Every Breath You Take (Bayou Devils MC Book 3)
Page 12
“I’m done,” I snap with a deadly smile on my face as I shove the notepad into his hands. This job is not worth the fucking trouble. I try to slip past him but he reaches out, wrapping his hand around my arm and I react without a thought, clocking him in the side of the head with my free hand. He blinks in shock and stumbles but doesn’t release me so I stomp on his foot with the heel of my boot and he shrieks in pain as my arm falls out of his grasp.
He limps after me as I jog to the counter and grab my bag from under the register. When he comes toward me again, I slip the knife out of my bag and hold it out in front of me. His hands shoot up in surrender and I circle around him until my back is to the door.
“You can’t just walk away from me, bitch,” he snarls and I smile, backing away from him.
“Fucking watch me, pervert.”
When I get to the door, I slip outside and walk to Mia’s car, keeping a firm grip on the knife until I’m safely inside with the doors locked. Sighing, I glance up at the gas station and relief washes over me knowing that I’ll never have to come back here.
* * * *
“Thanks for letting me borrow the car,” I say to Mia, handing her the keys as we walk into the restaurant where we’re meeting Willow and Lexi for lunch.
“No problem. What did you need it for?”
Sighing, I shake my head. “Lincoln invited me to his cabin over the weekend.”
Her eyes light up but she doesn’t get a chance to say anything as the waitress approaches us.
“Hi! Just two?” she asks.
“No, we’ve got two more coming.”
“We’re here,” someone says from behind me and I peek over my shoulder as Willow and Lexi walk up to us. Turning back to the waitress, I nod and she grabs four menus before instructing us to follow her. The girls are all whispering about something and giggling but I can’t be bothered to even pay attention. Not after this past weekend and yesterday when I quit at the gas station.
The waitress leads us to a table and sets a menu down in front of each chair as we all circle it, plopping down in a seat.
“Can I get y’all something to drink?” she asks.
“Coke, please,” Lexi says and the waitress nods before turning to Mia.
“Sweet tea.”
She turns to me. “Just a water, please.”
“And I’ll get a coffee,” Willow chimes in and the waitress flashes us a smile before turning to leave. Once she’s out of ear shot, all three girls smile at me.
“So…uh, Mia tells us that you went to Lincoln’s cabin over the weekend,” Lexi says and I grimace. During our anti Valentine’s Day get together, I spilled the beans about Lincoln – everything from how I am attracted to him but he’s just a friend to how I’d maybe like to be something more.
“I went up there Friday night but left shortly there after and he and I are done.”
They share a look before Mia lays a hand on my shoulder. “Sweetie, what happened?”
“Don’t y’all have some juicy boy gossip of your own that you could share instead of me?”
Lexi grins. “Yes, we do but we’re talking about you right now.”
My phone starts rattling on the table and Mia snatches it up before I have a chance to.
“Ooh, look who it is.” She turns the phone to me and I glare at Lincoln’s photo on the screen. “Maybe we should we ask him what happened.”
“Fine, I’ll tell you. Just give me my phone.”
She hands it over and I sigh, fiddling with the silverware on the table. “So, I went up there Friday and we started having dinner outside but I could tell he was upset so I asked him what was wrong. After he told me, he kissed me.”
Frowning, Willow glances around the table at the other girls. “I’m sorry, back up. Why was he upset?”
“That’s his business,” I tell her, shaking my head and she nods.
“Okay, and then he kissed you?”
I nod.
“How exactly does that relate to the two of you being done?”
The waitress comes back with our drinks, saving me for another minute as she sets them down in front of us.
“Are y’all ready to order?” she asks and Lexi shakes her head.
“We still need a minute.”
She nods and walks away from the table as three sets of eyes turn back to me.
“Continue,” Mia prompts and I sigh, my mind replaying the scene from Friday night and I swear I can still feel his lips pressed to mine.
“When he finished kissing me, he started cursing, told me to leave, and stormed into the house.”
Everyone’s eyes grow wide and they all glance at each other before turning back to me.
“He just left you outside?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“And what did you do?” Mia asks cautiously because… well because she knows me.
“Got in my car and started driving away…”
“Oh, thank god,” she breathes, placing her hand over her heart.
“…before I decided to turn around and tase him.”
Willow starts laughing, Lexi shakes her head, and Mia gasps.
“Jesus Christ, Tate. You can’t just go around tasing people.”
My brow furrows and I shoot a glare in her direction. “Why does everyone keep saying that to me? The asshole made me feel like I could open up to him, share my pain with him and hope for something more for the first time in a long time and I’m the bad guy for shocking him?”
“Well, it’s a little dramatic,” Lexi interjects and I roll my eyes.
“I didn’t shoot him, okay? And I could have because I had a gun in the glove box but the situation didn’t warrant it. Don’t act like I’m some crazy deranged person. The punishment fit the crime.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Mia whispers, turning to her menu and flipping it open. “Normal people don’t go around tasing people for things, Tate.”
