‘And you didn’t think to tell me?’
Her head shot back up. ‘This is a fucking mess, Tay. And I have no idea how it’s all gonna end so don’t stand there acting like you’ve been hard done by…’
‘You should’ve told me,’ he hissed, his face so close to hers now.
‘There are a lot of things people should have told each other. Don’t you think?’
‘That baby…’
‘Our grandson.’
‘When’s that little bombshell gonna be dropped, huh?’
Angie shook her head. ‘It’s too soon.’
‘Too soon?’ Tay narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at Angie. ‘You think there’ll ever be a good time to throw that news out there? Because that is gonna take a whole shitload of explaining.’
She pushed past him, walking away towards the clubhouse.
‘Angie…’
She swung back around to face him.
‘This really could kick up some serious shit.’
She folded her arms again, a resigned expression on her face now. ‘Yeah. I know.’
She turned around and headed into the clubhouse, bumping straight into Kip. ‘Hey… You okay, Mum?’
‘Where’s Jesse?’
‘Jesse? Dunno. Think he’s with Luca somewhere. Why?’
‘Is he here?’
‘I’ve just told you. He’s somewhere around here... Mum, what’s wrong?’
Angie pushed a hand through her hair, sighing loudly. ‘Your sister. And Coby...’
Kip narrowed his eyes, taking just seconds to put two and two together. ‘Shit!’
‘We should probably tell Jesse first before...’
‘Where are they?’
‘In the apart… Kip!’
But he was off down the hall before Angie could stop him, kicking the door of the apartment open with a heavy thud. They were in bed, his sister and the club’s VP. They were in bed, quite obviously having sex, and it wasn’t something Kip wanted to see, but at least it all made sense now, the reason why she couldn’t – wouldn’t take things any further with Jesse.
‘At least you had the decency to end things with Jesse before you fucked-up his life again.’
Coby fixed Kip with a stare that could’ve frozen ice. ‘We’re a bit busy here, son. You want to come back later?’
‘Jesus Christ…’ Kip turned around and walked out of the room, heading back into the clubhouse.
Jesse was at the bar, talking to Blake and Luca. ‘You all right?’ he asked Kip as he slid up on to a stool beside him.
Kip pushed both hands through his hair, letting out a loud, frustrated sigh. ‘You’re not gonna like this.’
Jesse looked at Blake then Luca, as though they should both have some kind of idea as to what Kip was talking about. Which they didn’t. They shrugged, causing Jesse to turn his attention back to Kip. ‘I’m not gonna like what?’
‘Lexi. And our VP.’
Jesse narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at Kip.
‘You’re fucking kidding me!’ Blake whistled. ‘Old man Coby’s boning our red hot sister?’
‘My sister,’ Kip corrected. Even though he knew what Blake meant. Lexi had always been like a sister to all of the guys in the club. That’s the way they all thought of her, in their own weird and sometimes slightly warped way.
‘She’s sleeping with Coby?’ Jesse asked, his voice quiet.
‘They’re together, right now, in the apartment… Hey, hang on… Jesse!’
Luca rolled his eyes as he stared at Kip. ‘What the fuck did you tell him that for?’
‘Shit!’ Kip sighed, pushing both hands through his hair again, sliding down from the stool and running after Jesse. But he’d already barged his way into the apartment, finding Coby and Lexi out of bed now. She was leaning against the sideboard, wearing nothing but the tiniest of panties and a tight white tank top, Coby in jeans, boots and a t-shirt, his dark, grey-streaked hair hanging loose around his face. He looked at Jesse, no surprise registering in his expression at all, not even when Jesse lunged at him, pushing him back against the wall. It was almost as if he’d been expecting it, which put him one step ahead of the younger man who wasn’t quick enough to see Coby’s punch coming, a swing which sent Jesse reeling backwards.
‘Jesus!’ Lexi shouted, throwing herself between them. ‘What the hell… Jesse!’
‘How did you expect him to react, sis?’
She turned to glare at Kip, Coby’s hand sliding into hers. She gripped it tightly, feeling his fingers curl around hers. She didn’t need him to be her safety, but she liked the way it felt, holding his hand.
