He rubbed his neck. “Is one of those girls Gracie?”
I shook my head as I pressed my hands on the wood slats, willing the tears not to surface.
“How’s she doing?” he asked, his tone repentant.
“After seven years you want to know how she’s doing?” I mashed my hand into the siding hard, hoping it would swallow me up.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He knitted his eyebrows. “You moved away like we had the plague.”
I inhaled sharply, the cold morning air prickling on the way down. “Your family didn’t bother to check on her. My father contacted yours to see how your family was doing. He left all our information with your dad. After that we never heard from him.”
He straightened to his full six-foot height. “I didn’t know that. But why didn’t you return my emails or phone calls after you moved?”
“Is that what you think I owe you?” I squinted so hard it hurt.
“We loved each other, Lizzie.” He took one confident step toward me and stopped.
“That was a lifetime ago. We were thirteen, Kel. Then someone died, and life changed.”
Bee squeaked. I had no doubt Dillon, Allie, and Bee were listening. Honestly, I didn’t mind. I was certain Dillon was there just to be sure I didn’t need his help. If Dillon and I were building trust, then here was his chance to get to know a little more about Elizabeth Reardon.
Kelton shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. “That didn’t mean we couldn’t talk.”
“So, are you saying you would’ve still loved me, even though my sister was the one who pulled the trigger?”
Another squeal filtered out from inside, followed by Dillon shushing them.
“You wouldn’t have looked at me any differently? Your parents wouldn’t either? Your brothers?” I wasn’t sure I could face his family. Something as tragic as what had happened changed people.
His gaze dropped to his booted feet.
I went to the other side of the porch. Five feet was way too close to Kelton. “Yeah, I thought so. Your family will always blame mine. My presence in your life would always remind them of that day. It was best to cut all ties with you.”
He inched closer, maintaining the distance between us. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t even Gracie’s fault.”
I used the porch rail to support me. “In part, I agree.” My dad had always taught us not to touch a gun, especially when he’d learned that Mr. Maxwell had been schooling the boys in how to shoot. “I saw how determined Karen was to be like you and your brothers. She wanted to do everything you boys did, including shooting and hunting. When I think back, part of me gets angry with your dad. He didn’t bother to teach Karen gun safety. If I recall, his reasoning was that girls shouldn’t handle guns. The other part of me gets mad at my sister. She knew not to go anywhere near one.” I gripped the rails on either side of me, feeling as though I’d just discarded seven years of anger, hurt, and sadness that had been targeted at the Maxwells.
He swung his pensive gaze out toward the street. A lady bundled up in a heavy coat, hat, and scarf cleaned the snow off her car.
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “Why are you in Boston? Have you been living here long?”
The past week had felt like a lifetime, especially the last twenty-four hours. “Where are you going with this?” I wasn’t sure where or how I wanted this conversation to go.
He stalked over to me.
I dug my palms into the railing, tensing every muscle in my body. My pulse beat in my ears, growing louder the closer he got. The tips of his boots touched mine. I dropped my gaze, afraid to meet those damn blue eyes that caused my insides to do funky, sexy things.
His military-style boots were unlaced at the top, his jeans were ripped at the knees, and his red briefs peeked through a hole just under his right pocket.
Lord, you’re not helping me.
His cold fingers landed underneath my chin. “Look at me, Lizzie.”
Oh, hell no.
Steam blew out of my nose.
“I’ve missed you,” he said softly, his thumb moving back and forth on my chin as his chest rose and fell rapidly.
My brain became fuzzy as he continued to hold my chin between his fingers. Every emotion I had for Kelton was locked in a box and stored away. Yet, at that moment, the way he continued to rub my chin, light and soothing, the closeness of his body, his warm breath breezing over me, and his hands on my face, was too freaking much.
I pried my hand from the rail and pushed against his hard abs. He didn’t move. I tried again.
“I’m not leaving yet,” he said in a husky voice that sent an electrical charge to the center of my heart.