“Well, maybe they should. Folks would be less likely to be assholes if there was a threat of tasing.”
Willow chuckles under her breath. “So, I take it you haven’t heard from him since?”
“Nope. And I don’t expect to.”
“He just called you,” Mia snaps, pointing to my phone and I shrug.
“So? I didn’t answer and I won’t answer. He’s dead to me.”
“Well, rest in peace to your non relationship then,” she says, holding her glass in the air and I do the same before taking a sip of water.
“I wouldn’t write him off just yet,” Lexi points out and I shake my head.
“I already have and I’m focused on other things.”
Mia leans back in the chair and crosses her arms over her chest. “Like what?”
“Like talking to Roger about getting more hours at the diner and getting registered for college.”
“Tate,” Lexi exclaims, looking bewildered. “How the hell are you going to work more hours at the diner, work at the gas station, and enroll in school? When will you sleep?”
“Oh,” I murmur, thinking back to yesterday when I stormed out of the store and quit my job. I also haven’t told the girls about the money my mom left me either. The only person I shared that with was… Lincoln. “I quit at the gas station.”
“Why?”
I suck in a breath. “I didn’t have much choice when Reed cornered me in the back room and tried to blackmail me into giving him a blowjob.”
“Oh, fuck,” Mia whispers.
“Shit,” Willow says and Lexi shakes her head. Mia grabs my arms and turns me to face her, her eyes wide.
“This is important, Tate. Did you kill him?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No. Because I told you, I’m not some deranged person. Y’all have no faith in me.”
“No, sweetie. I have infinite faith in your abilities to defend yourself. I worry about your temper sometimes though.”
Shrugging, I shake off her grip and grab my water, taking a sip. “Whatever. No one’s died yet.”
“Stop it,” I scold through my giggles. I’ve been in a sour mood for the past three days but only twenty minutes with my girls has turned that all around. “Tell me all about your love lives now.”
As Willow launches into her latest dating adventure, I sit back in my seat and let my gaze roam around the table to each girl as a smile forms on my face. Yeah, they may not understand what it feels like to lose a parent but these girls are my rocks and they are here for me unconditionally so fuck Lincoln. I don’t need him.
Chapter Eleven
Tatum
Stepping out onto the screened in porch off the dining room, I sink into one of the wicker chairs and let out a sigh as I bring my coffee cup to my lips. There’s a chill in the air despite the bright morning sunlight piercing through the old oak trees out in front of the house and birds are chirping sweetly above my head. It’s almost idyllic.
The phone rings for the sixth time in the last hour and I sigh, glancing through the open door into the dining room. The call has come in every ten minutes on the dot since seven this morning and I’m quickly losing patience with whoever is on the other end of the line. The machine picks up and since it’s just past the door, I can hear everything when the heavy, creepy breathing starts up again.
At first, I thought it was maybe a wrong number or the caller had a bad signal but when the next call came ten minutes later, I was less convinced that that was the case. By the time the phone rang for a third time, I knew it was intentional and meant for me. Maybe it’s just a prank. In fact, it doesn’t seem like a childish thing Reed might do but my mind tends to go darker than that and I can’t help but wonder if it has anything to do with the note taped to my door the other day.
When the phone stops ringing, I stand with my mug in my hand and walk back into the house, making sure the door is locked behind me before grabbing my pistol off the dining room table and stomping back to Mom’s bedroom. Theo and I avoided her room when we started going through her things and it wasn’t until the note showed up that I ventured in here but since then, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the safe room.
I open the closet door, revealing the tiny space she used to store her clothes. Pushing them to the side, I go to the back wall and press on the hidden control panel. With a little pressure, it pops right out and as soon as I enter the code, the door swings open, revealing a long L-shaped room. There’s TVs along one wall and I flip them on, watching as the video feed from the cameras fills the screens. When I was a wild, crazy teenager, I hated that Mom had cameras all over the house and could see what I was doing all the time but now I understand it. This room is where I’ve felt safest since that note showed up. Something that comforts and annoys me to no end.
The doorbell rings and I jerk out of my thoughts, glancing up at the screen that shows the front door. Lincoln rocks back and forth, his hands shoved in his pockets and I sigh, wondering if he’s here to bitch me out about tasing him. Honestly, I’m surprised it took him this long. A heavy sigh slips past my lips and I set my coffee down on the desk, grabbing the pistol and tucking it into the waistband of my jeans.
Might as well hurry up and get this over with.
Stepping out of the closet, I close the outer door but leave the hidden door open for a quick escape. Not that I think Lincoln will truly hurt me but it makes me feel better to have multiple plans in place when everything feels so off balance. When I get to the living room, his gaze locks with mine through the glass on the front door and I suck in a breath, those damn butterflies taking flight in my belly again.
“What do you want?” I yell.
“Open the door, please.”
I arch a brow, slowly approaching the door. “You mad?”
“For tasing me? Yeah, I’m a little fucking mad, Tate.”
