“It isn’t that,” I argued.
I knew what was coming. I wanted to run into the house and lock the door behind me, but if I insulted him, I would hear it from my brother.
“Michelle, I know I’m the first guy you’ve been interested in since Joey’s dad was in the picture. I understand you’re a little nervous,” he said.
I fought to restrain my expression. I wasn’t interested in him. It was a forced date and he damn well knew it.
“Okay. I should probably get in there and see what kind of mess Liam left me with,” I said, laughing nervously.
He reached out and grabbed the back of my neck, and I knew it was coming. I hoped it would stop with a single kiss because I couldn’t deal with anything more.
The front door swung open and the sweetest word I’d ever heard was muttered: “Mom?”
I looked down, incredibly grateful for the little boy who had just saved me from an unwanted kiss.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Larson’s mom brought me home ’cause I had a stomachache,” he said in a whiney voice.
I wanted to jump around and do a happy dance. I hated that my child was sick, but it was the best thing that could have happened for me.
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.”
I looked back at Nick. “I better get inside and take care of him.”
Nick nodded his head. “You’re a good mom, Michelle. It makes me happy to know my kids will be taken care of.”
I fought back the repulsion at the thought of having the man’s children. I did not feel that way about him and didn’t think I ever would. He was handsome, and he didn’t seem to be all bad, but any friend of Liam’s was not good news.
“Good night.” I waved, following Joey inside the house before shutting the door behind me.
“How come you weren’t here?” Joey asked, clearly not happy with me.
“Nick took me to dinner,” I said.
“Uncle Liam said Nick is going to be my daddy.”
Hearing that was like getting punched in the stomach. “He said what?”
Joey shrugged. “He said Nick was going to be my dad.”
I shook my head. “No, he isn’t.”
Liam came in through the sliding glass doors, holding a beer in his hand. “Where’s Nick?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. You could have called and told me Joey was sick.”
“I took care of him just fine. Didn’t I, little man?”
Joey nodded his head. “Yep. I sat out with the guys for a bit before Uncle Liam said I had to go to bed.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great.”
Walking down the hall, I rested my hand on Joey’s shoulder in a protective gesture as I steered him into his room. I got him tucked in, placed a garbage can near his bed in case he puked, and then headed for my own bedroom. Rayne had convinced me I could move on. I couldn’t. Being with Nick tonight had proven that. The entire time he’d been talking, I had thought about what Elijah would have said. I had thought about the easy way Elijah would tell a story and make me laugh so hard I cried.
Nick couldn’t do that. He would never bring me the same happiness Elijah had. I had to accept that I was never going to be truly happy. I would have to settle for a man I didn’t love and live out the rest of my days in misery. The thought brought tears to my eyes. They streamed down my cheeks and into my hair, soaking my pillow.
Life was not supposed to have turned out this way.
4
Elijah
I waited a few days for the bruises to fade before I made my big return to my old stomping grounds. The last thing I wanted to do was show up looking like I’d had my ass handed to me again. I doubted anyone would believe the true story. It felt weird to be back, and I did miss the place a little. I wasn’t too worried about running into anyone from the old crew. It was easy to stay lost and blend in when needed. I was there to scope out the situation and decide my next move. For now, I was staying in a motel on the outskirts of the city, not wanting to get too close just yet. I couldn’t risk being exposed before I was ready.
After walking into the diner close to my motel, I found an inconspicuous seat, keeping my back to the wall and my eyes, shielded by dark glasses, on the door. I wasn’t going to get caught off guard.
Tonight, I would take a run into the old neighborhood. I wanted to check up on Liam and his crew and see what they were up to. I was sure they hung out at the same places. There was a biker bar we used to hang out at back in the day. It wasn’t like they had carded us. I’d walk in with Liam and the other members of the gang he was a part of, and no one would question how old I was. I had figured out soon enough back then that I didn’t want to be a member. Most of the guys were cool with it. Liam had been a legacy member. His old man had been one of the founders, so simply by birth, Liam had been an accepted member without going through the hoops.
I thought back to those days and remembered initially thinking I wanted to be part of the brotherhood. It wasn’t until after I spent some time with the guys that I realized I didn’t want that life.
“What can I get you?” a waitress asked.
I didn’t look up. “Burger and fries.”
“Cheese?”
“Yes,” I answered, looking out the window.
“Okay then,” she snapped, yanking the menu off the table.
I turned to watch her walk away, not caring that she was irritated by my lack of manners. I didn’t give a shit. I wasn’t back in the city to make friends. I was here for revenge. I thought about what I was going to do. I wanted to hurt them all, make them bleed like I had. I imagined how good it would feel to drive my fist into Liam’s face.
Trevor had tried to tell me violence wasn’t the answer, but it was the only answer I was willing to accept. I was going to watch, wait, and learn. When the time was right, I would strike, and he would never forget my name.
The waitress returned, sliding a plate toward me. “Here,” she said.
