Dark Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  “You need what you have for them. I need you to look after them for a while more,” I admitted as I took his measure.

  “Always.” His reply was quick and gruff.

  “When you gonna tell Alicia she’s yours?” I asked as I took a draw. He completely froze and then he faced me.

  “What makes you say that?” He shuffled his feet.

  “I’m not stupid. I’ve known for a while now and you confirmed it two days ago when you left a woman to follow your family.” I took another draw of my cigarette. “She’s eighteen now, she absolutely adores you, she deserves to know.”

  “It wasn’t supposed to happen, your mom and me…” He trailed off when I held up my hand.

  “My old man’s a prick, I have no issue with you and mom. You stuck around, you had a hand in raising all of us. You don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

  He looked at me for a long moment. “I was not expecting that.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thank you.” I shrugged. “I’m scared,” he admitted softly.

  “Don’t be a pussy, she has enough shit men in her life, it will do her good to know my father isn’t one of them.” I flicked my ash in the yard. “You don’t want her to find out herself, she’ll never forgive you. She’s been through enough. You think you’re protecting her? You’re not.” I went back inside, leaving him outside to consider his choices.

  The night passed too quickly, Paul was right. I didn’t want my last night to be tense. We sat and talked shit and laughed at stupid jokes. More furniture was moved around until mom was happy that her new home was how she wanted it. When it was time to go, the goodbyes were teary and I found myself wishing I had stuck to my original plan of sneaking out when they were sleeping, but that was the coward’s way out and I wasn’t a coward. Paul hugged me when I left, that wasn’t usual – I caught my mom’s sharp look when I stood back. She’d have to deal with it; they were protecting Alicia for nothing. She loved him like a father anyway. My mom and Paul were just too blinded by their own insecurities.

  I headed back to Boulder with a firmer determination as to what I was protecting. Tommy could have his money, with interest; he would never get his hands on my sister.

  In the early hours of the morning, I stopped at a different motel in Logan County. I finished the rest of the journey and arrived in Boulder by mid-afternoon. I headed straight home and dumped my bag and then after a quick shower, I headed out to the gym to see Shadow.

  Frank was in the gym, he said Shadow had been in earlier, but he was away with his wife at an appointment. I spoke to Frank briefly. One of the guys from the gym was fighting tonight and Frank had been training with him all week.

  Back out in the truck I called the garage to see how they had managed. Jim said all was good and asked if I was feeling better. I guessed that Shadow must have told them I was ill. Plausible I suppose, I was hardly ever sick. He said they were just locking up and I told him I would see him in the morning. A quick stop at the store and I headed home again.

  I fake sneezed a few times, just in case I was being watched. I was totally turning into a paranoid idiot. The driveway needed to be cleared again, seemed the snow had been heavy while I was away. I raised a hand as I made my way to the door; I had no doubt Walter was watching.

  Kicking off my boots I made my way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge made me pause. I didn’t recall this food having been there when I left. There was also milk. I never had milk. What the fuck was going on?

  I sensed her before I saw her. I closed the fridge slowly and turned my head to look at her. Lela. In my kitchen. Hair in a ponytail, skimpy white tank top, those fucking shorts, barefoot.

  “Aaron.” Her eyes were wide as she took me in.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” I asked her. I folded my arms and leaned against the fridge.

  “I can explain,” she began.

  “You better fucking hurry.”

  “Shadow let me stay here.” I wasn’t expecting that. My eyes narrowed at her and she took a step backward. I took a step towards her. Eyes wide, a hand came up to ward me off. I caught it, twisted it and turned her, pinning her against the wall.

  “Why would Shadow let you stay here?” I asked her softly as I pressed her into the wall. Her cheek was against the wall as I nudged her arm up her back. Lela gasped as I ran my nose along her jawline – her skin was so soft. “Hmmm Lela? Why are you in my house?” I nipped her earlobe – a soft moan escaped her as I soothed the bite with my tongue.

  “Let me go and I can explain.” She wiggled her ass against me; it didn’t loosen my hold, but it did make my dick come alive.