Rolling my eyes, I unlock the door and open it, propping my hand on my hip. “You deserved it.”
“Are you kidding me? Have you ever been tased? That shit hurts. How did I deserve that?”
“Uh, well, first of all, yes I have been tased. And you deserved it because you’re playing fucking games with me. Stupid move on your part, really.”
He growls and I narrow my eyes into a glare.
“I’m not playing games.”
Like I’m going to buy that.
“What do you want, Lincoln?”
He takes a step back, rubbing the back of his neck as he clear his throat. “I want to talk to you.”
“What could we possibly have to talk about?” I ask. I think after Friday night, everything is pretty fucking clear.
“Can I just come in, please?”
I shake my head. “Naw, you’re good there.”
“Goddamn it, Tate!” he roars and my eyes widen as I watch him start pacing in front of the door, my hand twitching to grab the gun behind my back. “Why does everything have to be so damn difficult with you?”
“It doesn’t… as long as you do what I want.”
His gaze snaps to mine and he balls his fists up before turning away and slowly blowing out a breath.
“I don’t want to lose you.”
Releasing the door, I cross my arms over my chest. “I think that ship has sailed.”
“Don’t say that.”
“We can’t go back to being just friends,” I tell him and he nods, turning back to me. The two of us being friends was a terrible idea from the start with how attracted we are to each other. It was always doomed to end the way it did.
“I know.”
I scowl. “So what are you saying?”
Whiskey eyes meet mine and I suck in a breath at the heat raging in his gaze. He takes a step toward me and I love and hate how weak he makes me feel.
“I want more.”
“No, you don’t. You said yourself that you’re not a relationship guy.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he whispers, closing the space between us and reaching up to cup my cheek. My eyes flutter closed and I lean into his touch, completely at his mercy. “Shit happened and my life fell apart. I haven’t been in a relationship in six years and I had no intention of ever being in one again but you make me want to try, Tate. You make me hope for things I thought I had no business hoping for anymore.”
“Oh,” I whisper, opening my eyes and meeting his gaze.
“Yeah, oh.”
My teeth sink into my lip. “So, more then? A real relationship?”
“Nothing would make me happier.”
“I swear to God,” I murmur, tears burning my eyes as I shake my head. “If you’re playing me again, I will kill you.”
He chuckles, nodding. “I know you will, Sweetheart.”
Leaning in, his lips hover above mine and I lose my train of thought for a second before I press on his chest and he pulls back, scowling at me.
“If we’re going to do this, we need to lay all our cards on the table.”
He studies me for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
“Come on in, then,” I whisper, my hands shaking with nerves. There are still things about me and my past that Lincoln doesn’t know and I honestly have no idea how he’ll take them. He steps into the house and I scan the street as I shut the door and lock it again.
“You want some coffee?” I ask, turning to face him and he nods.
“That sounds good… you know how I like it.”
I am reminded of the first day we met in the diner and I smirk as I brush past him. “I’m gonna dump it on your lap if you’re not careful.”
“Eh, I don’t think you will,” he calls after me and I laugh.
“And here I thought you knew me better than that already.”
Peeking over my shoulder, I catch his shudder just as the phone starts to ring and I sigh. I brace my hands on the counter and close my eyes, counting to ten in my head as I feel Lincoln step up beh
ind me.
“You gonna get that?” he murmurs and I shake my head, snapping up and grabbing a mug off the open shelving by the sink.
“Nope.”
The machine picks up as I pour his coffee and heavy breathing fills the room.
“What the fuck is that?” he growls, marching over to the machine and reaching out to grab the phone.
“Don’t!”
He glances up at me, his face set in a glare. “What the hell is going on, Tate?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a prank call or something. They’ve been coming all morning.”
His eyes widen before he walks back over to me and crosses his big arms over his chest. “That doesn’t sound like a prank call.”
“Okay, so it may be… my boss from the gas station.”
His jaw ticks. “And why would he be calling you like that?”
“Because I quit?” I suggest and his eyes narrow. “After, I pulled a knife on him.”
“Jesus Christ,” he breathes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Any particular reason that you pulled a knife on him?”
I shrug. “He tried to blackmail me into giving him head and when I said no, he grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.”
“Motherfucker,” he snarls, looking toward the machine as the message finally cuts off. He clenches his jaw and he balls his fists, looking ready to murder someone.
“Hey, it’s okay because I took care of it.”
“Yeah?” he asks, turning back to me. “And what if he decides to take this further and shows up here?”
I laugh, picturing just how that would go down. Reed wouldn’t even know what hit him. “Oh, I wish he would.”
“You’re terrifying,” he tells me, a smile teasing his lips and I grin.
“Only if you cross me so, you know… don’t do that.”
He nods, grabbing his coffee out of my hand and turning toward the dining room table. “Noted. You ready to talk?”
“Yeah,” I answer, sucking in a breath and grabbing a fresh cup of coffee for myself. “Let’s do this.”