I pulled off my sunglasses and looked up to thank her.
Oh shit.
“Elijah! Elijah Harrison, is that you?”
I thought about denying it and then realized it was futile.
“Hi, Rayne,” I mumbled.
“You’re back? What are you doing here?” she asked, looking around the semi-full diner.
Shit. Fuck. Damn.
“I’m not back,” I said in a low growl.
“Uh, you’re sitting right here. I’d say you’re back,” she snapped. “What the hell are you doing here? Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be back here?”
I smirked. “Yes, I’m very aware of the danger.”
Her eyes bulged. “We thought you were dead.”
“And yet you didn’t report my murder to the police,” I said, my voice dry.
She sighed and looked properly embarrassed. “You know we couldn’t.”
She didn’t have to tell me who “we” was. She was talking about Michelle.
“I know,” I admitted.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, dashing away.
I groaned. So much for keeping a low profile. I needed to convince her to keep my presence to herself, and that was going to be a tall order. But I had to ask—no, beg.
Rayne came back to the table, her apron now off as she slid into the booth across the table from me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, sounding a little too gruff.
“What are you doing?” she shot back.
“I’m trying to enjoy a cheeseburger.”
She shook her head. “Don’t play dumb with me. Why are you back, Elijah?”
“I missed home.”
“Bullshit.”
“Rayne, listen, I need you to keep me being here to yourself. I assume you still talk to Michelle?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of having a minor connection to her through her best friend.
She nodded her head. “Of course I do.”
“You can’
t let her know you saw me.”
She stared at me. “I can’t do that.”
“Rayne, this is important. You know how dangerous this is for me. I assume Liam doesn’t want Michelle anywhere near me. You can’t tell her you saw me. It’s for her own good.”
I was hoping Rayne wouldn’t tell me it didn’t matter because Michelle had moved on and was happily married. I had tried to prepare myself for that possibility, but honestly, it would be devastating.
“She’s my best friend. I can’t keep something like this from her.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “You know what he did last time. What do you think he’ll do this time if she tries to talk to me?”
An expression of dread spread over her face and she nodded her head. “You’re right.”
“Can I count on you to keep this to yourself?” I asked.
She hesitated before nodding again. “I will.”
I let out a sigh of relief, hoping she kept her word. “Thank you.”
“So, how have you been? Where have you been?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Up north. I’ve been good, a lot better than when I lived here.”
She smiled. “I bet. I’m really glad you’re alive.”
“Me too.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me?”
I stared at her for a moment before I shook my head. “No.”
She nodded. “Okay. I get it. I’m really sorry about what went down. Don’t hold it against Michelle.”
“I don’t.”
There was a bit of an awkward silence. I wasn’t big on small talk.
“How’ve you been, Rayne? Married? Kids?”
She smiled. “Nope and hell no. I work here. That’s it for the excitement in my life.”
“Did you get to go to that hairdressing school you were hoping to?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I’m still saving up for it.”
I nodded. We both knew she was never going to save the cash she needed for that. It was our lot in life. We were from the poor side of town, and college was not in our futures. It was one of the many things that had bonded us together nearly fifteen years ago. Liam and I had met in our first year of high school, which had introduced me to Michelle and Rayne. We had been our own little crew until the older guys had recruited Liam. He had dropped out of school our junior year, and that was when things had started to change.
“Keep saving, Rayne. Don’t give up,” I said, looking into her blue eyes.
She was a pretty girl. Back in the day, everyone knew she had a crush on Liam. I hoped that wasn’t the case today. If so, her loyalty would be to Liam, not me, and she would run and tell him I was back.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“So, up north, huh? I see you’re still riding,” she said, steering the conversation back to me.
I shrugged. “I love riding.”
“Do you work? Are you married?”
I chuckled. “Definitely not married. I work odd jobs.”
I wasn’t going to give her any information, especially when I had no idea if I could trust her. At this point in my life, I trusted no one but Trevor. Trusting people could get me killed.
She cocked her head to the side, intently staring at me. “You’ve changed. I mean, you look the same, but there is something different about you.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Life changes people.”
“Yes, it does. You seem so”—she paused, searching for the word— “different. Grown up. Oh, reserved! That’s it. I can feel you holding back.”
I nodded. “I am.”
She burst into laughter. “You never were an open book, but I can see you are really locked down. I’m sorry to pry. I’m not trying to be nosey.”
“I understand. I don’t mean to be rude, but to be perfectly honest, I don’t trust you.”
Hurt and shock crossed her face, and I felt a little guilty. I wasn’t one to sugarcoat anything. She had wanted to know, and I’d told her. I hoped it didn’t piss her off enough to run and tell Liam.
“All right. I’ll let you eat your lunch. Take care of yourself,” she said, and she slid out of the booth.
“Rayne, please, keep this between you and me.”
She looked down at me. “I said I would, Elijah. That you can trust,” she snapped before spinning on her heel and leaving the table.