‘How long, Lexi?’ Jesse asked, putting a hand to his cut lip. ‘How long have you and him… how long you been fucking him?’
‘This has got nothing to do with you,’ Coby said, fixing Jesse with a stare that told him to back off.
‘She was my old lady, Coby.’
‘I haven’t been your old lady for eight years, Jesse,’ Lexi said quietly, her grip on Coby’s hand tightening. ‘And I made you no promises when I came back here, remember? I told you that. I told you that.’
‘Shit!’ Jesse leant back against the wall, closing his eyes, burying his fingers in his hair. ‘I fucking loved you, Lexi. I loved you so much…’
She let go of Coby, walking over to Jesse, reaching out to gently touch his face. ‘I know. Baby, I know. And I loved you, too, but… after I left Paradise, so much happened, Jesse. So much, and it… it changed everything.’ She turned to look at Coby, who threw her a warning look. Neither Jesse nor Kip knew he’d been over in England. Everyone thought he’d spent that time in jail for some ridiculous misdemeanour, a lie Tay and Angie had managed to pull off with the help of Michael Bailey, their club-friendly sheriff. Although, it was possible even he hadn’t known exactly what he was supposed to be helping cover up. He never asked too many questions, it was safer that way.
‘It was eight years ago, Jesse,’ Coby said. ‘And eight years – that’s a long time.’
‘I just don’t… I don’t get it, Lexi. I mean, you and him… you never thought of him like that, he was always more of a father figure to you.’
‘And now she’s fucking daddy.’ Blake grinned, walking into the room. ‘Aw, shit, Lexi. You’re dressed.’
Coby turned to hit Blake with another stare that could kill. ‘Watch your mouth, son. That’s my girl you’re talking to.’
‘I can handle him, thanks.’ Lexi let go of Jesse and walked back over to Coby, poking her tongue out at Blake.
‘Nice.’ Blake winked. ‘You do anything else with that?’
‘Jesus Christ!’ Coby sighed.
‘Okay, that was my fault,’ Lexi said, resting a hand on Coby’s shoulder. ‘Let’s all just try and calm down, all right?’
‘Everything okay in here?’ Tay asked, appearing in the doorway, surveying the scene in front of him. ‘I guess it’s safe to say it’s out there now, huh?’
Lexi walked back over to the sideboard, leaning against it, folding her arms. ‘You could say that.’
Tay looked at her, chuckling quietly. ‘Coby. A word.’
Coby looked over at Lexi, mouthing ‘okay?’ She nodded, throwing him a small smile. He began following Tay out of the room, stopping at the door and turning back around. ‘Hey, Lexi? Put some clothes on, kid.’
She gave him the finger and he grinned at her before finally leaving the room. That was when Jesse sank to his haunches, his head dropping into his hands as he let out a loud cry of frustration.
‘See what you’ve done?’ Kip hissed. ‘You should never have come back here, Lexi. You should’ve stayed with Dad, out of sight. And let everyone here get on with their lives.’
‘I’m not getting into this,’ Lexi said, pulling on her jeans and boots.
‘Just leave it, Kip,’ Jesse sighed, pushing himself up on to his feet.
Lexi looked at Jesse, their eyes locking for just the briefest of seconds. ‘I’m sorr
y,’ she whispered.
‘Yeah.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets, breaking the stare. ‘So am I.’ He turned and walked over to Kip, Luca and Blake, turning his back on her as though she wasn’t even there. ‘Come on. Let’s go see which of the Candy Cave girls have turned up to party. Right now, I’m in the mood to get wasted.’
Lexi watched them leave, breathing out deeply to try and stop the tears that were threatening to fall. If ever there was a time when she needed to start being tough again, it was now. Because being weak could, quite literally, kill her.
***
‘This is gonna stop, Coby. You hear me?’
Coby turned to face Tay, unable to stop a laugh from escaping. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘You keep me in the fucking loop from now on, you got that?’
Coby took a step forward, leaning in towards Tay as he spoke. ‘And what loop would that be, Tay?’