He grasped my wrist before dragging my hand over his heart. I was catapulted back in time to when we’d stood on my front lawn the day we’d moved. He’d given me my half-heart necklace. Then I’d asked him where the other half was. He’d taken my hand, pressed my palm to his heart, and said, “Right here.”
His cinnamon breath shattered the memory. I quickly checked to ensure the charm I’d never taken off was still hidden beneath my shirt. When I lifted my gaze, time stopped. He was looking at me the same way he had when we were thirteen—with love stamped in his eyes.
I swallowed several times to try and get the lump in my throat to go down.
Then he slowly dragged his thumb over my lips. “They’re still as pink as ever,” he said, his gaze on my mouth.
I touched the scar on his chin, smiling, remembering the time his foot had slipped on the rungs of the ladder to the tree house. He brought my fingers up to his mouth and kissed them lightly. Goosebumps fired along my arms. I knew I should create some distance between us, but the spell he had me under was strong. We stared at one another, trying to figure out words, life, what was going through each other’s minds in that moment. At least I was. Until his lips brushed mine.
I held my breath. If he full-on kissed me I’d want more, and more wasn’t possible. Not with our past.
A car door slammed in the distance. Kelton edged back, releasing me. One of Dillon’s neighbors was starting her car.
“Kel, what do you want?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to disrupt your life. I just needed to confirm you were really Lizzie. You didn’t give me a chance last night.”
My heart fluttered and sputtered. He sounded sad and happy at the same time.
“Okay. You’ve seen me. Now what?”
“Now I leave you to your life,” Kelton said. “It was good to see you.” He swept his gaze over me as if he was taking pictures with every blink of his eyes. Then he gave me a half smile before dashing off the porch as though I was contagious. He jumped in his Jeep and sped away.
I pushed out all the air in my lungs as I touched my lips. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to feel thirteen again. I wanted to go back and erase the day my mom screamed at the top of her lungs when Gracie came into the house with blood splattered on her face and hands. But what I wanted I couldn’t have or change. However, I could shape my future. Kelton and I would be better off staying away from each other.
The front door groaned before Dillon stepped out with a green army coat in his hand. “Is the coast clear?”
I bobbed my head.
“Here, put this on.” He held out the coat. “You have to be freezing. I would’ve brought it out to you earlier, but I didn’t want to interrupt.”
Dillon continued to surprise me. He was definitely a sweet man. I took the coat from him, even though I wasn’t cold. I had on my clothes from the night before, but I’d found a heavy sweater in the bedroom I’d slept in, since the house had a chill to it. “We can go inside.”
“Let’s talk first. It’s a little more private out here.” He sat on the bench underneath the window. “Come.” He patted a spot next to him.
Easing down next to him, I draped the outer garment over my legs. “My conversation wasn’t private,” I said eve
nly.
“I’m sorry about that. I had to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt you. And after their last squeal, I sent the girls up to get ready for the movies and closed the window. Are you okay?”
Kelton would never hurt me physically. Emotionally was another story. “I’m good.” I was, and I wasn’t. I’d gotten one thing off my chest, and it felt like a load of bricks had been lifted off me. On the other hand, I wanted someone I couldn’t have. I couldn’t build a relationship with Kelton. Our past would never allow it. His family would never allow it. Most of all, his girlfriend would never allow it. “So, you’re not going to chastise me about the Russian mob and all?”
“He’s not going to cause trouble. He wanted to shake my hand, not out me to his future father-in-law.”
Sadly, the last part of that statement drove a stake through my heart.
We both watched his neighbor across the street shovel the sidewalk.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to explore more of our kiss. But I can clearly see you still have feelings for Maxwell. I would like to be friends, and I do want to help you,” Dillon said. “Tell me what the guy stole from you. And who he is. And if it’s Kelton Maxwell, I’ll make his life hell.”
My heart warmed at his big-brother-like gesture. It was too bad he couldn’t help get my heart back from Kelton. “Do you help every girl you meet?”