I watched her walk away before sliding my sunglasses back in place. Apparently, Los Angeles wasn’t as big as I remembered—or the world was getting smaller. I really hoped she kept my secret. I wasn’t ready to let the Bennetts know I was in town. I needed the element of surprise on my side. Without it, my plan would never work, and I had no doubt that the beatdown Liam would dole out if he saw me would make the first one look like a pillow fight.
Quickly, I finished my burger, wanting to get the hell out of the diner. Rayne never came back to the table, and I was glad for it. I left her a nice tip and headed out for my first day of scouting. I was anxious to see the man who’d been living in my nightmares for the past eight years. I wanted to give him some of the same. He thought he was untouchable, but I was about to prove him wrong.
My first drive-by was the bar where I had spent too many nights as a teenager. I saw plenty of bikes outside but couldn’t positively identify Liam’s in the parking lot. Next, I rode by the house Liam’s family had lived in. It was a little trickier to go unnoticed on the quiet street. I didn’t speed, and I didn’t go too slow as I drove past houses with overgrown lawns, bars on the windows, and broken-down cars littering the streets and yards.
Shit.
They lived in the same house. I made it a point not to turn my head as I passed, but I saw three bikes out front and a beat-up old Honda in the driveway. Liam had the same old Harley. I made it around the corner and kept going, not meaning to do it, but somehow I found myself driving up the winding road to the hilltop where my life had changed forever.
I cut the engine, staring at the spot that held contradicting memories. It had been the best and worst night of my life. I turned to the right, staring out at the sprawling city below. I would never be able to look at the place where I had grown up quite the same again. The fond memories I had were tarnished. LA wasn’t my life anymore. I realized after I had gotten away that I’d stuck around the city hoping to find my mother one day. It had been a stupid dream. She was probably dead. Drug addicts didn’t tend to live long lives on the streets.
5
Michelle
Boredom was wearing me down. I’d cleaned the house and done the laundry and I still had a couple hours before it was time to pick up Joey from school. I was going to look for a job. Liam couldn’t get mad at me for wanting to earn a little money for myself.
“It looks good in here,” Liam mumbled, his voice harsh after a late night of partying.
I turned from where I was mixing up a batch of cookies to see him stumble into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of basketball shorts. He looked rough, his dark hair poking out in different directions, his eyes bloodshot, and a three-day beard on his face. The grizzled look was his thing. It went with the tough-guy image he liked to project.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, watching him grab a bowl from the cupboard before dumping in cereal, scattering it all over the counter and the floor.
He splashed in milk, causing even more cereal to spill, before taking the bowl to sit at the table. I looked at the mess he had made and bit back my frustration. He was a grown man who acted like a child, and I was his maid. He expected a clean house but did nothing to keep it that way.
“I’m going to get a part-time job,” I announced.
“No.”
“Liam, I need to do something with my time. If you don’t want me to work, I’m going to take a couple classes at the college.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I want to.”
He was shoveling the generic brand of Fruit Loops into his mouth as if he hadn’t eaten in a week. “I pay the bills. I give you
an allowance. What’s the problem?” he asked around a mouthful of cereal.
I stopped stirring the cookie dough and looked at him. I wanted to ask how he made money. He didn’t have a job. I didn’t need to ask because I knew whatever he did was illegal—very illegal—and his entire crew was in on it. None of them worked, yet they all had homes, food in their bellies, and didn’t seem to be lacking for anything.
“The problem is Joey’s in school all day. He’s going to need things, and I would like to be able to provide for him. There’s no reason I can’t work a few hours while he’s at school.”
“Where are you going to work? You’ve never had a job,” he sneered.
“Because you’ve never let me!”
He shrugged a shoulder. “You don’t need to work. I take care of this family.”
“Dammit, Liam, I’m an adult. I have a son and I want to work. I can work the lunch rush at the diner with Rayne.”
He shook his head and focused on his bowl of cereal. Clearly, he was done discussing the issue. I turned around and went back to making the cookies. I had to find a way to get away from him. If I got a job, I could save up some money and run away. I could go to New York or some small town in the south where he would never find me.
“Nick had a really good time the other night,” he said, interrupting my thoughts of escape. “He really likes you. I knew you two would be good together.”
“What?” I choked out. “He doesn’t even know me.”
“What’s to know? You’re my little sister. He’s been around you for years.”
I shook my head. “We’ve never spent any time together.”
“You went out the other night. He already knew he wanted you. The date was just a thing.”
“A thing? Liam, you don’t decide to marry someone after one date,” I said. “We had dinner. That was it.”
I had hoped I’d been sufficiently boring enough to turn him off. The lack of kissing should have done the trick. Joey was always going to be around, and Nick would hate that.
Liam stood up from the table, leaving his empty bowl where it sat, and walked toward me. “He likes you. He’s offered to make you his old lady. I told him I’d be happy to have him marry you.”
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 24