  “You’re fine where you are.” I pressed into her ass. “Speak.”

  “I went to work on Monday morning,” Lela started. I stepped back suddenly, and she sagged against the wall. Walking into the kitchen, I leaned against the counter as I watched her.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because you didn’t tell me I wasn’t supposed to!” she snapped at me. “You threw me out, but I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to go to work.”

  “Are you serious? I threw you out, because I didn’t want to see you anymore. I said take care, for fuck sake!”

  “I didn’t know that meant I wasn’t to go to work! I had nowhere to go, I went to a hotel and I got up on Monday and went to work,” Lela said defensively, as she took a seat at the kitchen table, pulling her legs up to her chest. “I also wanted to see you, I admit. I fucked up and I know I did, and I wanted to see you, to explain.”

  I didn’t say anything – merely waited for her to finish.

  “Then you didn’t come in and people started asking. Trey had seen me in the club, he told me how out of it I was, that you hit Kyle.” She wiped her cheek. Tears wouldn’t work on me. “I knew then you weren’t lying about how bad I had been.”

  “Why the fuck would I lie?” I snapped in exasperation.

  “I don’t know ok? I’m saying sorry!” Those eyes flashed in frustration at me again and my softening dick started getting hard again. Jesus, why was she always turning me on? “As far as I know you are always at the garage in the morning, so I told them you were feeling under the weather. Then Shadow came in. He stopped dead in the middle of the office when he saw me.” I bet he did. She shook her head. “He scared the crap out of me.” A smile played about her mouth as she remembered. “He closed the door and asked me why I was there. I told him. He asked if you knew I was there. I said I just assumed you would as you hadn’t said I wasn’t to be there.” Lela took a deep breath. “Then this awful guy came in and Shadow told me to go into the workshop.”

  “What guy?” I asked her, stepping forward.

  “I don’t know, Shadow told me to go and speak to Trey. Then about five minutes later, he came and got me. The guy asked me to tell him where you were. I told him you were home, sick. You had the flu,” she finished lamely.

  I stared at her.

  “Shadow told me I had to move back into the house,” she went on. “He said you weren’t here – but he would explain to you before you got back – so you wouldn’t freak out. I guess that didn’t happen?” She ran her hand through her hair as she sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I have gone to work each day, I have gone to the store and I have bought more food than a normal person needs. I even made you chicken broth for your cold. I flushed it down the toilet. I’m vegetarian and the smell made me sick, after a while. I don’t know where you were – Shadow told me not to ask. He said I owed you.” Lela looked at me as she wrung her hands together. “From what Trey told me, Shadow told me and you spat out at me on Sunday, I reckon I more than owe you. So, I covered for you. I won’t tell anyone you haven’t been here. I put your light on at night and put your light off again. If anyone was watching, they won’t know. I kept the windows covered and the TV on low. I’ve been pretty paranoid.”

  Fuck me, was she serious? My head was reeling from the information. For Lela, that was a lot. I mean, a lot. Actuall
y, for anyone, this was a lot, for Lela this was above and beyond.

  “Where did Shadow tell people my truck was?” I asked.

  “Garage, I scratched the side of it with a key, when I was angry at you.” Lela shrugged as she flushed.

  That was also entirely plausible – everyone had seen she was fiery brat. “We’re not even,” I said instead.

  “I know.” Her voice was low and husky.

  “This doesn’t change anything,” I added.

  “I know.” She raised her eyes to look at me and I nodded. “Do I need to leave…again?” she asked me tentatively.

  I fought back the smile that threatened to take over. “No. You can stay until your mom’s back.”

  “Thank you.” Her head dipped again.

  “Right, well I’m going to catch a few hours. Got work later.” I went to walk past her. Her hand snaked out and caught my wrist.

  “I told Shadow I wouldn’t ask and I know I don’t deserve to know, but…who was she?” I looked down at her. She looked up at me. She was biting her lower lip and I pulled away.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered as I walked away. She thought I had been away with a woman? Well, that was just perfect.