“Not every girl. I can’t help those who don’t want help.” His voice trailed off as he bent forward, digging his elbows into his jeans-clad thighs.
“Why do you, by the way? I mean, help girls off the streets?” In my mind, Dillon was a walking contradiction. On the one hand, he sold guns, although I hadn’t seen any. Yet he wanted to help girls in distress. My intuition told me the name Grace inked on his arm had something to do with his answer.
“I’d rather not talk about it right now.” He sat up.
“Okay, but why me? I’m not homeless.”
“You know my cousin, and to be honest, I don’t want to see you get swallowed up by the streets of Boston. Again, I’d like to help you.”
It would be so easy to have Dillon and his crew threaten Terrance into giving me my money back. But this wasn’t Dillon’s fight, and while I could use the help, I didn’t want him risking himself. He’d said he didn’t want any trouble. I imagined if the cops came poking around they’d have several questions regarding Bee and Allie since they were runaways, even though they were of legal age. I couldn’t jeopardize their lives either.
“I have to handle this on my own.”
His focus was somewhere out in the yard or on the street. The branches of the oak tree scraped together.
“Is a gun necessary to take care of your problem?”
“Let’s just say I’d feel safer if I had one. And to put you at ease, I’m not planning on using it to kill anyone. And before you ask, I know how to handle a gun safely.” I’d learned everything I could about them after Gracie had accidentally shot Kelton’s sister. At first, I hadn’t wanted to go near one, not after seeing my sister so distraught. Anytime she saw cop shows or guns on TV or someone was talking about them, she’d go into a deeper depression for days. More importantly, I didn’t want to be afraid of them.
“Then you’d be fine with a Taser? It would protect you long enough for you to get away without putting a bullet into someone.”
The last thing I wanted to do was put a bullet into anyone, but as angry as I was with Terrance Malden, I couldn’t be sure what I would or wouldn’t do. Although if I did take Zach hostage, then a gun would be more threatening. But maybe a hostage situation was not the way to go. I didn’t want to get arrested. I had to come up with a plan without getting myself thrown in jail. In the meantime, maybe it was for the best that I arm myself with a Taser. At least a Taser would incapacitate Terrance until I could tie him up and get him to talk. I shrugged. “I guess you’re right. A Taser would be fine.”
The house door opened, and some heat drifted out along with Josh. “Boss, phone call on the landline.”
“I’ll be right in,” Dillon said as he pushed to his feet.
Josh left the door cracked as he vanished.
“I’d ask you to stay with us while you’re in Boston, but I have a feeling your answer would be no. I’d like you to consider it though. Bee and Allie would love for you to stay too.”
“I’ll think about it.” The thought of not sleeping at the hostel appealed to me, especially since I was spoiled from the comfortable bed I’d slept in the night before, and I could save some money. Although the downside would be Kelton. If he showed up again, I wasn’t sure Dillon would be so accommodating.
“Good. Why don’t we go in?” He held out his hand.
“I need to make a phone call first.”
He reached the door. “Lizzie, if you ever need an ear, I’ll listen.” Then he went inside.
Tilting back my head so that it rested against the house, I closed my eyes and yawned. It wasn’t even noon, and I could snuggle in bed and sleep for a week. But I couldn’t relax. After another deep yawn, I pulled out Zach’s card and my phone then dialed his number. It was time to set the wheels in motion.
9
Kelton
I danced on the balls of my feet in the boxing ring in our garage. I cracked my neck, waiting for Kross. The entire family was home. We usually tried to get together on Sundays, especially when Lacey was down from college. My mom adored her and couldn’t wait for Lacey and Kade to marry.
“Come on, Kross.” I was itching to punch someone. Preferably Dillon Hart.
“Chill,” he said as he hopped into the ring. “Dinner’s not for another hour. What’s bugging you anyway? You’ve been a dick since you walked in. What? You only get laid four times this week instead of seven?”
