in a low voice I knew she liked.

  She grinned at me. “Thanks. I do my best.”

  I kissed her again, one brief, chaste one, then motioned with my head towards the door. “Wanna get out of here?”

  She nodded instantly and let me lead her away. The boys weren’t here tonight, because I’d asked them not to be. The Lucky Skulls had taken a serious toll after all that business with Shane, but over the last year we’d been growing in numbers again. Elle was a favorite amongst them with her sweet disposition and her incredible singing voice. They liked her enough that most of the guys tried to show whenever she had a gig, but tonight I insisted I wanted her all to myself. Tonight I wanted to be special.

  I led her out the side exit of the club, then escorted her to the truck. We drove it tonight since it was snowing again and I didn’t want Elle to be cold. I’d since gotten a new bike, but it wasn’t the most practical thing in the wintertime—and I’d had enough of freezing my ass off.

  I opened the door for her and she slid in, flashing me a bright smile.

  We drove for a while before Elle realized that we weren’t heading home. Frowning, she glanced over at me. “Where are we going?” She didn’t sound concerned or worried, just curious. Because she trusted me.

  Pride swelled in my chest and I vowed I would never lose that trust.

  Smiling a little, I said, “You’ll see. I wanted to take you somewhere special tonight.”

  She laughed a little and shook her head. “Okay, you’re being weird. In fact, you’ve been kind of weird all day. You going to tell me what’s going on?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Like I said, you’ll see.”

  Elle let out a huge, exaggerated sigh and pretended to be irritated with me for my secrecy, but I saw that little smile curling up along her lips and knew she wasn’t irritated. She was excited. My promise of something special had her eager to learn what it was. I was hoping she wouldn’t be disappointed.

  The weather wasn’t great so I had to drive slowly, but it wasn’t so bad that I was worried. Elle kept glancing around, trying to figure out where we were heading, but there were virtually no signs. No markers. We might as well have been in the middle of nowhere.

  After a while, I finally saw the turn off. Elle spotted it, too. She turned to look at me. Her eyes were shining with bright tears, but not the sad kind. “The cabin?” she asked in a small, quiet voice.

  I didn’t say anything, but I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. She let out an excited squeal and then threw her arms around me,
hugging me from the side. I laughed, playfully shoving her off. “You’ll make me drive us right off the road.”

  She ignored me. “We’re going back to the cabin?”

  I cleared my throat. “Today is pretty special.”

  She thought about that for a moment, then asked, “Special how?”

  Glancing at her sideways, I told her, “Don’t you remember? It’s been a year to the day since the night you dragged my sorry ass out of the snow and saved my life.”

  Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You remembered?”

  “Kind of hard to forget when a sexy woman saves your life.” I winked at her.

  We drove to the cabin and I parked around the back where there was actually a carport. It wouldn’t keep the engine from getting cold, so I’d have to make sure the temperatures didn’t get down too low, but at least we wouldn’t have to dig it out in the morning. Elle got out, then eyed the carport.

  “Really?” she said.

  I laughed. “Yeah, really. All we had to do was get your car around the back.”

  She groaned. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty, you know it?”

  Shaking my head, I escorted her into the cabin, flipping on the light switch. The power was on and there was food in the kitchen this time around. I’d called the owners ahead of time to set this all up, wanting to make sure they got properly compensated, and that we had the necessary provisions to stay comfortably if we somehow got stuck out here. “I don’t know,” I finally said, putting a bag down on the floor by the couch. “I think it was lucky that we got stuck here for three nights.” I winked at her and she laughed.

  “Okay, maybe.”

  We took the time to unpack and I set up the fire. I made a point of getting the other parts of the cabin warm, too, including the back bedroom, which was a lot easier with the power on and the heater going. But I had a feeling we’d be spending most of our time in the living room.

  When we got everything set up, I finally pulled Elle down onto the couch with me. She snuggled close, resting her head against my chest, and let out a contented sigh. “This is perfect,” she murmured.