‘You went over there to do a job. You didn’t go over there to fuck my stepdaughter… Jesus Christ! You got her pregnant!’
‘Hey, before you go any further let’s get something straight, okay? This club has no fucking say over my private life…’
‘You don’t have a private life anymore. That’s gone, finished. It disappeared the second you stuck that wandering dick of yours inside Lexi… Jesus, Coby! What the hell were you thinking?’
Coby reached into the barrel and pulled out a beer, ripping the top off the bottle with his teeth, spitting it out on to the ground. ‘I love her, Tay.’
‘Oh, Jesus…’ Tay laughed, sitting down on the table behind them. ‘You don’t love her…’ He looked straight at Coby. Right into his eyes. ‘You tell her that yet? You tell her you love her? When did you tell her, huh? When you had your dick rammed up her?’
Coby’s expression darkened and he took a couple of steps back from Tay, shaking his head. ‘This is bullshit.’
‘You’re telling me.’
‘You don’t interfere in my life, Tay. You got that? Because you have no idea of the shit I’ve been going through since I got back from England. You have no fucking idea.’
Tay walked back over to Coby, his expression serious. Almost threatening. ‘The thing is, Coby, your life could really fuck things up around here.’
‘And what you’re doing with the Cabos isn’t?’
Tay took a couple of steps back, laughing quietly. ‘That deal could keep us going for a long time. A long time. And if you actually sat down and thought about it, you’d know I was right. It’s gonna take the pressure off, Coby. And we could really do with that right now.’
‘If you’re so certain about that then why haven’t we taken a vote on it, huh? Why haven’t you let any of the others in on it, given them the chance to decide whether they want to get back into all that shit? If you’re so sure this is good for the club then why are you going behind everyone’s backs? Because, if anything, that’s what could pull this club apart. Not me. Not my relationship with Lexi. Not what happened over in England. You, Tay. You are the one taking the risk here, not me.’
Tay stared at him for a beat or two. ‘That’s what you really think? You don’t think the guilt is gonna get to you, huh? When she’s lying in your arms, and you’re holding her close; when all you want to do is keep her safe because, if you do love her, Coby, that’s all you’re gonna want to do – keep her safe. So, when all those feelings are running riot inside that fucked-up head of yours, you’re telling me the guilt won’t ever get to you?’
‘It was business, Tay. We had no choice.’
‘That isn’t what I asked you. Can you be sure the guilt won’t get to you? Because when that kid of yours gets over here, that son you ain’t ever met, Coby – when he gets over here, and you hold him for the very first time you are gonna have feelings kicking their way to the surface you ain’t ever felt before. So you need to be sure – you need to be really sure – that this ain’t all gonna blow back on us. You need to be so fucking sure.’
Coby took a long drink of beer, turning away from Tay, watching as Lexi walked out of the clubhouse, out into the compound, all long legs and blonde hair and a body he craved now, like those drugs he would never, ever touch. ‘I’m sure.’
‘Yeah, well, you better be, Cobe. You fucking better be. So, let’s try and keep the past where it belongs, okay? As far as the kid is concerned, we’ll work something out. I don’t know what the hell that is yet, but I’ll think of something. You all right with that?’
Coby nodded.
‘Good man.’ Tay squeezed his shoulder, smiling slightly. ‘Oh, and one more thing. You take care of my stepdaughter, you got that? You hurt her, you hurt me. And you really don’t wanna do that.’
***
‘I’m guessing that wasn’t the way you wanted all this to come out?’ Kel sighed, sitting himself down next to Lexi.
She didn’t look at him, just kept staring straight ahead, out at the rows of bikes all lined up outside the clubhouse, the smell of petrol and oil and cigarettes all merging together in some heady mix that was strangely comforting. Because it was a smell that reminded her she was home, where she belonged. Whether she really wanted to be there or not.
‘It’s best that it’s out there, sweetheart. And Jesse, he’ll get used to it. He’ll come round.’
‘Yeah. That’s what my mum said about Kip, and he doesn’t seem in any hurry to get our brother/sister relationship back up and running any time soon.’