Zero. I even abstained from Trudy Davenport’s advances again. “Are you going to talk or punch?” After I’d left Lizzie standing on Dillon’s porch the morning before, I hadn’t been able to concentrate. Hell, I hadn’t been able to focus since I’d first seen her Friday night. I’d planned on drinking or getting laid. Neither had happened. Sleep was impossible. Food didn’t smell good. Not when her jasmine scent was part of me. I wanted to taste her more than I wanted to scarf down my favorite meal of pizza and beer.
So, when Kross asked me to spar with him, I jumped at the chance—anything to relieve the tension that seized every muscle in my body.
We shuffled around each other as Kross smirked. That was never good. Kross had been boxing since he’d graduated high school and had been doing it professionally for the last year. One of his key moves was curling his lip on one side before he knocked out his opponent. He threw a left hook, hitting me square in the jaw, the pain blurring my vision for a second.
“Is that all you got?” I threw one of my own, connecting with his nose.
He didn’t flinch. “Nice one. I see you’ve been practicing.”
Yeah, with walls. I jabbed with my left.
Kross ducked. “How’s that new place you’re living in?” He came back with a right hook, knocking me into the ropes.
I opened my jaw then closed it before moving it from side to side. “It’s big for just me and Zach.”
The door to the garage creaked, and in strode a pissed-off Kade. Something told me he was about to unleash his anger on me. I couldn’t imagine it was Kross, since he’d been out of town with his coach, scoping out future opponents.
He stalked closer, pounding his large feet against the cement floor. “You lied to me, Kel. Care to explain why?”
Kross glowered. “Since when do we lie to each other?”
Since Lizzie Reardon showed up at Rumors.
“Start talking.” Kade settled against Lacey’s Mustang with his arms crossed over his chest. “Or I’ll get in that ring, and you’ll be out for days.”
Kade hated to be lied to. Which was ironic since Kade had lied to Lacey in the past. He had his reasons, and I certainly had mine.
Kross
jumped out of the ring, took off his gloves, then wiped his face with a towel.
“Well?” Kade asked.
I cursed myself for lying as I followed Kross’s lead. Once I got the sweat off me, I pulled on a T-shirt and sat on the edge of the ring. Kross joined Kade against the car. I swung my gaze between them, trying to think where to start. Both waited with equal expressions of you-better-start-talking-or-I’ll-make-you-talk. I didn’t have much to tell them. Kade was concerned, mostly about our mom. I couldn’t blame him. The last thing I wanted was to bring up the past. My mom was home. She seemed happy, although she still had her moments. When it snowed, she got quiet. Since her time in the mental health facility, she’d come to associate snow with Karen and the angels. She’d always tell us boys that snow was an angel’s blanket.
“Does this have anything to do with Chloe?” Kross asked.
“No,” Kade barked. “Lizzie Reardon.”
Kross gasped. “What the fuck? Lizzie, the girl Kelton sulked over for months after she moved away?” His jaw hung open.
“Yo, I’m right here.” I gripped the base of the cushioned ring. “And I didn’t sulk.” I just lost my fucking heart and mind.
“Like hell you didn’t,” Kade said. “But that’s not the problem. Is it now?” His face reddened.
No, the problem was me. I was still trying to get the image of me almost kissing her out of my head. I itched to taste her, kiss her, and run my hands through her long thick hair. But I wasn’t ready to take the plunge. My heart wasn’t ready. Although if I did those things, maybe I could get rid of the desire to feel her again. To feel what it would be like to kiss her one last time. I mean, to really kiss her.
You’re an idiot. You know one kiss and you would drop to your knees and worship her.
I growled. My insides waged war with pain slicing through my gut. She was in Boston. So close, yet so far. I’d hoped she was in the city searching for me. But it was clear she didn’t want me to recognize her. Even after our encounter on Dillon’s porch she was pushing me away.
“Kel.” Kade raised his voice. “Is it true? Is the girl really Lizzie Reardon?”
Dare to Love (Maxwell #3) Page 8