  “If you tell me you were with that little skank from the bar, I will throw things,” Lela warned from behind me. I turned back to her. She was standing now; she’d started to follow me.

  “Oh Jesus, I can’t do this now.” I shook my head as I headed to my room.

  “I just need to know if it was her.” Lela stood in my doorway. I started to take my shirt off. Her eyes ran over my chest and arms as I tossed it aside.

  “You don’t need to know anything, it really has nothing to do with you. You stay here until your mom’s back.” She opened her mouth to speak and I spoke over her. “What happened in the Warehouse was a mistake.” Her eyes snapped to mine, hurt flashed in them briefly. “We both know it’s true. You wouldn’t have gotten wasted right after it if you felt good about it, Lela.” My hand moved to my belt and I started to loosen it. Her eyes trailed down and I stopped. “Lela. Go.” I jerked my head to the door.

  “I didn’t get high because of us.” Her hands fidgeted in front of her. I glanced quickly at her but pushed it aside. I wasn’t eager to know the reasons why she got high.

  “I don’t want to do this. I’m tired.” I ran my hand over my hair and sighed. “Let’s just get through the next few days with as little interaction as possible ok? It’s for the best.”

  “Really? Is it?” Her voice was low. She was looking at me from under her lashes.

  “Yeah, it is.” I smiled softly at her. “It’s not like we actually like each other babe. Let’s just survive each other ‘til your mom is back and then move on.”

  “I don’t want to move on.” She walked further into the room and was standing in front of me, her hand trailed down my abs slowly as she looked up at me. Her other hand tugged at my belt; my hand caught hers.

  “Lela.” I pushed her hand away. “No.” She took a step back and looked away. “I’m flattered, but this isn’t going to work.”

  “You’re flattered?” Her tone was high, her face disbelieving.

  “For fuck sake, will you please get the fuck out of my room? I won’t ask you again,” I snapped. Lela spun on her heel and stormed out.

  Lying on my bed, I sent a quick text to Shadow.

  Me: Nice surprise, you owe me big time

  It was just after seven at night, I could get a couple of hours. I set my alarm and closed my eyes. I let out a small laugh as I remembered the look on her face before she stormed out. I was going to pay for that, I was sure of it.

  My alarm went off before I was ready to wake up. Switching it off, I groaned in protest, got up, got dressed and headed to the kitchen. Two nights of eating proper meals had spoiled me; I grumbled as I made myself a sandwich. I needed to break this cycle, I usually ate better than this.

  “Hey.”

  I turned. Lela was dressed in jeans and a sweater. I hadn’t really expected anything else – of course she would be dressed to come with me. I turned back to the counter.

  “You eat?” I asked as I tidied up.

  “Yes, I ate when you were sleeping. I wasn’t sure if you had eaten before coming back here.”

  “Told you when you came here, I didn’t expect you to cook for me.” I took my plate to the table as I sat down to eat.

  “I’m sorry for earlier.” She pulled out a chair. I looked up at her as she sat down. Her hair was in a loose ponytail with bits escaping about her face. I wasn’t sure if that was intentional, but I liked the look, so I didn’t comment. She had lots of eyeliner on and hardly any other make-up, she looked hot as hell.

  “Women throw themselves at me all the time, I’m hard to resist, I know.” She laughed as I bit into my sandwich. God, I was fed up eating these, I needed a steak, meat at least. I tossed it onto the plate. “I can’t eat any more of this. You getting picked up?” I asked as I stood.

  “No. I was hoping you would take me?” Lela leapt to her feet.

  “Warehouse?” I asked as I headed to my room to get my smokes. I heard her hurrying after me.

  “Yes, um, Trey’s cousin is sick, I said I could help?” She wrung her hands in front of her. “If that’s ok with you? He said it’s easy to run the bar. If you were ok with it.”

  I turned and looked at her. I noted her bare feet. “What are you planning on putting on your feet?” I pocketed my smokes and lighter.

  “I have sneakers.”

  “Good.” Heels would kill her by the end of the night. “You ready?” I asked as I walked past her and headed to the door.