Kel handed her another beer, and she took it, taking a long drink.
‘You see, I’m just not sure this is gonna work itself out, Kel.’ She finally turned to look at him, crossing her legs up underneath herself. ‘Nobody takes another brother’s old lady, but that’s my fault, isn’t it? Because I shouldn’t have done what I did. I should have walked away…’ She trailed off, more stupid tears suddenly starting to prick her eyes. ‘But I couldn’t, Kel. I couldn’t walk away.’
He reached out to take her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. ‘This thing you have with Coby, it all seems a bit sudden. I mean, you walk back in here, and it looks as though it’s all gonna be you and Jesse again and then… then suddenly you’re Coby’s old lady.’
She looked right into his eyes. Of course Kel hadn’t been fooled, he never was one to take anything at face value. If something didn’t feel right then he’d more than likely try and work out the reason for that.
‘This isn’t a sudden thing. Is it?’ Kel asked.
Lexi looked down at his hand holding hers, the sound of Coby’s voice talking to Luca somewhere behind her making her close her eyes and wish they could get away from here. Far away. But that was something that was probably never going to be possible. Not now. Not after everything that had happened.
Taking a deep breath she let go of Kel’s hand, pulling herself up off the bench she’d been sitting on. ‘It’s complicated, Kel.’
‘Isn’t everything around here, kiddo.’
She looked at him, gripping the beer she was holding tight between her fingers. ‘Yeah, well, believe me, you don’t even know what complicated is until you hear this.’
He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her. ‘What’s going on, Lexi?’
She shook her head, aware she’d already said too much. ‘Nothing. It doesn’t matter. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll catch you later, all right?’
‘Lexi! Hang on a second.’
She swung back around as Kel caught up with her. For a man as big as he was he could sure move fast sometimes.
‘How long?’
She said nothing for a few seconds as she tried to work out what to do for the best. But all she really wanted to do was kill the lies, end the secrets. She was here for the truth, wasn’t she? And it was about time that truth started to come out a little bit faster now.
‘I think I’ve been in love with him for a long time, Kel.’
Kel’s eyes narrowed again. ‘A long time? But… I don’t understand, kiddo…’
‘At least a couple of years.’
It was almost as though she was talking to herself now, admitting everything she’d been afraid to admit before.
Kel stared at her, letting her words sink in. ‘A couple of years ago you were over in England, Lexi so… so why would you suddenly develop feelings for a man you hadn’t seen in almost six years?’
Lexi looked at him, but she didn’t answer his question. ‘Talk to my mum.’ She turned around and walked away, knowing she’d just started something she may now not be able to stop. And although the consequences of that scared her, she was beginning to realize that sometimes you just had to do what was best, for you. For the people that mattered. Not what was best for the club.
‘Hey, beautiful.’
She swung around to see Coby standing there, his hands in his pockets, his hair pushed back off his face – his rough, scarred, but oh so handsome face. And she couldn’t help but smile. ‘Hi.’
‘You okay?’
She briefly looked down at the ground before her eyes met his again. ‘Yeah. I guess.’
He walked over to her, taking the beer from her hand and helping himself to a drink before leaning over to kiss her. She slid a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down, keeping his mouth on hers, the taste of beer still there on his lips. She could have stayed there, kissing him, forever. But life wasn’t that perfect. Not here. She’d seen to that.
‘Maybe we should go back inside, huh?’ Coby smiled, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb, and she couldn’t help but return his smile.
‘I don’t know what to do, Coby. All of this, it’s such a mess. And I miss Ozzie. I miss our boy so much.’
‘Hey, I know.’ He pulled her against him, holding her close, kissing the top of her head as he rubbed her back. ‘I know, kid. But we’ll get him back, I promise. Because I… I need to meet this little guy…’ He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. ‘Don’t I?’
She reached out to touch his face again, stroking it gently, watching as her fingers traced the deep scar that ran almost the entire length of his left cheek. ‘He’s going to grow up amongst all of this,’ she whispered, her fingers now resting on his scar. ‘And that scares the hell out of me.’
Revolution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book #1) Page 13