  “Yes, aren’t we early?” Lela hesitated between the hall and me.

  “Yeah, but I need a burger, or I may kill someone.” I grinned at her.

  “Noted.” She took a step backwards. “I’ll be right back,” she called as she ran lightly up the hall. It was probably twisted of me that it amused me to alarm her. When she came back, she quickly pulled a pair of black Converse on and a thick black padded jacket.

  In the truck she asked if she could put the radio on. I shrugged. X Ambassadors were playing, ‘Kerosene Dreams’ – too soft for my taste but I could see the appeal. Lela sang along – her low husky voice suited the lyrics and tempo of the song. I watched her sway in her seat and I remembered the provocative way of her moving on the dance floor on Saturday night. Kyle grinding into her ass flashed into my head and I turned my gaze away before she caught me watching.

  I placed the order then parked to eat. I rolled the window down. She thanked me. I told her it was to avoid the smell in the truck. I saw her roll her eyes and hid my smirk in my burger.

  “You don’t seem like a chocolate milkshake kind of guy,” Lela commented, desperate to fill the silence.

  “Really? You definitely seem like a vanilla milkshake kinda girl.” I winked as she flushed.

  “Why do you flirt with me, if we don’t work?” Lela asked me softly.

  “Because I’m twenty-four, I have a working dick and I’m not dead.” I ate some fries, “I’m also not stupid. I flirt with everyone. I want people to spend their money – if a wink and a nudge helps, I don’t mind.”

  “So, what you basically just said was, I’m not special.” Lela dipped her fries in her shake.

  “I’m pretty sure what you just did was a whole different kind of special that I don’t have the skills for.” I eyed her fries in distaste as she ate them.

  Despite herself she laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  “Lela,” I balled up my wrapper, “aren’t you tired of asking all these questions?”

  “I don’t know. You confuse me, you’ve always confused me. You scare me. You make me crazy.” I started the truck as she stared out the window and made her list. “But you make me feel safe.” Her head turned to me and I glanced her way. “I just want to understand what this is.”

  “I don’t have your answ
ers.” I drove towards Louisville. “Stop driving us both crazy and just accept this is…what it is.” I avoided looking at her as I drove.

  “That doesn’t even make sense,” Lela muttered, but she shut up and stared out the window as she watched the snow fall.

  The rest of the drive passed in silence which I was grateful for. The truth was I didn’t understand anything between us either. As soon as I’d seen her earlier in the house, I had wanted to fuck her in the hallway. I had been pressed into her body within moments before coming to my senses and remembering Saturday night and Sunday. Four days away from her meant nothing, she was as intoxicating now as she was on Saturday when my tongue was on her skin and her lips were wrapped around my dick.

  I kept saying it was just until her mom returned, but would I be able to step away when Skinner was back? Knowing she was in Boulder but not in my house – would it be easier? Jesus, I really needed to get laid and get this fucking woman out of my system. I parked in my usual spot and we headed around to the front. We were slightly early, and I let us in. The snow was now falling heavily – it was freezing inside.

  “It warms up once the people are in, until then, keep your jacket on,” I advised as I headed to the back area. Lela trailed after me. She stumbled and I half caught her before she fell. Straightening, we both noticed where we were at the same time. We were beside the dark corner from Saturday, Lela blushed as I quickly turned and headed on through to the back.

  I shrugged my jacket off, she looked at me quizzically. “I help set up, I don’t feel the cold as much,” I explained.

  “But you’ve been ill, you need to pretend,” Lela reminded me. I cursed and put the jacket back on.

  “Good point.” Just then I heard Trey holler. “Reinforcements.” I grinned and I headed out to meet him.

  “I can’t believe we were so close to everyone,” I heard Lela mutter as we passed the spot again. I glanced at her and met her gaze as she wrapped her arms around herself.

  Slowing down, I tipped her chin up. “No one saw us, I wouldn’t have risked anyone seeing you like that.” Her eyes held mine for a moment before she nodded that she understood. “Come on, you have boxes to carry.” I laughed in amusement as she groaned in protest.